Consider the following quotation by Ricardo Semler, a well-known industrialist, writer and professor of strategy:

“Over the last decade, Semco has successfully extended its business from manufacturing to services to the Internet. Here’s what it has learned: transformation is easy-if you throw away your plans and let your people lead you”

(Source: Ricardo Semler, 2000, How we went digital without a strategy, Harvard Business Review, Sep/Oct 2000, Vol. 78 Issue 5, p51-58)

To what extent do you think this approach to strategy challenges prescriptive schools of strategy? Would Semco’s approach have any relevance to your chosen company in order to remain competitive? (20%)

You are required to carry out research on a company of your choice and to conduct a critical analysis of the ways in which your chosen company has developed its strategy in recent years (say the last 3-5years) by attempting all the tasks below . Your analysis must be supported with relevant theories, concepts, analytical techniques and models. You can choose as company coca cola -vodafone – philip morris or uniliver.

Task 1

Critically evaluate Porter’s five forces model and Porter’s generic strategies and discuss the extent to which these ideas may be relevant to your understanding of the strategy development of your chosen company.

Task 2
Critically discuss the concept of core competencies and explain how the company could build on its core capabilities to enhance its future strategy. (15%)
The following criteria will be used to assess your work:

Assignment 1

• Ability to engage in a critical debate in respect of diverse schools of thought on strategy
• Ability to relate alternative concepts and ideas on strategy to Semco’s experience
• A brief appreciation of complexity theory and its implications for business performance
• an identification of practical lessons that could be drawn from Semco’s experience.
• an identification of other companies that have had a similar experience to Semco.
• Appropriateness and accuracy of referencing methodology

Assignment 2

• Identification of relevant qualitative and quantitative facts from materials gathered on the company to support your analysis
• An appreciation of the strategy context within which the company operates including any global issues that may have direct relevance to its strategy
• A critical review of its strategy and the extent to which a different approach to strategy could have led to different strategic outcomes
• The breadth and depth of research conducted
• Evaluation of strategy and relevance of recommendations
• Appropriateness and accuracy of referencing methodology

Learning Outcomes

• Explain the aims, concept and role of strategic management
• Evaluate the debates surrounding contemporary strategic issues
• Identify and discuss different levels of strategy
• Describe how the different perspectives of social science disciplines inform strategic management
• Appreciate the implications of various perspectives for theory and management practitioners

 

 

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