A brief background to the organisation of your choice (type of organisation, size, industry, current financial position, turnover/gross profit, trend over time) and state the purpose of your report including the models you have chosen and why (rationale & justification).

 

Company name: Astrazeneca

2.0 Strategic Position (50%)

2.1 External & Internal environments: approx. 800 words

• PESTEL – Link these factors to Opportunities and Threats
• Five Forces
• Industry Life Cycle

*APPLY YOUR DISCUSSION TO YOUR CHOSEN ORGANISATION

2.2 Internal – approx. 300 words

Look at the firm’s capabilities – how can they be used to create a Competitive Advantage.

2.2.1 - Resource Based View – approx. 400 words

• what they have (Resources)
• what they do well (Competencies):
• Resources + Competences = Competitive Advantage.

2.2.2- Link the discussion to identify the organisation’s core competences – approx. - 400 words

Diagnose Strategic Capabilities using:

• VRIO analysis
•  value chain - Link to Strengths and Weaknesses
•  Benchmarking,

*APPLY YOUR DISCUSSION TO YOUR CHOSEN ORGANISATION

3.0Influences on strategic purposes – approx. 500 words

• governance structure (any issues with governance);
• stakeholders expectations (shareholder vs stakeholders; any conflict of interest)
• Social Responsibilities and Ethics

*APPLY YOUR DISCUSSION TO YOUR CHOSEN ORGANISATION

4.0 Strategic choices – approx. 400 words - 20%

• Business strategy – choices about business, positioning relative to competitors: overall cost leaders, differentiation, focus strategic clock??
• Strategic directions – choice of products, industries and market to pursue (Ansoff matric)
• Strategy methods: organic, acquisition or alliance

*APPLY YOUR DISCUSSION TO YOUR CHOSEN ORGANISATION

Evaluation of strategic options – approx.. 300 words:

Employ three success criteria for evaluating strategic options:

Suitability

Acceptability

Feasibility

*APPLY YOUR DISCUSSION TO YOUR CHOSEN ORGANISATION

Reflection (10%) – approx. 500 words

Theories that could help with reflection:

Gibbs reflective cycle

SWOT as a reflective practice include an action plan