INDICATIVE REPORT / ESSAY STRUCTURE:

INTRODUCTION:

Introduce the topic and outline the main themes that you will look at in the essay/report.

BACKGROUND / OUTLINE OF BRITISH AIRWAYS:

This is your chance to give a little history of the company – but no more then ¾ page as anything
more will be too much. The timeline should be referred to here, but put in the appendix.

MACRO ENVIRONMENT: THE WIDER COMPETITIVE ENVIRONMENT

Here use the PESTLE factors and/or 5Cs framework to examine the wider environment in which BA
sits and examine and highlight those factors which impact BA. In addition at this stage, the OT of the
SWOT should be brought in.

MESO ENVIRONMENT: THE IMMEDIATE COMPETITION AND STRATEGIC GROUP

In this section, the 5 Forces framework or any other frameworks to examine the competitive
environment and Strategic Group(s) of BA should be used. If you intend to use the BCG or
GE/McKinsey matrix, this should also be here.

At this point you should also highlight the TWOS analysis and the results will lead into the strategy
section which follows later.

MICRO ENVIRONMENT: THE VLAUE DRIVERS AND CORE COMPETENCES OF BA

There are a number of concepts, models that can be used here. This is the internal environment t of
the firm and what the value added is of the firm. Appropriate models are; Activity System – Value
Drivers (map); Value chain; and this should be in the language of the RBV of the firm and the Core
Competences of BA. SW of the SWOT can also be highlighted here too.

THE STRATEGIC OPTIONS OF BA AND THE CHOSEN STRATEGIES:

The main models here are the Ansoff Matrix and the Generic Strategies model of Porter which
should used to illustrate the strategies used by BA. In addition, strategic alliances and their
advantages for BA should be highlighted as well as M&As. Also highlight any future strategies such as
the move into Low Cost flights........In this section you should use the Strategy Evaluation Matrix by
me in the handouts.

CONCLUSION:

This section is where you highlight the key successes and failures of BA to date and based on these
factors, how you think BA is set up to cope in the future.

REFERENCES: - all of the works cited in the report /essay.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:- all of the readings that you have read and have therefore contributed to the
success of your report / essay

APPENDIXES:

YOU WILL NEED LINKING PARAGRAPHS – short paragraphs that lead from one section of the
report to the next so that the logic and order of the assignment makes sense

Dr. John W. Lang Report and Essay Writing for Assignments 1

YOUR REPORT SHOULD HAVE THE LOOK AND STRUCTURE OF A PROFESSIONAL PIECE OF WORK
CAPABLE OF BEING SHOWN TO A BA SENIOR EXECUTIVE – PLEASE DO NOT “PEPPER” THE REPORT
WITH “PHOTOGRAPHS OF BA OR ITS ‘PLANES” – WE DO NOT NORMALLY DO THIS AT MBA LEVEL!

Please use Times Roman 12 point as the font; with Times Roman 14 point Bold for the headings
and sub headings (NO UNDERLINING OF THE SUBHEADINGS AND NO “FANCY FONTS” AS THESE
WILL LOSE MARKS!)

Margins should be the “normal setting” on Word – 2.54cm Top / Bottom / Left and Right.

Number all pages and don’t forget to put your names on the document as well as your CTL and
UoWales ID numbers clearly marked.

Dr. John W. Lang Report and Essay Writing for Assignments 2

How to improve your technique: some general principles

 Essays need a structure

o jot down a simple plan
o make sure you know where the essay is going before you start writing, i.e. your
conclusion
 Essays must be a response to a specific title
o avoid writing everything you know on a given topic, irrelevant material gains no
marks – if you wish to mention the “theory” it should not be more than a sentence
or two as you can consider that your reader is already familiar with the theory! Your
marks are coming for the application of the theory to the topic under consideration.
o respond to the command words in the question
o use descriptive headings that clearly describe the section’s contents to engage and
inform the reader – do not put SWOT or Porter’s 5 Forces as a heading or
subheading – you are not reporting on these in the assignment, rather put Macro
Analysis or Competitor Analysis etc.....
 Do not forget the essay title
o refer back to the question regularly - probably at the end of every paragraph
o every paragraph should answer the question set, aim for one theme per paragraph
or per section of the essay/report
 Demonstrate your depth of knowledge
o analyse the question with care to show your understanding of the subject content
o avoid paragraphs of textbook description
o use appropriate graphs and data to support your arguments, which must be
accurate
o use topical examples to back up your points when discussing strategies
o be clear about what information you are using and where you obtained it from. Your
credibility will depend on the sources you use to support your arguments.
o make references to other writers if appropriate, and if possible as you will be graded
partly on your depth of research and reading (20%)
o Use graphs and charts to convey difficult concepts or show alternatives in a visually
attractive and easy to understand way. Ensure that all graphs and charts that you
use are relevant, add value to your report, and are clearly labelled.
o Use the right graphics for the concepts you are explaining or illustrating. Bar charts
or Gantt charts are appropriate for showing a changing relationship over time, while
pie charts are the best way to illustrate proportional relationships. Line graphs
should be used to show trends to show trends over a period of time. Remember the
key is simplicity in illustrating key points - if you can’t explain what your graphics
show then don’t use them.
 Remember the higher order skills of critical analysis and evaluation
o break down the material in a way that helps reveal the strategic issues involved
o use relevant business concepts to explore causes and effects, e.g. mass production is
based on volume manufacture, which leads to economies of scale and these in turn
usually lead to experience effects – thereby driving costs even further down the cost
curve.
o examine arguments critically
o state which strategies or arguments you believe to be the most important and why
 Try to please the examiners!
o use appropriate concepts and terminology
o Avoid slang e.g. 'The firm will go bust...'
o be concise and relevant

Dr. John W. Lang Report and Essay Writing for Assignments 3

 o leave enough time to write a conclusion and do not forget the references and
bibliography – all Harvard referenced
o Use a clear and consistent formatting style throughout the essay/report - a messy
writing style will prejudice the reader against your recommendations while a
professional approach lends credibility to your research skills.
o Include a bibliography and cite using the Harvard style of referencing
o Include page numbers and your name and ID numbers from CTL and UoW

The essay plan - a suggested model

Dr. John W. Lang Report and Essay Writing for Assignments 4