Unit Outline

Strategy is concerned with an organisation's long-term direction - with making strategic choices about how to use resources best and align the firm with the operating environment. Business Strategy enhances your knowledge of strategy formulation, implementation and evaluation with a business, and the key contextual factors and managerial decisions that influence this process. The unit develops skills in research, business writing and application to current and future business environments. The unit amalgamates aspects from various management areas and prepares you to practically develop and apply sound business strategy methods. While senior managers, entrepreneurs, and strategic consultants are most concerned with an organisation's strategy, all professionals need to understand strategy. Understanding strategy will allow you to make better workplace decisions, win better support for your initiatives, and improve your chances of gaining appropriate employment.

Intended Learning Outcomes

As per the Assessment and Results Policy 1.3, your results will reflect your achievement against specified learning outcomes.

On completion of this unit, you will be able to:


1.	Critically analyse business strategy theory.
2.	Identify strategic issues in business.
3.	Develop innovative and sustainable strategic solutions for a business.
4.	Communicate complex strategic analysis in written and oral forms.

Requisites


REQUISITE TYPE	REQUISITES
Anti-requisite (mutual excl)	BMA302, BAA311

Alterations as a result of student feedback

To be determined.

How will I be Assessed?

For more detailed assessment information please see MyLO.

Assessment schedule


ASSESSMENT TASK #	ASSESSMENT TASK NAME	DATE DUE	WEIGHT	LINKS TO INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES
Assessment Task 1:	JIT Quizzes	See the MyLO site for the due date	20 %	LO1, LO2
Assessment Task 2:	Individual case study	Week 5	30 %	LO1, LO3, LO4
Assessment Task 3:	Group case study	Week 9	50 %	LO2, LO3, LO4

Assessment details

Assessment Task 1: JIT Quizzes

Task Description:

At the end of each module, a quiz will be made available for students to complete to solidify their knowledge of the topics. These quizzes will consist of a range of multiple-choice or true/false questions randomised from a test bank. They will be delivered online through MyLO.

Quizzes will be held in weeks 4, 8, 10 and 12.

Task Length:

Up to 20 multiple-choice questions or true/false questions

Due Date:

See the MyLO site for the due date

Weight:

20 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Recall business strategy theory and concepts.	LO1
2	Evaluate business strategy theory and concepts.	LO2

Assessment Task 2: Individual case study

Task Description:

This assignment aims to evaluate your comprehension of the concepts and materials we've learned in this unit and provide you with an opportunity to apply them.
To complete this task, you are required to choose an organisation (criteria have been provided on MyLO for appropriate organisations) and post the details of your chosen organisation on a dedicated MyLO discussion board.
You are then required to analyse the external environment of this organisation using the case analysis process taught within the unit.
More information will be provided on MyLO.

Task Length:

1,500 words (+/- 10%)

Due Date:

Week 5

Weight:

30 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Analyse issues in the general environment surrounding the case organisation.	LO1
2	Apply the business strategic management process to an existing organisation.	LO3
3	Use examples to support your argument.	LO3
4	Write using professional language and structure including the use of relevant referencing and presentation conventions.	LO4

Assessment Task 3: Group case study

Task Description:

This assignment brings together the culmination of knowledge you have gained throughout the unit and will require you (in a group) to conduct a more comprehensive and critical analysis of a business. This assignment comprises two parts.

Part 1: You are to form groups of up to 4 people and choose one of the organisations that have already had an external environment analysis performed on it for AT2. You are required to perform a peer review of each other's individual assignments and assess it against criteria set out in MyLO. Once the peer review has been completed, one organisation will be selected and used as the focus for continued research.

As a group, you are to complete the case analysis process (including an internal analysis and strategy formulation) and explain how the organisation's scope is influenced by its strategic vision, accreditation standards and external partnerships. You are required to analyse the case organisation through a sustainability lens. Part 1 is worth 30 marks (or 60% of this assessment) and is due in Week 9.

Part 2 is an individual assignment, and each group member for Part 1 must choose one of the proposed future strategies from Part 1 and create a pitch for the organisation chosen in Part 1. This pitch is to be between 3 and 4 minutes in length. As a consultant delivering the pitch, you must focus on why your chosen strategy is the best, why the organisation should choose that strategy, and how the strategy relates to sustainability. This part (your pitch) is worth 20 marks (or 40% of this assessment) and is due in Week 12.

Task Length:

Part 1: 4,000 words (+/- 10%) Part 2: 3-to-4-minute pitch

Due Date:

Week 9

Weight:

50 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Analyse issues in the general environment surrounding a case organisation.	LO2
2	Analyse issues in the industry and competitor environment surrounding a case organisation.	LO2
3	Analyse issues in the internal environment surrounding a case organisation.	LO2
4	Apply the business strategic management process to a case organisation.	LO3
5	Propose and justify business strategies for a case organisation.	LO3
6	Write using professional language and structure including the use of appropriate referencing and presentation conventions.	LO4
7	Application of sustainability within the business strategy case process.	LO3
8	As an individual, use visual aids and oral communication to pitch ideas.	LO4
9	As an individual, justify business strategy through a pitch.	LO3

How your final result is determined

To pass this unit, you need to demonstrate your attainment of each of the Intended Learning Outcomes, achieve a final unit grade of 50% or greater, and pass any hurdle tasks.

Submission of assignments

Where practicable, assignments should be submitted to an assignment submission folder in MYLO. You must submit assignments by the due date or receive a penalty (unless an extension of time has been approved by the Unit Coordinator). Students submitting any assignment in hard copy, or because of a practicum finalisation, must attach a student cover sheet and signed declaration for the submission to be accepted for marking.

Academic integrity

Academic integrity is about acting responsibly, honestly, ethically, and collegially when using, producing, and communicating information with other students and staff members.

In written work, you must correctly reference the work of others to maintain academic integrity. To find out the referencing style for this unit, see the assessment information in the MyLO site, or contact your teaching staff. For more detail about Academic Integrity, see Important Guidelines & Support.

Requests for extensions

If you are unable to submit an assessment task by the due date, you should apply for an extension.

A request for an extension should first be discussed with your Unit Coordinator or teaching support team where possible. A request for an extension must be submitted by the assessment due date, except where you can provide evidence it was not possible to do so. Typically, an application for an extension will be supported by documentary evidence: however, where it is not possible for you to provide evidence please contact your Unit Coordinator.

The Unit Coordinator must notify you of the outcome of an extension request within 3 working days of receiving the request.

Late penalties

Assignments submitted after the deadline will receive a late penalty of 5% of the original available mark for each calendar day (or part day) that the assignment is late. Late submissions will not be accepted more than 10 calendar days after the due date, or after assignments have been returned to other students on a scheduled date, whichever occurs first. Further information on Late Penalties can be found on the Assessments and Results Procedure.

Review of results and appeals

You are entitled to ask for a review of the marking and grading of your assessment task if there is an irregularity in the marking standards or an error in the process for determining the outcome of an assessment. Details on how to request a review of a mark for an assignment are outlined in the Review and Appeal of Academic Decisions Procedure.

Required Resources

Required reading materials

You will need the following text:
Hanson, D. et al. (2022) Strategic management: Competitiveness and globalisation. 7th edn. South Melbourne, Victoria: Cengage Learning Australia.