Homework: Report - Diet
Length: 3,500 words.
Aims of the Module/Assessment:
1) Develop a critical awareness and understanding of strategy and its relevance and application to different contexts.
The learning outcomes assessed in this homework include the student's ability to:
1) Demonstrate a critical understanding of fundamental, contemporary strategic theories and concepts.
2) Critically evaluate and apply appropriate concepts of strategy to practice, across a range of organisational contexts
3) Assess alternative approaches to strategy and justify particular courses of action
4) Evaluate the implications of strategic decisions within different organisational and cultural contexts.
Task
Diet One:
Create a strategic profile of a company of your choice, and then evaluate that company's current strategy in action. Finally identify and develop a strategic recommendationthat you believe would significantly enhance the company's performance in the market place.
Your homework must be written as a business report formatand should specifically address the following four sections.
1) Section 1: Introduction.Introduce your report, the subject, the company and outline the structure to your answer. Within this, you are expected to outline the company's market position, their recent performance, their competitive and the strategic direction they are moving in.
2) Section 2: Evaluation.Develop a comprehensive strategic analysis of your chosen company. You are required to apply a variety of complimentary strategic frameworks (minimum of 5) in developing your analysis of the company, and its internal and external business environments.
3) Section 3: Strategic Option. Develop a critical discussion around a viable and relevant strategic option for your organisation, that you feel can improve business performance. This discussion must draw from the profile and analysis (developed in sections 1 & 2) and should clearly demonstrate the merits, impact implications and risks of your proposed option is likely to have.
4) Section 4: Conclusions. Draw specific conclusions about the strength of the organisation and your report.
Indicative Answer, Advice and Structure
An effective answer should consider the following:
In selecting the company students should consider choosing one that will have extensive information relating to it freely and readily available, for example, in the business/financial press, company reports, industry/market surveys and other such sources.
The homework might be focused at the corporate organisational level (e.g. Diageo, Tesco, BT, Ag Barr or the IAG Group), or at a division/strategic business unit (SBU) level of the organisation (e.g. IAG's British Airways Division). If a SME business is selected, be aware that information relating to it may not be as extensive or publicly available. You must ensure that a comparable range of data is accessible, which can be utilised and referenced within the report.
It is strongly advised that you agree the organisation that you are going to focus on, with your seminar tutor, well in advance.
The structure and indicative content of the report should be based upon the following main sections:
1) Title Page: Matriculation number, title of the report, date and word count.
2) Table of Contents: List of main section headings, sub-headings and page numbers.
3) Introduction: Give an outline profile of your (chosen) organisation and the competitive business environment they operate within. Cover position, performance data, who the direct competitors are and the current strategy. This section should alsoprovide an intended study path for your report, it's purpose and the direction you intend to take and what structure you will adopt to deliver an effective answer to the question.
4) Strategic Evaluation: A detailed profile of the organisation outlining the nature, scale and scope of the business and its core activities. Consider the competitive market it operates within clearly explaining the central elements of its competitive advantage.
5) Develop a detailed profile and then analysis of the organisation's internal and external contexts, by applying and analysing theoretical strategic frameworks used within the module (such as VRIO, Resources and Capabilities, the Strategic Clock, SWOT, PESTEL, Value Chain, Life Cycles, Porters 5 Forces, industry KFS and the Boston Matrix). Emphasis should be put upon understanding the practicalities and reality of the market conditions your organisation operates within.
6) Strategic Option: From your strategic analysis (section 2) identify a strategic option, that your organisation could consider for the future. This maybe in areas such as; Innovation, International development, C.S.R, Sustainability, Divestments or Integration.
7) Choose a strategic option that you firmly believe will make a real difference to the organisation's future performance. Explore and discuss the impact and implications of this option on the organisation, its key stakeholders, its market, and competitors. Use similar analysis and evaluation techniques (as employed in section 2) to generate substance and credence for your position.
8) Conclusion: Extract the core outcomes from your report that relate significantly to the organisation's strategic position and future competitiveness.Ensure that you include your key recommendation for the company and remind the reader of the key points regarding its strategic impact, specific benefits, implications and risks.
9) References: A full listing of all academic citations and other sources of information, presented in the Harvard system of referencing.
10) Appendices - Additional pages in support of information detailed within the main text of the report.
Format your homework according to the following formatting requirements:
(1) The answer should be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides.
(2) The response also includes a cover page containing the title of the homework, the student's name, the course title, and the date. The cover page is not included in the required page length.
(3) Also include a reference page. The Citations and references should follow APA format. The reference page is not included in the required page length.