Research Articles Base: Multidisciplinary Business Problems And Challenges

Multidisciplinary Business Problems and Challenges

Strategic Management (incl. Strategic IS)     Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of this assignment the students should be able to: <li class="MsoNormal"> Analyse, interpret, evaluate and solve multidisciplinary business problems and challenges </li> <li class="MsoNormal"> Link the theory and practice of Strategic Management </li> <li class="MsoNormal"> Understand IS strategies </li> <li class="MsoNormal"> Integrate other final year subjects into Strategic Management </li> <li class="MsoNormal"> Better understand how organisations work </li> <li class="MsoNormal"> Develop and present opinions in a logical and coherent way </li> <li class="MsoNormal"> Demonstrate business research, word processing and IT skills </li> <li class="MsoNormal"> Use the Harvard system of referencing. </li>       GENERAL (AND IMPORTANT) SUGGESTIONS <ul style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in" type="disc"> <li class="MsoNormal"> Your firm may be involved in many industries/industry segments.  Decide on which you going to focus.  This should be the same industry/industry segment on which the other members of your tutorial group are focusing. </li> <li class="MsoNormal"> Where possible, provide your conclusions for each section. </li> <li class="MsoNormal"> When using strategy tools, ask yourself the following questions: <ul style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in" type="circle"> <li class="MsoNormal"> Is the tool intended to be used at the level of strategy at which I am operating? </li> <li class="MsoNormal"> Am I using the tool in the right way? </li> <li class="MsoNormal"> If two or more tools are available for the same situation, which one is the right one for the job? </li> </ul> </li> <li class="MsoNormal"> Plan your time carefully so that you can pick up marks according to the criteria set out in the indicative marking scheme.  This marking scheme is on the intranet. </li> <li class="MsoNormal"> Generate a comprehensive list of references as you conduct your research.  While it is possible that you may not use all these references, you will save considerable time by not having to go back to recover references.  You must use the Harvard system and it is therefore in your interest to ensure you have all the information about each reference that this system requires.  Should the examiner not have these references, he will not be able to verify the authenticity, originality or accuracy of your work.  This may seriously impact your grade.  <ul style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in" type="circle"> <li class="MsoNormal"> Every report must be submitted using Turnitin.com.  This system calculates the percentage of material in an assignment which has been previously published. </li> <li class="MsoNormal"> Avoid quotations – paraphrase with references.  </li> </ul> </li> </ul>   Executive Summary This is a concise summary of the critical issues and your recommendations for addressing these issues. This summary should be self-contained, i.e., should provide a busy executive with the most important information from the report, even if he/she never reads the body of the report. This is NOT a preface that merely introduces the report. Write this section after completing the rest of your report, even though it is placed at the beginning of the report.     Profile and evolution of the organisation <ul style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in" type="disc"> <li class="MsoNormal"> Company overview <ul style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in" type="circle"> <li class="MsoNormal"> What industries and industry segments are your firm involved in?  </li> </ul> </li> <li class="MsoNormal"> Management <ul style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in" type="circle"> <li class="MsoNormal"> What is the organisational structure?  <ul style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in" type="square"> <li class="MsoNormal"> Is it hierarchical or is it flat?  Does it facilitate the seamless execution of top-down strategy?  Does it allow for autonomy and the ability to adapt to a changing business environment?  Is the current structure appropriate for the competitive environment? </li> </ul> </li> <li class="MsoNormal"> Board of Directors </li> <li class="MsoNormal"> Top management </li> </ul> </li> <li class="MsoNormal"> Culture <ul style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in" type="circle"> <li class="MsoNormal"> Is there a particular set of shared beliefs, expectations and values? </li> </ul> </li> <li class="MsoNormal"> History </li> <li class="MsoNormal"> Current situation (complete after you have finished your analysis of the firm) <ul style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in" type="circle"> <li class="MsoNormal"> Describe the position of the firm as of now. </li> <li class="MsoNormal"> Who are its main competitors? </li> <li class="MsoNormal"> What are its main target markets? </li> </ul> </li> </ul>       External analysis <ul style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in" type="disc"> <li class="MsoNormal"> The environment </li> <li class="MsoNormal"> expectations </li> <li class="MsoNormal"> stakeholders </li> </ul>   This part of the individual assignment may be done in co-operation with the other members of your tutorial group.   Ask what are the external factors that have impacted the organisation in the past?  More importantly, what are the key external factors that and will impact the organisation in the future?   Opportunities & Threats SWOT analysis can be used in this section to identify the key opportunities and threats from the business environment.  Scan and analyse important factors, trends, and probable future conditions to identify these key opportunities and threats. As with the Internal Analysis section, it is important that you go beyond mere description and add evaluation and conclusions.  A SWOT is only useful if it is comparative in terms of the organisation’s competitors.   Pestel Analysis A PESTEL analysis could also be conducted here to analyse the general environment.  Remember to isolate the key divers of change.       Internal analysis <ul style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in" type="disc"> <li class="MsoNormal"> Identify the organization’s current mission, purpose, and key management values/philosophy. Identify the long-range business objectives and strategies (especially corporate-level and competitive strategies). </li> <li class="MsoNormal"> Focus particularly on identifying and evaluating the current strategies, since you may be proposing changes to these. Analyse the appropriateness of the organisation’s portfolio of businesses (for diversified firms).  </li> <li class="MsoNormal"> Determine how well the organisation has been performing. </li> </ul>   Strengths & Weaknesses The strengths and weaknesses aspects of a SWOT analysis can be used in this section.    Value Chain Analysis <ul style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in" type="disc"> <li class="MsoNormal"> Where is value being created? </li> <li class="MsoNormal"> Which activities are not adding value?  Are there any areas currently in-house which could be outsourced? </li> </ul>   Core Competences What are the firm’s core competences?       CURRENT ISSUES AND CHALLENGES <ul style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in" type="disc"> <li class="MsoNormal"> This section provides the opportunity to concentrate on the key issues and challenges currently facing the organisation.  These may have been identified in the External and Internal Analyses.  What is it that the company plans to do in the light of each of these issues/challenges </li> </ul>       CURRENT STRATEGIES <ul style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in" type="disc"> <li class="MsoNormal"> Does the firm have an explicit mission statement?  Is it appropriate to the current competitive environment?  </li> <li class="MsoNormal"> What is the current strategy?  <ul style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in" type="circle"> <li class="MsoNormal"> At corporate/SBU/operational level?  </li> <li class="MsoNormal"> Is it appropriate to the mission statement?  </li> <li class="MsoNormal"> Is it appropriate to the current competitive environment?  </li> <li class="MsoNormal"> Has management ensured the long-term survival of the firm?  </li> <li class="MsoNormal"> How is the firm addressing its Critical Success Factors?  </li> <li class="MsoNormal"> Is the organisation pursuing the strategy that will allow it to meet the opportunities and threats that may lie ahead? </li> </ul> </li> </ul>         IS STRATEGIES <ul style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in" type="disc"> <li class="MsoNormal"> What is the organisation’s strategy in regard to IS? </li> <li class="MsoNormal"> To what degree does the IS strategy: <ul style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in" type="circle"> <li class="MsoNormal"> Build on the strengths and address the weaknesses of the organisation? </li> <li class="MsoNormal"> Add value in the organisation? </li> <li class="MsoNormal"> Contribute to meeting the Critical Success Factors of the organisation? </li> <li class="MsoNormal"> Support the overall strategy of the organisation? </li> </ul> </li> </ul>       Available Alternative Strategies Put forward alternative strategies (as opposed to elements of strategies).  You will want to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each one.               RECOMMENDATIONS AND IMPLEMENTATION <ul style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in" type="circle"> <li class="MsoNormal"> What is the strategy you recommend?  Be detailed and specific </li> <li class="MsoNormal"> Why are you recommending this strategy? <ul style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in" type="circle"> <li class="MsoNormal"> How does this strategy build on the strengths and address the weaknesses of the organisation </li> </ul> </li> <li class="MsoNormal"> What is the core competence of the organisation?  How can the organisation build on the core competence to ensure a sustainable competitive advantage? </li> <li class="MsoNormal"> How would you recommend the firm implements your strategic choice? </li> </ul>       BIBLIOGRAPHY This section takes time.  Ensure that you allocated enough time to properly complete this section.  Incomplete referencing weakens the whole assignment as the examiner will be unable to verify the originality of your work. It is essential that the Harvard System of referencing is used.  This is a time-consuming process, especially for those unfamiliar with the process.  A random list of related works in the Bibliography is not sufficient.  References must be cited in the main body of the report following the information to which it refers.     APPENDICES This section will contain graphs, tables, financial data and other information too large to be included in the main body of the report.    Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

Multidisciplinary Business Problems and Challenges

Strategic Management (incl. Strategic IS) Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of this assignment the students should b...