The Integrated Management Project is to be based on an organisation, a strategic business unit, or profit centre that has good potential for growth and development. The brief is to prepare a report for the Senior Management Team of your organisation addressing the following:
Analyse the macroeconomic and market environment and assess the current strategic position of an organisation with which you are familiar. Identify a real business problem or challenge - and derive suitable strategic options. Present a strategic and financial evaluation of the options for improving growth performance and propose an appropriate strategy, or strategies, for maximising the potential and value of the business over the next three to five years.
The report should identify the factors currently influencing the organisation and its market over the next three to five years. It will assess what impact they will have on the industry and your organisation's business and recommend a strategic response to maximise the opportunities for the growth and development of current activities and new ventures, where appropriate. The implications of these strategic recommendations for the management and measurement of value should be identified, as well as the role of and need for effective corporate governance in leading the change agenda. As well as involving a significant amount of background research on the business environment, the project should include interviews and discussions with colleagues on strategic and financial issues.
The project report should utilise your knowledge and understanding of your areas of study of Global Business Environment, Corporate Finance and Governance and Strategic Direction.
- GBE should represent about 2,000 words
- CFG should represent about approximately 4,000 words.
- STRD should represent about approximately 4,000 words.
The report should contain an Executive Summary, which evidences the integrated nature of the three subjects upon which you then build in your report. Work undertaken at the workshop will help you structure this element.
You are strongly recommended to enlist a senior manager within the organisation in question to act as the internal sponsor for your IMP. This might be someone who is able to identify a major project that will be of value to the organisation and to you. The sponsor may also be able to expand the network of internal contacts in conducting the research, as well as promoting interest and support within the organisation for its findings.
Production of this report provides a substantial opportunity to develop cognitive, intellectual and behavioural skills from individual activities and working with others in relation to:
- critical analysis and synthesis of global business environments
- identification, assessment and evaluation of the so-called relevant business environment for specific tasks and firms
- extrapolating current developments while considering major shifts in industry or economic logic in a specific context
- critical analysis and synthesis of corporate finance and governance concepts
- critical analysis and synthesis of external and internal environments
- Identification and evaluation of strategic options
- prioritising options in terms of strategic and financial value and relative risk using the discounted cash flow (DCF) framework
- reflecting on potential implications affecting corporate governance
- reaching strategic decisions using the analysis of alternative theories, approaches and concepts of value
- assessing the implementation issues of strategic decisions
- communication of proposals verbally and in writing