International Business Strategy BUSI3003

NOTESONPREPARINGFORINDIVIDUAL STRATEGY REPORTS

INTERNATIONALBUSINESSSTRATEGY

1. WhatisaStrategy Case?

AStrategy(oraninternationalbusinessstrategy(IBS))Casedescribes an organizationsexternal,(MBV)internal, (RBV)organizational, (OBV)corporate(CORP) andinternational, (INT)conditions and raisesissuesconcerning the organization's mission, objectives, strategies and policies. Most of the information in a case is established fact, but some information may be opinions, judgments and beliefs.

A Strategy Caseis simply a story about a company and thestrategic issuesits strategic decisions makers face. In order to identify and address those issues, you put yourself in the position of being one of those decision-makers(i.e.Consultant,ManagingDirector,andMemberoftheBoardorChairmanEtc). You analyze the information that is provided about the company in the case.

Based on your analysis of this information, you should be able to identify the majorstrategicissuesfacingthecompanyandformulatestrategicalternativesyou think would best address those issues.

Strategy Cases are more comprehensive than those you may have studied in other courses. They generally include a description of related management, marketing, finance, HRM, procurement, production/ operations, OB, information systems and economics. A strategy case puts the reader on the scene oftheactionbydescribingacompany'ssituationatsomepointintime.Strategy Casesare written to give you practices applyingstrategic management and international business strategytheories, tools and concepts (TTC).

WhyUseCasestoPracticeStrategy?

A student of business with tact Absorbedmanyanswershelacked. But acquiring a job,

Hesaid with asob,

Howdoesonefit answertofact?

The foregoing limerick was used some years ago by a university professor to characterize the plight of business students who had no exposure to cases. The facts are that the mere act of listening to lectures and sound advice about managing does little for anyones management skills and that the accumulated managerial wisdom cannot effectively be passed on by lectures and assigned readings alone. If anything had been learned about the practice of management, it is that a storehouse of ready-made textbook answers does not exist. Each managerial situation has unique aspects, requiring its own diagnosis, judgment, and tailor-made actions. Cases provide would-be managers with a valuable way to practice wrestling with the actual problems of actual managers in actual companies.

The case approach to strategic analysis is, first and foremost, an exercise in learning by doing. Because cases provide you with detailed information about conditions and problems of different industries and companies, your task of analyzing company and situation has the twin benefit of boosting your analytical skills and exposing you to the ways companies and managers actually do things.

Cases help substitute for on-the-job experience by;

• Giving you broader exposure to a variety of industries, organizations, and strategic problems;
• Forcingyoutoassumeamanagerialrole(asopposedtothatofjustan onlooker);
• Providingatestofhowtoapplythetheories,tools,techniquesandconcepts of international business and strategic management; and
• Askingyoutocomeupwithpragmaticmanagerialactionplanstodealwith strategic issues at hand.

ObjectivesofCaseAnalysis

Using cases to learn about the practice of strategic management and international business strategy is a powerful way for you to accomplish fivethings:

1. Increase yourunderstandingofwhatmanagersshouldand should not do in guiding a business to success.
2. Build yourskillsinsizingupcompanyresourcestrengthsand weaknesses and in conducting strategic analysis in a variety of industries and competitive situations.
3. Get valuablepracticeinidentifyingstrategicissuesthatneed to be addressed, evaluating strategic alternatives, and formulating workable plans of action.
4. Enhance yoursenseofbusinessjudgment,asopposedtoback- of-the-book answers.
5. Gaining in-depth exposure to different industries and companies,therebyacquiringsomethingclosetoactual business experience.

Hence, the important thing for you to understand about analyzing cases is that the managerial exercise of identifying,diagnosing, andrecommendingis aimedat building your skillsof business judgment. Discovering what the company actually did is no more than frosting on the cakethe actions that company managers actually took may or may not be right or best (unless there is accompanyingevidencethattheresultsoftheiractionswerehighlypositive.)

The point is this: The purpose of giving you a case assignment is not to cause you to run to the library or surf the Internet to discover what the company actually did but, rather, to enhance your skills in sizing up situations and developingyourmanagerialjudgmentaboutwhatneedstobedoneandhowto do it.

The aim of case analysis is foryouto become actively engaged in diagnosing the strategic issues and managerial problems posed in the case, to propose workable solutions,andtoexplainanddefendyourassessmentsthisishowcasesprovide you with meaningful practice at being a manager

To prepare for a case study analysis, we suggest the following approach:

1. Skim thecaseratherquicklytogetanoverviewofthesituation it presents.This quick overview should give you the general flavor of the situation and indicate the kinds of issues and problems that you will need to wrestle with.
2. Read the case thoroughly to digest the facts and circumstances.On this reading, try to gain full command of the situationpresentedintheBegintodevelopsometentativeanswersto the strategic issues by considering TTCs of strategy we have covered during lectures and lecture notes. Then start forming your own picture of the overall situation being described.
3. Carefully reviewalltheinformationpresentedinthe Often, there is an important story in the numbers contained in theexhibits. Expect the information in the case exhibits to be crucial enough to materially affect your diagnosis of the situation.

8. Decide whattheoverallconcernsUntil you haveidentifiedthe overall concerns and problems in the case, you dont know what toanalyze,whichtoolsandanalyticaltechniquesarecalledfortoidentifykey strategic issues, or otherwise how to proceed. You will have to dig them out from all the information given by using TTCs covered in lectures and lecture notes
9. Start your analysis of financial issues with some number crunching.Abigmajorityof strategycases call for somekindof number crunchingcalculating assorted financial ratios to check out the companysfinancialconditionandrecentperformance,calculatinggrowth rates of sales or profits or unit volume, checking out profit margins and the makeup of the cost structure, and understanding whatever revenue cost-profit relationships are present. See separate notes on key financial ratios, how they are calculated, and what they show.
10. Apply theTheories,Tools andConcepts (TTCs) of strategic analysis you have been studying.Strategic analysis is not just a collection of opinions; rather, it entails applying the TTCs described in lectures,e-notesandslidestocutbeneaththesurfaceandproducesharp insight and understanding. Every case assigned is strategy related and presents you with an opportunity to usefully apply what you have learned toward the proper analytical tools needed to analyze the case situation.
11. Checkout conflictingopinionsandmakesomejudgments about the validity of all the data and information provided.Many times cases report views and contradictory opinions (after all, people dont always agree on things, and different people see the same things in different ways). Forcing you to evaluate the data and information presented in the case helps you develop your powers of inference and judgment. Asking you to resolve conflicting information comes with the territory because a great manymanagerial situations entail opposing points of view, conflicting trends, and sketchy information.
12. Support yourdiagnosisandopinionswithreasonsandThe most important things to prepare for are your answers to the question Why?Forinstance,ifafterstudyingthecaseyouareoftheopinionthatthe companys managers are doing a poor job, then it is your answer to Why? that establishes just how good your analysis of the situation is.
13. Develop an appropriate action plan and set of recommendations.Diagnosis divorced from corrective action is sterile. The test of a manager is alwaystoconvertsoundanalysisintosoundactionsactionsthatwillproduce the desired results. Hence, the final and most telling step in preparing a caseis to develop an action agenda for management (a broad implementationplan) that lays out a set of specific recommendations on what to do. Be prepared to arguewhy your recommendations are more attractive than other courses of action that are open. Youll find thecase preparation noteshelpful in performing this step, too.As long as you are conscientious in preparing your analysis and recommendations, and have ample reasons, evidence, and arguments to support your views, you shouldnt fret unduly about whether what youve prepared is the right answer to the case.Incaseanalysisthereisrarely justone rightapproach or set of recommendations. Managing companies and formulating and executing strategies are not such exact sciences that there exists a single provably correct analysisandactionplanforeachstrategicsituation.Ofcourse,someanalysesand action plans are better than others; but, in truth, theres nearly always more than onegoodwayto analyze asituation andmore than onegood plan of action. Dont lose confidence in the correctness of your work and judgment.

II)Guidelinesfor PreparingCaseAnalyses

TheNeedforPracticality:

There is no such thing as a complete case, and no case ever gives you all information you need to conduct analyses and make recommendations. Likewise, in business world, strategists never have all information they need to make decisions: information may be unavailable or too costly to obtain, or it may take too much time to obtain. So in preparing strategic-management and business strategy cases, do what strategists do every day - make reasonable assumptions about unknowns, state assumptions clearly, perform appropriate analyses and make decisions.Be Practical.

TheNeedforJustification

The most important part of analyzing cases is not what strategies you recommend, but rather how you support your decisions and how you propose thattheybeimplemented.Justifyyouranswersbyrelatingthemtotheanalyses you conduct.There is no single best solution or one right answer to a case, so give ample justification for your answers and recommendations by using theories, concepts, and frameworks of Strategic Management and Business Strategy.

TheNeedforRealism

Avoid recommending strategies or course of actions beyond a company's means. Be realistic.No company can possibly pursue all the strategies that could potentially benefit the company.Make sure your recommendations aresuitable, feasible and acceptableby the key stakeholders. Estimate how much capital will be required to implement what you recommended.Do not prepare a case analysis that omits all arguments and information not supportive of your recommendations. Try not to exaggerate, stereotype, prejudge or over dramatize. Strive to demonstrate that your interpretation of the evidence is reasonable and objective.

TheNeedforSpecificity

Do not make broad generalizations such as "The Company should pursue a market penetration strategy"".Be specific by telling what, why, when, how,where.Conductingcomprehensiveandappropriateexternal,internal, organizational, international, corporate analyseswould help to specify your recommendationsFailuretousespecificsare thesinglemajor shortcomingof most verbal and written case analyses. In real world businesspeople dislike generalities and vagueness.

TheNeedforOriginality

Do not necessarily recommend a course of action that the company plans to take or actually undertook, even if those strategies resulted in improved revenues and earnings. The aim of the case analysis is for you to consider all the facts and information relevant to the company at the time(case date), to generate appropriate alternative strategies to choose among those alternatives, and to defend your recommendations. Put yourself back in time to the point when strategic decisions were being made by the company's strategists. Based on the informationavailablethen,whatwouldyouhavedone?Supportyourposition with charts, graphs, rational analyses and frameworks, and the like- not a revelation from the library. You can become a good strategist by thinkingsituations, makingmanagementassessments,andproposing plans yourself. Be original.Compare and contrast what you recommend versus what the company plans to do or did.

TheNeedtoContribute

In real world, strategy analysis, strategy formulation and recommendation are commonly made by a group of individuals rather than by a single person.

Membersofyourgroupmaydifferontheiraversiontorisktheirconcernfor short run-versus long-run benefits, their interpretation of internal, external organizational,internationalfactorsaffectingthecompanyetc.Thereareno perfect people, so there are no perfect strategies.

INDIVIDUALSTRATEGY(CASESTUDYWRITTEN)REPORTS-

KeyPoints

GuidelinesforaCaseStudyReport-(WrittenAssignment)

Preparingawrittencasestudyreportisgenerallymorestructuredand more detailed.

There is no ironclad procedure for doing a written case assignment. All we can offer are some general guidelines and words of wisdomthis is because company situations and management problems are so diverse that no one mechanical way to approach a written case assignment always works. In your assignment, the expectation is that you will

• Identifyallthekeystrategicissuesthatmanagementneedstoaddress,
  • Performwhateveranalysisandevaluationisappropriate,and
• Proposestrategies, setof recommendations and an action plan addressingthekeyissuesyouhaveIngoingthroughthe exercise of identify, evaluate, and recommend, keep the following pointers in mind.
• Thereis nooff the shelfprocedurefor preparingawritten casereport because cases differ in focus; type, size, and complexity of the company/industrybeinganalyzedalsoIngeneralaround3000- words,excludingappendix and references, is the typical length of the report. You can also usetables for some of your analysis or appendix section as these do not count in the word count.An individualwrittenreportwill count 100 % of the total mark.

You will first want to read the case to familiarize yourself with the company and the situation. Then, go back through the case and start noting certain statements and whether they describe internal, external, corporate, international and organizational factors. Keep in mind thatnot every piece of informationincludedinthewrittencaseisgoing toberelevant/importantfor your analysis. However, you will not be able to determine that unless you have studied the case by reading through it more than once. Togetthemosteducationalbenefitsfromdoing case analysis, you have to arm yourself with the information thecompany's strategic decision-makers would have had and address the caseunder those conditions. Most of the cases refer to recent situations.

Nevertheless, no matter how up to date they are at the time of the reading, by the time book reaches the reader they will be history. This involves loss of both immediacy and uncertainty.

You can also update the case information by finding extra informationfromlibraryorInternetoranyothersourceifyou wish, however this is onlyoptional.

Our recommendation however, is that stay within the same period as the case. Forinstance, ifyourcaseendsin2016,itisbestnot touseinformationonnews, and events that happened in 2018, because those events would not have happened yet. In such situation, the only available information (usually not complete)istheonethatisinthecase,atthecasedate,andwhatwetestingistoassesshow as a strategist, can you use yourintuition, judgment, strategic

management principles and experienceto dig out strategic issues and recommend future strategic options to address those issues from limited information.Howeverextendingcasestudyinformationbeyondcasedateisoptional, but you need to cite such information.

When writing your report, avoid using jargon, vague or redundant works anddonotduplicate case information. Watch yourspelling. Use short sentences, paragraphs and simple words and phrases. Use quite a few subheadings. Your casestudyreportcouldbepresentedinacombinationofparagraphsandbulleted itemformat.Ifyouhaveusedinformationfromothersource,youwillneedtocitethat information.Arrangestrategic issues from the most important to the least important. Arrange future recommendations from the least controversial to the most controversial. You should also include atable of contentsto your report.

You may include charts, figures, frameworks and other kind of exhibits that may helptocommunicateimportantpointsandideas.Appendixsectionofyourreport is useful to include those exhibits.

Strategy(CaseStudy)ReportOutline

The written case study (strategy)report requires you to apply the strategic management&businessstrategytheories,analyticaltoolsandframeworksas well asconceptsthat we have covered in the lectures to the particular organization/ industry that you are assigned to analyze.

The BODs of the company in question has asked you, as aconsultant,to conduct astrategicauditofthecompany,toidentifyissuesandrecommendsolutions.The following notes are forguidelinesonly.You arefreeto write the contents of subheadingsasyouwish,basedonyourpastexperienceandknowledgeonreport writing. The following guidelines are aimed at contributing to morestructuredreport writing; howevercreativity is always essential part of report writing.

REPORTSTRUCTURE

ExecutiveSummary

1. Strategic Analysis

• External Analysis and Market Based View
• Internal Analysis and Resource Based View
• Organizational Analysis and Organisation Based View
• Corporate Analysis ( if it is a Corporate Case )
• Internationalisation Analysis

2. Identification & Justification of Key Strategic Issues
3. Future Strategic Options
4. Strategy Evaluation and Selection- SAF Criteria
5. Justification of Recommendations and Action Plan
6. Appendix and References

1.STRATEGICANALYSIS

The purpose ofstrategic analysisis not to provide answers but help to understand and to identifystrategic issues. Many of theanalytical tools , theories and conceptsintroduced in lectures underMBV, RBV,OBV,CorporateandInternationalperspectivesare toidentify,classifyandunderstandtheprinciplestrategicissuesthataffectthecompetitivepositionof firms and that influence strategic decisions. Each of the analyticaltools, theories and concepts (TTCs)assist to answer key questions underMBV, RBV OBV, corporate, internationalperspectives and to dig outstrategic issuesfaced by the firms in question.

In your report you need to show how using eachrelevantTTC lead to thestrategicissueissuesyouhaveidentified.(Thesearethestrategicissueshidden in the case and can only be detected by using therelevantTTCs.)

Refer toe-notes, their associated slides, mini case study slides, your lecture notes and referencesto dig outstrategic issuesfaced by the company in question. For example in identifying thekey strategicyou need answersforfollowingquestionsbyusingtherelevantTTCs.(Thequestionlist is not exhaustive; these are for indicative purposes only).

Inyourreportyouneedtoshowhowusingeachrelevantanalyticaltool,theoryor conceptlead to the strategic issue(s) you identified.(These arethe strategic issueshidden in the case and can only be detected by using therelevantanalytical tool, theory or concept of management).

ForExample:

1.EXTERNALENVIRONMENT ANALYSIS& (MBV)

ForExternalEnvironmentAnalysis,answeringthefollowingquestions(Onlyifthey are relevant for the case study)should leadto strategic issues identification/ recommendationsunderExternal Environment &MBV

1. MACROENVIRONMENTANALYSIS-Questionsinclude;

• What are the Political, Economical, Social/ Technological Ecological/ and Legal(PESTEL)trendsinthebusinessenvironmentthefirmisoperating
• WhatPESTELfactorsarecurrentlyaffectingtheorganisation?
• Whichofthesearethemostimportantatpresenttime?Andinthenext few years?
• Arethesefactorsbeingconsideredthreatsoropportunitiesforthe organisation?
• Whatarethelikelyimpactofthesethreatsandopportunitiesonthe competitive positioning of the organisation?
• Whatisthecompanys(organisation)currentstandingvisa-vis PESTEL forces( Its strengths / weaknesses)
• Recommendations:Howshouldthecompanyrespondtothese PESTEL forces ( proactive- reactive )

B)?INDUSTRY(MARKET)DYNAMICS-(EvolutionaryForces)-

Questionsinclude;

• What are the key drivers of change (evolutionaryforces)?
• Which of these are the most importantatpresenttime?Andinthenext few years?
• Which of these arecontrollable/uncontrollablebytheorganisation?
• Which of these currently aredynamic/static?
• Are the changes on these EV forces aretemporary(seasonal, cyclical) or permanent?
• Are these factors being consideredthreatsoropportunitiesforthe organisation?
• Whatarethelikelyimpactofthesefactorsontheindustrystructure(5 Forces), and thecompetitive positioningof the organisation?
• (Recommendations): How should our organisation manage or adapt to these EV forces

C)INDUSTRY(MARKET)ANALYSIS(5Forces);

QUESTIONSFORIDENTIFYINGTHETHREATOF(POTENTIAL)SUBSTITUTES

• What are the substitutes or alternatives for our product/ service?
• How big an impact will substitutes have? ( that is how viable are they as direct replacements for our product/ service)
• How quickly they penetrate?
• Which players in the industry will consider substitutes as an opportunity for diversification

QUESTIONSFORIDENTIFYINGTHEBARGAININGPOWEROFBUYERS(CUSTOMERS)

• Who are the customers for this industry? How concentrated are they? (Who are the major customers, and what percent of the business do they represent?)
• How fast is demand growing overall and in different segments? What is the potential for finding or creating new markets or niches?
• What are the switching costs? How high are they?
• How price sensitive is each customer segment for each of the industrysservices
• How large is the threat of backward integration( e. buyers self- supplying our products/ services)
• What is the customers relative bargaining power?QUESTIONSFORIDENTIFYINGTHEINTENSITYOFINDUSTRYCOMPETITION
• Who are the major competitors (today)? What are their basic characteristics?(size;growth,productlines,customerbase,geographical coverage)
• What is their relative competitive position in the industry ( in terms of targeted market, product, place , price, promotion)
• What is the competitive advantage of each? (What switching costs have they built?)
• How they compete? What weapons or strategies do each use?
• What form does the competition take place? Open warfare, polite, dtente, secrecy, open signaling?
• How is the product/ service differentiation achieved?
• How competitive is the industry? What is the fixed cost/ variable cost ratioQUESTIONS FOR IDENTIFYING THE BARGAINING POWER OF SUPPLIERS
• Who are the suppliers, how large or concentrated are they?
• How concentrated is our industry (their buyers) relative to them? That is how many of us buy what percent of the output?
• Confirms in the industry switch suppliers easily?
• What percent of their total is purchased by our industry? How large are the quantities?
• How important is their product / or service to the quality of ours?
• How much of our cost does their product or service represent?
• What is the threat of forward integration by each supplier? (Conversely what is the opportunity for backward integration by one or more of us?)
• What is their relative bargaining power over us?

QUESTIONSFORIDENTIFYINGTHETHREATOFPOTENTIALENTRANTS

• What are the barriers to entry? Are we able to raise them? What factors are tending to lower them?
• What are the potential or imminent new entrants? What are their characteristics( size, number, growth, customer base,)
• What are the entrants competitive strategies likely to be? How aggressive theywill be? How might the new entrants and their strategies re-shape the industry?

Basedontheanalysisaboveandoverall,whichofthese5forcesinfluenceindustry attractiveness and profitability?

D)5FORCES/EVFORCESINTERACTION(INDUSTRYDYNAMICS-APPLICATION)

• The following questions help focus on how to integrate industry dynamics with5Forcesframework:

Whataretheevolutionaryforces(EV)thataredriving5Forces?

Isitlikelythat5Forceswillchange?andifsohow?

Which of these 5 Forces are powerful ( affecting industry profitability)-Basedonansweringquestionsrelatingtoeachforce-

How does our organisation stand in relation to these 5 Forces? Whatisourorganisationsstrengthsandweaknessesinrelationto the (key) 5 Forces (based on your assessment )

(Recommendations):Whatcanourorganisationdotoneutralize these forces? (strategic choices)

1. ?STRATEGICGROUPANALYSIS-Questionsinclude:
   • What are the strategic dimensions which distinguish competitors?
   • Which are the major strategic groups? Who are their members?
   • What are the mobility barriers protecting the organisations strategic group?

• What are the risks of other firms entering the organisations strategicgroup?

• What is the degree of competition within the organisations strategic group?

• What is the cost of entry into organisations strategic group?
• What is the relative bargaining power of organisations strategic groupwithcustomersandsuppliers?

• What is the vulnerability of the organisations strategic group to substituteproducts/services?
• Is there a strategic space (strategic gap) where organisations strategicgroupseemtobemoving?
• (Recommendations):What should be the organisations strategicgroupstrategy?Inparticular;

Shouldtheorganisationidentifyandmovetoanewstrategicgapor a group via FMA

Shouldtheorganisationfollowotherstoanewstrategicgapora group?

Should the organisation collaborate with other group members to increase mobility barriers within the existing group?

F)?INDIVIDUALCOMPETITORANALYSIS -Questionsinclude:

• Who is the key immediate and direct competitor to the organisation?
• How the competitor is currently competing? ( competitive strategy) Is the competitor likely to attempt to initiate strategic change?
• What are the competitors key core competences and capabilities, financialstrengthandweaknesses?Itscoststructure?

• What is the competitors capacity for growth in terms of people, skills andcapacity?
• Which companies are in the strongest / weakest competitive positions?
• Who is likely to make what competitive moves next?
• What is the competitors capacity to respond quickly to moves by others?
• What is the ability of the competitor to sustain a protracted battle?
• What is the competitors probable future moves ( strategic)(Recommendations):Whataretheorganizationsprobablefuturestrategic moves to beat the key competitor?

G)MARKETSEGMENTATIONANALYSIS-Questionsinclude:

• What market segments are served by the organisation and other competitors?Defineasmanydistinctmarketsegmentsaspossiblein product/ geographic term
• What are the key characteristics of these market segments in terms of KSFs and 5 Forces?
• Should the company consider re-segmenting the market ? If so what shouldbethenewsegmentationvariablesandhowshouldthecompany approach to segmentation process for SCA ?
• (Recommendations ): Are there any similarities among market segments served? Can the organisation achieve synergy across those segments? If so how?See economies of scope advantages
• (Recommendations):Arethere(orcantheorganisationcreate)any new market segments to focus on?
• What are the likely chances to achieve sustainable competitive advantage in those market segments?
• ( Recommendations ) :What likely segment strategies the organisationshouldpursue(Broad/Narrow)forthefuture?Inparticular;
• Should the organisation follow others to a new market segment ?
• Or should the organisation find new market segment and capitalize on FMA?
• What are the new market segmentation variables?

H)IDENTIFICATIONOFMARKETKEYSUCCESSFACTORS

(KSFs)-Questionsinclude:

• Whatarethekeysuccessfactorsinthemarketor industrytheorganisation is operating?
• Whatis the organisations and key competitors competitive position inrelationtoKSFsintheindustry?(StrengthsandWeaknesses)
• (Recommendations):What should be the organisations strategic choicesformanagingoradaptingto KSFs? Should it find new KSFs and capitalizeonfirstmoveradvantage(FMA)orshoulditimproveitscurrentpositionto adapt KSFs more efficiently and effectively ?

I)INDUSTRYLIFECYCLEANALYSIS:

• What stage is the industry (market) our organisation is operating? (Embryonic,Growth,Mature,Decline,Fragmented,Consolidated)
• What are the strategic issues in each stage ?
• What are the strategic choices available for the company in that industry life cycle stage ?
• Is the company pursuing appropriate strategies?
• How likely is our current market change (i.e., from growth to maturity)
• (Recommendations):Basedontheissuesidentifiedabove,whatotherbusiness / corporate level strategiesshould be considered by the organisation?

J)INDUSTRYECONOMICFEATURESANALYSIS

• What are the industrys dominant economic features?
• What is the organisations stance in relation to economic features of the industry, what is its strength and weaknesses in relation to economic features of the industry?
• What are the strategic issues?
• (Recommendations):Whatfuturestrategiesaretheretoaddresssuch features?

K)MARKETTURBULENCEANALYSIS

• Assessthe industry and its EV+ PESTEL forces in terms of their ChangeabilityandPredictability

• Changeability:

• Complexity Many and interrelated EV+PESTEL forces acting on the industry and the firm
• Novelty - The degree to new EV+PESTEL forces impacting on the organisation and its industry

• Give a score for each determinants ( 1-5 )
• 1=VerylowChange
• 5+VeryhighChange

• Predictability

• Rapidity of change : This is the ratio of the speed with which changes in EV +PESTEL forces evolve in the environment to the speed of firms response
• oVisibility of the future, in terms of the degree of the accurately forecast the impact of EV+PESTEL forces on 5 Forces and the firm

• Give a score for each determinants ( 1-5 )
• 1=VerylowPredictability
• 5+VeryhighPredictability
• Addallthescoresforchangeability+predictabilitytogetaturbulence score
  • 2=Very low Turbulenceo=VeryhighTurbulence
• Assess company posture to turbulence Aggressive or reactive
• Formulate Strategiesfordifferentlevelsofenvironmentalturbulence- see below
• (Strategy1)ReactingtoChange-Strategiesinclude;
  • React and respond as needed
  • Defend and protect companys position
• (Strategy2)AnticipatingChange-Strategiesinclude;
  • Plan ahead for future changes
  • Add/adapt competitive capabilities
  • Improve product line
  • Strengthendistribution
• (Strategy3)Leading Change
• Seize the offensive
• Be the agent of industry change
• Influencerulesofthegame
• For cerivals to follow

2)INTERNALENVIRONMENTANALYSIS & RBV

Forinternal(RBV)analysis,answeringthefollowingquestions(Onlyiftheyarerelevant for the case study)should lead tostrategic issue identification/ recommendationsunderInternal Environment Analysis and RBV

A.RESOURCESANALYSIS-Questionsinclude;

• What are our organisations tangible (Financial/ Physical/) and intangible(i.e.;.skills,reputation,technologicalknow-how)resources?

• What are ourthresholdresourcesandstrategicresources
• How effectively and efficiently are our resources being deployed? What are your conclusions?
• What can we conclude from financial ratio analysis regarding to our strengths and weaknesses?

B.IDENTIFICATIONOFCORECOMPETENCES(Distinctive

capabilities)-Questionsinclude:

• What are the organisations distinctive capabilities? (RIAS) Consider
• Reputation
• Innovation
• Architecture
• StrategicAssets
• How do distinctive capabilities contribute to competitive advantage ?In particular ;
• Do the brand, company or any other reputational factors matter?
• Do such reputations exist?
• Is innovation important? Can it be protected?
• Does the organisation have internal or external architecture and whatspecificbenefitsinformationflows,flexibilityofresponse, organisational knowledge does it gain from them?
• Are there strategic assets- in terms of locational advantages, FMA, market power, positive cash flow, patents, and trademarks etc. - what is their origin? Are they sustainable?
• How effectively RIAS analyzed above are translated to sustainable competitive advantage (SCA)
• What other core competences (functional) the organisationIn particular which of its capabilities are ;
• Rare
• Hardt o copybythecompetitors
• Competitively valuable
• Difficult to substitute
• Durableanddifficulttotransfer
• Base don the analysis above, what are the strategic implications?
• Does the organisation have resources and capabilities potent enough to produce a sustainable competitive advantage?
• Use VRIO framework see below- or similar, assess resources and capabilities strengths and weaknesses.
• If there are any setbacks in utilizing RIAS or other core competences effectively, what strategies are appropriate todevelop,protect,stretchandutilizethem more effectively

C.ANALYSISOFORGANISATIONSVALUECHAIN

ACTIVITIES

• What are thekeyvalueaddingactivitiestheorganisationisperforming (Draw Value Chain )
• What are their cost and value drivers?
• When compared to competitors value chain or comparedhistorically, what strengths and weaknesses do you detect in the organizations value chain?
• Which(supporting)strategiestheorganisationshouldpursueinorderto managecost and value drivers that can also lead tosustainable competitive advantage (SCA)

D.ANALYSISOFORGANISATIONSPASTANDCURRENTLY

PURSUEDSTRATEGIES-(Arethecurrentstrategiesworking?) -Questions include:

• Whatarethevariousstrategiescurrentlypursuedbytheorganisation?
• Arethereanysetbackswiththecurrentstrategiespursued?Doesthe organisation take remedial actions to overcome such setbacks?
  • Conductahistoricalanalysisofyourorganisation?Whatconclusionscan be drawn from its past strategies?Can you detect any pattern of development?Whatwerethestrengthsandweaknessesofitspast strategies? Did the organisation learn from its past mistakes? (if any)

E.VRIOANALYSISANDRESOURCEAUDIT/LEVERAGE&STRETCH ANALYSIS

Foridentifyingstrategicissues&recommendationsrelatedtoVRIO Analysis and Resource Audit answer the following questions

• Conductastrategicresourceauditfortangibleandintangibleresources- What conclusions can be drawn in terms of companys strengths andweaknessesin relation to its tangible/ intangible resources?( Strategic issues )
• Conduct a strategic resource audit of threshold and unique What conclusions can be drawn in terms of company strengths and weaknesses in relation to its threshold/ unique resources? ( Strategic issues )
• Leverage Analysis StretchAnalysis:

• Are the existing R&Cs leveraged effectively and efficiently in terms of ;

• Concentration
• Conservation
• Complementarity
• Accumulation
• Recovery
• What are the major strength and weaknesses in terms of CCCAR? What actions do you recommend to improve leveraging of existing R&Cs?
• Are the existing R&Cs stretched effectively to different products/ markets/vertical&horizontalrelationships?Whatactions/strategiesdoyou recommend to improve stretching of existing R&Cs

3)ORGANISATIONALANALYSIS& OBV

ForOBVanalysis,answeringthefollowingquestions(ifrelevantforthecase)shouldleadtostrategicissueidentification/recommendationsunder OBV-

A)?MISSIONANDOBJECTIVESANALYSIS-Questionsinclude:

• What is the organizations mission statement? Is the mission relativelystableorundergoingchange?
• Is current mission statement (case date)
• Specific enough?
• Reflects company distinctive capabilities?
• Be flexible enough?
• Have a customer/ market perspective?
• Reflects company values and beliefs (Culture)?
• Reflects any key internal and external dynamics that are taking place?
• Recommendations:
• Base don the mission statement analysis above , should companyre-write/changeitscurrentmissionstatementstateyourreasons
• What should be the new mission statement
• What is the organization trying to accomplish? Are thecorporate/business/financiallevelobjectivesconsistentwiththecorporatemission and with each other?
• What should be the organisations strategic and financial objectives? Should it change its mission statement? What should be the new mission statement?

B)?CORPORATEGOVERNANCE-Questionsinclude:

• To whom Board of Directors (BODs) and MD are solely responsible?
• What is (should be) the role, composition and modus operandi of the
• Are there any layers of top management structures that facilitate effective corporate governance?
  • How is (how should) the reporting, accountable relationship between top management and key stakeholders (should) be organized?

C)STAKEHOLDERSANALYSIS-Questionsinclude:

• Who are the organization's key stakeholders (groups/ individuals)?
• What are their interests and claims on the organization?
• What is the degree of power each stakeholder group holds?
• Is there a strong coalition among stakeholders?
• Draw PI analysis matrix
• What is the relative importance of stakeholders?
• What political strategies should be considered to manage each stakeholder group in PI matrix?

D)ORGANISATIONALCULTUREANALYSIS-Questionsinclude

• What type of culture is most prominent in the organisation?
• What is the cultural web of the organisation?
• Is the organizations cultural style fit with the proposed or current strategy
• Should the organisation abandon proposed strategy or change the culture to fit proposed strategy?
• How should the company change its culture? What elements of cultural web need to be changed? How? How should the organisation manage change?

E)ETHICS&CSRANALYSIS-Questionsinclude

• Identify allethical and CSR issues
• Decide on Organisations ethical stance
• Evaluate issues in terms of Extent/ Scope and Recipient
• Estimate the financial cost of resolving an ethical/ CSR issue
• Estimate strategic cost/ benefit in terms of MBV,RBV,OBV
• Resolve issue or misconduct if benefit outweighs cost

F)?STRATEGYDEVELOPMENTANALYSIS

• Whatpolitical processes involved in strategy making? Is there a hint of astrategicdrift?

• (Recommendations):Whatshouldbedonetoreversestrategicdrift?How should the organisation develop its future strategies?

4) CORPORATEANALYSIS

For Corporate Analysis, answering the following questions (Onlyiftheyarerelevantforthecasestudy)should lead to strategicissueidentification/ recommendationsunderCorporate Analysis

EVALUATECURRENTCORPORATESTRATEGY-Questions

include;

• I)WhatistheroleoftheCorporateParent?Isit
  • Portfolio manager
  • Restructurer
  • Synergy manager
  • Parental developer ( transferring R&Cs )
• Does the corporate parent (CP) help to improve efficiency through promoting sharing resources, support services among SBUs?
• Does CP provide expertise and competences and services not available within SBUs?
• Does CP provide investment in terms of resources, infrastructure to its SBUs?
• Does CP foster innovation among its SBUs through coaching staff where org. learning occurs?
• Does CP mitigate risk and ease problems for its SBUs created by the market forces?
• Does CP provide strong external image and external links for its SBUs?
• Does CP encourage collaboration and coordination among SBUs which results in better products services which single SBU cannot deliver?
• Does CP set standards, assess performance of SBUs and intervene to improve performance?
• Does CP provide an overall vision and a sense of destiny for its SBUs?
• Does the added value generated by the CP to its SBUs exceed the cost of bure aucracy, market inflexibility cost of coordination and ineffectiveness of being associated with the corporate parent ?
• Check for cross-business strategicWhat are your conclusions? Ii)What is the nature and the extent of diversification?
  • Are the diversifications related/ unrelated
  • How many SBUs are in corporation's portfolio?
  • Is it costly or complex to manage various SBUs
  • Alternately,isthecorporationrunningaportfolioofinvestments
  • Does the added value generated by the CP to its SBUs exceed thecost ofbureaucracy,marketinflexibility,andcostofcoordinationand ineffectiveness of being associated with the CP?
  • Evaluate the long-term attractiveness of the industries into which the firm has diversified. (Use Porters 3 Tests). What are your conclusions?

iii)TheLogicofthePortfolio

• How many SBUs the CP controls?
• Use BCG, directional policy matrix or other relevant portfolio tools to evaluate the balance of the portfolio.
• Which SBUs are being counted as cash cows, stars, problem children or dogs
• How attractive the markets each SBU operating? What are the KSFs and key characteristics the markets possess?
• What is the degree of fit that the SBUs have with each other?
• What is the extent the CP will be good at looking after them?
• Rank the performance prospects of the businesses from best to worst,anddeterminewhatthecorporateparentspriorityshouldbe in allocating resources to its various businesses. What are your conclusions?

IV)CorporateControl Style

• What is the nature of current control style (strategic planning/ strategic control/ financial control)?
• Is the current control style appropriate?
• (Recommendations) :Taking into account the nature of diversification,andtheresourcesofCP,whatshouldbetheideal control style
• (Recommendations )-Is there a consistency among i, ii, iii, iv,If not what should be done to have a consistent and welldevelopedcorporatestrategySeealsoVirginCaseStudyandCorporate Strategye-notes and slides

Thenextsetofquestionsisforacompanythatisconsidering diversification as an option for the first time

• Should the company diversify?
• Should it be related or unrelated diversification?
• Which industries / markets need to be considered for diversification
• What should be the method of diversification? Should it be
• Internal development?
• Joint ventures/ strategic alliances?
• Mergers&Acquisitions?

The following diversification options are strategic moves to improve (already)diversified companys over-all performance.

(Recommendations)Whatnewstrategicmovesthecorporationshould make to improve overall corporate performance:

Inparticularshouldthe corporation;

• stick withtheexistingbusinesslineup,(showhowtoimprove existing business )
• broaden its business baseby diversifying into additional businessesorgeographicmarkets-(howandonwhatcriteriaand whichmarkets)
• retrench toanarrowerdiversificationbasebydivestingsomeof itspresentbusinesses,(howandwhichSBUs/products/markets and on what basis )
• restructurethe companys SBU lineup with a combination of divestitures (how and which SBUs and on what basis) and new acquisitions(whichindustriesandonwhatbasis)toputawhole new face on the corporations SBUs

5)INTERNATIONALANALYSIS

ForInternationalisationAnalysis,answeringthefollowingquestions(Onlyifthey arerelevant for the case study)should lead tostrategic issue identification/ recommendationsunderInternational Analysis

I.HostMarket(Country)Analysis Questionsinclude;

• Which host markets (countries) the organisation is currently active? Evaluate these host markets and organisations competitive position in these markets from MBV,RBVOBVandCorporateWhat conclusionscan be drawn in terms of
  • Host Market threat and opportunities (MBV)

• Organisations R&C base and its effectiveness in host market(s) and its strength and weaknesses (RBV)

• Its ability to manage organisation based issues (OBV)

• Sharing / transferring R&Cs/ activities among other host country SBUs and Corporate HQ ( Corporate )

• (Recommendations):Whichhostmarketsshouldtheorganisationenter inthefuture?Whatcriteriaorfactorsshouldbeconsideredforhostmarket choice

II.Howfartheorganisationmodifyitsproducts/servicesinthesehost markets ( standard multi-domestic/ adaptive-globalproduct/ services ) Questions include ;

• What are thedriversthatpushforglobalisation?
• What are thedriversthatpushforlocalisation(multi-domestic)?
  • What are thetrendsinthesedrivers?Whichvaluechainactivitiesmay become global and/ or multi-domestic in the future?
  • Which of the value chain activities currently are performed globally or multi-domestically? Are they in line with the current/ future trends in globalisation and localisation (multi-domestic) drivers?
  • (Recommendations )-What strategic options to consider for the future as far as modifying organisations global products/ services? Should the organisation followglobal ormulti-domesticortransnationalstrategies in the future and on which value chain activities?

III.EvaluationofHostMarketEntryChoices(EntryMode)-Questions include;

• Evaluate organisations current and past international entry mode choices (g.,exporting, international JVs and strategic alliances , greenfield investments , international licensing / franchising , wholly owned subsidiary , international acquisitions) in terms of their
  • Advantages
  • Limitations

• What conclusions can be drawn from the analysis above? What is the extent of organisations success in overcoming the limitations of its host market entry choices?
• (Recommendations)Whatshouldbethefutureentrymodechoices? Whatfactorsneedtobetakenintoaccountinmakingfutureentrymode choices?

IV.InternationalValueChainLocationAnalysis Questionsinclude;

• Which value chain activities are performed at overseas locations? Evaluate theappropriatenessof location decisions by using PortersDiamond modelor similar. What conclusions can be drawn from such analysis?
• Check whether these activities are concentrated in few select countries or dispersed to many nations? Usescope economies/coordination costargumentandPortersDiamondmodeltoevaluatetheappropriatenessof such decisions and moves? What conclusions can be drawn?
• Evaluate organisations overseas R&Cs utilisationby usingTransfer - Adapt Create Model(TAC): Identify R&Cs that weretransferred internationally to host markets without any change (Transfer), capabilitiesthatweretransferredwithsomeadaptationtolocalconditions(Adapt) and ones which had tobe created from scratch when entering new countries(Create) What conclusions can be drawn in terms of overseas R&C utilisation ?
• (Recommendations)Basedoninternationallocationanalysisabove, should the organisation considermodifyingits international location decisions?Ifso,whatshouldbeitsfuturestrategicchoicesanddecisions regardingto

• Where ( which host nation ) to locate international value chain activities

• Concentrate or disperse value chain activities worldwide
• Which R&Cs to transfer, adapt or createglobally

VInternationalBusinessStrategyandGlobalPositioningAnalysis

Questionsinclude;

• What is the organisations current international business strategy and positioningin terms of ;

• Choice ofglobalvalueattributes(cost/differentiation)
• Choice ofcustomersegments(niche/broad)
• Choice ofworldstandardisationoftheproduct/service offering( standard/ adaptive )

• Is the organisations current international business strategy in line with overallglobal market conditions, organisations overallR&C base and with its overallglobalobjectivesandambition?Ifnot,whatshouldbeits new international business strategy

VI-Hostmarketspecificsupportingandfunctionalstrategies (for competingsuccessfullyinanexistinghostmarkets)

• From MBV, RBV and OBV perspectives, evaluate organisations competitive position in each host market it participates Use questions andTTCsfromMBV,RBV&OBVsectionsaboveWhatarethethreats, opportunities, strengths and weaknesses.
• ( Recommendations ): Whatmarket based,resource basedandorganisationbasedstrategies do you recommend in order to compete successfully against global and domestic competitors in a given host marketInwritingyouranalysis,bearinmindfourthings:

1. You need to offer analysis and evidence to back up your identified strategic issues and conclusions. Do not rely on unsupportedopinions,over-generalizations,andplatitudesasa substitutefortight,logicalargumentbackedupwithfactsandfigures.

2. Ifyour analysis involves some important quantitativecalculations, use tables and charts to present the calculationsclearly and efficiently.Dont just tack the exhibits on at the end ofyourreportandletthereaderfigureoutwhattheymeanand whytheywereInstead,inthebodyofyourreportcite someofthekeynumbers,highlight theconclusions to bedrawn from the exhibits, and refer the reader to your charts and exhibits for more details.
3. Demonstratethatyouhavecommandofthestrategicconceptsandanalyticaltoolstowhichyouhavebeenexposed.Usethem in your report.
4. Yourinterpretation of the evidence should be reasonable andBewaryofpreparingaone-sidedargumentthatomits all aspects not favourable to your conclusions. Likewise, try not to exaggerate or overdramatize. Endeavour to inject balance into your analysis and to avoid emotional rhetoric. Strike phrases such as I think, I feel, and I believe when you edit your first draft and write in My analysis shows, instead.

2.IDENTIFICATIONOFKEYSTRATEGICISSUES

The goal of this section is to enhance your knowledge and skills to identify strategicissuesso to formulate goals and strategiestoaddressthem.

Strategicissuesshouldreflecttheresultsofallofthepreviousstrategicanalysis of the case from relevant MBV, RBV, OBV, CorporateandInternationalperspectives

CharacteristicsofStrategicIssues

Strategicissuesarethosecriticalchallengesthat must be addressed in order for an organization to achieve its vision and improve its competitive position

• Some issues will appear obvious. Others may emerge after comprehensive analysis from allfiveGuardagainstthetendencytofocuson threats and weaknesses as opposed to opportunities, strengths and weaknesses that are obvious or stated in the case.
• Strategic issues represent a fundamental strategic choice to be made at the highest levels (CEO or BOD) of the organisation.

Variouscriterionscanbeappliedwhenconsideringapotentialstrategicissue.

Strategicissues:

• Pose a future threat
• Present a future opportunity
• Are current barriers
• Require significant change
• Require action by top management
• Are frequently a convergence of narrow, single-focus issues
• Involve conflict or tension between current and future capacities, actual and desired conditions, past performances and expectations, old and new roles
• Tend to be complex and will have more than one solution
• May occasionally involve more than one organization
• Generally project well into the

Strategic issues have significant consequences for the organizations future(competitive) position or to achieve its future vision.

Failure to address these strategic issues eventually results in the realization of an external threat, a lost opportunity, the lingering or worsening of an identified problem, a failure to achieve the future vision and a potential corporate death.

Considereachstrategicissueandask,Whattheconsequencesofnotaddressingthis?

Each strategic issue will generally fall into one of the following three categories:

1. No action is currently required, but the issue should be monitored for future action
2. Action can be determined through the strategy formulation process (most will fall into this category)
3. This issue appears urgent and requires immediate response

ConsolidateOverlappingorRelatedIssues

At this point, a large number ofstrategic issues (up to 30)may have been identified. To provide a more manageable focus for developing strategies, strategic issues should be consolidated to a limited number of discrete, non- overlapping issues which we define as key strategic issues.Ideally,an organisationshouldhavenomorethan30(10-20isthenorm)strategicissuesand no more than6 key strategic issuesat any onepointin time. The fewer, the better.Ideally2-4 most important / urgent key strategic issues(short and longer term) should be chosen to address at one point intime.

Todothis,examinealltheissuesidentifiedfromthestrategicanalysisunder5 perspectives together andanswer these questions:

• How are they related?
• Do they sharecausesorinfluencesthatmakethemstrategic?
• What are theconsequencesofnotaddressingthem?
• Can strategic issues becombinedwithoutlosingakeyperspective?

ArrangeIssuesintoOrderedList

Ordering strategic issues can help to combine and reduce them to a manageable level (for example from 30 strategic issues down to 6 keyissues).Orderedlistof strategic issues also reveal how they relate to each other and may be useful fordeveloping strategic options and solutions.They can be ordered infourways:

1. Logical order present issues in the sequence in which they should be addressed. This is useful where the resolution of one issue is contingent on resolution of another.
2. Impact order How important are its consequences? How complex is anissue?Resolvingeasierissuesfirstcanbuildmomentum,teamwork, andconsensusthat can leadtosolutionsand energyfor morecomplex, controversial issues.
3. Temporal order resolve issues according to a timeline, using information such as coordination with upcoming events or a logical order for dealing with the issues
4. Lastly, clarify the meaning of the term priority to prevent resistance from participants whose issues arent at the top of thePriority may mean importance,or theorderin which it should be addressed.

Youcanpresentthelistofkeystrategicissuesinatableform (optional)

Ideally2-4mostimportant/urgentkeystrategicissues(shortandlonger term) should be chosen to address at one point in time.

Forthejustificationofkeystrategicissuesalsoconsider;

• Why aretheysoimportantandwhyaretheyrequiringurgentattention?
• Why shouldtheyhavethepriorityover otherissues
• Are theremorerisksthanrewardsintacklingthem?Whyso?
• Also check thattheyarethecausesnotthesymptoms

YOU NEED TO ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS ABOVE IN A DISCUSSIONFORMAT(IDEALLYIN2-3PARAGRAPHS)TOJUSTIFYYOURCHOICEOFKEY STRATEGIC ISSUES: THIS IS AN IMPORTANT SECTION OF YOURSTRATEGY REPORT

3.GENERATINGFUTURESTRATEGIC OPTIONS AND SOLUTIONS

Once the analyses fromrelevant5 perspectives and TTCs have identified the most criticalkey strategic issues,generate strategic alternatives or solutions thatmightbeusedtoaddressthoseissues.Thiscanbedonebyfocusingoneach key strategic issue identified.

What can we do to help us build upon or enhance strength? What can we do to improve or overcome weakness?

What can we do to take advantage of opportunity? What can we do to minimize or eliminate threat?

During this step, several strategies or solutions should be identified for each key strategic issue. The task in this step is not to pick the best course of action, but to generate several strategies that reflect the range of choices the company may select from. It is important to resist pressures to settle for an obvious or comfortable strategy or solution. Only when alternatives are generated will new and innovative approaches be considered. The options should also address key strategic issuesspecified in the previous section.

Develop a logical series of mutually exclusive future strategic options (alternatives) and solutions that evolve from your previous analyses to resolve the key strategic issuespresented above.Ideally you should generate at least2 strategic options/ solutions for each key strategic issue identified.

Justlikeinkeystrategicissueidentificationprocess,arrangestrategicchoices and solutions into Ordered List by combining and presenting them in moregeneric formsshown below

• Broad Level:Business,Corporate,(ifitisacorporatecase), International
• Strategic Direction(Which):GrowthlevelI;GrowthlevelII, Disinvestment level
• Strategic Methods(How)
• Supporting FunctionalStrategies(market-based;resource- based; organisation based strategic choices )

PLEASEREFERTOSTRATEGICOPTIONSSLIDEFORFULLCLASSIFICATION

Please also refer sessions 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 10 e- notesfor brief description and characteristics of strategic options.The options should also address key strategic issues specified in the previous section.In generating futurestrategicoptions,theadvantages,disadvantages,trade-offs,costs,benefits and appropriateness of the options must be considered.

Please place any relevant information (i.e.In terms of graphs, tables and analysesyouconductedforassignment)that justifies your proposed future options in the appendix section

4.STRATEGYEVALUATIONANDSELECTION

Evaluate each of the future strategic options in the light of MBV, RBV, OBV, International, Corporate (if applicable) analyses you conducted previously.Discussprosandconsofeachoption.The following guidelines may be useful:

1. You can use various criteria (suitability, acceptability, feasibility etc.) to assess the viability of future strategic options.Seesession9e-notes
2. Conflicting conclusions can arise from the application of criteria; however you have to rely on your judgment on the best strategy (ies) to
3. If you choose strategic options from various levels, please bear in mind that there needs to beconsistencybetweendifferentlevels(Broadlevel; Strategic Direction and Strategic Methods, Supporting/ Functional Strategies) of strategy, and whether all the component parts work as a whole package.
4. You can present your evaluation in atableform(optional)bystatingwhy/ why nota particular strategy is suitable/ acceptable/ feasible etc. A well- designedtable or matrixis an excellent way of summarizing data. Sometimes; the very process of putting facts side by side in a table will expose important similarities or differences that you had previously overlooked. It may also alert you to gaps in your data or analysis.
5. In the table, justify clearly which strategic options you wouldrecommendforfutureSuchjustificationshouldbe derived from your relevantMBV, RBV, OBV, International, Corporatelevel (if applicable) analyses

5.JUSTIFICATIONOFRECOMMENDATIONS AND ACTION PLAN

The final section of the written case assignment should consist of a set of definiterecommendationsand aplan of action. Your set of recommendations should address all of thekeystrategic issues you identified and analyzed. If the recommendationscome as a surprise or do not follow logically from the analysis, the effect is to weaken greatly your suggestions of what to do. Obviously, your recommendationsforactionsshouldofferareasonableprospectofsuccess.High- risk,bet-the-companyrecommendationsshouldbemadewithcaution.Statehowyour recommendations will solve the problems you identified.

Forjustification and action planof your recommendations state how your recommendations will solvethe problems you identified. Besurethecompanyisfinanciallyable to carry out what you recommend; also check to see if your recommendations are workable in terms of acceptancebythepersonsinvolved, the organizationscompetenceto implement them, and prevailing market and financial environmentalconstraints. Try not to hedge or weasel on the actions you believe should be taken.

MORESPECIFICALLY;

• How wellistheproposedrecommendation(strategyorsolution) address thekeystrategic issues company face
• How to overcome limitations of the proposed strategy
• How wellarethestakeholdersacceptyourrecommendations
• Is the level ofriskacceptable
• How muchfinancewillberequiredtoimplementtherecommendation and what would be the optimumsources of finance
• Do the peopleandtheirskillsexistorcantheybeobtained
• Can the required resourcesandcapabilitiesbeobtainedtoimplementthe strategy or the solution
• What specific actions need to take place?
• What is a reasonable timeline?
• Which organizations and individuals should be involved?
• How should the organisation manage change This is useful because
• It makes each strategy and recommended solution action-oriented and reinforces that the ultimate purpose of planning is to facilitate action
• Understanding the details of implementation prevents the process from getting bogged down in a debate over alternatives that may not be Pleasealsoconsiderthe following points:

• Recommendations are directed at solving (most) of strategic issues the company is facing and improving its future performance
• Your recommendations should be in line with yourprevious MBV,RBV,OBV,International , Corporate Analysesso that the recommendationsfittogetherandmovelogicallyfromonesectiontothe next
• Make sure that your recommendations are clearly stated (i.e. not just implied) in the report.
• Make sure that, in developing recommendations:

• You have considered all the strategic alternatives. (see Strategy Evaluation and Selection ) There is hardly ever just one, single "obvious" response to a strategic problem. And bear in mind that, if there is, all the companys competitors will have thought of it, tool!

• You have made it clear why the recommendation you have chosen is the best of the available alternatives. (see Strategy Evaluation Criteria ) That means showing what is wrong with the others!
• You have looked at thedownside of your proposedTrytoavoidproposalsthatwouldbankruptthe company if they failed, or which can be easily copied by the competition
• And finally, bedetailed, specific,andcomprehensivein your recommendations. For example if you choose market development as your recommended strategy, explainwhydo you choose that strategic option, howandwhenit should be implemented,whataretheexpectedoutcomes,whocoulddisagreewiththatparticular strategy etc. If you have conducted comprehensive analyses and have evaluated strategic alternatives, then being specific on your recommendations would not be difficult.
• Please also make sure that the pages are numbered; you are also advisedtonumberthesectionsintheThishelpsyoumake cross-referencesfromonepartofthereporttoanother,whichcan help save you words by avoiding repeating in one place what you say again in the next.

5.APPENDIX ANDREFERENCES

Appendices are there tosupplementthe points you make in the main body of your report. They contain information that is evidential, reinforcing your points in your report. Please use them generously, but watch out for following points:

• The reader should nothaveto look at appendices in order to understand your conclusions and the reasons that you have reached them in each subsectionthemainbodyofthereportshouldcontainallthekeypoints and essential supporting evidence. The appendices are there only to reinforce your conclusions in each subsection.
• If you do put something into an appendix, it is vital to include, at an appropriate point, areferencetoit(e.g."seeAppendix1"or"Appendix If you dont ask people to look at something, dont be surprised if they don't bother!
• If you use a figure, graph or a frameworkmake sure that its message is clear-oraddsomenarrativeto bring out the point

• Do notincludeanymaterialintheappendixsectionforthesakeofit! Please only include materialthat is relevant and that is clearly contributing to the points you are making in your report. Irrelevant appendix material results in deduction of marks.
• Sameargumentsaboveapplyforreferences

ResearchingCompaniesandIndustriesviathe Internet and Online Data Services

Very likely, there will be occasions when you need to get additional information or upgrade case study information because you are simply curious about whathas happened to the company since the case was written. These days it is relativelyeasytorundownrecentindustrydevelopmentsandtofindoutwhether a companys strategic and financial situation has improved, deteriorated, or changed little since the conclusion of the case. The amount of information about companies and industries available on the Internet and through online data services is formidable and expanding rapidly

It is a fairly simple matter to go to company Web sites, click on the investor information offerings and press release files, and get quickly to useful information. Most company Web sites allow you to view or print the companys quarterly and annual reports, its 10K and 10Q filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and various company press releases of interest.

Frequently,acompanysWebsitewill alsoprovideinformation about itsmission and vision statements, values statements, codes of ethics, and strategy information,aswellaschartsofthecompanysstockprice.Thecompanysrecent press releases typically contain reliable information about what of interest has been going onnew product introductions, recent alliances and partnership agreements, recent acquisitions, summaries of the latest financial results, tidbits about the companys strategy, guidance about future revenues and earnings, and other late-breaking company developments. Some company Web pages also includelinkstothehomepagesofindustrytradeassociationswhereyoucanfind information about industry size, growth, recent industry news, statistical trends, and future outlook. Thus, an early step in researching a company on the Internet is always to go to its Web site and see whats available.

Plainly, you can use a search engine such as Google or Yahoo! or MSN to find the latest news on a company or articles written by reporters that have appeared in the business media. These can be very valuable in running down information about recent company developments. However, keep in mind that the information retrieved by a search engine is unfiltered and may include sources that are not reliable or that contain inaccurate or misleading information. Be wary of information provided by authors who are unaffiliated with reputable organizations or publications and articles that were published in off-beat sources or on Web sites with an agenda. Be especially careful in relying on the accuracy of information you find posted on various bulletin boards. Articles covering a company or issue should be copyrighted or published by a reputable source. If you are turning in a paper containing information gathered from the Internet, you should cite your sources (providing the Internet address and date visited); it is also wise to print Web pages for your research file (some Web pages are updated frequently).

STRATEGYINDIVIDUALREPORTASSIGNMENT:MARKING CRITERIA

Generalguidance on the assessment criteria for assignments -

Individual feedback on your case study reports is provided on the feedback forms attached to your work. These forms consist of four sections. Firstly, there is a section where you will receive yourprovisionalmark. This is the mark that you receive after your script has been through the Schools internal marking process (i.e. it has been first marked and internally moderated), but before the external examiners have checked the marking across the module and indicated that they are happy with it, and before the final mark has been confirmed by the Board of Examiners. Secondly, there is a section where your tutor will provide general comments on your work. Thirdly, there is a section where your tutor will identify some key areas for improvement. Finally, there is a tick-box section. This section will be completed using the criteria listed below, and includes things like whether or not you actually answered the case study question, whether your answer possessed a clear and logical argument (which was backed up by supporting evidence), how well the essay communicated your ideas and whether or not it followed the accepted academic conventions on style and referencing. The purposeofthetickboxsectionistoprovideyouwithaquickat-a-glanceoverview of the strengths and weaknesses of the case study report.It is important to note that it isn't used to calculate the mark. The relative weighting that your tutors give to a particular indicator will depend on what they are trying to test with the assignment.

Thiscasestudyreportaddressedthequestionthatwasset

The first and most basic requirement of an assignment is that it answers the question that has been set; not the question that you would have liked to have been asked or indeed have prepared an answer to. A great essay is not a great answer unless it actually addresses the question, no matter how well it is written. If a question asks you to describex, you need to describex, notyorz; if it asks youtocriticallyevaluatey,thenyouneedtocriticallyevaluatey, not just describe

1. y.Furthermore,thisneedsto bethe chief focusof what youIf,for example, your tutor asks you to compare and contrast two approaches to understanding organisational behaviour, this may require you to describe the two approaches first. However, most of the marks will come from undertaking the comparison. Dont expect top marks for writing a lot of description but only supplying a little bit of the value-added for which you have been asked. The other thing to keep in mind is that at degree level there may not be a right or wrong answer. Different people looking at the same problem, under the same set of circumstances, can quitelegitimatelyarriveatcompletelydifferentconclusions.Akeypartofbeinga student involves reviewing what other people have to say about a subject and forming your own judgment. In short you are being tested not so much on what you think but rather on thequalityof your reasoning and yourabilityto marshal evidence to back up your position.

Thiscasestudyreportpossessedaclearargument

It logically follows from the above, that your argument plays a key role in determining the quality of your answer. To an academic, an argument consists of a set of propositions (or premises), which, when taken together, give rise to a logical conclusion. For example, in response to the question, why is it so difficult for organizations to plan effectively? one argument might be: organizations often find it so difficult to plan effectively because effective planning requires individuals to be operating in an environment which is to some extent predictable, however in the era of globalization business markets are just not like that. Whether or not this is a good argument rests on a number of things. One thing to consider is whether or not the premises and conclusion logically flow on from each other i.e. whether the argument is deductively sound. If your argument is full of inconsistencies then it is not a good argument. If, in one breath, you are attempting to argue that organizations find it difficult to plan because of a lack of predictability in the environment in which they operate, while in the next you suggest that most business environments exhibit a high degree of stability then there is a basic flaw in what you are trying to say. You also need to consider the evidence. What evidence is there for the idea that effective planningrequires a stable environment or that business environments in a globalized world are actually unstable? Another thing to keep in mind in relation to your argument is what place it has in your answer. Ideally, your argument should take centre stage, driving the structure and content of your essay. What it should not be is an afterthought. It is not enough to describe the various approaches to a problem before waiting to the conclusion to say, oh and by the way, on balance I thinkx. At the same time, when composing your answer it is also important to remember to give alternative explanations and approaches the consideration that they deserve. Part of writing an effective paper can involve explaining why it is that approachxis a more plausible explanation of a phenomenon than approachy.

Thiscasestudyreportcoveredthekeyissues

While there may be no right or wrong answer to a particular question, there is a general expectation that in arriving at your conclusions, you consider all of the pertinent issues. Your tutor will have covered certain key themes in the module. He or she may have drawn your attention to certain key authors. While you are strongly encouraged to explore the literature and make use of alternative sources to the ones that you have studied, some attempt should be made to include the material covered on the module. The other thing to keep in mind is emphasis. A frequent weakness in students work is that they attempt to cover everything, and in a level of detail that is unnecessary.In developing your answer you are expected to edit. The question that you need to be asking yourself is, given the question that has been set, where do I need to place my emphasis? What you want to avoid is dedicating a lot of space to an issue that is peripheral to the problem (or your argument) simply because you happen to have done some reading on it or because you happen to find it interesting. Similarly, you shouldnt skirt over issues and themes that are clearly pivotal just because you dont happen to have done much reading on them, or because you find them difficult or uninteresting.

Thiscasestudyreportwasfactuallyaccurate

Being accurate is important when putting together an academic piece of work. Accuracy includes attention to detail for basic facts like names, places and dates. It also includes things like evidence. If you claim that a study by a particular author establishes x, when it clearly does no such thing, you are not accurately reporting what the author has attempted to establish. The same goes for describing an authors opinions or what they have to say about the work of others. Reports that are full of errors suggest that you have not been particularly diligent in carrying out your research or given much thought to the final product.

Thiscasestudy reportmadegooduseoftheevidence

Warranting your claims is an important part of making your argument. Its important to have an opinion, after all thats what developing an argument is all about. At the same time it is essential that this opinion is backed up by some evidence.I might believe that all bankers make a lot of money, but is there evidence for this assumption? Does the amount of money that someone makes in banking vary with their role, seniority, which organisation they work for, or the prevailing economic conditions? The form of the evidence that you need to use will vary according to what you are trying to establish. It may take the form of hard data i.e. x% of all new small businesses go bankrupt within three years of setting up. Alternatively, it may take the form of reporting studies undertaken by researchers. For example, it is perfectly reasonable to write sentences like, in attempting to establish the impact of national culture on organisational behaviour, Hofstede found that .Again, the issue of emphasis is important. Evidence should be used to back up the key points you are trying to make. There is no point devoting a lot of space to establishing a point that is of little or no relevancetotheargumentthatyouaretrying tomake/test.Instead, trytoputthe effort into those points which are most central to your case.

This case study report made good use of diagrams/illustrationsDiagrams (and illustrations) can play a useful role in helping you to get your message across, particularly when the argument that you are trying to make, or the model that you are trying to explain, is very detailed or complex. However,when using diagrams there are a couple of things that you need to keep in mind. Firstly, diagrams are not a substitute for narrative. Occasionally when reviewing a students script, a marker comes across a case study report that consists of little more than a set of diagrams that have been put together with little or no explanation as to why they have been selected, what purpose they serve or how they are supposed to link together. As a general rule it makes sense to keep the use of diagrams to a minimum, although sometimes (as with many Economics topics) diagrams are central to the analysis and essential to a good report. Use them only when they are essential to making a point. The second thing to remember is that when you do use a diagram you need to explain what it means or shows, as well as how it fits into the narrative.

Thiscasestudyreportwaswellstructured

Properly structuring your case study report is an essential part of communicating your ideas. The key thing to remember is simplicity. Work out what it is you are trying to say and organize your report in a way that gets your argument across clearly. In general terms, it often makes sense to think in terms of a beginning (the introduction), a middle (the body of the report) and an end (the conclusion). The importance of the introduction is often overlooked by students. However, it is the part of the report which lets the reader know what they can expect. Use it to introduce the subject, summarize what the literature has to say on it, prcis your position and indicate how you intend to progress your argument. At this point you might also provide some guidance on your design choices. If you intend to give the material a statistical treatment, why so? Similarly, if you wish to back your argument with case material, why use case material? Not only does a well- structured introduction help the reader make sense of what follows, but as an author it should help keep you on track when you are composing your work. In the main body of the report it is important to link the material in a coherent narrative. Each section should lead logically from the previous and link logically onto the next. Where appropriate, provide clear signposts to your reader by using headings and sub-headings. Even at the level of the individual paragraph ask yourself, how does this next paragraph help to propel the argument forward? how does it fit within the over-arching narrative? A useful tip is to work out whatit is that you are trying to say before you put finger to keyboard. It is usually pretty obvious from reading an essay which students knew what they were trying to say and which did not.

Thecase studyreportwaswellwritten

It is important that you are able to write well. Therefore, when marking your work, your tutors will check it for things like grammar, syntax and spelling. Your tutor should at least be able to make sense of what it is that you are trying to say even if they do not agree with you. Therefore, before submitting your work first proof-read it and satisfy yourself that your English is of an appropriate standard. Failing to use full stops or commas, or inserting random capital letters (or else missing them out altogether) is really not acceptable. Sentences that are ninelines in length, with no punctuation, also have no place in an essay. Your computer has spell check and grammar check facilities use them! (Although make sure that their suggestions are sensible, dont just blindly accept the first recommended replacement for a misspelt word).Another thing to keep in mindis your narrative style. Your tutors will expect to see a particular type of narrative stylein an academicpiece of work.Theuses of slang or colloquial expressions are frowned upon, as is a tendency towards exaggeration and hyperbole. At the same time try to keep technical jargon to a minimum.Use technical terms where appropriate. You will be expected to be familiar with (and make use of) the standard terms in the discipline. However, there are no marks for using long words unnecessarily or, worse still, inappropriately. If you are unsure about what is expected of you, try reading some journal articles as a guide to the kind of language that is required.

Thiscasestudyreportmadeappropriateuseoftheliterature

Making appropriate use of the literature encompasses a number of things. Firstly, it involves the type of things that you read. As a first year undergraduate, writing your first assignment, you will probably turn to introductory texts as your initial port of call. As you gain in confidence, however, you will start to make a more extensive use of research monographs, working papers and academic journal articles. While the internet can also be a useful source of information, it needs to be treated with caution. Much of what can be obtained online is of highly variablequality and will have gone through few, if any, quality checks. One very popular online source is Wikipedia. Many students love it. Your tutors, however, are less keen. Dont be surprised if they mark you down heavily if you try to make extensiveuseofit.Theotherthing thatyouneedtothinkaboutishowwidelyyou need to read. Your module reading list will provide you with a starting point. Many tutors divide their reading lists into core texts and additional sources. The core texts or e-notes are what they expect you to read if you wish to acquire evena basic understanding of the subject. The additional sources will help to flesh out some of the issues that might only be touched upon by the core texts. However, the University possesses a large library and an extensive range of on-line journal databases likeEBSCO,ProquestandJstor. In preparing your essays you are strongly advised to make full use of the resources that the University has available. When reviewing your work, your tutors will be actively looking for evidence that you have read widely and independently.

Thiscasestudyreportwascorrectlyreferenced

The University recommends that when referencing you use theHarvard Referencing System. This involves you making a short note of your source at the appropriate point in the text e.g. (Porter, 1980 pp.45-9), before providing the full details at the end of the assignment e.g. Porter, M. (1980)Competitive Strategy,New York, The Free Press. Correct referencing requires you to acknowledge your source wherever you make use of someone elses ideas or data. Failing to acknowledge your intellectual debts is considered to be poor academic practice and is likely to result in your work being marked down. When writing yourreport, it is not enough to do the reading. You also need to be quite specific about how you have made use of your sources. It is important to note that poor or inadequate referencing may constituteplagiarism. Plagiarism involves the unattributed (or improperly attributed) use of someone elses ideas or word-for- word reproduction of someone elses work. Where you make direct use of someone elses words you are expected to put the copied text in quotation marks. It is not enough simply to reference the work. This gives the impression that you are acknowledging an intellectual debt, not that you have directly lifted someone elses words. If your tutor suspects that you have plagiarized all or part of yourwork, they will not deduct marks. Instead they will pass the work onto the School for investigation. Where, after investigating a case, it is determined that an offence has been committed, the School is likely to impose a penalty. This can range from having a few marks deducted to having your work marked at zero in more serious cases. In the most serious cases offending students may even have their cases referred up to the College for a Misconduct Hearing.