Task 1 (20%)
An analysis of the industry structure and forces in a strategy context.
External analysis. Systematically identify and critically discuss:

a) Growth Opportunities and current emerging Threats in the chosen industry environment. Apply the PESTEL model to identify and discuss a number of important external strategic issues each concluded as an Opportunity (O) or a Threat (T). Use appropriately referenced data (figures, charts, etc.) to support your arguments.

b) Industry attractiveness (including competition pressures in the industry in setting). Apply 5 Forces model to discuss industry attractiveness (each force should be concluded as High, Moderate or Low, and industry attractiveness should be assessed having these forces in mind.

Task 2 (10%)
Outline issues of environmental or social sustainability in the chosen industry and reflect, which ethical dilemmas society and governments are imposing on the strategy, if any.

Task 3 (20%)
Internal analysis. Address the following:
a) Identify and discuss a number of unique resources (human, physical and intangible) for the organisation (approximately 5-6). Discuss financial resources by calculating financial ratios (ROCE, Current, Gearing and Interest Cover) for the last two years and interpreting these (year on year performance).
b) Use the Value Chain concept to map and discuss company’s activities (construct a Value Chain for the organisation and list 5 -10 activities within). The emphasis should be on distinctive (rather than threshold) competences.
c) Use the VRIO concept to identify their core competences: Select the most important 5 activities from the Value Chain and copy these to the VRIO table (testing each for all 4 criteria – V, R, I and O). Select two distinctive activities (competences) of the 5 listed in VRIO and discuss these two in detail (explain the activity and your reasoning behind V, R and I – assume that all competences have organisational support). Identify and discuss dynamic capabilities the company possesses.

While addressing Dynamic capabilities remind yourself that dynamic capabilities are about a company’s capacity to purposefully create, extend, or modify its resource base. According to Teece, that means companies have to be agile and, when necessary, reconfigure the business enterprise’s intangible and tangible assets. Thus please provide a dynamic analysis looking into the future and highlighting the development and further growth of the company through strategy. A good assignment will not just describe concepts and it will use real facts, figures and data where available.
d) Discuss the generic strategy and strategic group the company would typically chose based on this preliminary analysis (use either Porter’s model or Bowman’s strategy clock).
You may attach a SWOT matrix as Appendix. Please note for marking purposes that a SWOT matrix is only a summary of company’s strengths and weaknesses and does not substitute for an in-depth discussion of dynamic capabilities.