Strategic Analysis Portfolio/Assignment 2 – Portfolio ExplainedPurpose of the Assessment
The purpose of the assignment is
• To assess your ability to identify key strategic issues facing industries globally and the implications this has for industry development
• To assess your understanding of theory within the subject and ability to apply it to what is happening in your chosen industry.
• To review industry landscapes at both local and international levels
Assessment Task

Assignment title:
Strategic Analysis Portfolio

• Choose two companies from an industry of your choice
• Using tools, models and other forms of analysis – compare and contrast the strategic choices each company has made and the implications of these choices for their respective competitive advantage

• Pay particular attention to branding, product and market decisions as appropriate and reflect on how the strategic choices support the companies in meeting their vision / mission / objectives.
Guidance

This assignment needs to be presented in a portfolio format. The word count is 2500 words. Please submit a document using Verdana, 11pt font with 1.5 line spacing. Please include a title page including the full portfolio title, your name, and student number.

• The portfolio should present a collection of research and analysis of your own material based on the overall title

• You may choose to group this into themes with subheadings that could be led by company examples or academic themes

• Whichever way you choose to present your research and analysis you must remain focussed on the over-arching title of the assessment. It is this that must influence your analysis and conclusive discussion.

• A selection of contrasting companies (new/old or high market share/ low market share etc.) will make interesting discussion and gives you the opportunity to gain some analytical depth to your assignment.
Some useful questions to consider:
• What decisions (strategic choices) have been taken by your chosen companies?
• What is the impact of the decisions (strategic choices) on the selected companies? Comment in terms of failure, success and/or what has been learned by the selected companies

• Have the strategic choices made by your selected companies led them into blue oceans or are they grappling for space in the ‘red ocean’?

• 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 marking criteria
Marks will be awarded in the following areas:
1. Student identifies and analyses strategic issues facing their chosen companies and the implications they have 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
Assignment title: Strategic Analysis Portfolio
Choose two companies from an industry of your choice.
Using tools, models and other forms of analysis –
compare and contrast the strategic choices each
company has made and the implications of these
choices for their respective competitive advantage.
Pay particular attention to branding, product and
market decisions as appropriate and reflect on how the
strategic choices support the companies in meeting
their vision / mission / objectives.
The purpose of the assignment is to assess the student’s ability to identify key
strategic issues facing industries globally and the implications this has for industry
development.
The assignment will test the student’s understanding of theory within the subject and
their 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 Task
This assignment needs to be presented in a portfolio format. The word count is
2500 words. Please submit a document using Verdana, 11pt font with 1.5 line
spacing. Please include a title page including the full portfolio title, your name, and
student number.
Please refer to the link below for advice on academic writing:

Home

The portfolio format does not need to be written as a report. It is your presentation of
a collection of research and analysis of your own material based on the overall title.
You may choose to group this into themes with subheadings that could be led by
company examples or academic themes. Whichever way you choose to present your
research and analysis you must remain focussed on the over-arching title of the
assessment. It is this that must influence your analysis and conclusive discussion.
Content advice:
Advice #1: Try to observe where decisions taken by one or more of your chosen
companies have ‘failed’ and to what extent this has impacted on the company and
how it has learned – as well as commenting on successful outcomes.
Advice #2: Have the choices made by your companies led them into blue oceans or
are they grappling for space in the ‘red ocean’? A selection of contrasting companies
(new/old or high market share/ low market share etc.) will make interesting
discussion and gives you the opportunity to gain some analytical depth to your
assignment.
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 they have 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
Assessment Submission
To submit your work, please go to the ‘Submit your work’ area of the Module NILE
site. It is important that you submit your work to the correct module NILE site, and
that your work is submitted on time.
Assessment Guidance
Please refer to the advice notes for some clarity on what is needed within the
assignment. The best assignments are those that demonstrably use knowledge from
the course material and explore a range of sources that are of a high quality showing
further reading and deeper knowledge. For advice on library resources please check
the Module Handbook.
Academic Practice
This is an individual assignment. The University of Northampton policy will apply in all
cases of copying, plagiarism or any other methods by which students have obtained
(or attempted to obtain) an unfair advantage.
Support and guidance on assessments and academic integrity can be found from the
following resources
SkillsHub: http://skillshub.northampton.ac.uk
CfAP: http://tinyurl.com/UoNCfAP
Learning outcomes
The learning outcomes being addressed through this assignment are:
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
Knowledge and Understanding
Research and evaluate a range of key issues in strategic
management.
Apply a range of key theoretical models
Critically review strategic management practice in organizations.
Subject specific skills
Apply academic models to current industry and company examples
Key Skills
Identify and analyse complex strategic issues using appropriate
knowledge
Articulating effective arguments in assessment tasks
BUS3005 Strategic Management
Assignment 2 (Portfolio)

Topics to be covered for Assignment 2

Theories (frameworks/Models/Tools) and key concepts
that can be applied in Assignment 2
Topic Chapter in
Johnson, Scholes and Whittington (2011) Theories
(frameworks/models) and key concepts
that can be applied to achieve competitive advantage
Market-based competitive advantage Chapter 6
Strategic Choices at Business Unit level
a) Porter’s Generic Strategies
– (Cost Leadership, Differentiation, Cost focus, Differentiation focus)

b) Bowman Strategy Clock
– (Cost Leadership, Differentiation, Hybrid, Non-competitive strategy)
Chapter 7 Corporate level strategies and Diversification
Ansoff matrix
– (Market penetration, Market development, Product development, Diversification)
International Strategic choices
– (Simple Export, Complex Export, Multidomestic, Global)
Resource-based competitive advantage Chapter 3 a) Capability matrix
– Strategic capabilities (distinctive resources & core competences) as sources of competitive advantage
b) Value Chain analysis
c) SWOT analysis (focusing on strengths and weaknesses)
Blue-Ocean Strategy and Critical Success factors Blue-Ocean Strategy and Critical Success factors (CSF) as sources of competitive advantage
Change and Innovation Managing Change and Innovation as source of competitive advantage
Organic and Inorganic growth Strategies (Partnerships)

Mergers and Acquisitions;
Collaboration & Alliances
Horizontal integration
Vertical integration (forward and backward integration)
Franchise
Licensing

Chapter 10 Mergers and Acquisitions
Types of mergers and acquisitions
Strategic motives for M&A (Extension, Consolidation, Capabilities)
Financial motives; Managerial motives
Collaboration & Alliances
Collaborative advantage; Equity and Non-equity (contract-based) alliances
Motives of alliances (economies of scale, access to capabilities, complimentary, collusive/cartels
• Horizontal integration
• Vertical integration (forward and backward integration)
• Franchise
• Licensing
Please Note:
• You are NOT expected to select all the theories and concepts suggested above.
• Please select a reasonable number from the above and apply them to support your comparative analysis of the selected companies