Jan13

1) Appraise Best Buys competitive advantage and the strategic

competitiveness using the appropriate internal analysis tools. (15 marks)

2) Evaluate the external environment in which Best Buy operates by using the
appropriate tool(s). (25 marks)

3a) Define the stakeholders of Best Buy and conduct a quantitative analysis
that Best Buys stakeholders would be interested in. (8 marks)
b) Using a table format, assess Best Buys US-based operations by performing
a competitors analysis. (12 marks)

4a) Discuss the business-level strategy that Best Buy had deployed for their
US-based operation and identify the risks involved. (10 marks)
b) At the international level, what corporate-level strategy did Best Buy
adopt and how did it carry out this strategy? Examine the risks involved. (10
marks)

5) Based on SWOT analysis of the case, formulate four (4) strategies that
you would recommend to Best Buy for them to achieve above-average
returns in the future. (20 marks)

Jul13
1) Using appropriate internal analysis tool, appraise Ssangyong Motors
competitive advantage(s). Conclude if Ssanyong Motor has the required
competencies from SAICs point of view. (15 marks)

2(a) Based on your analysis of the case, use appropriate external analysis
tool(s) to assess Ssanyong Motors operating environment in South Korea.
(10 marks)
(b) Analyse and determine if SAICs decision to invest Ssangyong Motor stems
from the attractiveness of the passenger car industry in China? (15 marks)

3) From the case, it was evident that SAICs strategy of developing its own brand
of passenger cars was mainly through equity (and non-equity) strategic alliances
prior to its investment into Ssanyong Motors.
(a) Evaluate SAICs rationale for forming strategic alliances to achieve its
strategic goals. (10 marks)
(b) Assess the risks involved in SAICs use of strategic alliances as the means
in realising its strategic goal of creating its own branded passenger cars? (10
marks)

4(a) Analyse and explain how the acquisition of SsangYong Motors will
enable SAIC to achieve its strategic goal of producing its own branded
passenger cars. (7 marks)
(b) Discuss the benefits and risks to SsangYong Motors from being acquired
by SAIC. (7 marks)
(c) Discuss three (3) major challenges that SAIC are likely to face after the
acquisition of SsangYong Motors in South Korea. (6 marks)

5) For the purpose of this question, consider yourself as the newly-appointed

consultant to SAICs Board of Directors:
(a) Appraise SAICs corporate level strategy after the acquisition of
SsangYong Motors in South Korea. Should SAIC continue with its current
corporate level strategy? (7 marks)
(b) From all preceding analyses, recommend strategic actions that SAIC
should take in order to realise its strategic goals for the future. (13 marks)

Jan14
1(a) Using an appropriate internal analysis tool, appraise the internal
factors affecting Balenos competitiveness in China. (14 marks)
(b) From the preceding analysis, conclude by discussing the strengths and
weaknesses of Balenos operations in China (6 marks)

2(a) Based on your analysis of the case, assess Balenos external general
environment and conclude the opportunities and threats facing the
company in China. (10 marks)
(b) Analyse the attractiveness of the industry environment in which Baleno
operates and determine the competitive rivalry of firms in the industry. (12
marks)

3) Compare Balenos and its competitors mode of entering China, with the
other alternative modes of entering international markets. Conclude with
a discussion on whether Baleno had been successful in mitigating the
political risks, it faces, with its choice of international strategies. (18
marks)

4) Examine if Baleno had successfully managed its choice of cooperative

strategy and conclude whether this has resulted in the success for its
operations in China. (20 marks)

5) From preceding analyses: (a) Appraise the strategic issues Baleno is likely
to face in its future in China. Supporting your appraisal with brief
justification for each issue presented. (8 marks)
(b) Propose strategic actions that Baleno should take in order to sustain its
future leadership position in China. (12 marks)

Jul14
1(a) Analyse the internal environment of Facebook and determine its
strategic capabilities. (14 marks)
(b) Identify Facebook key strengths and weaknesses. (6 marks)

2) Apply the appropriate frameworks to appraise the industry

environment in which Facebook operates in. (20 marks)

3(a) Assess the current competitive strategy of Facebook. (10 marks)

(b) Appraise the competitive actions of Facebooks key competitors and
Facebooks responses. (15 marks)

4) From the preceding analyses, identify and discuss the key issues and
challenges facing Facebook. (10 marks)
5) Having examined the issues and challenges facing Facebook, recommend
strategic choices for it to achieve sustainable growth and profitability.
(25 marks)

Jan15
1(a) Analyse the internal environment of Tesla Motors to determine the
type of strategic capabilities it possesses and the type of competitive
advantage that those strategic capabilities provide. (14 marks)
(b) Identify Tesla Motors key strengths and weaknesses. (6 marks)

2) Apply the appropriate framework(s) to appraise the external

environment in which Tesla Motors operates. (20 marks)

3(a) Identify and assess the competitive strategy adopted by Tesla Motors.
(10 marks)
(b) Evaluate and discuss the challenges Tesla Motors face in introducing a
fully electric automobile into an established industry. (15 marks)

4) Examine the cooperative strategies of Tesla Motors and evaluate their

effectiveness. (15 marks)

5) Given the issues and challenges facing Tesla Motors, formulate a strategy
for it to survive and thrive. (20 marks)

Jul15
1(a) Conduct a macro-environment analysis to evaluate the global
apparel and clothing industry. (12 marks)
(b) Analyse the competitive forces in the apparel and clothing industry and
define if it is an attractive industry for Inditex. (13 marks)

2) Identify the strategic capabilities of Inditexs largest chain - Zara,

indicating the competitive implication of these strategic capabilities. (20
marks)

3(a) Appraise Inditexs key strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and

threats. (10 marks)
(b) Identify the key issues faced by Inditex. (5 marks)

4(a) Identify the international modes of entry that Zara has adopted. For
each of the identified modes, assess whether Zara has appropriately used
each of these modes of entry in terms of tradability and breadth of
competitive advantage afforded by each mode. (10 marks)
(b) Examine Zaras international strategy using Yips globalization
framework to determine the likely driver(s) of globalization for Zara.
Provide justification to support your answer. (10 marks)

5(a) Formulate at least two (2) recommendations for Inditex to address the
key issues it faced. Provide an explanation on how the recommendations
address the key issues. (10 marks)
(b) Applying the SAFe criteria, explain how your recommendations
address each of these criteria. (10 marks)

Jan16
1) Analyse the internal environment of Nokia before it was acquired by
Microsoft in September 2013. Identify its key strategic capabilities and
determine the type of competitive advantage afforded by each of these
key strategic capabilities. (20 marks)

2(a) Apply the appropriate framework to appraise the macro-environment

of Nokia before September 2013. Based on the appraisal, provide a brief
conclusion on the state of the macro-environment. (10 marks)
(b) Apply the appropriate framework to appraise the industry
environment of Nokia before September 2013. Based on the appraisal,
provide a discussion on the state of the industry environment. (15 marks)

3(a) Appraise the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats of

Nokia. (10 marks)
(b) Examine and discuss the key issues facing Nokia before it was acquired
by Microsoft in September 2013. (5 marks)

4) Relate how Disruptive Innovation is exemplified in the case The Rise

and Fall of Nokia. In your answer, specifically identify the Disruptive
Innovation(s), and assess how it impacted Nokia. (20 marks)

5(a) Relying on all the analysis above, formulate recommendation(s) to

address the key issues faced by Nokia if it had not been acquired by
Microsoft in September 2013. (10 marks)
(b) Applying the SAFe criteria, explain how your recommendation(s)
address(es) each of these criteria. (10 marks)

Jul16
1(a) Identify the industry in which McDonalds operated and evaluate the
macro-environment relating to that industry in India. (15 marks)
(b) Analyse the competitive forces affecting the identified industry in
India and determine if it was an attractive industry. In your conclusion,
identify the key competitive force(s) that influenced your view on the
attractiveness of the industry. (10 marks)

2) Examine the resources and competences that MacDonalds possessed

in India and identify the resulting Strategic Capability(ies). Appraise and
determine if such strategic capability(ies) serve as a basis of competitive
advantage for McDonalds in India. (20 marks)
3(a) Examine and discuss McDonalds key strengths, weaknesses,
opportunities and threats. (10 marks)
(b) Based on the above analyses, identify the key issues faced by McDonalds
in its expansion plans in India. (5 marks)

4(a) Determine the international strategy that McDonalds has adopted.

Provide justification to support your answer. (10 marks)
(b) Based on the international strategy identified above and using
Ghemawats CAGE framework, examine the specific actions which
McDonalds has taken in entering India. Determine and explain which
dimension(s) of the CAGE framework is(are) still important for McDonalds
to increase their chance of success in India. (10 marks)

5(a) Formulate at least two (2) recommendations for McDonalds to address

the key issues. Provide explanation on how the recommendations address
the key issues. (10 marks)
(b) Explain how each recommendation meets the SAFe criteria. (10 marks)