Fashion Business Growth Strategy Plan - Assessment

The successful strategic and profitable growth of a fashion business will involve multiple decisions based on both external and internal factors, deep understanding of the growth drivers as well as validation of market forces and assumptions to support strategy, vision and tactics. The purpose of this assessment is to examine your understanding of the fundamentals and the application in Strategy Creation and Strategy Execution.

In groups, you will be asked to consider a newly established fashion business. You will be provided with financial data for the said company, and as such, must provide a detailed account of, and map the Growth Strategy Plan for the next 3 Years (do not consider international growth at this point).

You must provide detail of your selection and project for each year, with full critical, research-informed, and sound justifications for your choice.

• external market forces
• status and structural characteristics of the organisation
• products – highlight any key historical product developments or innovations
• brand positioning
• channels and current distribution networks
• growth opportunities
• strategy for growth realisation
• assumptions growth is based on
• risks
• Identify cost centres relating to the chosen growth strategy
• overall justifications for the course of action

• Demonstrates a critical understanding of the research topic area including theories and concepts, critical awareness of current issues in relevant specialist areas (evident in the introduction, critical literature review, development of rationale for the project, and discussion of how findings contribute to knowledge/practice in topic area)
• Demonstrates a critical understanding of research methodology (evident in rationale developed for the methodology, including consideration of epistemological and theoretical underpinnings appropriate and relevant to their project)

• Applies appropriate and significant range of theoretical frameworks (evident in critical literature review, development of rationale for project and interpretation of findings)
• Applies appropriate research skills and techniques in the conduct of research, including methods of data collection and analysis (evident in rationale for methodology and articulation of how research was executed)
• Demonstrates appropriate and relevant planning and execution of research (evident. in the articulation of the justification for methodology, development and understanding of research methodology, methods and analysis)
• Demonstrates originality and/or creativity (evident in developing rationale for research project based on understanding of topic area and research methodology which is relevant to the project)

• Applies critical analysis, evaluation and synthesis of information, and relevant issues (evident in the critical literature review, rationale for the research project and interpretation of results)
• Identifies, conceptualises and defines new and abstract problems and issues (can be demonstrated in developing cogent arguments for rationale for research project, justification of methodology, and interpretation and discussion of findings)

• Report is written clearly, in appropriate academic/scientific language; there is a clearly organised structure which takes reader in a logical and east-to-follow way through arguments/narrative being developed;
• Meets requirements of presentation and formatting, which also supports the structure and clarity of the narrative of the report
• Demonstrates good standards of grammar, punctuation and spelling

• Demonstrates good clear planning(evident throughout the report).
• Demonstrates understanding and application of appropriate ethical and professional practice, makes informed judgements on relevant issues (demonstrated in articulation of research conduct and discussion)

Demonstrates critical reflection on execution of research and implications of findings, including limitations and weaknesses in research conduct and findings (demonstrated in the discussion of findings and conclusions)