STG602 Strategic Analysis CW1 Brief – Strategy Context Report

STG602 CW1 – Strategy Context Report

What am I required to do in this assignment?

You will be required to work in groups to analyse a particular organisation and industry sector of your own choice.  You need to produce one copy of the report to be no more than 2,500 words in length (not including executive summary and appendices). You are expected  to   upload   an   electronic   copy   of   the   report,  along   with   all   appendices,   to Black Board by 12 noon on Friday 22nd of November 2024 (the Friday of week 9). It is important that you submit by the deadline. If you are late the maximum you can get for the report will be a mark capped at 40%. The late submission period is 3 working days after the  deadline.  During   this   late   submission period  the report   mark   will   be capped at a maximum of 40%. If you submit after this point, you will automatically get azero for the report and may have to re-sit next year!

You   identify   the   organisation/sector   you   wish   to   study,   subject   to   the   following constraints. You may NOT select firms in any of the following sectors – grocery (e.g.Tesco),   airlines   (e.g.   Ryan Air),   oil   companies   (e.g.   B.P.),   mobile   phones   (e.g.Samsung), cappucino bars  (e.g. Starbucks),  fast  food  (e.g.  McDonalds),  soft  drinks(e.g. Pepsi) or computers (e.g. Dell). Only one group per seminar can select any given sector. Generally, any other sector should be fine, unless we have too many groups doing the same thing, in which case we reserve the right to get later groups to choose again.

The tight word length will encourage you to write succinctly. Use of bullet points andgraphics  is   encouraged   (but   don’t   make   the   report   all   bullet   points,   and   don’t   usegraphics as an excuse to smuggle loads more words into your report). Strategy is aboutfocusing on the ‘big stuff’ – so avoid getting sucked into too much detail!

Format of Report

Executive Summary

1.0 Introduction
2.0 Industry overview
3.0 Macro environmental analysis
4.0 Competitive environment analysis
5.0 Internal company analysis
6.0 Evaluation of Business-level Strategies
7.0 Identification of Major Strategic Issues facing organisation
8.0 Conclusions
9.0 Recommendations

Appendices:

including these mandatory appendices

• Review of group process
• Week 4 Workload Allocation Form
• Week 9/Final submission Workload Allocation Form
• Review of Formative feedback
• Meeting logs (for all of your meetings)
• A.I. logs and discussion of usage (if A.I. used)

plus any other appropriate and relevant appendices

Appendices

The role of appendices is to provide appropriate supporting data for the main report.Generally we would expect graphics (unless they are particularly complicated) to be inthe main report, but more detailed information in the appendices. The flow of logic andargument should be carried by the main report itself – if the reader has to constantlyflick backwards and forwards to the appendices to build up a picture of what is goingon, you have the flow wrong. It should be possible to follow the argument just from themain report, only having to look to the appendices for supporting data and evidence.

There are certain mandatory appendices (explained below) which have to be included.Other than those it is up to you as to how many other appendices you have and whatthey contain but don’t just put information in “just in case”. The appendices should addvalue to the report, not just bulk it out. If you have detailed information (for instancefinancial figures or market data) you should make it clear what the key takeout is fromthis information.

Mandatory appendices

These appendices have to be included:

• Review of group process (comparing the two workload allocation forms and reviewinggroup process, using the questions below)
• Week 4 Workload Allocation Form
• Week 9/Final submission Workload Allocation Form
• Review of Formative feedback (if formative submitted)
• Meeting logs (for all of your meetings)
• A.I. log and discussion of usage (if A.I. used)

Failure   to   include   these   appendices   will   result   in   a   reduction   to   yourcommunication marks for the entire group. These   mandatory   appendices   can   be   supplemented   with   whatever   other   relevantadditional material you think appropriate, but see points above about relevance andappropriateness (i.e. don’t just put information in “for the sake of it”