Using the selected organisation you have agreed with your tutor, undertake a critical analysis of key strategic challenges it faces, using an evidence-based approach to inform your assessment. Where you use tools, models or theories of Strategic Management to structure your analysis, you must include commentary setting out your rationale for adopting these, and explaining any key critical issues associated with their use in exploring strategy.
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From your analysis, present a prioritised summary of the organisation’s key strategic challenges, supporting this withan explanation of how these priorities were arrived at.Next, for each of the two highest ranked strategic priorities from your analysis, explore the strategic options potentially available to your selected organisation, providing theoretical supportto frame your discussion.As a practical output from your assessment, draw appropriate and logical conclusions and recommendations that would, in your view, best enhance your organisation’s competitive position, usingevidence set out previouslyin your analysis to support your proposals.
Finally, comment upon the effectiveness of the tools and techniques of strategic management in supporting your investigation, evaluation and building recommendations.Please include a short reflective assessment of your overall learning journey in completing the assignment, using an appropriate framework (e.g. Gibbs Reflective Cycle) to set out insights and their chronology.
Your report should contain as a minimum the following content (N.B. this is NOT a suggested structure for your paper):
1.An introduction setting out your understanding of the task, your planned approach. (150-200 words) 5 marks
2.Anoutline ofthe organisational context selected for the report and key milestones in its development. (200-300 words) 5 marks
3.Evidence of your engagement with relevant academic sources and literature. You should aim to demonstrate balanced critical evaluationof relevant theoretical concepts drawn from a range of appropriate sources (2000-2500 words maximum) 40 marks
4.Application of theory in the contextof your selected organisation, as directedabove, and using insights and examples from your literature review to provide support forany observations and arguments (1200-1500 words maximum) 30 marks
5.A short concluding section drawing conclusions about the relevance of Strategic Management theory in informing organisational strategy (400-500 words maximum) 15 marks
6. A short ‘Reflective Assessment’ of your key learning from undertaking the assignment (150-300 words) 5 marks
7.A reference list for all resources used in compiling your report. This element is not part of your word count. 8.Appendices (if appropriate)including evidence of approval for your selected organisation -not part of the word count for the assignment.
The module learning outcomes addressed by this assignment are:
LO1 -critically evaluate the challenges faced by managers in the development and deployment of strategy
LO2 -understand and apply a range of alternative models and concepts in dealing with strategic planning issues in order to achieve competitive advantage
LO3-critically evaluate the processes and outcomes in the implementation of strategic choices facing an organisation
3LO4-successfully deploy relevant critical, analytical and academic skills in an extended piece of writing related to Strategic Management.
