Posted: September 13th, 2017

Strategic analysis and context evaluation:Top Australian Writers

Strategic analysis and context evaluation
(40%) (report 35% / map 5%)
Length: A maximum of 7,500 words + one page (A3) ‘map’
Due date: Monday 8th September, 2014. 12:00pm (noon)
via myRMIT BlackBoard Electronic Submission

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Overview
Main report: A Maximum of 7,500 words + One page ‘map’
You are required to conduct a strategic analysis and context evaluation for a real-life
organisation – ARCBS.
The purpose of this assignment is to apply the theoretical framework, concepts, and
analytical tools covered in this course to analyse the organisation’s strategic position.
As part of your report you will provide a reasoned conclusion based on rigorous
analysis detailing what you believe ARCBS’s current strategy is.
You will also produce a one page (A3 size) ‘map’ that captures and summarises your
findings.
While you will undertake this assignment as part of a group of four, you will need to
identify each individual’s contribution. This means that there is potential for
Semester 2, 2014 BUSM3125 Assignment Guide
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individuals within a group to earn different grades. You will each be required to sign
and agree to an Equity of Contribution ‘policy’ that will outline the relative
contribution of each student.
How this assignment connects to the learning opportunities
afforded by this course:
This assignment is designed to enable assessment of your knowledge, skills and
abilities across three dimensions:
1. Your ability to learn and understand the strategic management theory and
concepts contained within the course. This may include other theories and concepts
not specifically covered in the course that you discover through your reading of the
(strategic) management literature.
2. Your ability to critically evaluate theory and to understand the implications of
applying the theory.
3. Your ability to apply the theory in an appropriate or creative manner.
What a typical report includes (this is a guide only):
1. A description of the background and history (strategic context) of ARCBS.
This information should be accurate and relevant to the analysis of ARCBS. As
a group you need to decide what should be included; it may include ownership,
history, size, business scope, major products/services, and major ‘markets’ and
spheres of influence of the organisation.
This provides the background against which you undertake subsequent analysis.
It may also include an outline of the significant moments in the history of ARCBS
and why you believe these moments were/are consequential to the way ARCBS
undertakes its activities today. Your choices here about which information to include
or exclude are important and will require you to use your critical and analytical skills.
2. Conduct a macro-environment analysis for the operating environment within
which ARCBS operates.
You must use analytical tools/frameworks that have been published in recognised
scholarly publications.
Semester 2, 2014 BUSM3125 Assignment Guide

Strategic analysis: Australian writers help
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Focus on developing;
• an understanding of the purpose of this analysis
• identification of key factors/forces and their implications in terms of key
opportunities and threats
• determine the overall direction of the operating environment in the future.
Draw well reasoned conclusions that have been supported by analysis about the
nature of the operating environment of ARCBS. Use this analysis to inform later
aspects of your assignment.
3. Undertake a sector analysis.
You must use analytical tools/frameworks that have been published in recognised
scholarly publications. Focus on:
• developing an understanding of the purpose of this analysis
• developing a critical understanding of any tools/frameworks you select for
the analysis
• demonstrating an understanding of how this analysis is connected to the
macro environmental analysis previously undertaken.
You must make reasoned, argued conclusion(s) on the structure of the sector
and any competitive/cooperative forces that are operating on and within it. Use this
analysis to inform later aspects of your assignment.
4. Identify any resources and competences that are likely to provide
sustainable competitive advantage for ARCBS (and whether or not ARCBS possess
these)
Justify why these resources and competences can be regarded as strategic
capabilities and discuss how useful they are in relation to the macro-environmental
and sector/competitive analysis that you have conducted earlier
You must use analytical tools/frameworks that have been published in
recognised scholarly publications.
Focus on:
• developing an understanding of the purpose of this analysis
Semester 2, 2014 BUSM3125 Assignment Guide
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• developing a critical understanding of any tools/frameworks you select for
the analysis
• drawing conclusions as to whether you believe ARCBS currently possess
the resources and competencies that you have identified.
Use this analysis to inform later aspects of your assignment.
5. Identify and assess who the key stakeholders are for ARCBS and how and
why they are important.
Justify you choices about who the stakeholders are and why you have indicated
that they are important. Broad categories are discouraged.
Focus on:
• developing an understanding of the purpose of this analysis
• developing a critical understanding of any tools/frameworks you select for
the analysis
• drawing conclusions as to how and why each of these stakeholders are
important to ARCBS and how this knowledge can help you to shape
strategic recommendations for the ARCBS.
6. Identify and discuss the current strategy of ARCBS.
Justify whether you believe the current strategy is appropriate for the organisation
or whether it needs to change.
Focus on integrating the conclusions from the analysis that you have undertaken
in previous aspects of your assignment to make a coherent, logical argument
supporting your position.
What you have to do: the publishing and reporting
There are only a few constraints to the format of the assignment, but they are
important:
1. The maximum length of the ‘document’ (including any executive summary
should you choose to include one) is 7,500 words.
Semester 2, 2014 BUSM3125 Assignment Guide
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2. The final, published ‘document’ can be in any format, however, it must satisfy
the requirements of the assignment in terms of content.
3. Should you, for example, choose to make a short film as your submission, you
will also be required to submit the script as a written document – and its length must
not exceed 7,500 words.
Similarly, for any other form of creative publication of your assignment you have to
prove that the word length is not more than 7,500 words.
The onus is on you to do so. Any assignments submitted that do not meet this
criteria will be returned to you for editing and resubmission. Consequently, penalties
will apply for late submission – as outlined in the course guide.
In addition to the main part of the assignment, you are to design and publish a one
page ‘map’ summary of your analysis and findings in your assignment. This map
must not be any larger than A3. This ‘map’ must be a flat, static document; it is not to
include any multimedia or links to other documents or websites.
Due to the large number of students enrolled in this course and constraints imposed
by time, a live presentation is not an option as a means of submission. All
submissions must be in digital form and through the assignment link on the
BUSM3125 myRMIT BlackBoard site.
Each student must clearly indicate what their contribution has been to the total
assignment. If it can be established that there was an unequal contribution by some
members of the group, a differential grade may be assigned.
How we’ll assess your work
Assessment of your work will be based on how well you research, conceptualise,
critically analyse/evaluate and apply the theory based components of this course
together with your ability to construct and communicate a well argued conclusion to
the questions: “What is the strategic context of ARCBS”; and, “What is the
current strategy of ARCBS and is it appropriate?”
We are seeking to understand how well you have learned:
• the ‘what’ of doing a strategic analysis
Semester 2, 2014 BUSM3125 Assignment Guide
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• how sophisticated your understanding of the theory/tools/frameworks that you
have chosen to use is
• whether you can justify your choices with a sound argument.
Academic staff will base their assessment on their judgement of the quality of the
work you submit and how well it meets the requirements of the assignment. We will
undertake a rigorous and transparent moderation process to ensure that all work is
assessed to the same degree and standard.
Semester 2, 2014 BUSM3125 Assignment Guide
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Assignment 2: Strategy Formulation
Length: A maximum of 7,500 words + one page (A3) ‘map’
(40%) (report 35% / map 5%)
Due date: Wednesday 22nd October, 2014. 12:00pm (noon)
via myRMIT BlackBoard Electronic Submission
Overview
In your group of four, you are required to write a strategic plan for ARCBS. This
piece of assessment is designed to assess your skills of critical review, analysis,
consolidation and synthesis of knowledge.
Your group will be required to demonstrate a thorough understanding of the relevant
theory and application of that theory in a way that creates a document/plan that
ARCBS can act upon.
Your group is also to produce a one page (A3 size) ‘map’ that captures and
summarises your findings
Additionally, each member of the group is to individually write a 1,500 word reflective
piece that outlines the personal skills, growth and development that you have worked
on during this course. This piece will be submitted individually, not as part of the
group piece.
How this assignment connects to the learning opportunities
afforded by this course:
This assignment is designed to enable assessment of your knowledge, skills and
abilities across four dimensions:
1. Your ability to learn and understand the strategic management theory and
concepts contained within the course and any others that you discover through your
reading of the (strategic) management literature.
2. Your ability to critically evaluate theory and to understand the implications of
applying the theory.
3. Your ability to apply the theory in an appropriate or creative manner.
What you have to do: the thinking and doing
1. You will use the findings from your first assignment to develop a strategy for
ARCBS encompassing a five year time horizon. Your focus should be on integrating
Semester 2, 2014 BUSM3125 Assignment Guide
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the findings and feedback from your first assignment and then building upon these to
create an actionable strategic plan. The plan has to be achievable and realistic
and you have to clearly demonstrate why your plan will help ARCBS achieve and
maintain a sustainable competitive advantage.
Describe how ARCBS will implement the strategic plan. Focus specifically on:
a) the fit between any core competencies and skills that ARCBS have and
that they can leverage to further effect
b) or indicate which ones are currently missing and outline a plan for
acquiring or developing (the buy/make decision) those core
competencies.
Any decisions must be supported by analysis/data/research and must take into
consideration the present level of resources available to ARCBS.
You are required to justify thoroughly why your recommendations are the best
possible choice for ARBCS. Not only do you have to justify your choices, but you
have to explain how these choices help ARCBS avoid ‘bad strategy’.
2. Explain how ARCBS will measure and evaluate the success (or otherwise) of your
recommendations. You must use analytical tools/frameworks that have been
published in recognised scholarly publications.
• Focus on critically evaluating the effectiveness of the chosen method(s) and
make an argument that outlines both the positive and negative consequences
of adopting your measurement and evaluation solution.
How we’ll assess your work
Assessment of your work will be based on how well you research, conceptualise,
critically analyse/evaluate and apply the theory based components of this course
with your ability to apply these theories/tools/frameworks in an appropriate or
creative manner to produce and publish a strategy for ARCBS. Within this we are
seeking to understand:
• how well you have learned the ‘what’ of doing a strategic analysis
• how sophisticated your understanding of the theory/tools/frameworks that
you have chosen to use is
• whether you can justify your choices with a sound argument.
• how well you can take the theory and apply it in a real-world situation.
Semester 2, 2014 BUSM3125 Assignment Guide
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We will be assessing the depth of your analysis, the logical structure of your
arguments and the appropriateness of your final conclusions.
Semester 2, 2014 BUSM3125 Assignment Guide
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Assignment 3: Individual Reflective Essay
Length: 1,500 words (20%)
Due date: Wednesday 22nd October, 2014. 12:00pm (noon)
via myRMIT BlackBoard Electronic Submission
Reflective Piece – Record and reflect on your development as a strategist over the
course of the semester.
Each individual is to write a reflective essay that demonstrates a significant personal
insight into your development as a strategist. Your reflective essay needs to
demonstrate an active engagement with both theory and your personal experience
and it must demonstrate how exposure to the strategic management theory has (or
has not) changed the way you think/act and what, if any plans you have to build on
this in the future.
Throughout the workshops you will be required to draw up your ‘maps’ on the
whiteboards to facilitate your discussion of the material you have studied and the
way in which your thinking about ARCBS and its strategy is developing. Each week
you are to take a digital photograph of the maps and use these as the basis of your
reflective piece. In this way you are expected to build up a body of work throughout
the semester. When drafting your work throughout the semester and in the final
version you should concentrated on the following three questions:
1. What did you know about strategic management before we started?
2. Have you changed any ideas you used as you worked on these maps?
3. How has working on the maps helped develop your understanding of strategic
management?
**Please note that you are also required to submit the photos that you have taken in
the workshops as an appendix to the reflective piece.**
How we’ll assess your work
For the reflective piece, we are seeking to understand how deeply you have engaged
with the material presented in this course and what the personal implications of this
are for you as a practitioner. We are interested in how you are able to draw
connections between your personal experience and the strategic management
Semester 2, 2014 BUSM3125 Assignment Guide
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discipline and how well you are able to connect the strategic management discipline
to the other disciplines that you have studied in your university career.
Academic staff will base their judgement on the quality of work you submit and how
well it meets the requirements of the assignment. We will undertake a rigorous and
transparent moderation process to ensure that all work is assessed to the same
degree and standard.