Strategic Management

Report (3000 words)

THE BRIEF

(i) Choose a business that is listed on the London (FTSE) or New York stock exchange. It is
recommended that some of the information on your company should be available through
Datamonitor via the University’s electronic library.

(ii) Research current strategies using on-line and/or hard copy sources.

(iii) Produce a strategic management report that includes the following key elements:

1. Strategic Analysis:
• Industry analysis
• Profile of the company
• Stated Organisational Purpose (or if not publicly stated, then give your understanding
of its purpose)
• External & Internal analysis

2. Strategy Development:
• Identify existing strategies as published (using sources such company websites,
Chairman’s Report, Financial Results and statements to the press)
• Evaluate these existing strategies using the strategy ‘toolbox’ (i.e. the available
theories, concepts, and models taught in the 730N1 Strategic Management module.
• Identify Strategic Business Units (SBUs)
• Propose strategies for the next 5 years at corporate, strategic business unit &
functional levels:
o Use the strategy ‘toolbox’ widely
o Identify strategic options at the SBU level, preferably using the Strategic
Direction Matrix
o Use one or more of the portfolio methodologies (notably BCG &/or ADL) to
evaluate & rank SBU level strategies; then develop Corporate Strategies (the
‘bigger’ picture’) & revise SBU strategies given ‘real world’ constraints’
o Propose some important functional level strategies critical to successful
implementation
• Comment critically on how your proposed strategies differ from those being
implemented by the company.

3. Strategy implementation
• Develop outline plans for implementing your strategies
• Include the main actions that are needed

WORD COUNT
• Strict maximum of 3,000 words (excluding appendices and bibliography). Up to 10%
marks will be deducted for excess word count.
• See ‘Notes on Report Writing’ for guidance on the structure and content of the report.

GENERAL COMMENTS

1. Your report should draw on the materials covered in the 730N1 Strategic Management
module. Marks will be awarded for addressing a wide range of course materials.

2. It is not enough just to describe your business company/organisation, or the strategy
planning process, in general terms. You must have reference to analytical frameworks. B&M PG Resit Information

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3. Any academic material must be relevant. Always show your sources. Do not use material
from web sites (or anywhere else) without citations. Citations and references must conform
to the Harvard Referencing Style. Checks will be made to identify plagiarism, which is a very
serious matter and could result in zero or reduced marks.

4. Do not source analysis or ideas from student sources in the UK or abroad.

KEY ELEMENTS FOR REPORT is intended to help you decide about the structure and
content of the report:

o Key questions to think about at each stage
o Suggested tools
o Level of analysis (corporate, SBU or functional)
o Remember that strategic options can be generated at any point in your analysis so
keep a record of these as you proceed.

NOTES ON REPORT WRITING provides guidelines. Remember that this is a practical piece
of work, a report. You should communicate as effectively as possible in an appropriate style.

THE ASSESSMENT GRID is arranged in 3 sections:

• Presentation & style (20%)
• Content & knowledge (60%)
o Strategic analysis (25%)
o Strategy development (25%)
o Strategy implementation (10%)
• Overall thinking & analysis (20%).

Presentation & Style:
• You should produce a well-structured report that is carefully & logically organised.
Use numbering, plenty of white space, and bullet points to give a strong visual
impact. Make good use of charts, tables & graphics.
• Communicate your ideas clearly and coherently, using a writing style that is
appropriate to a report. Try to avoid long paragraphs by breaking up your narrative
into smaller sections.
• The reader should be able to scan your document by eye and immediately see the
main structure and key points.

Content & knowledge:
• Demonstrate a good understanding of the industry & the chosen company.
• Keep to the suggested structure.

Overall thinking & analysis:
• This is marked after reading the report.
• There should be evidence of good research with critical evaluation and analysis. Try
to critique the company’s strategies by giving your opinions & reasoning, don’t just
accept what they are doing (or what they say they are doing) as being right.
• Use the strategic toolbox well. You have a wide range of tools from the Strategic
Management module (& text books) so try to use these as comprehensively as
possible.
• You don’t need to describe a particular tool, you just need to apply it.