Strategic Analysis of AstraZeneca: Case Study

Analysis of AstraZeneca's Internal and External Environment

The details of the core case study for this coursework are provided below. You are required to research beyond this case so you are able to provide stronger answers.

Ramirez, P. & Tylecote, A (2004) Hybrid Corporate Governance and its E ects on ffects on Innovation: A Case Study of AstraZeneca, Technology Analysis & Strategic Management, Vol. 16, No. 1, 97–119.

You are to answer the one of the 5 question. Write the number of the question you are answering before providing your answer.

Please note you are allowed to update the case study for this coursework two.

The word limit for your answer is 1500 words. You have an allowance of + or – 10% for each question.

Provide a correctly formatted reference list at the end of your answer. Ensure you include quality resources in your citations and references; include at least 5 recent academic journals in your reference list and ten sources in total. The words in the

 eference list and the appendix are not included in the word count.

Follow the CASE Unit guidance on report writing. Please note, the structure for this coursework is the report format and not the essay structure. You are allowed to include figures, diagrams and tables in the main body and not in the appendix.

Please use online library/ Athens to find and cite recent academic journals in your work.

Ensure your answer is professionally presented re. thus, ensure it is neat, justified, clear paragraphs and no grammatical mistakes.

ANSWER ANY ONE OF THE FIVE QUESTIONS BELOW. ALL QUESTIONS CARRY EQUAL MARKS . THE WORD LIMIT FOR YOUR REPORT IS 1500 WORDS PLUS/ MINUS 10%.

1. Using both the outside-in and inside-out analytical frameworks, critically analyse AstraZeneca’s internal and external environment and identify the strategic issues it needs to address in the short, medium and long term. From your analysis what are AstraZeneca’s major opportunities, threats, strengths and weaknesses? Generate strategies Astrazeneca can draw upon in addressing the strategic issues you have identified. Support your arguments with academic theory.

2. Critically analyse Astrazeneca’s key business models and assess the strengths and weaknesses of each model. Which model is the most innovative? Support your arguments with both academic theory and relevant examples.

3. Identify and critically analyse, the key strategic contradictions in the Astrazeneca case study. Reflect on how you might apply what you have learnt from this analysis to your future career. Support your arguments with theory and relevant examples..

4. Drawing from industry cluster theory, suggest why Astrazeneca chose Cambridge as a preferred base for some of its key value creating activities. Citing relevant examples critically explain how the UK as Astrazeneca’s home base has contributed to its global competitiveness.

5. Drawing from your own research and the evidence provided in the Astrazeneca case identify the company’s key international stakeholders, and map their level of interest and power. Explain how your learning from this module has helped you to understand the issues involved and suggest ways in which these relationships can be improved.