Critically examine a range of theoretical approaches to the evaluation of an organization’s strategic position.

· Assess the challenges facing organisations in times of economic growth and recession.

· Critically examine a range of theoretical approaches to the evaluation of an organization’s strategic position.

· Critically evaluate strategic concepts and theory.

· Reflect on the experience of working as part of a team on a group project.

Where the numeric grade awarded for the assessment is less than 40 for level 4, 5 and 6, or 50 for level 7, no lateness penalty will be applied;

Description of the assignment:

The sole aim of this assignment is to enable students to critically reflect on their academic experience of the module, including the evaluative, research and analytical skills gained throughout the module journey. It is also intended to enable the students to articulate their self-awareness, especially after working with colleagues in their assigned learning set during tutorials. Therefore, it is vital to follow the structure as laid out below to reflect on your experience of the module.

1. Introduction:

· Briefly introduce your report to the reader – what is your report about?

· Discuss the specific issues that will be covered in the report

· Briefly discuss the company selected by your learning set: How and why the learning set settled for the selected company?

· Specify the models/frameworks that were used in analysing the issues in Assignment 1

· Discuss the rationale for writing the reflective report

1. Description:

· Describe the aspects of the module that have significantly enhanced your knowledge and skills: Ensure you are specific and clear about the areas of the module you find most productive to your future career.

· Describe and justify how the module has developed your research, evaluative and analytical skills

· Describe the opportunities and challenges of writing an academic report with colleagues of differing backgrounds

· Describe how you applied the theories and theoretical concepts in your learning set to critically analyze the issues faced by your selected organization

1. Feelings:

· Discuss your feelings about your selected company, including the strategic issues they faced and what they did to address them?

· Demonstrate how it has helped transform your thinking about Business Strategy generally.

· What new perspective(s) of Business Strategy have you captured during the module delivery? You can focus your discussion on any specific strategic theories/concepts/frameworks/models you have either learnt during the lectures and/or tutorials or within your learning set and show how they are applicable in practice? It is vital to ensure that, your arguments are specific and appropriately tailored to a key issue(s).

·Ensure you complement your discussions above with appropriate and specific examples

1. Evaluation:

· Highlight the areas of the learning set discussions during the tutorials you considered invaluable/good, and the aspects that are inappropriate/bad. How did it affect your perception of working with others?

· What did you discover about yourself working with others? How do you intend to earnest the skills gained and/or address the weaknesses identified? How will they be useful/beneficial to your career in the future?

· Were there any cultural challenges within the learning set? How did you overcome these challenges? What lessons did you learn?

· How did the learning set communicate? Note: Think about: how meetings were held, email communication, specific social media interactions and tools used, etc.

· Ensure that you present appropriate justification for each argument.

1.  Analysis:

· Analyse your perspective of the learning set discussions and the module. Discuss the sense you make of the situation.

· Articulate what lessons you have learnt and how that will improve and/or enhance your ability of working with others in the future?

· Specify how the knowledge gained from the learning set discussions has improved your understanding of strategic concepts/theories and your understanding of their applications in contemporary management practice.

1. Conclusion:

Summarize your key points and indicate their implications on your future practice.

Note: your conclusion should come from the various sections discussed above.

Any specific instructions:

Reflective writing is personal, and therefore you are free to use first person (I, me, we) and emphasise the use of vocabulary, which relates to personal feelings and emotions. Be frank and specific in the way that you describe the research and analytical skills gained and use specific examples to illustrate how studying on this module have improved your level of application of these skills. The examples highlighted might relate to how you worked with colleagues in your learning set, and/or relevant real-life Business Strategy issues. You are also encouraged to consider how studying on this module might have developed your skills, knowledge and other attributes associated with enhancing your future career development. In summary, try to reflect on your overall experience of the module, your selected company and consider whether you have developed any new perspectives on Business Strategy and how this, together with changes in your skill set, might assist you in future.

· You are encouraged to include headings and subheadings to improve the clarity of your work

· You can include theories and/or concepts where appropriate, but must be directly linked with your arguments

· Ensure you include page numbers

· You are expected to use in-text referencing where appropriate and the use of Harvard Referencing style is essential (please check the Harvard Reference guide on Studynet if you need further information).

·         Word count limit must be adhered to with an allowance of +/- 10%

Mark scheme:

·         For further help, contact your module leader in their drop-in hours or by email.

·         Use the Grading Criteria and Mark Scheme to help improve your work.

·         Go to CASE workshops, use the CASE website and drop-in hours www.studynet.herts.ac.uk/go/CASE/

·         Academic English for Business support is available through daily drop-ins from the CASE office.  See the CASE workshop timetable on the CASE main website page for details.

• Make full use of Library search to identify relevant academic material and the ‘Subject Toolkit for Business’ which contains links to other Information Databases and the Information Management contact details. (http://www.studynet1.herts.ac.uk/ptl/common/LIS.nsf/lis/4DAF5390094771C2802575ED004212BF)

·         Some tutors allow students to test their work using Turnitin.  Guidance on submission to Turnitin via StudyNet can be found by using the following link. http://www.studynet1.herts.ac.uk/ptl/common/asu.nsf/resource+library/TURNITIN+FOR+STUDENTS+2016+USER+GUIDE.pdf/$FILE/TURNITIN+FOR+STUDENTS+2016+USER+GUIDE.pdf