How to Write a SWOT Analysis Report for HMV in LB170

Overview of TMA 02

TMA 02 is marked out of 100 and accounts for 20 per cent of your marks for the module.This TMA is based on Sessions 1–9 (Block 1) of the module. It is intended to develop and assess case study reading and analysis skills by using business concepts and frameworks. It also assesses your reflective writing skills.

? Part 1 is an analysis of the case study you read in TMA 01 and builds on the skills that you used in that assignment

? Part 2 is a reflection on your learning experience in LB170 so far. The marks for this TMA are broken down as follows:

? Part 1: A SWOT analysis report

? Part 2: A reflection on your learning experience on LB170

This TMA is intended to assess the following:

? reading for a purpose

? identifying main points

? writing grammatically correct sentences

? paraphrasing

? summarising

? using a given business framework to solve problems

? selecting relevant information to address business and management issues

? structuring a formal report

? writing a formal report using an appropriate style

? reflecting on learning in writing.

This part of the TMA requires you to use the SWOT framework introduced in Session 5 and to draw on the other case study analysis skills you have practised in Sessions 1–9 (Block 1). These include the active reading process, framing the case, identifying causes and effects, identifying problems, proposing solutions and writing persuasively.

Carefully read the case study and identify the strengths and weaknesses (internal) of HMV, and the opportunities and threats (external) it faces. Use the feedback you received from your tutor for TMA 01 when you write up this assignment.

Follow these guidelines to help you as you write this part of your TMA:

? First, review the notes you used to produce slides for the case study in TMA 01. Select the most important information from your notes that is relevant to your SWOT analysis, and add any missing information based on your reading of the case study. Take into account your tutor’s feedback on TMA 01.

? Begin your report by describing what a SWOT framework is and why it is used by organisations. Then state the purpose of the report.

? Next, create a SWOT analysis table using brief noun phrases and key concepts based on your notes (TMA 01). Revisit Session 5 for guidance on writing up a SWOT analysis (see Section 5.2 for the correct table design to follow).

? Write up the analysis in paragraph form, using the SWOT analysis table to help you, and include the SWOT table in your text. Follow the paragraphing structure of the example SWOT analyses in Session 5 as a guide (see Section 5.8, for example).

? End your analysis with the important issues HMV needs to address and suggest how the company should address them. Be careful not to confuse opportunities that are outside of the company’s control with recommendations that the company can put into action.

? Use sub-headings as signposts in your report. They are included in the word count. As with TMA 01, the title should indicate the purpose of the report. For example, ‘Analysing the business environment of HMV using a SWOTanalysis’. This is not included in the word count. Referencing becomes part of the marking criteria from this TMA onwards (for referencing, see Session 9, Section 9.6). When you use information from the case study, you should include both an in-text reference and provide the full reference in a reference list at the end of Part 1.

Examples of in-text references:

? Several high street music retailers have gone out of business following a disappointing Christmas sale performance (Plummer, 2019).

? Plummer (2019) explains that several high street music retailers have gone out of business following a disappointing Christmas sale performance