BUS3005- Strategic Management

Task:

Select an industry where dynamic innovation is taking place. Use appropriate, research and international examples to explain how the external environment has influenced innovation (positively or negatively) in this industry. 

Purpose of the Assessment  

The purpose of the assignment is to assess the student’s ability to identify key strategic issues facing industry’s globally and the implications this has to industry development. 

It will also examine their understanding of theory within the subject and ability to apply it to what is happening in their chosen industries today. This provides students with the skills to review industry landscapes at both local and international levels. 

Assessment Guidance Notes 

Advice #1: Please do not be tempted to only discuss your industry in your home country. It is important to draw comparisons from various countries in order to give a balanced answer that considers the issues at a global level.  

Advice #2: The essence of this assignment is to give you skills in analysing key issues facing industry’s at a global level today. While you may include company level examples you need to focus on the dynamics of the industry as a whole.  

Advice #3: Note the key words in the title – Innovation, external environment and influence. Consider what is happening externally to the industry to drive innovation and extent to which this is changing the dynamics of that industry, positively or negatively. Analyse your findings.   

Please ensure you write the full title of the assignment as given above at the start of your assignment. This will help you to focus on the key areas you need to address. Use the module materials to provide you with relevant theory and academic concepts to support your discussion. 

Assignment Two - Portfolio

Select two companies from an industry of your choice who are competing in the same market.  

Summarise, compare and contrast the activities of the companies – paying particular attention to capabilities, core competences and how success in pursuing competitive advantage has been achieved by strategic action. 

Content advice: 

Advice #1: Try to observe where decisions taken by your chosen companies have 'failed' and to what extent this has impacted on the company, as well as observing successful outcomes.  

Advice #2: Consider the way that the organisations utilise key resources to create an advantage. Where do the key strengths lie within the selected company’s? Please do NOT use a SWOT to establish this. Consider innovation and competences.  

Advice #3: Consider decisions made by your company that affect the products, markets and structure of the organisation. To what extent has this aided or disrupted the pursuit of competitive advantage. (Hint: New product markets/ new country markets/ alliances and acquisitions)  

Assessment Breakdown 

Marks will be awarded in the following areas: 

1.Student identifies and analyses strategic issues facing their chosen companies and the implications it has on the competitive position of those companies 

2.Student evaluates the key points made to draw sensible conclusions on the most important aspects affecting the competitive position of their selected companies 

3.Student demonstrates a consistently high standard of writing; knowledge of a range of quality sources, and uses Harvard referencing correctly throughout