(read the requirements first . I will give you more in addition files, and may post new detail requirements later , after talk to tutor thank u)
Topic: What Went Wrong at Woolworths’ Masters: A Strategic Management Analysis
question :
Using current material from the internet and business press to obtain information about the Masters home improvement business and hardware chain (owned by Woolworths), you are required to write an analytic essay evaluating the original decision by Woolworths to expand into home improvement and hardware (2009), the management of Masters between 2009 and 2015, and the decision in January, 2016 to sell or wind up Masters. Your essay should adopt a point of view and provide a critical analysis of why you have chosen that particular viewpoint. This must be justified and supported by the application of relevant key strategic management concepts and theories.
Task Details:
In the introduction to your essay provide a brief synopsis of Masters. Remember, you are not writing a descriptive case study, but an evaluative essay. Your essay must identify and critically evaluate the key strategic issues for the topic. It is useful to identify the key issues in your introduction. If you do not identify the key issues upfront, you will struggle to undertake an analysis and assessment of them in the body of your essay. Keep in mind the word limit and mark allocation.
The body of your essay must provide an assessment of the relevant strategic context of the key strategic management issues (e.g. external, industry-level, internal, competitive rivalry, international, leadership, diversification, corporate governance, etc.). Essential to a quality essay and analysis is the application of relevant key strategic management concepts and theories. This requires reading the strategic management literature and using critical reasoning skills to identify strategic management issues in a contemporary case, understanding the environments in which they occur, and selecting options for the successful practice of obtaining sustainable competitive advantage for above average returns within societal values.
Your conclusion should provide the essential answer to the question set by the topic and be justified by the analysis in the body of the essay.
References must include a combination of academic journals and texts, as well as on-line company/industry/business news reports. You must include a minimum of 25 references, of which at least 12 must be academic journal articles (it is not sufficient to include them in an end reference list; they must be used to build your analysis and arguments). If you do not research the essay and analysis widely, it will not be possible to produce an acceptable essay.
The websites listed below provide a useful start to your research about Masters. Remember, your task is not to write a descriptive case study on Masters (there are no marks for doing so), but to gather information about the company in order to undertake a strategic management analysis of it.
!!(you have to use the information from above websites and search more )
https://www.theage.com.au/business/retail/what-went-wrong-at- woolworths-masters-20160118-gm8fge.html
https://www.theage.com.au/business/retail/time-was-up-for-masters- woolworths-had-to-act-20160118-gm834h.html
https://www.smh.com.au/business/retail/bunnings-growth-at-risk-as- market-reaches-saturation-citigroup-20150309-13zpxn.html
https://www.theage.com.au/business/retail/woolworths-to-close-or-sell- masters-and-home-timber-and-hardware-20160118-gm8dld.html
https://www.theage.com.au/business/property/masters-faces-property- upheaval-20160118-gm8e3p.html
https://www.afr.com/brand/chanticleer/woolworths-pulls-the-pin-on- hardware-two-years-too-late-20160118-gm80vf
https://www.theage.com.au/business/retail/woolworths-to-pull-plug-on- masters-after-lowes-exercises-put-option-20160118-gm7ygg.html
Michael Pascoe: Masters pain not over for Woolworths
Woolworths has 161 million reasons to wind up Masters
Masters stores losing $78,000 per week
https://www.theage.com.au/business/retail/why-hardware-chain-masters- has-it-all-wrong-20150911-gjk87q.html
https://www.theage.com.au/business/retail/is-this-masters-store-the-most- shortlived-retail-outlet-in-history-of-shopping-20160119-gm9bef.html
https://www.theage.com.au/business/retail/woolworths-throws-in-the- towel-on-epic-fail-20160118-gm833r.html