QAB020603H Applied Corporate Strategy

This assignment is focused on the selected organisation, its industry and business environment. In week 2 you will be given a list of organisations to choose from. Please choose only one organisation for the purposes of this assignment.

Formative work in weekly seminars will guide students through analytical techniques and processes required to complete the task.

The Strategic Report should address the following:

�1) Carry out external analysis (business environment and industry) to identify a set of Opportunities and Threats and assess industry attractiveness. (30%)

2) Analyse the resources and key competences of the organisation to identify a set of Strengths and Weaknesses and identify core competences (key factors that may give the company its competitive advantage). (30%)

3) Evaluate the given strategy (as per chosen organisation) using SAFe criteria. (30%)

Please see pages 2 and 3 for more information and guidance.

A further 10% is available for clarity, structure, grammar, correct Harvard referencing and overall professional presentation showing clear report style. ������

Please note that the emphasis is on application! This assignment is not about general (or critical) discussion of strategic models. You are asked to apply these models to the case chosen. Appropriately referenced data should be used in support of your arguments and discussion.

The report should not exceed 3,000 words + 10%. �Appendices are allowed outside this limit but NO MORE than 6 pages.

How will we support you with your assessment?

There will be weekly references to the assessment task in seminars and weekly activities in those seminars will be helpful in creating �scaffolding� for eventual submission.

The formative mini-casework in seminars will be of direct help in the application of relevant strategic tools. There will be regular Q&A sessions linked to the assessment report and in the final weeks of teaching there will be an opportunity to review and reflect upon work from previous cohorts.

How will your work be assessed?

Your work will be assessed by a subject expert who will use the marking scheme indicated below. �Feedback will be given in the Turnitin/Grademark system with script comments plus overall points. When you access your marked work it is important that you reflect on the feedback so that you can use it to improve future assignments.

In this Strategic Report, high marks come from using strategic concepts and analysis from the module clearly applied to the organisation. Harvard referencing, a professional report style plus appropriate diagrams/tables are also required. Outline marking expectations are as follows:�

Q1: (30%) External analysis (not about organisation)

Discuss the business environment and identify a number of Opportunities - Os and Threats - Ts (we expect 6 issues from business environment to be discussed in total each of which concluded as an O or a T). Please note that there is no need to address each factor (if for example there are no important legal or technological issues do not discuss these factors). Your task is to identify and discuss 6 most important issues in your opinion. Demonstrate how an issue is an Opportunity or a Threat.

Industry analysis (5 Forces) should be applied to assess industry attractiveness (each force should be discussed and assessed as High, Moderate or Low and industry attractiveness should be assessed having these forces in mind).

Please make sure that you use appropriately referenced data (charts, figures, news, quotes etc) to support your arguments. Also, note that this is an external analysis so it is not about the firm but about issues in that industry (in context).

Q2: (30%) Internal analysis (about organisation)

Identify and discuss organisation�s unique resources & distinctive capabilities (approximately 10-12 Strengths and Weaknesses should be covered in total). Discuss resources (what a company has) and competences (activities) separately.

While addressing unique resources (physical � e.g. retail outlets, manufacturing facilities, products etc.; human � e.g. people and teams crucial for successful strategic development; intangible � e.g. brands, links to external stakeholders etc. and possibly financial) make sure that each is discussed separately and concluded as an S or a W. Identify and discuss 5 to 6 resources in total.

While discussing distinctive competences construct Value Chain for the organisation and within list a number of specific and distinctive activities for your organisation (5-6 in total). Demonstrate how unique capabilities link to competitive advantage (each distinctive competence from Value Chain should be �pushed� through VRIO to identify Core Competences for the organisation). Once you identify one (or two at most) core competence provide a discussion about these below Value Chain or VRIO (what is the activity and how does it contribute to firm�s competitive advantage). Note that all competences listed n value chain (and VRIO) should be company�s Strengths (Weaknesses could be discussed in a descriptive fashion separately). Again, use properly referenced data to support your arguments. This question is about the company (internal analysis).

Q3: (30%) Strategy Evaluation

Evaluate the given strategy � please see �Cases for the assignment� on moodle) using the three SAFe tests:

Construct TOWS populating Os, Ts, Ss and Ws fully (all Os and Ts obtained from Q1, all Ss and Ws obtained from Q2). Place the strategy you are evaluating in one of the inner sections and try to associate it to one or more internal and one or more external items while addressing Suitability (e.g. if you place a strategy in S-O quadrant identify appropriate S or Ss combined with O or Os while contemplating this strategy).

External analysis involves examining the external environment of an organization to identify opportunities and threats that may affect its operations. An external analysis can be carried out using various frameworks and tools such as the PESTEL analysis, Porter's Five Forces analysis, and SWOT analysis. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to conduct an external analysis:

Step 1: Define the Industry The first step in conducting an external analysis is to define the industry in which the organization operates. This involves identifying the relevant market and industry boundaries and determining the size, growth rate, and key players in the industry.

Step 2: Conduct a PESTEL Analysis The PESTEL analysis examines the Political, Economic, Sociocultural, Technological, Environmental, and Legal factors that may impact the organization. This analysis can help identify external opportunities and threats that may affect the industry's attractiveness. For example:

• Political factors: Changes in government policies, regulations, or trade agreements can create new opportunities or pose threats to the industry.
• Economic factors: The state of the economy, inflation, interest rates, and consumer spending can impact the industry's growth and profitability.
• Sociocultural factors: Demographic trends, lifestyle changes, and cultural shifts can affect consumer behavior and preferences, creating new opportunities or threats for the industry.
• Technological factors: Advancements in technology can disrupt traditional business models and create new opportunities for innovation and growth.
• Environmental factors: Growing concerns over environmental sustainability and climate change can lead to new regulations and consumer preferences, affecting the industry's operations and reputation.
• Legal factors: Changes in laws and regulations can impact the industry's operations and competitiveness.

Step 3: Conduct a Porter's Five Forces Analysis Porter's Five Forces analysis examines the competitive forces that shape an industry's attractiveness. The five forces are:

• Threat of new entrants: The ease with which new competitors can enter the industry can impact its attractiveness.
• Bargaining power of suppliers: Suppliers can exert bargaining power over the industry, affecting its profitability.
• Bargaining power of buyers: Buyers can exert bargaining power over the industry, affecting its profitability.
• Threat of substitute products or services: The availability of substitutes can impact the industry's competitiveness.
• Rivalry among existing competitors: The level of competition among existing competitors can impact the industry's profitability.

Step 4: Conduct a SWOT Analysis The SWOT analysis examines the organization's internal strengths and weaknesses as well as external opportunities and threats. This analysis can help identify areas where the organization can leverage its strengths to take advantage of external opportunities or address weaknesses to mitigate external threats. For example: