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LO1 Analyse the impact and influence which the macro environment has on an organisation.

Assignment Brief

Unit 43: Business Strategy

The price includes the complete assignment of both written work and powerpoint presentation

Unit Number and Title

Unit 43: Business Strategy

Academic Year

Sept 2025 - Dec2025

Module Leader

 

Lecturers

 

Student Support

 

Issue Date

WC 15/09/2025

Formative Feedback Dates

WC 27/10/2025

Submission Date

30/11/2025

Submission format

Written Report with Presentation (P3 requirement)

Word Limit (Part 1 & 2)

3000 – 5000 words excluding references and appendix (if any)

Part 1: Environmental Analysis

Assignment Guidelines

The submission should be in the form of a report. This should be written in a concise, formal business style using single spacing and font size 12. You are required to make use of headings, paragraphs, and subsections as appropriate and all work must be supported with research, including case laws, and referenced using the Harvard referencing system. Please make sure that similarity and AI generated data do not exceed the threshold of 20% as assignments with higher similarity may be blocked. Please also provide a bibliography using the Harvard referencing system. The recommended word limit for Part 1 is 1,500–2,500 words, although you will not be penalized for exceeding the total word limit.

Unit Learning Outcomes

LO1 Analyse the impact and influence which the macro environment has on an organisation and its business strategies.

LO2 Assess an organisation’s internal environment and capabilities.

Transferable skills and competencies developed
  • Articulating and effectively explaining information.
  • Effectively applying frameworks.
  • Interpret information
  • Determining the proper use of strategic management tools

Vocational Scenario

General Motors Company (GM) has a generic strategy (Porter’s model) that ensures competitive advantage amid increasing competition in the global automotive industry. Michael Porter’s model indicates that competitive advantage is created through a generic strategy that the company effectively applies in relation to variables in the target market. In this case, General Motors’ generic competitive strategy emphasizes the benefits of economies of scale, which is one of the company’s strengths shown in the SWOT analysis of General Motors Company. The firm also employs intensive growth strategies based on the business effects of such generic strategy. Each intensive strategy contributes to the growth of General Motors. However, these intensive growth strategies have different degrees of significance in the business. For example, General Motors benefits more from one intensive strategy compared to the other intensive strategies in terms of their effects on organizational growth and appropriateness to the target market for automobiles and related products.

The effectiveness of General Motors’ generic strategy has a direct link to the organization’s ability to address issues associated with competitive rivalry. Competition is a major external force that affects the company’s growth and development. The Five Forces analysis of General Motors Company shows the significance of competition in determining the performance of the automobile business. Thus, the generic competitive strategy must match the needs of the organization, while considering the external business environment. On the other hand, the effectiveness of General Motors’ intensive growth strategies influences how the business grows. The competitive advantage based on the generic strategy and the growth potential based on the intensive strategies contribute to the long-term success of General Motors.

General Motors’ Generic Competitive Strategy (Porter’s Model)

General Motors’ generic competitive strategy is cost leadership. Based on Porter’s model, this generic strategy creates competitive advantage based on the attractiveness of low costs and corresponding low prices of products. For example, General Motors’ automobiles are offered at prices that are lower than those of luxury and premium automakers, like Tesla and Mercedes-Benz. The relatively lower prices attract customers, leading to GM’s competitive advantage, which also addresses competition with Ford and Toyota. Based on this generic competitive strategy, a strategic objective in General Motors’ operations management is to enhance manufacturing process efficiencies through automation and continuous improvement to support competitive advantages.

The differentiation generic strategy has a supporting role for General Motors’ competitive advantage. However, cost-leadership remains the company’s main generic competitive strategy. In differentiation the strategic objective is to make products attractive on the basis of features, brand image, quality, and related variables. For example, the differentiation generic competitive strategy is applied through General Motors’ research and development efforts toward producing energy-efficient automobiles. The features of these products should also differentiate them from the competition, to ensure the company’s competitive advantage. This generic strategy supports technological advancement and value emphases in General Motors’ mission statement and vision statement, respectively.

General Motors’ Intensive Growth Strategies (Ansoff Matrix)

Market Penetration (Primary). General Motors uses market penetration as its primary intensive growth strategy. This intensive strategy contributes to the company’s growth by increasing sales in current markets. For example, General Motors expands its market reach by increasing the number of its dealerships. In this way, the distribution of GM automobiles increases, improving customers’ access to these products. General Motors’ cost-leadership generic strategy creates competitive advantages that facilitate the successful implementation of market penetration. Based on this intensive growth strategy, a strategic objective is to continue expanding GM’s distribution network to support business growth and development.

Product Development (Secondary). Product development serves as a secondary intensive growth strategy in the case of General Motors Company. This intensive strategy ensures growth through new product sales. For example, every new product or product line translates to a potential increase in GM’s revenues. This intensive growth strategy supports the differentiation generic competitive strategy by focusing on uniqueness in the design and features of new products. Thus, General Motors’ strategic objective based on product development is to achieve a high rate of innovation in new product development.

Market Development (Supporting). General Motors employs market development as an intensive growth strategy with a supporting role. In this intensive strategy, the company grows by entering new markets or market segments. For example, General Motors’ growth as a global automotive business has been significantly based on new market entry, such as when the company adds a country to its areas of operations and sales. However, considering the firm’s current worldwide operations, this intensive growth strategy now only serves a supporting role in business growth. Based on market development, a strategic objective is to enter new markets in Africa or develop novel products to enter new market segments for General Motors’ growth. The differentiation generic strategy can contribute competitive advantage needed to maximize the benefit of implementing the market development intensive growth strategy.

Diversification (Supporting). Diversification is another intensive strategy that has a supporting role in General Motors’ growth. The company has a low probability of using this strategy. Diversification supports business growth through new business. For example, General Motors could acquire a car rental services company in a domestic market to fuel business growth. This intensive growth strategy can contribute new business capabilities to support the differentiation generic competitive strategy. A strategic objective linked to this intensive strategy is to grow General Motors through new acquisitions of businesses outside the automotive industry.

References

Role

You have been recruited as a Corporate Strategy Manager by General Motors or an organisation of your choice. You have been asked to produce an environmental analysis and strategic growth management plan for the company based on the use of recognized internal and external analytical tools.

Requirements:

1. Apply PESTEL and Ansoff frameworks to analyse the impact and influence of the macro environment on General Motors or any other organisation’s strategies. Furthermore, critically analyse the macro environment to determine and inform strategic management decisions for General Motors or any other organisation.

2. Using VRIO and SWOT (or any other relevant) framework, conduct an internal environment and capabilities assessment of General Motors or any other organisation of your choice. In addition, interpret information and data to assess the strengths and weaknesses of an organisation’s internal capabilities, structure, and skill set.

Part 2: Strategic Management Plan

Part 2 of the assignment is to be submitted as a Written report and Individual PowerPoint Presentation which must be clear and concise. Read and follow the instructions carefully.

All your work must be supported with research and referenced correctly using the Harvard referencing system (or an alternative referencing system). You also need to provide a bibliography using the Harvard referencing system (or an alternative referencing system). Inaccurate use of referencing may lead to issues of plagiarism if not applied correctly.

The recommended word limit for Part 2 is 1,500–2,500 words, although you will not be penalized for going under or exceeding the total word limit.

Unit  Learning Outcomes

LO3 Apply the outcomes of an analysis, using an appropriate strategic management tool, in a given market sector

LO4  Develop a strategic management plan in an organisation, informed by models, theories, and concepts, to achieve competitive advantage in a given market sector

Transferable skills and occupational competencies developed
  • Use appropriate software effectively to create and deliver an individual presentation.
  • Analyse various market sectors.
  • Devise appropriate strategic objectives.
  • Design a strategic management plan.

Guidance and Activity

You have been recruited as a Corporate Strategy Manager by General Motors. Your directors want to further enhance the organisational portfolio and have tasked you with formulating a strategic management plan for the company to improve its competitive edge and strengthen its market position.

  • (3) Determine and apply the Porter-Fiver forces model to analyse motor indusy with specific reference General Motors operations or any other organisation of your choice and inform strategy. (A 5-minute individual PowerPoint Presentation should be created and presented in class).
  • (5) Apply a GAP analysis and balanced scorecard to devise and interpret strategic planning for a given organisation.
  • (6)Design a strategic management plan, applying appropriate strategies to improve competitive edge and market position based on the outcomes. The plan should include the following elements
    • Mission of the organisation
    • (4) Based on the analysis you conducted above and in previous section, devise (using bullet points) four strategic objectives for an organisation to inform strategy. Briefly provide the rationale for these objectives. Furthermore, justify the use of an appropriate strategic management tool for a given market sector, to inform strategy and strategic objectives for an organisation.
    • Select and explain if the business should opt for diversification or integration.
    • Select and explain a suitable strategy from the Porter generic model to achieve the objectives
    • Implement the plan explaining the requirements related to the following
    • Human,
    • Financial,
    • physical environment,
    • Time
    • Cost
    • Monitor and evaluate the success of the plan strategic directions, objectives and tactical actions for successfully achieving strategic alignment, based on critical interpretation of internal and external data, and information
  • Additionally, produce a strategic management plan that has tangible and tactical strategic priorities and objectives. Moreover, create a set of valid strategic directions, objectives, and tactical actions for successfully achieving strategic alignment, based on critical interpretation of internal and external data, and information.

Justify the use of an appropriate strategic management tool for a given market sector, to inform strategy and strategic objectives for an organisation.

When developing a strategic plan ensure that you create a set of valid strategic directions, objectives and tactical actions for successfully achieving strategic alignment, based on critical interpretation of internal and external data, and information.

Recommended Resources

Please note that the resources listed are examples for you to use as a starting point in your research – the list is not definitive.

Textbooks

JOHNSON, G. et al (2019) Exploring Strategy: Text and Cases.12th Ed Harlow: Pearson.

KIM, W. C. and MAUBORGNE, R. (2015) Blue Ocean Strategy. Expanded Ed.

Boston: Harvard Business Review Press.

ROTHAERMEL, F. (2018) Strategic Management. 4th Ed. Maidenhead: McGraw-Hill.

Websites

www.businessballs.com

Business Balls

Strategy and innovation

(General reference)

www.businesscasetudies.co.uk

Business Case Studies

Case studies

Strategy

(Resources)

www.corporatefinanceinstitute.com

Corporate Finance Institute

Resources

Knowledge

Strategy (General reference)

www.strategyl-business.com

Strategy and Business Strategy

(General reference)
Links

This unit links to the following related units:

Unit 1: Business and the Business Environment

Unit 25: Global Business Environment

Unit 27: Identifying Entrepreneurial Opportunities

Unit 44: Business Information Technology Systems

Unit 53: Planning for Growth

Learning Outcomes and Assessment Criteria

Pass

Merit

Distinction

LO1 Analyse the impact and influence that the macro environment has on an organisation and its business strategies.

LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4

D1 Create a set of valid strategic directions, objectives, and tactical actions for successfully achieving strategic alignment, based on critical interpretation of internal and external data, and information.

 

 

 

P1 Applying appropriate frameworks, analyse the impact and influence of the macro environment on a given organisation and its strategies.

M1 Critically analyse the macro environment to determine and inform strategic management decisions.

 

LO2 Assess an organisation’s internal environment and capabilities

P2 Conduct an internal environment and capabilities assessment of a given organisation using appropriate frameworks.

M2 Interpret information and data to assess strengths and weaknesses of an organisation’s internal capabilities, structure and skill set.

LO3 Apply the outcomes of an analysis, using an appropriate strategic management tool, in a given market sector

P3 Determine appropriate management tools to analyse a given market sector for an organisation and inform strategy.

P4 Devise appropriate strategic objectives, based on the outcomes of analysis for an organisation to inform strategy.

M3 Justify the use of an appropriate strategic management tool for a given market sector, to inform strategy and strategic objectives for an organisation.

Pass

Merit

Distinction

LO4 Develop a strategic management plan in an organisation organisation, informed by models, theories, and concepts, to achieve competitive advantage in a given market sector.

 

P5 Apply a range of models, concepts, or theories to interpret and devise strategic planning for a given organisation.

P6 Design a strategic management plan, applying appropriate strategies to improve competitive edge and market position based on the outcomes.

M4 Produce   strategic management plan that has tangible and tactical strategic priorities and objectives.

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