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Business Strategies 600552 Assignment 20/21

There is a single assignment for Business Strategies in 20/21. The assignment is split into 2 parts: Part A is a report based upon a case study (60%). Part B is an academic essay (40%).

Assignment Task Part A: Dog Pool Project (2,000 words, 60% of the marks)

Study the Dog Pool case study [documents and videos]. Perform a strategy project using the method described in Figure 1 (taken from the Lecture). You MUST use this method in your strategy project. Present your project and outputs in a report to the client (around 2,000 words). Your client is Natalia.

Figure 1: Assignment Method

The primary source of informaQon for the delivery of your project is the case descripQon documents and videos. However, support will also be provided in tutorials and announcements on Canvas. You are permiTed to undertake some addiQonal research to support your analysis. For example, you might look into environmental aspects of the project, but this extra research should not be a major focus of your work. For example, you might look into the business models of compeQtors. Your report will be evaluated as a client report.

Suggested Report Structure [for Part A]:

Title Page – Title, name and personal details (ID) [NOTE: the Qtle page of a report needs to give all the details required for administraQve purposes and also sets the tone for the report.]

Exec Summary – 200 word summary of the whole report

[NOTE: the execuQve summary is important; spend Qme on it; the normal mistake is to make the Exec Summary an introducQon only; remember to summarise the findings and main message.]

Main Body: 1. IntroducUon – give a liTle CONTEXT; explain the PURPOSE of your project; and explain the CONTENT of the report;

2. Methodology – explain your understanding of the task and your approach to the project; a project diagram, which shows the steps of your analysis is needed;

3. Analysis (Steps 2 – 5 of the method) – present your analysis; explain your analysis in a way the client can understand; use figures to show some of the outputs (for example your rich picture and your Business Model Canvas);

4. RecommendaUons (Step 6) – discuss the results of your analysis and generate recommendaQons for the business. Give ideas for Qme horizons 1, 2 and 3.

Appendices – if needed, place relevant supporQng technical informaQon in appendices. Use 1 page per appendix.

*FormaZng: Use Calibri font size 12; default margin sizes in Word; single line spacing.

Marking Criteria for Part A:

Criterion (weighUng %)

80+ 70-79 60-69 50-59 40-49 <40

Exec Summary, introducQon and methodology (20%)

ExcepQonally clear and complete descripQon

Very clear and complete descripQon

Clear descripQon with a few gaps

Reasonably clear descripQon with some gaps

Limited descripQon with some lack of clarity

Very limited and unclear descripQon

Analysis (steps 2 to 5 of the method) including use of models, tools and concepts (40%)

Tools, models or concepts idenQfied and used, with sophisQcated applicaQon

Tools, models or concepts idenQfied and used, with advanced applicaQon

Tools, models or concepts used, with good applicaQon and detail

An aTempt to use some tools, models or concepts but limited applicaQon

Limited aTempts to use tools, models or concepts

Negligible aTempts to use tools, models or concepts

RecommendaQons (step 6 of the method) (20%)

SophisQcated set of ideas and findings of real value to the client

Good set of ideas and findings of real value to the client

Reasonable set of ideas and findings of value to the client

Reasonably clear but limited set of ideas and findings

Limited ideas and findings of limited value to the client

Very limited ideas and findings of limited value to the client

PresentaQon and wriTen communicaQon (20%)

The work is professionally presented and wriTen style is fluent, accurate and convincing

The work is very well presented and wriTen style is fluent and accurate

Work is presented well and wriTen communica Qon is clear

Work is adequately presented and wriTen communica Qon is reasonable

Assessment may have poor presentaQon or be poorly wriTen

Poorly presented with poor wriTen communicaQon

Assignment Task Part B: Academic Essay (1500 words, 40%)

Making and implemenQng business strategies within organisaQons has always been a challenging task. This is because there are so many factors which affect how we go about conducQng strategy projects. Some factors are common to all businesses and have been around for many hundreds of years. For example, compeQQon between firms, the health of the naQonal and local economy, styles of management and the culture within the business and society. Some factors are more contemporary and are emerging, like the growth of the internet, pandemics, the growing power of social media, the impact of technology.

Look through the content of the module and the core textbook and choose a factor which you find interesQng. You might be interested in environmental factors or internal factors. You might be interested in the financial side of businesses or the people side of businesses. You might be interested in the creaQve side of strategy making or the analyQcal nature of business modelling. You might be interested in social media or what makes a good business strategy. The choice is yours.

Your Task: Once you have chosen your factor, discuss how the factor impacts upon the pracUce of making or implemenUng strategy. Remember, the purpose of this module is to develop your knowledge and capability in the pracQce of making and implemenQng business strategies. This essay gives you the opportunity to reflect upon and criQcally review how the factor affects this pracQce.

When thinking about the pracQce of making strategy, you might want to consider one or more of the following aspects: • How to conduct strategy projects: for example, the 6 step Business Strategy Method. • The implementaQon of strategy: for example, making acQon plans and managing change

within the firm. • Business strategies: the actual strategy a business chooses to enact. For example, to

pursue cost leadership, to sell online to end customers, to export products.

Part B of the assignment is an Academic Essay. An academic essay is a specific type of document. An essay is an argument, which is supported by relevant scienQfic evidence from the literature. More support on wriQng essays will be provided in the lectures.

Marking Criteria for Part B:

Criterion (weighUng %)

80+ 70-79 60-69 50-59 40-49 <40

CriQcal discussion of the affect of the factor on the pracQce of making strategy (50%)

SophisQcated discussion. You present very clear and compelling arguments with an excellent narraQve. Your thesis statements are clear and the discussion shows genuine insight into the way your factor affect the pracQce of strategy.

Clear and effecQve discussion. You present clear and compelling arguments with a good narraQve. Your thesis statements are clear and the discussion shows insight into the way your factor affect the pracQce of strategy.

EffecQve discussion. You present effecQve and reasonably compelling arguments with a useful narraQve. Your thesis statements are reasonably clear and the discussion shows useful insight into the way your factor affect the pracQce of strategy.

Useful discussion. You present useful arguments with a reasonable narraQve. Your thesis statements are reasonably clear and the discussion shows some insight into the way your factor affect the pracQce of strategy.

Limited discussion. You present limited arguments with narraQves which need to be clearer. Your thesis statements need more clarity and the discussion shows limited insight into the way your factor affect the pracQce of strategy.

Very limited discussion. You present unclear arguments and your narraQve needs much more clarity. Your thesis statements need developing and the discussion shows very limited insight into the way your factor affect the pracQce of strategy.

Use of evidence from the literature to support your argument (30%)

Excellent use of a very wide range of relevant evidence. The evidence is of high quality including journal arQcles and relevant books. The evidence is up to date and clearly presented to support your arguments. The evidence is very persuasive in supporQng your views.

Very good use of a wide range of relevant evidence. The evidence is of high quality including journal arQcles and relevant books. The evidence is up to date and clearly presented to support your arguments. The evidence is persuasive in supporQng your views.

Good use of a range of relevant evidence. The evidence is of good quality including journal arQcles and relevant books. The evidence is up to date and clearly presented to support your arguments. The evidence is persuasive in supporQng your views.

Reasonable use of a range of relevant evidence. The evidence is of reasonable quality including journal arQcles and relevant books. The evidence is mostly up to date and clearly presented to support your arguments. The evidence is reasonably persuasive in supporQng your views.

Limited use of a range of relevant evidence. The evidence is of mixed quality including journal arQcles and relevant books. Some of the evidence is not up to date and does not clearly support your arguments. The evidence is fairly persuasive in supporQng your views.

Poor use of a range of relevant evidence. The evidence is of low quality. There are not sufficient journal arQcles and relevant books. The evidence is not always up to date and doesn’t effecQvely support your arguments. The evidence is not persuasive in supporQng your views.

PresentaQon, essay structure and clarity of argument (20%)

Work is presented excellently, with very clear structure and narraQve. Very clear introducQon and the essay is very easy to follow and a real pleasure to read.

Work is very well presented, with clear structure and narraQve. Clear introducQon and the essay is easy to follow and a pleasure to read.

Work is clearly presented, with clear structure and mostly clear narraQve. Clear introducQon and the essay is easy to follow and mostly a pleasure to read.

Work is presented adequately, with useful structure and narraQve. Reasonable introducQon and the essay is mostly good to follow and mostly a pleasure to read.

Work is not always presented well, with unclear structure and narraQve. Useful introducQon and the essay is not easy to follow and not always a pleasure to read.

Work is poorly presented, with unclear structure and confusing narraQve. Unclear introducQon and the essay is hard to follow and not a pleasure to read.