Strategic Management Coursework: Individual Assignment and Group Oral Presentation

Individual Assignment

A group oral presentation in class based on the presentation and discussion of a case study (25 minutes) which accounts for the remaining 30% of the module mark. Each group will be expected to submit 1) the slide presentation, and 2) a reflective report of max. 1,000 words on their presentation.

1- The Individual assignment:

When working in a business context it is typical to produce reports in a relatively autonomous manner.  The coursework part of the work for the course aims to help students to develop skills for report writing.  The main aim of the individual coursework assignment is to give each student the opportunity to choose freely a European company, industry that is of particular interest to them, to examine how the European context and EU framework impacts upon this company or industry and to apply suitable strategic management tools/models demonstrating the skills of analysis, evaluation and synthesis.

Students are expected to produce an individual report which should be well structured and original, should consist of 2,000 words. Students should shape their own topic according to the guidelines below and discuss their topic suggestion with the module tutor. The report should relate to issues covered in the module and explore how current trends in international business affect business. Here are some suggestions:

• A European company is considering investing in sub-Saharan Africa. You have been tasked to provide a report and consider various options. Which countries would you recommend, and what are the opportunities and threats to be given careful attention?
• Analyse similarities and differences in regional integration between Africa and another part of the world (e.g. the European Union, or ASEAN, USMCA or Mercosur).
• It has been argued that African development would need to be supported by a massive investment plan comparable to the Marshall Plan after WW2 if the continent’s economy is to be made sustainable. Discuss.
• Investigate Chinese investments in Africa and analyse their impact on the continent’s economies.
• It is frequently argued that the Belt and Road Initiative is for China a means of shaping the trade roads of tomorrow to the advantage of China. Others consider that the BRI will generate win-win situations for all participating countries. Discuss.
• Consider one specific policy of the European Union and discuss how it influences a firm or a sector of your choice.
• Review the impact that establishing the Single European Market has had on a firm of a sector of your choice.
• ‘With Brexit the UK becomes the only country in the world to impose economic sanctions on itself.’ Discuss.
• Investigate the impact that Brexit may have on African development.
• Consider an external policy of the European Union (e.g. trade, competition, environment) and investigate EU-relations with another region such as China or the US and possible tensions in EU-China or EU-US relations (or another bloc or country) in this particular policy area.
• The advent, in recent years, of illiberal regimes in Western economies (UK with Brexit, the US until recently, Poland and Hungary) and around the globe open up major issues of concern to European companies. Examine these concerns, either in the context of the EU, or in the context of the UK, or of the US.

Students who wish to formulate their own topic rather than choosing one of the above are welcome to do so. However, the must discuss their alternative topic with the module leader to ensure that it is suitable and fits with the overall aims of the module.

Supplementary Assessment

Supplementary assessment will be exactly the same as the above.  

2- The group oral presentation:

Students should, in groups of three, choose a topic directly related to one or more of the themes addressed in the module and select a recent article (from this year or last year) from the FT.com or another economic or business newspaper. They should send the link to the module leader to check suitability of the proposed article and topic. Alternatively, students could choose one of the articles listed on Canvas (a list of ‘Suggested topics from FT.com for presentations’ will be posted on Canvas in Week 5). They should specify if they wish to include one or two additional articles which they might have come across about the same topic. The presentation should be based on a minimum of one article and a maximum of three.

Then students will need to prepare;

1)A PowerPoint presentation of 8-10 slides including the title slide and the concluding one.

2)A written commentary in the form of a reflective report which should provide a contextual analysis of the topic. It should not exceed 1000 words.

The mark will take into account the quality of this report to replace the presentation skills and competence in answering questions in a normal oral presentation.

Students can add clear notes to their presentations, using the PowerPoint notes function for this to provide some explanations as needed to clarify the content of the slides.

To sum up, please make sure that you upload the following on Canvas:

• presentation slides with your group members’ names & UB numbers on the first page, indicating the titles of / links to the article(s) on which your presentation is based, and with explanatory notes, when needed, at the bottom of the slides;
• the reflective report.