Strategic Marketing Individual Report - Situation Analysis

Description

This assessment is the first part of the overall strategic marketing plan that students will have to prepare throughout the semester. 

Please note the following:

1. Each group is required to pick a brand from the list below as their target brand. Then a 'problem statement' about that brand is to be developed and addressed, which is going to be used to give a general direction to all the other parts of the strategic plan. 

For example, you may pick Woolworths as the target brand and a problem statement like this: "how Woolworths will be able to compete with rising (e.g. Aldi) and major (Coles) rivals' competitive advantages (e.g. Coles' price-cutting approach)?"

2. Each group has 5 or 6 members and we have 5 major modules in situation analysis. In order to fairly divide responsibilities, each member must select ONE OF THE FOLLOWING MODULES and work only on that module: (1) customers (2) market (industry) (3) competitors (4) internal and (5) environmental (PESTEL). In groups with 6 members, two members must prepare separate individual reports for the competitors' module.

3. For the purpose of this assessment, each member is required to submit a separate report addressing the issues surrounding the selected module about the chosen brand. These reports will then combined and integrated together to shape the final group report (the strategic marketing plan).

A good report may include:

• An executive summary, which provides a brief overview of the whole report and allows the reader to quickly understand the information contained in the report.
• A clear, succinct and straightforward introduction that (1) outlines the purpose of the report, or state the research that was pursued, (2) declares the principal findings of the report and (3) roughly signposts the structure of the report-what will appear in it and in what order.
• Report body that outlines the situation analysis of one internal or external environment, with regard to the chosen brand.
• A concise conclusion paragraph, that "wraps up" your report, validates to the reader that you accomplished what you set out to do, includes managerial implications (i.e., how the discussion could be useful to a manager), and provides the reader with a sense of closure on the topic.
• A reference list of all the sources and material used in the report (using Harvard Referencing style).

With regard to situation analysis:

• Remember that it is a situation ANALYSIS, hence simply reporting the current situation of the brand/company is not acceptable. Instead, after giving a brief summary of the current situation, analytically assess the situation, using your own arguments, and provide academic sources to support your thoughts.
• Be reminded that the focus is on STRATEGIC aspects of the analysis, hence put greater emphasis on long-term strategies and comprehensive solutions.
• Try to avoid using too descriptive statements. Instead, using your own words, express analytical deliberations in order to examine the situations.

1500 words

15 references.