MD3415 Business Strategy2017-18

Assignment1 Case Study

Submission: Before midnight20 January 2018to TurnItIn in eLearn.

Learning Outcomes

This assignment addresses learning outcomes 1 and 2 for the module and will be assessed on your ability to demonstrate the achievement of these learning outcomes in your assignment. These learning outcomes are:

  1. Undertake an analysis of an organisation and identify and evaluate the major forces that are at work
  2. Select and apply appropriate tools and techniques to examine the strategic options and to explain and assess the consequences of those choices

Requirement:

SportsDirect is a UK based firm ( Your assignment is to

a)Analyse the major strategic forces that have impacted on Sports Direct over the last 2 – 3 years

b)On the basis of your analysis identify evaluate the current strategy pursued by SportsDirect UK, and identify how it might need to evolve in the future.

The word count is 2000 words

You will need to research SportsDirect, using as wide a range as sources as possible. SportsDirect has been a high profile form in recent years, so there is information out there. You should consider not only issues specific to SportsDirect, but also the forces acting in the sector in which they operate, as well as wider economic and political forces.

You are expected to research relevant academic theories and models to use in your answer.

You should be able to find material about SportsDirect UK from a range of sources, but remember

a)Ensure you always reference clearly where you get material from

b)Be critical when considering the value of information from any source: how reliable or independent is that source

c)Whilst you may gather information from a range of sources, remember this is an academic piece of work, and so your work needs to be underpinned by academic references, particularly when referring to theory. Academic sources are academic textbooks and journals, not general websites

Indicative Marking Criteria:

You are required to produce

a)A critical analysis of the strategic issues involved in the case study, utilising relevant theories and concepts

b)An analysis that is based on a range of information, taking account of the validity and reliability of any source

c)Work that is underpinned by academic references from a range of academic journals and textbooks. You need to attach a reference list, which covers only the references used in your work.

d)Work that it is anessay format (ie no headings) that is written in the third person

You will lose marks if

a)You produce work that is outside of the work count by more than 10%

b)Your work is badly written, or with poor grammar or spelling, or is written in anything other

than the third person

c)Your referencing is not in formal Lancashire business School format. The LBS guide is on the Blackboard site.

d)You do not use extensive referencing. Whilst there is a likely to be a mix of academic and non-academic sources, you are likely to fail if you rely exclusively on non-academic references.

e)Your turnitin score identifies inappropriate copying of material or poor paraphrasing

f)You do not include an appropriate front sheet to your work. Your front sheet must include the title, the word count and your student number. It must NOT include your name

g)You submit your work late

1

MD3415 Business Strategy2017-18

1