RBP020L065A: (Sustainable Business Strategy) An analysis of the industry structure and forces in strategy context.

Module / Subject / School:

RBP020L065A: Sustainable Business Strategy

University of Roehampton London

Requirements: 

Task 1 (20%)

An analysis of the industry structure and forces in strategy context.

External analysis. Systematically identify and critically discuss:

1. Growth Opportunities and current emerging Threats in the chosen industry environment. Apply PESTEL model to identify and discuss a number of important external strategic issues each concluded as an Opportunity (O) or a Threat (T). Use appropriately referenced data (figures, charts etc.) to support your arguments. 
2. Industry attractiveness (including competition pressures in the industry in setting). Apply 5 Forces model to discuss industry attractiveness (each force should be concluded as High, Moderate or Low and industry attractiveness should be assessed having these forces in mind.

Note: marks are not assigned for description but for the in-depth analysis of the above highlighted external aspects. 

Section 2 of your paper – Sustainability

Task 2 (10%)

Outline issues of environmental or social sustainability in the chosen industry and reflect, which ethical dilemmas society and governments are imposing on the strategy, if any.

Section3 of your paper – The company’s dynamic capabilities

Task 3 (20%)

Internal analysis. Address the following:

1. Identify and discuss a number of unique resources (human, physical and intangible) for the organisation (approximately 5-6). Discuss financial resources by calculating financial ratios (ROCE, Current, Gearing and Interest Cover) for the last two years and interpreting these (year on year performance).  
2. Use the Value Chain concept to map and discuss company’s activities (construct a Value Chain for the organisation and list 5 -10 activities within). The emphasis should be on distinctive (rather than threshold) competences.
3. Use the VRIO concept to identify their core competences: Select the most important 5 activities from the Value Chain and copy these to the VRIO table (testing each for all 4 criteria – V, R, I and O). Select two distinctive activities (competences) of the 5 listed in VRIO and discuss these two in detail (explain the activity and your reasoning behind V, R and I – assume that all competences have organisational support). Identify and discuss dynamic capabilities the company possesses. While addressing Dynamic capabilities remind yourself that dynamic capabilities are about a company’s capacity to purposefully create, extend, or modify its resource base. According to Teece, that means companies have to be agile and, when necessary, reconfigure the business enterprise’s intangible and tangible assets. Thus please provide a dynamic analysis looking into the future and highlighting the development and further growth of the company through strategy. A good assignment will not just describe concepts and it will use real facts, figures and data where available.
4. Discuss the generic strategy and strategic group the company would typically chose based on this preliminary analysis (use either Porter’s model or Bowman’s strategy clock).

You may attach a SWOT matrix as Appendix. Please note for marking purposes that a SWOT matrix is only a summary of company’s strengths and weaknesses and does not substitute for an in-depth discussion of dynamic capabilities.

Section 4 of your paper – Strategy evaluation

Task 4 (40%)

Address the following tasks:

1. Recommend a set of new strategic options (at least TWO) for the organisation from 2021– 2026. Construct a TOWS matrix (populate fully outer sections – all Os and Ts from Task 1 (Q1) should be listed in O and T sections of TOWS; all unique resources and distinctive competences/activities discussed in Task 3 (Q3) and identified as Ss and Ws should be listed in S and W section of TOWS; two or more strategic recommendations should be placed in one or more of the four inner sections of TOWS – each recommendation should be made as a combination of external and internal issues – e.g. a recommendation made in S-O intersection should clearly indicate what S or Ss were combined with what O or Os). The idea is to take external and internal issues into account while making strategic recommendations (proposed recommendations need to make sense).  
2. Then choose one of the new strategic options (clearly state the option you are evaluating) and evaluate it using SAFe criteria. While making suggestions name a new option/strategy in terms of a direction and a method (no need to produce an analysis or discussion, just state the direction and method). Steps a) and b) address Suitability (recommending a strategy that makes sense). It is important to apply all 3 criteria (S, F and A) to the same strategic recommendation. Acceptability is concerned with 3Rs. Reactions – stakeholder reactions: construct a Power/Interest matrix and list a number of relevant stakeholders in it, then select 3 that may be greatly affected by your recommendation and for each state if the recommendation is acceptable or not and why; Return should be addressed by commenting on ROCE year on year performance; Risk should be addressed by commenting on Current Ratio year on year performance (for risk and return refer to your financial ration analysis). Feasibility is concerned with identifying issues that may affect strategy implementation (funds and skills). Financial aspects should be addressed by looking at Gearing ratio and Interest cover discussing organisation’s ability to borrow more if necessary. Think about any skills that are required but the organisation does not have and how these may be obtained.   

Note: While justifying your recommendations (evaluating the strategy), make references to findings from Task 1 (reflect upon identified Opportunities and Threats) and Task 3 (reflect upon what resources/asset and competences/activities the company should utilise). That is why using TOWS matrix is very important (if used properly it will guarantee that this aspect is addressed well).

The paper should begin with a short introduction as first section. We do not require a conclusions section and no abstract.

Further marks for Presentation of writings:

Remaining 10% will be allocated for presentation including academic standards of referencing.Also make sure that you provide above sections and an introduction. This marking criteria does not apply to the re-sit.

What we score:

77%

Our Writer’s Comment 

This assignment is designed to assess students’ understanding of business practices.

To secure an A+ grade, adhere to these guidelines and make sure your work aligns with the grading criteria:

Task 1: Industry Structure and Forces (20%)

Here’s the key: analysis over description. When applying PESTEL, don’t just describe each factor, but dig into howthese external forces create opportunities or threats. For example, if you’re discussing technological advances, explain how these shifts may create growth opportunities (like new customer segments) or pose threats (such as disruptive competitors). Always link your points back to strategy. You’re graded on how well you connect these external factors to real-world industry data and strategic implications. Use charts or figures to back your analysis—this will make your arguments more solid.

For the Five Forces model, go beyond simply labeling each force as high, moderate, or low. Show your reasoning with real-life examples or data, and explain the impact on industry attractiveness. If competition is high, discuss the impact on profitability and what strategies companies in this industry might adopt to remain competitive. Critical analysis is key here.

Task 2: Sustainability (10%)

In this section, you need to show you understand the ethical and social challenges the industry faces. You want to address both environmental and social sustainability issues, such as pollution, climate change, labor rights, etc. For higher marks, don’t just state the issues—reflect on the ethical dilemmas involved. For example, what challenges do companies face when trying to balance profit with sustainability? Are governments putting pressure on them? Highlight any real-world examples that show how these ethical dilemmas are impacting strategies within your chosen industry.

Task 3: The Company’s Dynamic Capabilities (20%)

This section requires a detailed internal analysis, and you’ve done well. But to improve further, when discussing unique resources, be specific about how each resource gives the company a competitive edge. For example, if you’re talking about human resources, discuss how the company’s talent pool drives innovation. Tie each resource back to the firm’s strategic objectives.

When calculating financial ratios, make sure you’re not just crunching numbers but interpreting them. For instance, if ROCE has improved, explain what that means for the company’s performance and what strategic decisions may have driven that improvement. Use year-on-year trends to show whether the company’s financial health is improving or deteriorating.

For the VRIO analysis, emphasize the strategic significance of the two core competencies you choose. If you’ve identified innovation as a core competency, explain how it’s valuable, rare, hard to imitate, and how the company organizes around it to stay ahead. When discussing dynamic capabilities, focus on the company’s ability to adapt to future challenges. Provide examples of how they’ve been agile in the past and how they can maintain that agility moving forward.

Task 4: Strategy Evaluation (40%)

This section is weighted heavily, so it’s crucial to nail this. The TOWS matrix is a strategic synthesis tool, and you’ll score higher if you show a clear connection between the internal strengths and weaknesses with the external opportunities and threats. Don’t just list factors—be explicit about how they combine to form viable strategic options.

When you evaluate the strategy using the SAFe criteria (Suitability, Acceptability, Feasibility), aim to be as detailed as possible. Suitability should reflect whether the strategy aligns with the opportunities and threats you’ve identified. Acceptability goes deeper—evaluate stakeholder reactions carefully using the Power/Interest matrix, and make sure your financial analysis (ROCE, Current Ratio) clearly shows the return and risks involved. For Feasibility, assess both financial capacity and the skills needed to implement the strategy. Consider whether the company has the talent or resources in place, or if they need to acquire them.

Presentation and Referencing (10%)

For the final 10%, presentation is key. Ensure your report flows logically and that your arguments are clearly structured. Use headings, subheadings, and bullet points where appropriate to make your writing more readable. Proper referencing is essential—cite all your sources correctly and ensure your data, figures, and charts are well-referenced.

Final Tip:

For an even better score, try to integrate your external and internal analysis more seamlessly. For example, how does a particular threat from the PESTEL analysis affect the company’s dynamic capabilities? How do the company’s strengths help it capitalize on industry growth opportunities?

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