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The Derbyshire Business School

Strategy Concepts and Applications

ASSIGNMENT

Contemporary Business Environment Module Code: 6IM503 Autumn 2012

Assignment Brief: You are required to choose a retail business that is currently trading in the Westfield Centre, Derby. (It is advised that you do NOT choose a large multiple retailer such as Debenhams or Marks & Spencer as this will over-complicate your task. However, you could choose a department within them shoe department, food hall, homeware etc. that has recognised direct competition; e.g. Clarks, Sainsburys). There are many to choose from mobile phone dealers, coffee shops, bakers, furniture stores, mens/ladies fashion retailers, jewellers, gift shops, kitchenware shops etc. so dare to be different!!

Task:

1. Critically evaluate the current strategic position (environment + resources and capabilities) of your chosen case study organisation and critically discuss the basis and sustainability of its competitive advantage using appropriate models and theory. 2. Critically discuss the key strategic issues presented in your case study and their impact on the success of organisational strategy of the case study organisation over the long term. 3. Develop a range of suggestions of how these issues need to be addressed giving considerations for rationale, impact, timescale and ownership within the organisation 4. A new, low-cost competitor has entered the market in which your chosen business competes. Based on your analysis and evaluation above, outline 2 potential strategic responses/scenarios your chosen organisation could adopt to respond to this new competitive situation. Justify why you have chosen these 2 responses and how these will impact on your organisation

Report Criteria The individual report should meet the following criteria: 3,000(+/- 10%) words, via Electronic Submission; It has to be appropriately formatted and styled in line with a management report format requirements; It should be appropriately referenced using Harvard Referencing Standard demonstrating a variety of referencing sources: books, academic journals and credible web-sites; Contain relevant and correctly formatted References and Bibliography; For grading guidance please refer to the Undergraduate Grading Scale which could be found on the 6IM503 Blackboard in the Assessment section. Students must be able to demonstrate an understanding of relevant theories and analytical models and apply them to aid the analysis of organisational environments and decision-making processes.

Due date: on Monday the 17th of December 2012 via e-submission portal. The portal will be opened from 11.12.12 for trial submissions. You will be allowed to submit and see the turnit in report on your submitted work. It will provide you with the guidance of the secondary resources usage and appropriate formatting. We will only mark your latest submission with a cut-off time of 11.00 pm on the 17th of December 2012.

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