Assessment Brief (RBP020L056A Strategy in Practice)
ASSESSMENT BRIEF
Academic year and 2023/24 – Semester A
term:
Module title: Strategy in Practice
For further module description see Module Brief.
Assessment deadlines: Online test (25%) due in week 7
Individual Poster (4 pages, 750 words max.): by 2pm on 12
January 2024.
Instructions for assessment: Summative components overview
Components of summative Individual or Word count Weighting Must Must Pass Sub-
assessment group Attempt Y/N components
submission Y/N
?
Online test (multiple choice Individual N/A 25% N N n/a
questions)
Poster (4 pages, 750 words) Individual Max. 75% N N n/a
750
Online test
Test will be open on 4 November at 8:00AM and will close on 12 November 10:00PM. You can take
the test at any time in that period (but only once). You will have 60 minutes to answer 25 multiple
choice questions. Note that once you start the test it CANNOT be paused (you have to compete it in
one go). If you do not submit within 60 minutes your test will be submitted automatically.
Instructions for assessment: poster
For the purpose of this assessment component, you MUST select one company from the list of 5 (the
list can be found on moodle in the Assessment section).
Please note that you are not asked to provide an in-depth analysis and discussion, it is a poster.
You will still need to carry out research and various analyses in order to address the
requirements. Also, marks will not be allocated for displaying generic models or discussing
these, so do not waste your words on description (or critical appraisal) of models you have been
asked to use. It is all about application and marks will be allocated only for that. Please follow
the brief and do exactly what you were asked to do!
YOU MUST USE THE PROVIDED TEMPLATE TO SUBMIT THE POSTER!
For the chosen company, address the following:
Task 1: Business Environment (20%)
External analysis (business environment).
(In total list 6 to 8 external issues in the business environment. Each issue should be named and
concluded as an O or a T. No need to address each category).
Clearly state the industry the chosen company is competing in and the context of your research (e.g.
geographical location). Then identify 6-8 external business issues in that environment (clearly naming
each and concluding each as an Opportunity or a Threat). There is no need to cover each category (e.g.
if there are no important legal issues do not list any). Concentrate on important issues specific to that
University of Roehampton Business School
Assessment Brief (RBP020L056A Strategy in Practice)
business environment. Provide a short explanation for each issue listed (200 max. in total for the whole
PESTEL; provide sources – in-text references). Use PESTEL table in the template provided (on moodle
in the Assessment section) to address this task.
Task 2: Organisation’s resources (20%)
Resources (human, physical, intangible) (10%)
Identify 5 specific and unique resources for the firm (from the following categories: human, physical and
intangible) naming each and concluding it as a Strength (S) or a Weakness (W) for the organisation.
Provide a short discussion/explanation for each (why do you think it is an S or a W), a maximum of 200
words in total. Use Resources table in the template provided (on moodle in the Assessment section) to
address this task and do not forget to provide in-text references as appropriate.
Financial resources (10%)
Calculate (or provide references if obtained from elsewhere) 4 ratios (ROCE, Current, Gearing and
Interest Cover or Incoming Gearing) and interpret each ratio (what does it mean for the financial position
of the organisation). Is financial position of the organisation their Strength or their Weakness)? Use
Financial analysis table in the template provided (on moodle in the Assessment section) to address this
task.
Task 3: Organisation’s capabilities (activities/competences) (20%)
Identify important distinctive competences (activities/capabilities) for the organisation using the following
models:
• Value Chain: List 7-10 distinctive activities (competences/capabilities) for the organisation (use
Value Chain table in the template provided, on moodle in the Assessment section, to address this
task).
• VRIO: Select 5 activities from the Value Chain and apply VRIO to these (copy these 5 activities
to VRIO table) in search of Core Competences. Use VRIO table in the template provided, on
moodle in the Assessment section, to address this task.
• Select one of the competences listed in VRIO table and discuss your reasoning behind V, R and I
for that competence (100 words max.). Assume that all activities have Organisational Support
(satisfy the O criterion). Use a table in the template provided, on moodle in the Assessment
section, to address this task.
Task 4 (30%)
Apply the TOWS matrix (TOWS is provided in the template on moodle in the Assessment section) to
recommend a set of new strategic options (at least ONE no more than THREE) for the organisation
from 2022 to 2027 in one or more beige/yellow fields of the TOWS. Note that there should not be any
new issues listed in blue fields (those are issues you already identified as Os, Ts, Ss and Ws in tasks
1, 2 and 3).
Then choose one of the new strategic options and check its Suitability. While justifying your
recommendation (Suitability), make references to findings from Task 1 - PESTEL (reflect upon
Opportunities and Threats) and Tasks 2 and 3 (reflect upon what resources and
competences/capabilities/activities the company should utilise to ensure successful implementation of
your recommendation).Clearly demonstrate what issues have been linked while contemplating each
recommendation (e.g. S1,S2,S5,S6-O1,O4).
University of Roehampton Business School
Assessment Brief (RBP020L056A Strategy in Practice)
Poster structure and presentation (10%)
You must use the provided template (it can be found on moodle in the Assessment section).
Also, DO NOT use snap shots (e.g. tables) or your answer may be disregarded!
You should produce a professional, well written and organised poster (not an essay or a report). You
still need to provide evidence to support your arguments (all data should be appropriately referenced).
To reduce the word count, it is recommended that you mark in-text references in brackets, for example
(1) and then provide a list of references at the end. The list of references does not count towards the
word count. You can exceed the word count by 10%.
It is important to write in a clear and concise manner. You need to demonstrate that you understand
the models by applying these to the chosen company (resources, financial analysis, Value Chain,
VRIO) and its business environment (PESTEL). You also need to make at least one recommendation
(no more than two) and demonstrate its suitability (TOWS).
Do not use snap shots of tables/texts, your poster needs to be properly written and edited
(Turnitn must be able to check similarity).
An example is provided on moodle, please make sure that you look at it!
Please see the marking scheme (rubric) on the next page.
Additional instructions for Re-sit
The same assignment task as for the main assignment period applies to the re-sit, with further instructions
see below.
Re-sit deadlines will be published via Moodle. Visit the module’s Moodle site and check your
Roehampton email account on a regular basis. The school is not obliged to check whether you have
noticed re-sit deadlines.
You are required to improve your original work (according to the feedback given) and resubmit it using
the specific re-sit Turnitin link/s on Moodle.
University of Roehampton Business School
Assessment Brief (RBP020L056A Strategy in Practice)
Marking scheme (rubric)
Outstanding 100 Excellent (80-89) 85 Very Good (70-79) 75 Good (60-69) 65 Adequate (50-59) 55 Marginal Fail (40-49) 45 Fail with omissions (30-39) 35 Fail with major omissions (20- Not done (0) 0
29) 25
PESTEL (20%). Clearly state the industry and Outstanding answer. Very well Excellent answer. Very well Very good answer. Well focused Competent task coverage. Good Adequate task coverage (there is Inadequate task coverage. Some Inadequate or incomplete task Highly inadequate or incomplete Nothing of merit or task not
environment. Identify specific external focused work. Outstanding set of focused work. Excellent set of work with a very good set of set of items identified. Good a room for improvement). points might be superficially coverage. Inadequate choice of task coverage. Poor choice of carried out.
business issues (clearly naming each and items. Outstanding research, use items. Excellent research, use items identified. Very good research, use of concepts and Adequate set of items identified. made, but further development items; Inadequate use of items; Poor use of concepts or
concluding each as an Opportunity or a of concepts and use of data. of concepts and use of data. research, use of concepts and use of data. Adequate research, use of is required. Weak use of concept concepts or data. data.
Threat). Provide short but appropriate use of data. concepts and some use of data. and limited use of data.
explanation. Appropriate use of data. Use of
provided PESTEL table.
Resources (20%) Outstanding answer. Very well Excellent answer. Very well Very good answer. Well focused Competent task coverage. Good Adequate task coverage (there is Inadequate task coverage. Some Inadequate or incomplete task Highly inadequate or incomplete Nothing of merit or task not
Physical, human, intangible (10%). focused work. Outstanding set of focused work. Excellent set of work with a very good set of set of items identified. Good a room for improvement). points might be superficially coverage. Inadequate choice of task coverage. Poor choice of carried out.
Identify unique and specific resources for items. Outstanding research, use items. Excellent research, use items identified. Very good research, use of concepts and Adequate set of items identified. made, but further development items; Inadequate use of items; Poor use of concepts or
the firm, each should be named and of concepts and data (including of concepts and use of data research, use of concepts and use of data (including financial Adequate research, use of is required. Weak use of concept concepts or data (including data (including financial figures
concluded as an S or a W. Short financial figures and data). (including financial figures and use of data (including financial figures and data). concepts and some use of data and/or limited use of data financial figures and data). and data).
discussion/explanation provided, a data). figures and data). (including financial figures and (including financial figures and
maximum of 200 words in total. data). data).
Financial resources (10%)
Use of 4 ratios to assess financial position of
the organisation.
Activities (20%) Identify Outstanding answer. Very well Excellent answer. Very well Very good answer. Well focused Competent task coverage. Good Adequate task coverage (there is Inadequate task coverage. Some Inadequate or incomplete task Highly inadequate or incomplete Nothing of merit or task not
distinctive competences for the firm using focused work. Outstanding set of focused work. Excellent set of work with a very good set of set of items identified. Good a room for significant points might be superficially coverage. Inadequate choice of task coverage. Poor choice of carried out.
Value Chain. Use of VRIO to identify core items. Outstanding research, use items. Excellent research, use items identified. Very good research, use of concepts and improvement). Adequate set of made, but further development items; Inadequate use of items; Poor use of concepts or
competences. Each competence should be of concepts and use of data. of concepts and use of data. research, use of concepts and use of data. items identified. Adequate is required. Weak use of concept concepts or data. data.
named and concluded as an S. Short use of data. research, use of concepts and and limited use of data.
discussion/explanation provided for one some use of data.
core or distinctive competence, a maximum
of 100 words in total.
Recommend. (30%). Construct TOWS Outstanding answer. Very well Excellent answer. Very well Very good answer. Well focused Competent task coverage. Good Adequate task coverage (there is Inadequate task coverage. Some Inadequate or incomplete task Highly inadequate or incomplete Nothing of merit or task not
matrix to list findings of the previous tasks focused work. Outstanding set of focused work. Excellent set of work with a very good set of set of recommendations. Good a room for improvement). points might be superficially coverage. Inadequate choice of task coverage. Poor choice of carried out.
and recommend a set of new strategic recommendations. Outstanding recommendations. Excellent recommendations identified. synthesis and use of concepts. Adequate set of made, but further development recommendations and use of recommendations; Poor use of
options. Then choose one of the new synthesis and use of concepts. synthesis and use of concepts. Very good synthesis and use of recommendations. Adequate is required. Weak use of concepts. concepts.
strategic options and check its Suitability. concepts. synthesis and of concepts. concepts.
Presentation (10%): Use of template; Outstanding and flawless. Professional presentation. Very good presentation, control Competent presentation, control Wordcount requirements Presentation is either too long or Poorly presented work; Very poorly presented work; Wholly incorrect (template not
Follows poster structure & keeps to word Clear, concise, and effectively of length; skilled use of academic of length; good use of academic observed; appropriate use of too short; some errors in presentation is either too short presentation is inadequate used at all).
limit 750 words. Appropriate style of argued within the length conventions. Follows required conventions. Follows required academic conventions. Follows application of academic or too long (waffling); missing poster template not followed
referencing. allowed; skilled use of academic poster template structure, poster template structure and required poster template conventions. Possibly did not several elements or parts; did not correctly, unfocused, and not at
conventions; accurate respects word count limit and respects word count limit. structure up to the point. follow the provided template to follow the poster template all clear; missing several key
proofreading. Excellent very good flow of argument. the full. correctly. elements or parts.
referencing. Follows required
poster structure/template to
the full, respects word count
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