MGMT09033 Strategic Management Module Outline

Strategic Management Module Outline MGMT09033

Assessment Criteria

Assignment 1 – Case Study Analysis - Individual assignment.

Introduction (10% of assignment mark).
Critically evaluate the business strategy of your chosen company (25% of assignment mark).
Critically appraise the managerial tasks associated with implementing and executing the company strategies (25% of assignment mark).
Critically reflect on the significance of ethical principles, company values and socially responsible management for your chosen company (25% of assignment mark).
Report –Academic Writing (15% of assignment mark)

The guidelines provided here for the New Business Idea report including the word count are indicative only:

Element	Details	Wordcount
Introduction	Provide an introduction describing your company and reflect on the sector in which the company is operating. This reflection should include a discussion of the macro environment.	1/2 page
Critically evaluate the business strategy of your chosen company	Discuss the business strategy of your company and critically evaluate how this strategy will affect the company.	2-3 pages
Critically appraise the managerial tasks associated with implementing and executing the company strategies	As they relate to your company critically discuss the following five managerial tasks associated with implementing and executing the company strategies: Developing a strategic vision and mission. Setting objectives. Crafting a strategy to achieve the objectives and vision. Implementing and executing the strategy. Evaluating performance and making corrective adjustments.	2-3 pages
Critically reflect on the significance of ethical principles, company values and socially responsible management for your chosen company	Critically discuss the impact of the company strategy on the ethics, company values and corporate social responsibility on your chosen company	2-3 pages
Conclusion	Provide a conclusion to your report	1/2 page
Bibliography.	Follow the American Psychological Association (APA) Referencing System Refer to the AIT library guide available at: http://ait.libguides.com/APA.	na
Total wordcount		7-10 pages

Assignment 1 Assessment Rubric

Participant Name:

Assignment 1 Criteria	Well achieved (70-100)	Achieved (40-69)	Not Achieved (0-39)
Introduction	Clearly describes the company and provides a lucid reflection on the sector in which the company is operating. Provides a thorough and critical discussion of the macro environment in which the company is operating.	Describes the company and provides a reflection on the sector in which the company is operating. Provides some discussion of the macro environment.	Provides a brief description of the company and the sector in which the company is operating. Provides a limited discussion of the macro environment in which the company is operating.
Critically evaluate the business strategy of your chosen company	Evaluation shows thorough reflection on the business strategy of the chosen company.	Evaluation shows some reflection on the business strategy of the chosen company.	Evaluation shows little or no reflection on the business strategy of the chosen company.
Critically appraise the managerial tasks associated with implementing and executing the company strategies	Provides in-depth appraisal of the managerial tasks associated with implementing and executing the company strategies.	Provides some appraisal of the managerial tasks associated with implementing and executing the company strategies.	Limited appraisal of the managerial tasks associated with implementing and executing the company strategies is evident.
Critically reflect on the significance of ethical principles, company values and socially responsible management for your chosen company	Provides in-depth reflection on the significance of ethical principles, company values and socially responsible management for the chosen company.	Provides some reflection on the significance of ethical principles, company values and socially responsible management for the chosen company.	Critical reflection is not adequately completed on the on the significance of ethical principles, company values and socially responsible management for the chosen company.
Academic Writing Structure Length of paper Referencing	Extremely well-structured paper. Paper is required length. Clear references in correct format. Good pertinent citations in correct format.	Paper has a clear structure. Paper is required length. Satisfactory references and citations but come errors in format.	Paper lacks structure. Paper is too short or too long. Referencing not in correct format. Poorly managed citations.
Presentation	Adheres to presentation guidelines in programme handbook.	Conforms to presentation guidelines in programme handbook.	Presentation does not conform to presentation guidelines in programme handbook.
Overall comment

Assignment 2

In your role as a management consultant team you have been asked by an organisation of your choice to conduct a strategic analysis to include an internal as well as external environmental analysis. Following the analysis of the operating environment, you will then be expected to evaluate and propose the strategic options available to the organisation in order to develop and sustain its competitive position. You will be expected to justify your recommendations taking into consideration the wider implications of such strategic decisions on different areas of the organisation.

Using appropriate concepts, theoretical frameworks and techniques explored within the module, you will present your findings in the format of an individually written report (3,000 words maximum) providing a background of your chosen organisation in the appendices.

Assignment Criteria:

Introduction (10% of assignment mark).
Strategic analysis to include an internal as well as external environmental analysis. (25% of assignment mark).
Critical evaluation and recommendation of the strategic options available to the organisation in order to develop and sustain its competitive position. (25% of assignment mark).
Justification of your recommendations to include consideration of the wider implications of such strategic decisions on different areas of the organisation. (25% of assignment mark).
Report –Academic Writing (15% of assignment mark)

The guidelines for the evaluation provided here including the word count are indicative only:

Element	Details	Wordcount
Introduction	The introduction should provide a background and thorough knowledge of the industry in which your chosen organisation operates.	250
Strategic analysis to include an internal as well as external environmental analysis.	A good starting point might be to discuss key strategic issues, external and internal, facing the organisation using suitable analytical frameworks, e.g. PESTLE, Porter’s 5 Forces, Mendelow’s Stakeholder Analysis, RBV (resource-based) view of strategy, McKinsey 7S model, the Value Chain, summarising your findings in a SWOT/TOWS framework before moving on to evaluating feasible options.	600 - 750
Evaluation and recommendation of the strategic options available to the organisation in order to develop and sustain its competitive position.	You will need to demonstrate an ability to evaluate the strategic options identified in relation to the development of competitive positioning. You should also demonstrate an understanding of the requirements of building competitive capability for leverage across markets. In considering specific strategies for developing and sustaining a competitive strategy you might utilise Ansoff’s growth/product matrix, Porter’s generic strategies etc.	600 - 750
Justification of your recommendations to include consideration of the wider implications of such strategic decisions on different areas of the organisation.	You must demonstrate what informed your decision(s) to apply certain concepts that enabled you to formulate innovative and creative solutions to the challenges presented to you or that you identified for yourself. *Plausible and justifiable recommendations are demanded and where these are absent, your work is undermined.*	600 - 750
Conclusion		250
References	Follow the American Psychological Association (APA) Referencing System Refer to the AIT library guide available at: http://ait.libguides.com/APA	N/A
Total wordcount		2,750

Assessment Criteria for Assignment 2

Assignment 2 Criteria	Well achieved (70-100)	Achieved (40-69)	Not Achieved (0-39)
Introduction	Provide a background and a thorough knowledge of the industry in which your chosen organisation operates.	Provides some background and some knowledge of the industry in which your chosen organisation operates.	Introduction shows little or no background and some knowledge of the industry in which your chosen organisation operates.
Strategic analysis to include an internal as well as external environmental analysis.	Provides an in depth analysis to include an internal as well as external environmental analysis using strategic management models.	Provides an adequate analysis to include an internal as well as external environmental analysis.	Insufficient analysis to include an internal as well as external environmental analysis demonstrated.
Evaluation and recommendation of the strategic options available to the organisation in order to develop and sustain its competitive position.	Provides a thorough evaluation and recommendation of the strategic options available to the organisation in order to develop and sustain its competitive position.	Provides an appropriate evaluation and recommendation of the strategic options available to the organisation in order to develop and sustain its competitive position.	Evaluation and recommendations are poorly designed or not provided.
Justification of your recommendations to include consideration of the wider implications of such strategic decisions on different areas of the organisation.	Commentary shows thorough Justification of your recommendations to include consideration of the wider implications of such strategic decisions on different areas of the organisation.	Commentary shows some Justification of your recommendations to include consideration of the wider implications of such strategic decisions on different areas of the organisation.	Commentary shows little or no Justification of your recommendations to include consideration of the wider implications of such strategic decisions on different areas of the organisation.
Academic Writing Structure Length of paper Referencing	Well-structured paper. Paper is required length. Clear references in Correct format. Good citations in correct format.	Paper has a clear structure. Paper is required length. Satisfactory references and citations but come errors in format.	Paper lacks structure. Paper is too short or too long. Referencing not in correct format. Poorly managed citations.
Presentation	Adheres to presentation guidelines in programme handbook.	Conforms to presentation guidelines in programme handbook.	Presentation does not conform to presentation guidelines in programme handbook.
Overall comment

Presentation Style for Individual Assessment Elements.

1. Presentation Style:

Print on one side of page only.
Cover page: As indicated below.
Font style: Arial or Times New Roman.
Font size: Headings 12 bold (left aligned)
Body text: 12 plain (left aligned)
Page numbering: Centred in footer
Line spacing: 5
Text: Left aligned
Referencing: American Psychological Association (APA) Referencing System Refer to the AIT library guide available at:
http://ait.libguides.com/APA
Direct Quotations: Refer to AIT library guide available at: http://ait.libguides.com/c.php?g=540393&p=3717524
Emphasis: Use sparingly, and if so, use bold.
Do not underline.

Obtaining Results.

Results of assignments will be given to the students within a reasonable time period following the submission of the assignments.

Guidelines for PowerPoint presentations

Use a simple non cluttered layout. Avoid over use of multiple images and animations on slides.
Provide a different title for each slide.
Use a dark text on light background (preferably light pastel) or in certain cases light text on dark background depending on lighting conditions in room. Black on white or vice versa is not recommended.
Use a font type without serifs such as Arial.
Generally you should use no more than two different font types on a slide.
Use a font size of at least 24 for general text and 36 for headings.
Use bullet points and numbering rather than continuous prose.
End each bullet point with a punctuation mark.
Lines should be no longer than 60 characters in length
Limit the number of bullet points and total quantity of text per slide. (5-7 bullets per slide).
Avoid underlining and italics these tend to make text run together. Use bold
Avoid text in block capitals.
A line spacing of 1.5 is recommended.
Align the text to the left with a ragged right edge.
Pictograms and graphics help locate information.

This is a brief guide to formatting accessible presentations. Following these guidelines will critically improve the accessibility of your presentations.

Further information on accessible PowerPoint presentations is also provided at the following link. JISCTechDis accessible PowerPoint presentations

Presentation Rubric

	Well Achieved (70-100)	Achieved (40-69)	Not Achieved (0-39)
Visual Appeal (20%)	There are no errors in spelling, grammar and punctuation. Information is clear and concise on each slide. Visually appealing/engaging.	There are some errors in spelling, grammar and punctuation. Too much information on two or more slides. Significant visual appeal.	There are many errors in spelling, grammar and punctuation. The slides were difficult to read and too much information had been copied onto them. No visual appeal.
Comprehension (20%)	Extensive knowledge of topic. Presenter showed complete understanding of assignment. Accurately answered all questions posed.	Presenter showed a good understanding of topic. Presenter able to answer most of the questions.	Presenter didn’t understand topic. Majority of questions were not sufficiently answered
Presentation Skills (20%)	Regular/constant eye contact, The audience was engaged, and presenters held the audience’s attention. Appropriate speaking volume & body language.	Presenter spoke to majority of audience; steady eye contact. The audience was engaged by the presentation. Presenter spoke at a suitable volume.	Minimal eye contact by the presenter focusing on small part of audience. The audience was not engaged. Presenter spoke too quickly or quietly making it difficult to understand. Inappropriate/disinterested body language.
Content (20%)	The presentation was a concise summary of the topic with all questions answered. Comprehensive and complete coverage of information.	The presentation was a good summary of the topic. Most important information covered; little irrelevant info.	The presentation was a brief look at the topic but many questions were left unanswered. Majority of information irrelevant and significant points left out.
Preparedness (20%)	Well prepared and rehearsed.	Very well prepared.	Evident lack of preparation/rehearsal. Dependence on slides.

Information for learners

On Plagiarism

Academic Integrity Policy

Athlone Institute of Technology

Academic integrity lies at the heart of the pursuit of free and open inquiry and is founded in intellectual honesty. All members of Athlone Institute of Technology have the responsibility to uphold academic integrity. Plagiarism is an offence and it undermines academic integrity; it will attract academic sanction.

Plagiarism is when one presents as new and original an idea or product derived from an existing source. It can be defined as the unwarranted use of the ideas, words, arguments, concepts, or designs of another. It includes copying, employing words, phrases, or any material without proper attribution.

In the simplest terms, it is unacceptable to copy or employ something and attempt to pass it off as your own work. Where you do employ material taken from another source, or build upon existing knowledge, you must reference it appropriately; this means that you must declare from whence the material is taken. Paraphrasing does not absolve you from the responsibility to reference the source. Academic integrity means that any work you submit, in whatever form, is your own original work.

Where a student is found to be in contravention of this rule, the institute will treat the case as an alleged breach of the assessment regulations; plagiarism is regarded as academic cheating. The penalties for a proven breach of examination regulations can be severe. All learners and prospective learners are advised to be aware of the institute’s examination regulations; they are available on the web at http://www.ait.ie/administration/examregs.doc. Students are also directed to the institute’s Standards, Assessment, & Awards (updated, March 2011) and especially Section H for detail on plagiarism and the sanctions attaching.

Please note that if you provide work to another student for him/her to copy, you too can be implicated in the offence.

Our institute procedures and supports are calibrated to inform students and help them avoid inadvertent plagiarism. In order to ensure you are free from any suspicion of employing the material of another, you should make sure that you cite clearly the sources of any imported material you employ within your work. Ensure also that you provide a bibliography supplying the sources and works that you utilize in your assignments. You will be advised in this by your lecturers and department.

Where you are in doubt concerning the use of existing material, please refer to your lecturers who will be pleased to advise you. The institute also employs software under license to assist in ensuring that material is original. The proprietary product, Turnitin, is an application that helps support the development of your skills and is available to you to check that work you propose to submit is not open to the charge of plagiarism. Turnitin allows educators and students to check the academic integrity of work by searching for improper citation or potential plagiarism by comparing it against continuously updated databases. Information on this can be provided through your home department.

It is the responsibility of students to familiarize themselves with this plagiarism policy; claims of ignorance will not be accepted when determining penalties. If you have any queries on this, you should consult your home department.

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