Unit 32 Business Strategy

ICON COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
Pearson BTEC HND in Business
Unit 32 Business Strategy (RQF)
Assignment Brief
Session: September 2020

Assignment Brief – continued
2
ICON College of Technology and Management
Pearson BTEC HND in Business (RQF)
Unit 32: Business Strategy
Session: September 2020
Coursework
Recommended Word limit: 3,500–4,500
This Unit will be assessed by assignment.
You are strongly advised to read “Preparation guidelines of the Coursework Document”
before answering your assignment.
ASSIGNMENT
Assignment Context and Scenario:
You have been recruited as a trainee Strategic Planning Manager by a large enterprise (with at
least 250 employees) of your choice. Your line manager has asked you to produce an
environmental analysis and a strategic growth management plan based on the use of recognized
internal and external analytical tools taking into account the company objectives of growth and
expansions. You are required to devise a draft strategic Plan based your analysis based on the
use of recognised internal and external analytical tools taking into account the company objectives
of growth and expansions.
You are required to devise a strategic plan based on the environmental analysis.
What you must do
LO1 Analyse the impact and influence which the macro environment has on an organisation.
You are required to write a brief profile of your chosen organisation including mission, vision and
objectives. You should then apply appropriate frameworks to analyse the macro environment. You
may also critically analyse the macro environment to determine and inform strategic management
decisions.
LO2 Assess an organisation’s internal environment and capabilities.
Like the external environment, an organisation’s internal environment can determine its success or
failure. Using appropriate frameworks analyse the internal environment and capabilities of your
chosen organisation. You may critically analyse the internal environment to assess strengths and
weaknesses of your chosen internal capabilities, structure and skill set.
LO3 Evaluate and apply the outcomes of an analysis using Porter’s Five Forces model to a
given market sector.
You are required to apply Porter’s five forces model and to evaluate the competitive forces in your
chosen organisation’s industry. Based on the evaluation, you may devise appropriate strategies
to improve your organisation’s competitive edge and market position.
LO4 Apply models, theories and concepts to assist with the understanding and
interpretation of strategic directions available to the chosen organisation.
You are required to apply appropriate models in interpreting and devising strategic planning for your
Assignment Brief – continued
3
chosen organisation. Porter’s generic strategies and Bowman’s extended model of strategy can be
two of the possible frameworks that you may use. You may also produce a strategic management
plan that will direct the organisation’s future survival in a competitive market.
You may also critically interpret the information from both the external and internal environment
and data, applying environmental and competitive analysis to produce a set of valid strategic
directions, objective and tactical actions.
Relevant Information
To gain a Pass in a BTEC HND Unit, you must meet ALL the Pass criteria; to gain a Merit, you must
meet ALL the Merit and Pass criteria; and to gain a Distinction, you must meet ALL the Distinction,
Merit and Pass criteria.

Assignment Brief – continued
4
Guide to student
1. Preparation guidelines of the Coursework Document
a. Document margins must not be more than 2.54 cm (1 inch) or less than 1.9cm (3/4
inch).
b. The assignment should be in a formal business style using single spacing and font
size 12.
c. Standard and commonly used type face such as Arial should be used.
d. All figures, graphs and tables must be numbered.
e. Material taken from external sources must be properly referenced using the Harvard
referencing system.
f. You should provide references using the Harvard referencing system.
g. Do not use Wikipedia as a reference.
2. Plagiarism and Collusion
Any act of plagiarism or collusion will be seriously dealt with according to the College
regulations. In this context the definitions and scope of plagiarism and collusion are
presented below:
Plagiarism is presenting somebody else’s work as your own. It includes copying
information directly from the Web or books without referencing the material;
submitting joint coursework as an individual effort.
Collusion is copying another student’s coursework; stealing coursework from another
student and submitting it as your own work.
Suspected plagiarism or collusion will be investigated and if found to have occurred
will be dealt with according to the College procedure (For details on Plagiarism &
Collusion please see the Student Handbook).
3. Submission
a. Initial submission of coursework to the tutors is compulsory in each unit of the
course.
b. The student must check their assignments on ICON VLE with plagiarism software
Turnitin to make sure the similarity index for their assignment stays within the
College approved level. A student can check the similarity index of their assignment
three times in the Draft Assignment submission point located in the home page of
the ICON VLE.
c. All Final coursework must be submitted to the Final submission point into the Unit
(not to the Tutor). The student would be allowed to submit only once and that is
the final submission.
d. Any computer files generated such as program code (software), graphic files that
form part of the coursework must be submitted as an attachment to the assignment
with all documentation.
e. Any portfolio for a Unit must be submitted as a hardcopy to examination office.
f. The student must attach the tutor’s feedback from the First submission in between
the cover page and the answer in the case of Resubmission.
4. Good practice
a. Make backup of your work in different media (hard disk, memory stick, etc.) to avoid
distress for loss or damage of your original copy.
Assignment Brief – continued
5
5. Extension, Late Submission and Resubmission
a. If you need an extension for a valid reason, you must request one using an
Exceptional Extenuating Circumstances (EEC) form available from the College
examination office and ICON VLE. Please note that the tutors do not have the
authority to extend the coursework deadlines and therefore do not ask them to award
a coursework extension. The completed form must be accompanied by evidence
such as a medical certificate in the event of you being sick, and should be submitted
to the Examination Office.
b. Late submission will be accepted and marked according to the College procedure. It
should be noted that late submission may not be graded for Merit and Distinction.
c. All late coursework must be submitted to the Late submission point into the unit
(not to the Tutor) in the ICON VLE. A student is allowed to submit only once and
that is also treated as the final submission.
d. Only one opportunity will be given for reassessment (resubmission) will be permitted
and the assessment will be capped at Pass for the unit. In addition, no resubmission
will be allowed in any component of the assessment for which a Pass grade or
higher has been achieved.
e. Repeat Units – A student who has failed to achieve a Pass in both Final/Late
submission and in the Resubmission must retake the unit the full attendance and
payment of the unit fee. The overall unit grade for a successfully completed repeat
unit is capped at Pass for that unit. Units can only be repeated once.
6. Submission deadlines Online to the ICON College VLE
Final Submission date: 04-09 January 2021
Late Submission date: 11-16 January 2021
Glossary:
Analyse: Identify separate factors, say how they are related and how each one contributes
to the topic.
Apply: Use a particular method/technique to solve a problem
Assess: to determine the importance, size and value of something. Or give careful
consideration to all the factors or events that apply or identify which are the most important
or relevant.
Critically analyse: When you critically analyse you look at the arguments for and against
an issue. You look at the strengths and weaknesses of the arguments.
Critique: evaluate (a theory or practice) in a detailed and analytical way
Devise: detailed systematic and step by step planning of a work
Evaluate: review the information then bring it together to form a conclusion. Give evidence
of each of your views or statement.
Produce: detailed structured and well-planned presentation of work