Assessment Description

Your group has the task of analysing the strategic and environmental context of the case, and the challenges faced. This will include an external and internal environmental analysis (using the appropriate frameworks). The organisation's strategy in response to its situation must be identified and outlined.

The assessment task challenges your group to review the execution of the company's strategy, and through analysis (which involves a strategy critique) proceed to develop a critical discussion of the company's position and direction.

The report needs to demonstrate a careful consideration of concepts and theory covered in the first parts of this course. Ensure you make use of content provided in the advanced information literacy workshop (see

Course Learning Resources). Use the library's resources to gather the required information to complete the task, including online academic journal databases.

Successful groups start by reading and working together to interpret the content of the case stimulus as early as possible

Students can choose any one organisation from the following list or on your own company or future business. There is no set case study stimulus for this task, but you should focus on the practice of the company in the recent two years.

1. Qantas Airways Ltd
2. David Jones
3. Woolworths
4. Virgin Australia
5. Coles Myer group
6. Westfield

Part 1. Confirm organisational vision and mission

This activity requires you to take responsibility with an organisation for developing and implementing strategic plans. You should firstly find out what the organisation's vision and mission are and check their relevance and with key stakeholders.

You will need to access the organisation's plans including mission statement, vision and values, current strategic and operational planning documents and any other information that will be useful during the planning process.

If this is to be conducted in a simulated situation your trainer will provide you with relevant information.

Tasks:

a) Gather information about the organisation's mission and vision.

b) Convene a meeting with your team and all relevant stakeholders. During this meeting you should discuss the current vision, mission and values and identify the need for any changes to values to allow them to meet the vision and mission. Refine the vision or mission if required.

c) Identify and recruit a team of stakeholders to assist with the strategic planning process.

Part 2. Analyse the internal and external environment

This activity requires you to investigate the internal and external factors impacting on the future strategic directions of the organisation.

Tasks:

a) Gather together information required to analyse the internal and external environment of your organisation so that you can be ready for strategic planning. Make sure you gather information that will allow you to consider political, economic, social, and technological developments in a global context.

b) Together with your planning team, conduct a SWOT analysis of your organisation and their competitors and allies.

c) Gather information about co-operative ventures. Check that risk and cost benefit analyses have been done and determine whether or not these ventures are consistent with your organisation's vision, mission and values.

d) Find out whether or not these co-operative ventures provide for due diligence.

Assignment Rules

• The assessment must be formatted in the students own words. Where the internet is used for research, a reference list must be listed as an appendix at the end of the assignment. The Harvard referencing system must be applied. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Harvard_referencing

• Collusion or copying from other students is not permitted.

• Failure to adhere to these rules will result in penalties being applied in the final determination of your assessment.

• In order to determine if you are addressing this assignment adequately in terms of
competency/comprehension (prior to due date) a draft copy of your assessment could be discussed during class time in consultation with your Trainer/Assessor. For this feedback/ support from your Trainer/Assessor, you will need to bring to class your "draft copy" with any evidence of the research you have conducted to produce the assessment.

• If, as a student you feel you have special needs that require your Trainer/Assessor to apply a reasonable adjustment - please discuss this with your Trainer/Assessor at the beginning of the subject studies.

• Your Assignment must:

a. Be of a professional standard (spelling, grammar, punctuation)

b. Size 12, Arial Font

c. 1.5 Spacing

d. All pages must have a Footer with the following details:

o Date

o Page numbers

e. Title page

f. Index page (if over 10 pages)

g. Body of work

h. Referencing

i. Page breaks at the end of each page

j. Use Show/Hide and Print Preview to ensure that your layout is correct (i.e. margins and spaces)