Critically evaluate the key issues that strategic analysis plays in a business or organisation that you are familiar with.

Task:

In this assignment, you are required to write a report including 200 words of an executive summary, but excluding references and appendix. You should also perform the following tasks:

1. Describe briefly the background information of the organisation (or SBU) assigned. This information should be brief and relevant to the discussion of your assignment and thus may include ownership, history, size, business scope, major products/services, and major markets of the organisation (or SBU) selected.
2. Conduct external environment analysis including a marco-environment analysis and Porter’s 5 forces analysis: (1) Conduct a macro-environment analysis for the entire industry within which the organisation (or SBU) operates. You should use PESTEL model and focus on the understanding of the purpose of this analysis, the identification of key factors and their implications in terms of key opportunities and threats, and the discussion of their overall impact on the industry growth in the future. Draw your conclusion based on your macro-environment analysis.

(2) Undertake a competitive analysis using Porter’s 5 forces model. You are required to pay attention to the purpose of this analysis, the inter-connectedness of different aspects of the competitive forces, and their overall impact on the industry and the organisation selected in terms of main driving forces in the competitive environment. Draw your conclusions based on your five-force analysis.

3. Conduct internal environment analysis. You should identify key resources and competencies of the organisation (or SBU) that are likely to provide sustainable competitive advantage.
4. Summarise your findings based on your external and internal environment analysis. Identify the key issues that the organisation (or SBU) faces and give your recommendations.
5. Draw your conclusion.

Guidelines for this task:

Ensure that you read widely and address key components of the strategic management process addressed in the literature from Module 1.

You should seek to complement the readings from Module 1 by accessing books and relevant journal articles from the sources listed under ‘Recommended additional reading’ in this Subject Outline.

Use your reading to inform your critical evaluation of the key issues of strategic analysis within the business, public sector or not-for-profit organisation where you work.

While you are required to name the organisation that is the focus of your research, you may wish to make a case for maintaining the anonymity of the organisation (e.g. due to political or commercial sensitivities). Contact your subject coordinator before you start on the assignment if you need to do this.
Presentation

All assignments must be typed and they should be at least 1.5 line spaced with 12pt font size.

Use of headings and subheadings are recommended to help focus your work. The use of headings and sub-headings does not mean that you can dispense with the need to create a coherent discussion.

This is always critically important.

Please note that in all assignments the following are expected:

Careful analysis

Evidence of wide and careful reading (beyond what has been provided)

Coherent argumentation and structure

Correct spelling

Appropriate use of English grammar

Appropriate citation of references

Correspondence with the given word length

Referencing presented in the APA system adopted by the Faculty of Business

When using material taken from the Collection of Readings provided by the University please refer to the original sources which is fully listed

A Reference list must appear at the end of the paper.

Requirements

To complete your report for Senior Management you will need to include the following sections:

1. Executive Summary
2. Background – Give a brief account of the background of the company/organisation
3. External Analysis – Conduct an analysis of the organisation’s external environment and competitive landscape
4. Internal Analysis – Conduct an analysis of the organisation’s internal environment including its resources/capabilities identify the company’s core competencies and resulting ability to outperform competitors
5. Identify and analyse the issues in the internal and external environments and prioritize them in the order you feel are most critical
6. Conclusion – Summarise your findings.