ADVANCED STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT.

Assessment will be accepted for marking 14 days prior to the due date

Submitting your Assignment
1. Assignments should be typed, 10 or 11 point font size (Times Roman or similar if possible) double spaced with a 4 cm margin on the right side of the page with the
page size specified as UK A4. All pages must be numbered.
2. Assignments should be submitted in either Microsoft Office and/or PDF format (.doc, .docx, .pdf etc.). File names should be kept simple and only contain alphanumeric characters (a-z0-9), spaces and underscores (e.g. Valid_filename_1.doc). Files with other characters such as apostrophes, brackets or commas may not be accessible by markers.
3. Assignments may be uploaded only once; substitutions are not permitted and students should therefore ensure that the version uploaded is their final submission.
4. Please ensure you include your student number and the assignment reference (ASM/StudentNumber/July14/3) in all submitted assignments and that assignments are paginated. Failure to do this may lead either to a grade not being assigned or being wrongly assigned

ADVANCED STRATEGIC MANAGMENT
COURSE INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT 3 (30% Course Grade)
Maximum 15 pages/2,000 words + diagrams and tabulations which are not part of the word count. The Assignment cover sheet, contents page and bibliography are not part of the page length/word guidelines. Appendix data is not wanted.
Assignment 2: Special Interest Topic
The ASM Course has the same Assignment for our Full-time MBA’s. Some students initially struggle in deciding on what is to be their Special Interest Topic. Many of our Assignments force students to ‘jump through hoops’; this Assignment on the other hand asks students to reflect and select any strategic issue or topic which is of interest and relevance to them. So reflect!
Suggestions:
1. Can you use the Assignment as a springboard for Project Stage? Many students hit a brick wall as they come to the Project Stage, this can help to get you started.
2. In completing Assignment 1 did you uncover other issues or topics which needed to be considered?
3. In completing Assignment 1 were there areas where you would have liked to go into more depth but were constrained by the length guidelines/the time you had available to complete the Assignment?
Note: Assignments 1 and 2 can take different slants on the same issue or topic. Hence you could have 30 pages to serve as a springboard for a Project or for improving or setting up a new Business Model.
Note: Whilst Assignments 1 and 2 can be on the same issue or topic they are graded independently. Hence Assignment 2 cannot assume the reader has prior background of the issue or topic covered in Assignment 1.
PLAGIARISM WARNING: If you have the same content in both Assignments 1 and 2 without noting sources this is PLAGIARISM (yes, you can plagiarise your own work). Hence, make sure you reference your earlier Assignment. Repeating earlier work is not a good idea, if the Assignment is on the same issue or topic press on and explore other avenues. If you use your Assignments as a springboard for your Project note your sources in the Project – otherwise this is PLAGIARISM.
4. Many students use the ASM Course materials as a prompt:
? I was interested in this issue, topic or application, I would like to go into it in more depth.
The following areas are frequently selected:
Competitive Environment:
o The management of growth, or decline, or recession
Company Strategy:
o How to develop and cascade Mission?
Please ensure you include your student number and the assignment reference (ASM/Student
Number/July14/3) in all submitted assignments and that assignments are paginated. Failure to do this may
lead either to a grade not being assigned or being wrongly assigned
o How to acquire and integrate?
o How to form and manage the alliance?
o How to strengthen this capability?
Aspects of Implementation:
o How to better manage organisational synergy?
o How to develop and cascade the Balanced Scorecard?
Look through the Course Manual and Workshop materials for inspiration.
5. Ask your colleagues at work what is an important issue which needs addressing.
6. Above all else select a topic that interests you, and it is a bonus if it helps your future career or links into your Project.
Assignment 2 Guidelines
The Assignment should ask a managerial question and outline why it is important or of interest to address. Enough context has to be provided so that the marker can ‘tune in’. If the Assignment is based on a company for example relevant background on the company has to be provided either initially or drip fed into the script.
The Assignment should have AT LEAST FIVE RELEVANT REFERENCES from the academic literature on the issue or topic selected.
In structuring the Assignment one of two approaches is typically adopted:
a) Managerial Question
Background context
What the literature has to say on the issue or topic
Discussion Management Agenda
b) Managerial question
Combination of Background Context, Literature, Discussion, Management Agenda
Stress quantification, ‘hard analysis’ in your Assignment and utilise tabulations and labelled diagrams
The Management Agenda/Action Plan
The final Management Agenda should be a solid section that outlines what to do and how to move forward specifically (i.e. key actions, milestones, associated costs, resource allocation, responsibility etc.)
Assignments in excess of 15 pages will be penalised.
The normal protocol for submitting Assignments is adopted: “The Assignment should be typed, 10 or 11 point font size (Times Roman or similar if possible) double spaced, with a 4cm margin on the right side of the page with the page size specified as UK A4. All pages must be numbered.”
The Assignment is limited to 15 pages with the protocol specified above. Assignments that adhere to the 15 page length guideline but ‘squeeze’ too much in will be penalised (i.e:
Please ensure you include your student number and the assignment reference (ASM/Student
Number/July14/3) in all submitted assignments and that assignments are paginated. Failure to do this may
lead either to a grade not being assigned or being wrongly assigned
smaller font size; single spacing; shorter margin)- as with normal layout the Assignment has exceeded the length guidelines.
Confidentiality Considerations
You should not omit data/analysis needed to complete the Assignment on the grounds of confidentiality. If you have concerns over confidentiality you can:
? Change the name of your company/business area
? Use a disguise factor (i.e.: divide all data by a percentage)
Note: at maximum four markers review your Assignment (the first marker; the second marker; Course moderator; external examiner) unless there is a case of plagiarism to investigate. If you are still ‘uncomfortable’ select a different Assignment topic.