Assessment Brief

Strategic Management

Strategic Audit

Word Limit: 3000 words.

Assessment Brief:

1. This assignment must be prepared and submitted as a team of two, the work you submit must be your own

2. This audit requires you both to do additional research. It will consist of comprehensive research on both the external and internal environments to support evaluation of strategies and recommendations.

3. You must include a reference list for all textbooks, websites or other references you use to prepare your answers.

Strategic Audit: Brief

Introduction:

Background of the company and focus of your report

External analysis:

In this section you should outline what you think are the main opportunities and threats facing the organisation. You should analyse the general, industry and competitor's environment of the company. Do not attempt to analyse all elements of the external environment equally: it is important that you concentrate on a few main elements and explain why they are significant. You have to support the most significant elements of the external environment by references from the business media, industry publications and other relevant websites.
Internal analysis:

In this section you should outline what you think are the main strengths and weaknesses of the organisation. As with the external analysis, you need to try to identify and explain the main issues rather than list a wide variety of factors. You should explain what resources and capabilities contribute into a competitive advantage of the company. Your analysis should be supported by relevant information from the company's web site, annual report (if available) and the media.

Summary SWOT:

This will be based on the strength, weaknesses, opportunities and threats you identified as part of your internal and external analysis above.
Strategy evaluation

Evaluate the current strategies. What are the main strategic issues identified?

Problems/Challenges and recommendation

In this section you should outline a range of strategic actions for the company: where to from now to re-solve the main strategic issues identified. You should also consider the threats, weaknesses and risks of strategies identified in identifying challenges. You should recommend some alternative actions and justify your choice in terms of the company's SWOT analysis. To link together the results of the external and internal environmental analysis, you could use the TOWS matrix.

Conclusion (major results of your analysis and recommendations with regards to the main strategic issues identified)

The report should be prepared in a professional manner. This means that the papers should be concise, incisive, and literate and include appropriate supporting tables, charts, and exhibits. There must be clear evidence of consultation of academic literature - at least 5 academic journals articles, two books and several web sites must be used, and appropriately referenced in accordance with the Harvard referencing guide

PLEASE NOTE:

This is a very important assessment and is being done in pairs. You have to select one of the following companies for your audit:

• The Wilderness Society or

• Sea Shepherd Conservation Society or

• Visy (Packaging etc)

However please ensure that you work consistently over the 10 weeks. The following is a schedule to help you both stay on track:

Create your team of two and select your organisation

Data collection. You need to collect information on the EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT, which includes the general environment, industry environment, competitors (2-3 will suffice).

Complete the analysis (identify opportunities and threats) and writing of this section.

Collect information on the INTERNAL ENVIRONMENT which should include resources, capabilities and core competencies

Complete the analysis (identify strengths and weaknesses) and writing of this section.

Complete the analysis of strategy and recommendations

Edit, proof read, Submit.