Module Title  :  Strategic Management

Assessment Type  : Individual Written Assignment

Table of Contents:

Module Period  :

1.    Indicative assessment requirements for the module
2.    Description of assessment requirements
3.    Learning Outcomes
4.    Summary of marking scheme
5.    Grading Criteria
6.    Notes on Plagiarism & Harvard Referencing
7.    Core Text & Recommended Reading
8.    Feedback Sheet
9.    Reading list/ additional sources

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SECTION 1
Indicative Assessment Requirements for the Module:

Individual Report: 4000 words (weighting :100%)

SECTION 2

Description of Assessment Requirements

As a strategy consultant, imagine that you have been approached by the Board of Directors of a company of your choice to advise them on their future strategic direction.  They are unsure as to whether to implement either (a)

an inventive strategy  or (b) an incremental strategy. In any event, the Directors are keen to promote the following theme throughout their organisation: ” Developing Strategy for Business Resilience and Sustainability”. In this

regard, they are also concerned about the challenges of managing change in their company.
You are required to present the Board with a written report covering the following tasks:

Task 1
Construct an argument, fully grounded in a detailed analysis of the company’s internal and external environment, to recommend one of the above strategies( inventive or incremental). Ensure that you demonstrate in your

argument the relationship among the following dimensions: strategic capabilities, competitive analysis, competitive advantage, and culture and strategy. (2000 words)
Task 2
Critically  evaluate the strategy you have recommended and discuss its relationship with the resource areas of people, operations, finance and technology. (1000 words)
Task 3
Recommend and justify a change management programme that may assist the company in realising its strategic objectives, taking into account the key contextual dimensions that may hinder or enhance the change programme.

(1000 words)
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SECTION 3: Learning Outcomes

Learning outcomes tested:
Task 1
?    Demonstrate a critical awareness of research in the evolution of strategic management
?    Critically analyse a case situation in terms of strategic issues and make justified recommendations

Task 2
?    Identify and explain the importance of how the synthesise of knowledge gained from other business modules may be brought together into a comprehensive understanding of the concepts underpinning competitive

advantage.
?    Understand and be able to critically analyse the strategic position and the interrelated functions of Production and Operations Management (POM) in organisations

?    Demonstrate, understand and critically explain the importance of integrational thinking in their understanding of strategy and its formation and development in complex organisations

Task 3

?    Evaluate and develop the ability to identify strategic issues and design appropriate courses of action

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Section 4: Marking Scheme:

Task 1
Understanding of the types of strategy                  (5 marks)
Competitive analysis                        (10 marks)
Use of strategic capabilities concept                  (5 marks)
Relationship between culture and strategy             (5 marks)
Use of relevant models to make recommendations         (15 marks)

Task 2
Resource implications of the selected strategy            ( 10 marks)
Use of academic concepts and models to demonstrate
relationship among key resource areas: HR,            (15 marks)
operations, finance, technology
Task 3
Critical analysis and application of change management      (25 marks)
models

Overall presentation                         (10 marks)

Total:                                    (100

marks)/value=100%