The requirements for the assessment Students work in learning sets in the seminars, although the assignment is not group work. Each learning set will be allocated an industry, from a list in the module guide, and its members will share that industry (a set will normally have five members). Then, individual students within each set will choose a company from their set’s industry to report on in a individual portfolio (again, list of companies is in the module guide). This module will be assessed by a portfolio, which you will build up each week. The basic requirements are listed in the table below, but, by attending the weekly seminar, you will be given tips and hints about useful sources of data and how to complete that week’s entry. It is important to go to the seminars. The reason for this approach is to allow students to gradually build up their knowledge and receive ongoing formative feedback. You can find out if you have any weaknesses by discussions in class with the tutor, so that they can be addressed before the end of the module. For this first assignment, one sample week from your portfolio (drawn from Weeks 2 to 6 of the module) will be marked part way through the term to let you know if you are on the right track. You will not be told which week will be marked, to encourage you to make an entry for all weeks. You will hand in the whole portfolio after the end of the first semester and a further two entries from the latter weeks (Weeks 8 to 12) will be selected for marking (see the assignment brief for Assessment Two). Grade Descriptors for assignments are available in the student handbook and a copy of these is appended to this document.
week No.
Seminar activity
2
 Explaining your “guru” to other members of your learning set
 Receiving an industry for your learning set
 Choosing a company to use in individual portfolios
Portfolio work
– Look up your chosen company on the Internet (find its home page as a start) and try to identify its mission, vision, goals and objectives. Put these down in your portfolio and evaluate each of them in turn, for appropriateness and effectiveness. If you find one or all of these missing or unclear, try to explain why.
3
 Focus in this week’s seminar is on the various types of stakeholder (internal and external) involved with a business
Portfolio work:
– Identify the key stakeholders of your chosen company.
– Identify how your chosen organisation balances the needs of stakeholders (if at all). Be sure to give your own view but cite appropriate references.
4
 In this week’s seminar we will be discussing the brewing industry. Before the session read the brewing industry case study on page 79-81 of the module text book. This will be followed by a quiz on the industry. Marks will be recorded for each learning set (but not used for assessment purposes).Portfolio work (external view of strategy):- You are required to conduct a PESTEL analysis for the industry chosen for your learning set; then critically evaluate how these environmental factors affect the strategy of your own chosen company.
– Provide a Five Forces analysis for the industry chosen for your learning set; then critically evaluate how these forces affect the strategy of your own chosen company.
– How do you think these forces might change in the future? How might these changes affect the strategy of your own chosen company?
Additional advice on finding data for this week’s portfolio entry will be given- You are required to conduct a PESTEL analysis for the industry chosen for your learning set; then critically evaluate how these environmental factors affect the strategy of your own chosen company.
– Provide a Five Forces analysis for the industry chosen for your learning set; then critically evaluate how these forces affect the strategy of your own chosen company.
– How do you think these forces might change in the future? How might these changes affect the strategy of your own chosen company?
Additional advice on finding data for this week’s portfolio entry will be given- You are required to conduct a PESTEL analysis for the industry chosen for your learning set; then critically evaluate how these environmental factors affect the strategy of your own chosen company.
– Provide a Five Forces analysis for the industry chosen for your learning set; then critically evaluate how these forces affect the strategy of your own chosen company.
– How do you think these forces might change in the future? How might these changes affect the strategy of your own chosen company?
Additional advice on finding data for this week’s portfolio entry will be given5
 The seminar today will be about the Dyson case study on page 115-117 of the module text book. Be sure to have read this and prepared answers re post session activity notes before you come to the session.
 Portfolio work (internal view of strategy – RBV)
– Analyse your chosen business’ strategic capabilities and core competencies
– Compare and contrast your chosen business’ strategic capabilities and core competencies against other competitors/ players.
6
 Before Week 6 class, you must visit the MyStrategyLab site and watch the Maersk video case study, which you will discuss.
 Portfolio work (analysing strategic capabilities)
– Using the VRIN framework, identify sources of sustainable competitive advantage of your chosen business;
– Conduct a value chain analysis, including a diagram, for your chosen company.
– State how effectively they are using their capabilities and competences. Could the position be improved? How?
7
 Week 7 is a reading and revision week, enabling you to complete the first part of your portfolio (weeks 2 to 6).
 Unless you arrange otherwise with your tutor, you do not need to come to class this week.
 Portfolio work (Assignment 001)