BUSS5074 Strategic Plan Report for Save the Children Australia

The purpose of this assignment:

In this assignment, you will place yourself in the position and mindset of the strategic manager of Save the Children Australia, to analyse current environments and formulate a plausible strategy, that could be realistically implemented for the organisation to survive and thrive into the future.

You are required to produce a report to demonstrate your understanding of the application of concepts of strategy and the strategic management process. You will be combining knowledge and application of strategic management tools to apply to a real organisation that exists in today’s environmental setting.

You are required to conduct research, collect relevant information, and undertake the appropriate analyses to enable you to identify and recommend an appropriate strategy for the future for the nominated organisation.

You will gather the relevant information, and apply the appropriate tools of analysis and concepts to conduct:

?  External general (macro) environmental analysis [PESTEL]

?  External industry analysis [Five Forces]

?  Internal organisational analysis [VRIO or Value Chain]

?  Other forms of analyses that you consider relevant. [Stakeholder Analysis and or SWOT]

It is expected that the working out of your analyses would be organised in a logical manner and included in the Appendix at the end of the report.

You will use the findings of your analyses to address the assignment requirements to formulate a set of recommendations for a strategy for the organisation.

The report format and structure

Your report should follow the structure below:

?  Title sheet including your full name and student ID number.

?  Executive Summary

?  Table of Contents

?  An introduction that guides the reader to what the report is about and what it will present. (Approx. 200 words)

?  The main body of the report (representing approx. 75% of the word count), with subheadings as appropriate to incorporate the following matters below. This section and the subsections must be fully academically referenced to substantiate statements you make.

?  Provide the relevant background that you have researched of the organisation (ie. the organisation’s vision; mission; operations; structure; its current strategy; etc.); and critically explain and discuss the key issues and their implication. [Looking at both Save the Children and Save the Children Australia] (Approx. 400 words)

?  Critically explain the corporate organisation’s international strategy and what that means in setting the strategy for the local operations of the organisation. (Approx. 400 words)

?  After applying the relevant tools of analyses, identify and critically discuss the key findings and their implications, including: (Approx. 1000 words)

?  The opportunities and threats presented by external environments.

?  The potential growth, or otherwise, of the industry that the organisation   operates in.

?  The organisation’s resources, capabilities and core competencies and whether   they are a source of competitive advantage for the organisation.

?  The fit between the organisation’s strengths and weaknesses in the face of the   threats and opportunities.

? Critically discuss whether the organisation’s current strategy should remain, and if so, provide a well-reasoned argument to support such viewpoint. If not, formulate a strategy that would enable it to prosper and thrive into the future, and incorporate considerations of: (Approx. 600 words)

?  The risks associated with the strategy and how that should be managed.

?  How stakeholders should be managed to sustain the organisation’s strategy.

?  Based on the combined findings of the above issues, conclude with a plausible summary of recommendations for the strategy that the organisation should adopt for the future (No more than approx. 400 words)

?  List all the references you used and those which you cited in the body of the report. In-text and listed references must be presented in compliance with the APA7 referencing style guide.

?  Include the work sheet templates showing the workings of the analyses you conducted, in the Appendices.

It is expected that you will frame your discussions by drawing from the concepts of strategy and the principles, methodology and tools of strategic management that you have learned in the course. A minimum of 12 different and credible academic references from the strategy and strategic management literature; of which a minimum of 8 must be from the articles provided in this course readings are required.

BUSS 5074 Strategic Concepts
SP2 2024
BUSS 5074 Assessment 2: Report (Individual assignment): Strategic Plan Report
Format: Report
Assignment weighting: 60% of the course total
Word limit: Max. 3000 words; not to be exceeded.
Due date: Sunday 19th of May 2024, 11:00 PM (Adelaide time) via Learnonline submission portal.
Please note that the UniSA Business policy applies a 10% deduction penalty per each day late for late
submissions without authorised extension.
The purpose of this assignment:
In this assignment, you will place yourself in the position and mindset of the strategic manager of the
organisation nominated by the Lecturer, to analyse current environments and formulate a plausible
strategy, that could be realistically implemented for the organisation to survive and thrive into the
future.
You are required to produce a report to demonstrate your understanding of the application of
concepts of strategy and the strategic management process. You will be combining knowledge and
application of strategic management tools to apply to a real organisation that exists in today’s
environmental setting.
The organisation that will be the focus of the assignment will be announced in class and on the course
learnonline site by Week 5 of this Study Period.
Please pay attention to focus your assignment on the nominated organisation.
If you do the assignment on some other organisation, it will be an automatic Fail.
All research about the company will be entirely web-based. Please do not contact anyone at the
organisation, as that would be in breach of UniSA research policy, for assignments such as this.
IMPORTANT!
All information collected must be current and must not use information from published case study of
the company.
The analyses and implications drawn of the company must be conducted personally by the student,
and not sourced from analyses conducted by others.
Topics 1 to 10 of this course will be the relevant topics for this assignment.
Your weekly attendance and participation in the class sessions (whether on campus or online) is
imperative in helping to build your knowledge for this assignment.
It is expected that you will attend and engage in at least 80% of the classes.
If you are enrolled in the Internal class, this participative engagement will be expected to be done in
attendance in class.
If you are enrolled in the External class, then it is expected that you will engage either through the
real-time online Zoom Virtual Class sessions or alternatively, by posting weekly answers on the
learnonline Topical discussion forum.
Assignment tasks:
NOTE: the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) tools to produce this assignment is not
permitted.
If GenAI tool is used, it will be deemed that academic misconduct has been deliberately breached, as
per Academic Integrity Policy (AB-69), and may attract serious consequences.
You are required to conduct research, collect relevant information, and undertake the appropriate
analyses to enable you to identify and recommend an appropriate strategy for the future for the
nominated organisation.
You will gather the relevant information, and apply the appropriate tools of analysis and concepts to
conduct:




External general (macro) environmental analysis PESTEL
External industry analysis
Five Forces
VRIO / Value Chain
Internal organisational analysis
Other forms of analyses that you consider relevant. Stakeholder and or SWOT
It is expected that the working out of your analyses would be organised in a logical manner and
included in the Appendix at the end of the report.
You will use the findings of your analyses to address the assignment requirements to formulate a set
of recommendations for a strategy for the organisation.
Please refer to the guide sheet produced by the library on ‘Report Writing’ that is in the Study
Resources tab of the course learnonline site.
The report format and structure
Your report should follow the structure below:
 Title sheet including your full name and student ID number.

Executive Summary

Table of Contents

An introduction that guides the reader to what the report is about and what it will present.
(Approx. 200 words) context

The main body of the report (representing approx. 75% of the word count), with subheadings
as appropriate to incorporate the following matters below. This section and the subsections
must be fully academically referenced to substantiate statements you make.




not included in the word count
not included in the word count
Provide the relevant background that you have researched of the organisation (ie. the
organisation’s vision; mission; operations; structure; its current strategy; etc.); and
critically explain and discuss the key issues and their implication. (Approx. 400 words)
Critically explain the corporate organisation’s international strategy and what that
means in setting the strategy for the local operations of the organisation. (Approx. 400
words)
look at both international and local
around 200 words
After applying the relevant tools of analyses, identify and critically discuss the key
findings and their implications, including: (Approx. 1000 words)
 The opportunities and threats presented by external environments.
 The potential growth, or otherwise, of the industry that the organisation
operates in.
 The organisation’s resources, capabilities and core competencies and whether
they are a source of competitive advantage for the organisation.
 The fit between the organisation’s strengths and weaknesses in the face of the
threats and opportunities.
Critically discuss whether the organisation’s current strategy should remain, and if so,
provide a well-reasoned argument to support such viewpoint. If not, formulate a
strategy that would enable it to prosper and thrive into the future, and incorporate
considerations of: (Approx. 600 words)
 The risks associated with the strategy and how that should be managed.
 How stakeholders should be managed to sustain the organisation’s strategy.

Based on the combined findings of the above issues, conclude with a plausible summary of
recommendations for the strategy that the organisation should adopt for the future (No more
than approx. 400 words)

List all the references you used and those which you cited in the body of the report. In-text
and listed references must be presented in compliance with the APA7 referencing style guide.

Include the work sheet templates showing the workings of the analyses you conducted, in the
Appendices.
It is expected that you will frame your discussions by drawing from the concepts of strategy and the
principles, methodology and tools of strategic management that you have learned in the course. A
minimum of 12 different and credible academic references from the strategy and strategic
management literature; of which a minimum of 8 must be from the articles provided in this course
readings are required.
Additionally, sources of factual evidence you used as information source in the analyses (additional to
the concept references) are also required.
The word count of 3000 words (NOT to be exceeded) applies from the first word of the introduction to
the last word of the concluding recommendations. (The Executive Summary, Table of Contents,
Reference List, and anything in the Appendix will not be counted in the word limit).
Please be informed that word limits are commonplace for executive/management reports because, in
general, they need to be brief and to the point. The word limit for this assignment is 3,000 words.
Excessive wordiness is not acceptable; clear and concise arguments will be rewarded.
Please use Arial or Calibri size 11 font and single line spacing in your assignment. PDF files will not be
accepted.
Number all pages of your paper. Please submit your assignment in course learnonline (CLO) before the
deadline of 11:00pm on the 19th of May 2024. The electronic submission link is in the Assignments
submission tab on the course website.
Evaluation Criteria
Your report will be assessed on the following criteria:

Content fully referenced (70%)
 Shows evidence of wide research of the strategic issues and that of the organisation
 Robust presentation of the arguments that are appropriately framed by relevant
theories, concepts, and principles of strategy; all appropriately referenced.
 The analysis undertaken and presented are supported by correct information whose
source is appropriately substantiated; and the tools and methodology of strategy are
clearly and correctly applied.
 Demonstrates strategic problem-solving through evidence of decision-making that
incorporates considerations of stakeholders, corporate social responsibility, and the
management of risks.
 Demonstrates understanding of the strategy of the local organisation in context of the
international perspective.
 Coherent integration of the findings of analysis, to produce plausible strategic
recommendations for the organisation.
 Contains all relevant parts to address the assignment requirements supported by the
application of strategic and critical thinking.

Organisation of the report and Writing (30%)
 Presents a cohesive and coherent structure and logical flow of the thinking.
 Correct use of English grammar, spelling, punctuation in a concise report that adheres
to the word limit.
 The minimum number of required references are appropriately and correctly
presented in the APA7 style.
Please refer to detailed criteria as shown on the pro-forma feedback form.
Please also note as indicated in the Course Outline document under Further Assessment Information:
Students’ weekly participation and contribution to online or in-class discussions may be taken into
consideration for moderating assignment grades.