Strategic Management Analysis: Concepts and Models

Understanding the Origins and Approaches to Strategy

K1. Understanding of the origins and various approaches to strategy
K2. Understanding of the complexity of the relationships between the organisation and its environment.
K3. Understanding of international/global strategic thinking
K4. Understanding of the application of strategy ideas in practice Skill
S1. The ability to analyse the complexity of organisations and their environments
S2. The ability to synthesise earlier, diverse and possible piecemeal studies of the organisation and assimilate new theoretical models and offer solutions relative to strategic issues
S3. The ability to evaluate existing models and methodologies against observations of the practices of real organisations

You are required to submit an individual report of 3,000 words, which can be based on an organization or idea of your own choice. The strategic analysis must be related to a recognised aspect of business policy, strategic management or the philosophical underpinning of a particular methodology within the public or private sector strategic management domain.

If your analysis is of an organisation, then do not submit a functional analysis; for example, do not submit a strategic marketing analysis or a strategic human resource analysis. You should be applying the concepts and models from the topics that are within the module to your chosen organisation.
The report must be written in a recognised style, i.e. table of contents, introduction, main analysis, conclusions, recommendations, references and bibliography. You must apply the Harvard system of referencing in your report. The word count must be stated on the front page of your assignment. The word count includes the introduction, main analysis, conclusions, recommendations, diagrams, tables, figures and graphs; the word count does not include the front page, executive summary, contents page, references, bibliography and appendices. A penalty will be applied for exceeding the word count. The penalties that will be applied for
exceeding the word count can be found in Table 1.
To analyse a business policy or strategic management topic, to carry out individual research or evaluation of an organization.
Meet the learning outcomes listed above, identify and critically analyse fundamental issues related to strategic management. Undertake a study that shows clear evidence of synthesis and evaluation.
Use a theoretical model to reflect upon the reality (practice) of a situation. Use theory to predict the outcomes of practice. Use practice to reflect upon / modify theory.
There are a number of ways you might carry out this assignment. Here are a few ideas:
1. Compare theory and theory: Using practical examples compare two theories from either the schools of thought or the inside out and outside in approaches and examine success and/or failure. E.g prescriptive and descriptive schools.
2. Compare theory and practice: for example; does M.E. Porter’s (1985) model of competition support the experience of practitioners? i.e. use a practical example/case/ issue to reflect on Porter’s model(s) and examine success and/or failure.
3. A case study approach: for example, is Satya Nadella, C.E.O. managing Microsoft as effectively as he might? i.e. do an analysis of Microsoft’s performance in relation to declared (or undeclared) strategy and the efficacy of hisstrategy.
4. A recovery plan: for example, my advice to the Chief Executive Officer of the Toshiba Corporation is i.e. suggest a way forward for the organization in light of their poor performance over recent years.
5. A risk management strategy: for example, my advice to Tesco’s Chief Executive Officer in light of their 2014/5 £6.4 Billion trading loss.