Strategy Investigation-

It should be based on Australian Company.

The traditional approach to strategic management relies on an understanding of the external and internal environments of a firm in order to chart an appropriate route to competitive advantage. From the evaluation of the external and internal environments, a firm is able to formulate short and long-term strategies the implementation of which is measured by the firm's goals and objectives. Complementing a firm's strategy is its business model. Often, strategy and business models are used interchangeably yet they are not the same things. A business model details how a firm delivers value to its customers. One of the key elements of design thinking is a firm's business model which charts how a business delivers value to its customers.  Since we will be using design thinking this semester and analysing a firm's business model, it is important the distinction between a firm's strategy and its business model is understood.

The strategy investigation requires you to provide a 2000 (+/-10%) word assignment that details how a firm's business model complements its strategy.  Your assignment will clearly distinguish strategy from the business model but also demonstrate why the two are often confused. This will require you to demonstrate your critical analysis to explain why strategy and business models are often confused.  It is important that you present and evaluate alternative principles and concepts to demonstrate further your critical analysis skills. 

The use of diagrams to support your discussion is encouraged while your ability to synthesise key principles, concepts and models into your own conceptual frameworks will be regarded favourably by your instructor.  For this assessment, you must cite, using Chicago Referencing, at least ten (10) references, five (5) of which need to be from academic journals (examples of these journals are listed on page 3 of this outline).  Failure to meet this requirement will result in loss of marks (see marking guide on Blackboard).   Since there has been a rapid growth of late, in the number of journal articles that relate to the topics of strategy and business models, it is expected that at least half of the references you use have been published since 2010.  This way, you will make sure you are across the more recent research in the field.  Some relevant articles have been provided for you in the reading list on Blackboard and you are expected to use some of them. 

You will need to use references skillfully since these will be the sources of information that help you build your argument.  Where articles provide contrasting or alternative views, make sure you argue how the views contrast and weigh up the relative merits of the differing views.  While the minimum requirement is ten references, students who do well in this assessment use considerably more than ten.