Strategy and Creativity Assignment 1
Assignment Brief
Learning Outcomes: In successful completion of this assessment, you will demonstrate that you are able to:
• Demonstrate knowledge of a range of tools and frameworks of strategy and creativity appropriate for the evaluation of complex situations in organizations
• Select and use the appropriate tools with which to perform meaningful analysis from which you will be able to generate coherent strategic options and choice.
Tasks: This is an individual report.
You are allowed to work in groups in preparing your research but the submission must be individual.
You will work in groups to analyse a company and its operating environment making use of creativity and strategy tools to develop scenarios and strategic options for the company and decide upon the most appropriate. The individual report will outline the outcomes of this process and justify the choices made supported by a rigorous analysis. This process enables you to work with the tools and frameworks that form the basis of good strategic thinking.
Threshold standards:
• Deliver a report in which you identify a range of plausible strategic options supported by ideas and techniques drawn from academic theory and analysis
• Select and justify an appropriate solution from a range of alternatives using ideas and techniques drawn from strategy and creativity
Report scenario:
You are a company that is entering the Bookselling industry. As a new entrant you should decide upon which sector within the industry will enter. You should decide upon which strategic position you will adopt and what your value proposition should be.
You should use creativity tools and frameworks to help you to develop a business model that will enable you to compete.
As a new entrant you will not be able to rely on economies of scale or on brand strength. You will therefore be expected to develop a business model that relies on differentiation.
Your analysis of the industry will enable you to examine potential areas of differentiation and to identify the likely areas where competition is most fierce. Even within these areas there may be a possibility to develop a business model that allows entry.
You may not suggest a partnership with an establish player in the industry.
Your analysis of the company will be limited to the development of a business model, strategic position and value proposition.
Make sure that you understand what you are being assessed on. This is shown in the marking criteria.
Word limit: 1500 words + or – 5% (not including contents, executive summary and introduction and reference list)
Reference List and resources You need to support your work with reference to your sources
Use Harvard referencing style (see the Learning Resources website: http://lrweb.beds.ac.uk/guides/referencing).
The reference list should be A-Z by author surname.
Acknowledgement of your sources must also appear within the text of the report as well as in the reference section
Submission: The deadline for the assessment is. Reports are to be submitted to Turnitin in week 11 8th January 2016 by 11.59pm.
Only submission via Turnitin can be accepted. Work not submitted through Turnitin will be counted as a non-submission.
You must apply for mitigating circumstances if you are unable to submit via Turnitin ([email protected]) Assessment Criteria: Assessment will be undertaken using the attached assessment criteria
Feedback: Feedback and provisional grades will be available on Turn-it-in on or before (15 working days after submission)
Section / Title Details / Guidance
Title page Include name, student ID number, unit title and code, assessment title, date of submission.
Executive Summary Your report should include an Executive Summary at the front of the report (BEFORE the Contents Page) which summarises the main points including key recommendations. (not included in the word count)
Contents Page Include page numbers.
Introduction Short introduction to the report setting out what the aims and objectives of the report are, what the report will cover and why. (not included in the word count)
Report main body Produce a report on the outcomes of your analysis and the options that you have developed. It should be clear in your report how and why these options and choice have been selected.
Conclusion The conclusion should set out the strategic choice for the company based on the analysis. It should include a justification for the selection of this option.
Mark Band %
Use of and referencing of appropriate quality and range of sources Justification for the choice of a selected methods Use of academic literature in the justification and evaluation
Non-submission 0 NS NS NS
Fail #1-24 Minimal use of evidence from largely non reliable sources. Referencing is largely missing from within the report. Minimal use of academic literature to justify the choice of frameworks and to evaluate their usefulness. Mainly based on personal opinion. May be highly narrative
Fail 25-34 Minimal use of evidence from largely non reliable or dated sources. Referencing is largely missing from within the report. Minimal use of academic literature to justify the choice of frameworks and to evaluate their usefulness. Mainly based on personal opinion. May be highly narrative
Marginal Fail 35-39 Some use of evidence from largely non reliable or dated sources. Referencing is present in few areas of the report. Justification is likely to be largely descriptive Minimal use of academic literature to justify the choice of frameworks and to evaluate their usefulness. Mainly based on personal opinion. May be highly narrative
Satisfactory 40-43 Some use of evidence from largely generally reliable sources. Possible over reliance on a limited range of sources. Referencing is present in most areas of the report. Some attempt to justify the choice but little reference is made to alternatives methods An attempt is made to use academic literature to justify and evaluate. This is likely to be limited in scope and largely uncritical
Satisfactory 44-46 Some use of evidence from largely generally reliable sources. Possible over reliance on a limited range of sources. Referencing is present in all areas of the report. Some attempt to justify the choice but little reference is made to alternatives methods An attempt is made to use academic literature to justify and evaluate. This is likely to be limited in scope and largely uncritical
Satisfactory 47-49 Use of evidence from largely generally reliable sources. Possible over reliance on a limited range of sources. Referencing is present in all areas of the report. Some attempt to justify the choice but little reference is made to alternatives methods An attempt is made to use academic literature to justify and evaluate. This is likely to be limited in scope and largely uncritical
Good 50-53 Use of evidence from largely generally reliable sources. A good range of sources is used. Generally accurate referencing is present in all areas of the report. Good use is made of evaluation to select and justify toolsand frameworks. Comparison with relevant other frameworks is made Good use is made of a variety of sources with which to justify the selection of frameworks and to evaluate their usefulness. Some attempt is made to critical compare the appropriateness of alternatives
Good 54-56 Use of evidence from reliable sources. A good range of sources is used. Generally accurate referencing is present in all areas of the report. Good use is made of evaluation to select and justify toolsand frameworks. Comparison with relevant other frameworks is made Good use is made of a variety of sources with which to justify the selection of frameworks and to evaluate their usefulness. Some attempt is made to critical compare the appropriateness of alternatives
Good 57-59 Use of evidence from reliable sources. A wide range of sources is used. Accurate referencing is present in all areas of the report. Good use is made of evaluation to select and justify toolsand frameworks. Comparison with relevant other frameworks is made Good use is made of a variety of sources with which to justify the selection of frameworks and to evaluate their usefulness. Some attempt is made to critical compare the appropriateness of alternatives
Commendable 60-63 Use of evidence from reliable sources. A wide range of sources is used. Accurate referencing is present in all areas of the report. Good use is made of evaluation to select and justify tools and frameworks. Comparison with relevant other frameworks is made and there is clear linkage between this and the context of the tasks for which the tools and frameworks were chosen Use is made of a wide variety of sources with which to justify the selection of frameworks and to evaluate their usefulness. The emphasis is towrds critical evaluation of the tools and self reflection
Commendable 64-66 Use of evidence from reliable sources. A wide range of sources is used. Accurate referencing is present in all areas of the report. Good use is made of evaluation to select and justify tools and frameworks. Comparison with relevant other frameworks is made and there is clear linkage between this and the context of the tasks for which the tools and frameworks were chosen Use is made of a wide variety of sources with which to justify the selection of frameworks and to evaluate their usefulness. The emphasis is towrds critical evaluation of the tools and self reflection
Commendable 67-69 Use of evidence from reliable sources. A wide range of sources is used. Accurate referencing is present in all areas of the report. Good use is made of evaluation to select and justify tools and frameworks. Comparison with relevant other frameworks is made and there is clear linkage between this and the context of the tasks for which the tools and frameworks were chosen Use is made of a wide variety of sources with which to justify the selection of frameworks and to evaluate their usefulness. The emphasis is towrds critical evaluation of the tools and self reflection
Excellent 70-74 Evidence is drawn from a wide range of ccomplementary and sometimes contradictory sources. Referencing is comprehensive and accurate throughout the report. Excellent use is made of evaluation justify the choice of tools and frameworks. Evidence is present that these were selected in comparison to the suitability of other options for the specific tasks. Non obvious points are made regarding rlative suitability. Use is made of a wide variety of sources with which to justify the selection of frameworks and to evaluate their usefulness. The evaluation provides a critical analysis of the tools and frameworks selected and rejected. Demonstrates and understanding of learning for future development
Excellent 75-79 Evidence is drawn from a wide range of ccomplementary and sometimes contradictory sources. Referencing is comprehensive and accurate throughout the report. Excellent use is made of evaluation justify the choice of tools and frameworks. Evidence is present that these were selected in comparison to the suitability of other options for the specific tasks. Non obvious points are made regarding rlative suitability. Use is made of a wide variety of sources with which to justify the selection of frameworks and to evaluate their usefulness. The evaluation provides a critical analysis of the tools and frameworks selected and rejected. Demonstrates and understanding of learning for future development
Outstanding 80-100 Evidence is drawn from a wide range of complementary and sometimes contradictory sources. Referencing is comprehensive and accurate throughout the report. Excellent use is made of evaluation justify the choice of tools and frameworks. This reveals putstanding understanding of the purpose of the frameowrks and also their relative merits and usefulness. Evidence is taken from specific application in assignment one linked to acedemic and business pratice research. Comprehensive use of academic literature is evident in the evaluation of the tools and frameworks. The emphasis is on a critical review of the methods that were chosen and rejected that reveals insight into their effectiveness and use in alternative situations. Strong evidence is shown of reflection leading to personal development.