1 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT COURSE ASSESSMENT 1 Submission deadline without penalties is 27 June 2017. Please refer to the Programme Handbook under Section Three: Teaching Learning and Assessment for the Late Penalty Scheme and Word Count Limit. This course is being delivered through the Manchester Blackboard virtual learning environment. Therefore, all assessments must be submitted through Blackboard. If you have any technical difficulties in using Blackboard, please visit the University’s support page at: http://www.studentnet.manchester.ac.uk/blackboard Submitting your Assignment 1. For the main text, double or 1.5 spacing with a minimum font size of 12 must be used (Arial or other sans serif font) and be left-justified to aid accessibility and reading. 2. Please set the page size to UK A4. All pages must be numbered. 3. Please ensure to state the final word count on the front page of your work. 4. Assignments should be submitted in either Microsoft Office and/or PDF format (.doc, .docx, .pdf etc.). 5. File names should be kept simple and only contain alphanumeric characters (a-z0-9), spaces and underscores (e.g. Valid_filename_1.doc). Files with other characters such as apostrophes, brackets or commas may not be accessible by markers. 6. Please ensure you include your student number and the assignment reference (SM/Student Number/May17/1) in all submitted assignments. Failure to do this may lead either to a grade not being assigned or being wrongly assigned. 7. Assignments may be uploaded only once; substitutions are not permitted and students should therefore ensure that the version uploaded is their final submission. If you are experiencing any difficulty in uploading your assignment to Blackboard, please email a copy of the assignment and a screenshot of the error message immediately to your local centre/Student Adviser. IMPORTANT: ALWAYS RETAIN A COPY OF YOUR ASSIGNMENT2 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT COURSE ASSESSMENT 1 Competitive Environment and Company/Organisation Strategy 20% of Course Grade (1,000 words + tabulations and diagrams, 8 pages maximum) NOTE: You MUST submit this Assignment before attending the SM Workshop if you wish to participate in Group Workshop assessment. Students who attend the Workshop but submit their Assignment during or after the Workshop will be assessed by: 1. The Workshop Non-Attendees Individual Assignment 2. A different Pre-Workshop Assignment (substituting another Company/Competitive Environment for Unilever and Ice Cream). To successfully complete this Assignment you need to review Sections 5 and 6 of the Course Manual, our Course text by R. Grant, Unilever Cases A and B, Unilever.com Investor Relations and a Euromonitor Country Report on Ice Cream. Reviewing these materials ensures that you are well prepared and can contribute to the Workshop Group assessment. Select a Competitive Environment (Manual Section 5) and a Company/Organisation (Manual Section 6) within that Competitive Environment. The Assignment has five sections: Sections 2 and 3 should link to Section 1. Sections 2 and 3 do not have to link. Sections 4 and 5 do not have to link. 1. Provide background to your selected: a. Company/Organisation b. Competitive Environment 2. Apply one concept/approach on your selected Company/Organisation (outlined in 1 above) 3. Apply one concept/approach on your selected Competitive Environment (outlined in 1 above) 4. Apply a different concept/approach (to that selected in 2 above) to Unilever 5. Apply a different concept/approach (to that selected in 3 above) to Ice Cream Assignment Structure Guidelines 1,000 words maximum 8 pages maximum Cover sheet, contents page, bibliography are not part of word count or page length guidelines Labelled Diagrams and Tabulations are not part of your word count Appendix data is not wanted Assignments significantly in excess of word count or page length guidelines will be penalised.3 Assignment Style Guidelines x The Strategic Management style stresses: Labelled and quantified Diagrams and Tabulations Quantification. Where data is not available provide best estimates Trends/the future Do not explain concepts/approaches, the marker is familiar with them, just managerially apply them The Managerial Implications Managerial actions to be considered x Always finish an application with the managerial implications/actions to be considered So the ‘SM Style’ is to use quantified Diagrams and Tabulations which apply a concept/approach followed by incisive managerial commentary with a stress on the future. Intent of the Assignment The intent of the Assignment is to ensure you have reviewed Course materials on: Company Strategy The Competitive Environment Unilever and Ice Cream And have started to apply these managerially to: A Company/Organisation/Competitive Environment of your choice To Unilever and Ice Cream (our Workshop Group assessment) The normal protocol for submitting Assignments is adopted: “The Assignment should be typed, 10 or 11 point font size (Times Roman or similar if possible) double spaced, with a 4cm margin on the right side of the page with the page size specified as UK A4. All pages must be numbered.” The Assignment is limited to 8 pages with the protocol specified above. Assignments that adhere to the 8 page length guideline but ‘squeeze’ too much in will be penalised (i.e: smaller font size; single spacing; shorter margins)- as with normal layout the Assignment has exceeded the page length guidelines. Assignment Detail Background (200 words maximum) a. Company/Organisation Outline overall financial performance (a table with key figures/ratios) and comment on performance Quantify and trend the portfolio What are the key issues/challenges/opportunities faced by the Company/Organisation?4 b. Competitive Environment Define your Arena/Industry/Market If data is available quantify by revenue/units and show trends Comment on competitors, customers What are the key issues/challenges/opportunities in the Competitive Environment? Company/Organisation Strategy Applications (200 words maximum per application + tabulations and diagrams) Manual Section 6 and Grant Chapters 2,5,11,12,13,14,15, Unilever Case A and Unilever.com Apply one concept/approach to your selected Company/Organisation (200 words maximum) Apply a different concept/approach to Unilever (200 words maximum) Concepts/Approaches to select from: Vision (Grant chapters 1 & 2) Value Statements (Grant chapters 1 & 2) Mission (Grant chapters 1 & 2) Objectives (Grant chapters 1 & 2) Analysing and Developing Resources & Capabilities (Grant chapter 5 especially pages 134-135) Portfolio Analysis (select one portfolio grid) Mergers and Acquisition (Grant chapter 15) Divestment Strategic Alliances (Grant chapter 15) Vertical Integration (Grant chapter 11) Diversification (Grant chapter 13) Competitive Environment Applications (200 words maximum per application + tabulations and diagrams ) Manual Section 5 and Grant chapters 3,4 and for different contexts chapters 8,9,10. For Ice Cream consider Unilever Case B and a Euromonitor Country Report. You can also refer to other sources. - Apply one concept/approach to a Competitive Environment of your choice (200 words maximum) - Apply a different concept/approach to Ice Cream (200 words maximum)5 Concepts/Approaches to select from: The Arena Map The Profit Pool Map The Five Forces Strategic Groups Strategic Imperatives/Key Success Factors Competitor Analysis Megatrends Scanning and Screening the Wider Environment Scenarios The normal protocol for submitting Assignments is adopted: Double or 1.5 spacing with a minimum font size of 12 must be used (Arial or other sans serif font) and be left-justified to aid accessibility and reading with a 4cm margin on the right side of the page with the page size specified as UK A4. All pages must be numbered. The Assignment is limited to 8 pages with the protocol specified above. Assignments that adhere to the 8 page length guideline but ‘squeeze’ too much in will be penalised (i.e: smaller font size; single spacing; shorter margin) - as with normal layout the Assignment has exceeded the length guidelines. Confidentiality Considerations You should not omit data/analysis needed to complete the Assignment on the grounds of confidentiality. If you have concerns over confidentiality you can: Change the name of your company Use a disguise factor (i.e.: divide all data by a percentage) Note: at maximum four markers review your Assignment (the first marker; the second marker; Course moderator; external examiner) unless there is a case of plagiarism to investigate. If you still have confidentiality concerns select another Assignment topic.