ASSIGNMENT BRIEF

QUALIFICATION UNIT NUMBER AND TITLE

PEARSON BTEC HIGHER NATIONAL DIPLOMA IN BUSINESS (RQF) 32. BUSINESS STRATEGY (LEVEL 5)
INTERNAL VERIFIER UNIT TUTOR
MARIAM QASIM MUHAMMAD AHTSHAM
DATE ISSUED SUBMISSION DATE RESUBMISSION DATE
MONDAY, 06H JANUARY 2020 THURSDAY, 30TH APRIL 2020 MONDAY, 11TH MAY 2020

ASSIGNMENT TITLE STRATEGIC PLANNING

LEARNING OUTCOME AND ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

PASS MERIT DISTINCTION
LO1 ANALYSE THE IMPACT AND INFLUENCE WHICH THE MACRO ENVIRONMENT HAS ON AN
ORGANISATION AND ITS BUSINESS STRATEGIES
P1 APPLYING APPROPRIATE FRAMEWORKS
M1 CRITICALLY ANALYSE THE MACRO
ANALYSE THE IMPACT AND INFLUENCE OF THE
ENVIRONMENT TO DETERMINE AND INFORM
MACRO ENVIRONMENT ON A GIVEN
STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT DECISIONS.
ORGANISATION AND ITS STRATEGIES.
LO2 ASSESS AN ORGANISATION’S INTERNAL ENVIRONMENT AND CAPABILITIES
M2 CRITICALLY EVALUATE THE INTERNAL
P2 ANALYSE THE INTERNAL ENVIRONMENT AND
ENVIRONMENT TO ASSESS STRENGTHS AND LO1 - 4
CAPABILITIES OF A GIVEN ORGANISATION USING
WEAKNESSES OF AN ORGANISATION’S INTERNAL D1 CRITIQUE AND INTERPRET INFORMATION
APPROPRIATE FRAMEWORKS.
CAPABILITIES, STRUCTURE AND SKILL SET. AND DATA APPLYING ENVIRONMENTAL AND
LO3 EVALUATE AND APPLY THE OUTCOMES OF AN ANALYSIS USING PORTER’S FIVE FORCES MODEL COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS TO PRODUCE A SET OF
TO A GIVEN MARKET SECTOR VALID STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS, OBJECTIVES AND
P3 APPLYING PORTER’S FIVE FORCES MODEL M3 DEVISE APPROPRIATE STRATEGIES TO TACTICAL ACTIONS.
EVALUATE THE COMPETITIVE FORCES OF A GIVEN IMPROVE COMPETITIVE EDGE AND MARKET
MARKET SECTOR FOR AN ORGANISATION. POSITION BASED ON THE OUTCOMES.
LO4 APPLY MODELS, THEORIES AND CONCEPTS TO ASSIST WITH THE UNDERSTANDING AND
INTERPRETATION OF STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS AVAILABLE TO AN ORGANISATION
P4 APPLYING A RANGE OF THEORIES, CONCEPTS
M4 PRODUCE A STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT
AND MODELS, INTERPRET AND DEVISE
PLAN THAT HAS TANGIBLE AND TACTICAL
STRATEGIC PLANNING FOR A GIVEN
STRATEGIC PRIORITIES AND OBJECTIVES.
ORGANISATION.

SUBMISSION FORMAT
THE SUBMISSION IS IN THE FORM OF A REPORT DIVIDED INTO ORGANISATIONAL ANALYSIS & STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT PLAN.

THE REPORT SHOULD BE WRITTEN IN A CONCISE, FORMAL BUSINESS STYLE USING SINGLE SPACING AND FONT STYLE CALIBRI AND SIZE 11. YOU ARE
REQUIRED TO MAKE USE OF HEADINGS, PARAGRAPHS AND SUBSECTIONS AS APPROPRIATE, AND ALL WORK MUST BE SUPPORTED WITH RESEARCH AND
REFERENCED USING THE HARVARD REFERENCING SYSTEM. PLEASE ALSO PROVIDE A BIBLIOGRAPHY USING THE HARVARD REFERENCING SYSTEM. THE
RECOMMENDED WORD LIMIT IS SPECIFIED.
ASSIGNMENT SCENARIO AND GUIDANCE
SCENARIO

Good strategic management is essential for long-term business success. It involves defining a business strategy with clear
objectives, creating clear plans as to how these objectives will be achieved, aligning business activities to support the objectives,
and allocating the resources needed to achieve the objectives. To start with, strategic management requires highly
developed analytical skills. Business leaders involved in strategy development need a wide, interconnected view of their
company - including the business environment in which it operates, global trends, the competitive landscape, customer needs
and stakeholder expectations. Strategic management can only be successful if it starts with a clear and honest understanding of
the internal and external factors that will determine the company's success - today and in the future.

Study the contemporary business market and select an organisation of your choice. You have been assigned the task of
producing an environmental analysis as a preliminary study for subsequently developing a strategic growth management plan
for this organisation.
TASK 1 - (LO1, LO2 AND LO3) - GUIDANCE
In order to emphasise the importance of long-term planning for the success of organisations, describe the role of strategy,
strategic intent, different strategic directions, and strategic planning techniques. Analyse your selected organisation within this
strategic context.

Conduct the macro analysis/audit of this organisation’s environment, stakeholders, competition, positioning, and performance
using theoretical framework, such as SWOT, PESTLE, Ansoff’s matrix, stakeholder matrix/mapping, Porter’s Forces, etc.
Determine how this organization’s macro-environment affects and is affected by its strategies. Critically analyse this research
and its usefulness in making strategic management decisions.

Further, analyse the organization’s internal environment and capabilities using models such as VRIO/VRIN framework, Mc
Kinsey’s 7S model, value-chain analysis, cost-benefit analysis, etc. Critically evaluate this analysis to determine the
organisation’s internal strengths and weaknesses.

Using both the internal and external analysis conducted for the selected organisation, evaluate the competitive forces for this
organisation’s market sector using Porter’s Five Forces Model. Based on the outcomes of this evaluation, devise appropriate
strategies to improve competitive edge and market positioning of this organisation. Determine a Unique Selling Point for this
organisation and how this should be communicated to the wider/target market.

TASK 2 - (LO4) – GUIDANCE

Based on the organisational analysis produced in the last task, evaluate the different types of strategic directions available to
the selected organisation. Ground your evaluation in the application of Porter’s generic strategies, diversification strategy,
hybrid strategy, and vertical/horizontal integration. Justify and recommend the most appropriate growth platform and
strategies. Produce a strategic management plan with tangible and realistic strategies, objectives and tactics.

EVIDENCE CHECKLIST SUMMARY OF EVIDENCE REQUIRED BY STUDENT

TASK 1 Organisational Analysis (2000-2500 words)
TASK 2 Strategic Growth Management Plan (2000-2500 words)