Abacus Institute of Studies
ABD701 [V1]: Business Strategy, Environment and Sustainability
ER Description
LO1 Analyse organisational strategic
hierarchy and its implications on
business conduct and management
decision making.
1.1 Analysis identifies and distinguishes the
organisational strategic hierarchy in
terms of corporate, business and
functional strategies and their
interrelations.
1.2 Analysis provides implications of the
organisational strategic hierarchical
framework
business conduct and the management
decision-making style.
LO2 Examine external and internal
environments to determine an
outlook.
2.1 Analytical tools are applied to examine
macro and
micro environments for their impact on
the business situation, sustainability
and future outlook.
2.2 Analytical tools are applied to examine
for its impact and implications on the
business situation, competitiveness and
sustainability.
National Diploma in Business and Enterprise Management Level 7
ABD701
Range
Range macro environment may include
but is not limited to political, legal,
economic, technological, globalisation,
socio-cultural, environmental (green), and
other factors.
micro environment may include but is not
limited to industry drivers, industry size,
trends and growth, competition, profit and
growth potential, and other factors.
analytical tools may include but are not
limited to PEST analysis, Scenario
Industry/Product Life Cycle, Industry
Value Chain analysis, Strategic Group
Mapping, Customer analysis, other.
Evidence required for at least two
analytical tools (one for macro and one for
micro environment).
Range internal environment may
include but is not limited to product,
technology, financial, human, organisation
culture, infrastructural, intellectual
resource strengths or weaknesses.
analytical tools may include but are not
limited to SWOT, Value Chain analysis,
VRIO analysis, Learning curve analysis,
Financial analysis, other. Evidence
required for at least two analytical tools.
2
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LO3 Critically analyse and identify key

success factors and strategic
challenges for an organisation.

3.1 Key success factors are identified and
analysed critically for their implications.
Range key success factors may include
but are not limited to technology-related,
manufacturing-related, distribution-
related, marketing-related, skills and
capability-related, location, IPs, other.

3.2 Sources of competitive advantage and

sustainability are analysed in terms of

success factors for growth and

organisational sustainability.

3.3 Key strategic challenges are identified

and analysed for their impact on

potential.

LO4 Formulate and analyse strategic options

and provide implementation plans.

4.1 Strategies options are analysed and

evaluated for their strategic fit and
trade-offs.

4.2 Recommended solutions are developed

and implementation plans are provided
along with the performance measures.
LO5 Critically examine the role of
Environmental Management (EM), and
formulate strategies for the corporate
social responsibility and stakeholder
engagement.

5.1 The role and implications of Range political, practical and ideological
Environmental Management (EM) are assumptions.
critically examined for the organisation.

5.2 Business practices are critically Range five business practices

examined for their impact on the
environment and sustainability.

5.3 Social responsibility and environment

sustainability strategies are developed
in a manner that demonstrates the

conscience.

5.4 Analysis identifies methods to

commitment to the corporate social

responsibility and environmental
sustainability, in a manner that ensures
engagement with stakeholders.

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INTRODUCTION

This course will be assessed against on the basis of evidence of demonstrated

performance in producing a case study report for an existing organisation or scenario
involving a specific problem(s) to be solved and decision(s) to be made.

You are required to agree with your course tutor on the existing organisation or scenario
that you wish to investigate before you begin to work on this assignment.

REQUIRED ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS.

Note: The terms Organisation/ /Organisational used in this assessment refer

to the same organisation (existing or drawn from a scenario) that you have chosen
for investigation. Your report must refer to this organisation only.

1.0 Strategic hierarchy

1.1 Provide a brief introduction of the organisation (existing or drawn from a scenario),
in a manner that clearly outlines the overall nature, focus and scope of its business
activities.

1.2 Present an analysis which identifies and distinguishes the organisational strategic
hierarchy of the organisation in terms of the following levels of strategy and
interrelationships between these levels:

a) corporate
b) business
c) functional
(ER 1.1)

1.3 Present an analysis that provides implications of the organisational strategic

hierarchical framework that you have discussed in Q 1.2 on each of the following:

a)
b) management decision-making style
(ER 1.2)

2.0 External and internal environments

2.1 By applying at least one analytical tool or a combination of tools, examine the
organisation external macro environment for its impact on
business situation, sustainability and future outlook. Your discussion must include
each of the following macro environment factors:

a) political
b) legal
c) economic
d) technological
e) globalisation
f) socio-cultural
g) environmental (green)

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Abacus Institute of Studies ABD701

h) other relevant (if any)

2.2 By applying at least one analytical tool or combination of tools, examine the
organisation external micro environment for its impact on the
business situation, sustainability and future outlook. Your discussion must include
each of the following micro environment factors:

a) industry drivers
b) industry size, trends and growth
c) competition
d) profit and growth potential
e) other relevant (if any)

Note: Refer Appendix-1 for the list of applicable tools for the macro and micro
environment analysis.
(ER 2.1)

2.3 By applying at least two analytical tools or a combination of tools, examine the
internal environment for its impact on the business
situation, competitiveness and sustainability. Your discussion must be based on an
analysis of each of the following resource strengths and weaknesses:

a) product
b) technology
c) financial
d) human
e) organisation culture
f) infrastructural
g) intellectual
h) other relevant (if any)

Note: Refer Appendix-1 for the list of applicable tools for the internal environment
analysis
(ER 2.2)

3.0 Key success factors and strategic challenges

3.1 In light of the analyses and discussion in Q 1.1 to Q 2.3, identify key success
factors for the organisation. Key success factors may include but are not limited to
the following:

a) technology-related
b) manufacturing-related
c) distribution-related
d) marketing-related
e) skills and capability-related
f) location
g) IPs
h) other relevant (if any)

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3.2 Critically analyse each of the key success factors that you have identified in Q 3.1
for its implications for the organisation.
(ER 3.1)

3.3 In the light of the analyses and discussion in Q 1.1 to Q 3.2:

a) identify sources of competitive advantage and sustainability for the organisation

b) analyse above sources in terms of the to meet the key
success factors for growth and organisational sustainability that you have
identified in Q 3.1
(ER 3.2)

3.4 In light the analyses and discussion in Q 1.1 & 3.3:

a) identify key strategic challenges the organisation is facing

b) critically analyse the impacts of identified strategic challenges on the

(ER 3.3)

4.0 Strategic options and plans

4.1 In light of the analyses and discussion in Q 1.1 & 3.4:

a) formulate strategic options for the organisation

b) analyse and evaluate each of the above strategic options for their strategic fit
and trade-offs for the organisation
(ER 4.1)

4.2 In light of the analyses and discussion in Q 1.1 & 4.1:

a) develop and recommend solutions that address identified challenges and

provide growth and sustainability potential for the organisation
b) develop plans for implementation of strategies and solutions you have
recommended above
c) develop performance measures such that implementation plans can be
monitored against desired results
(ER 4.2)

5.0 Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Environmental Management (EM)

5.1 Critically examine the role and implications of Environmental Management for the
organisation in terms of the assumption under each of the following:

a) political
b) practical
c) ideological
(ER 5.1)

5.2 Critically examine the business practices the organisation engages with, and
discuss impacts of these practices on the environment and sustainability.

(ER 5.2)

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Abacus Institute of Studies ABD701

5.3 In light of the analyses and discussion in Q 1.1 & 5.2, develop social responsibility
and environment sustainability strategies for the organisation, in a manner that
demonstrates the social and environmental conscience of the organisation.

(ER 5.3)

5.4 In light of the analyses and discussion in Q 1.1 & 5.2, present an analysis that
identifies methods that the organisation could potentially engage with for
communicating its commitment to corporate social responsibility and environmental
sustainability, in a manner that ensures engagement with stakeholders. Your
discussion must be based on a critical analysis of at least one of the following
methods:

a) AA1000 series
b) GRI series
c) ISO14000 series
d) Other relevant (if any)
(ER 5.4)

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Abacus Institute of Studies ABD701

APPENDIX-1

LIST OF ANALYTICAL TOOLS (EXTERNAL MACRO AND MICRO ENVIRONMENTS)

Analytical tools may include but are not limited to the following:

o PEST analysis
o Scenario analysis
o Five Forces
o Industry/Product Life Cycle
o Industry Value Chain analysis
o Strategic Group Mapping
o Customer analysis
o Other relevant

LIST OF ANALYTICAL TOOLS (INTERNAL ENVIRONMENT)

Analytical tools may include but are not limited to the following:

o SWOT
o Value Chain analysis
o VRIO analysis
o Learning curve analysis
o Financial analysis
o Other relevant

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STUDENT FEEDBACK REPORT

STUDENT NAME: ______________________________

ABD701 [V1] Business Strategy, Environment and Sustainability

Not
ER Comments Achieved
Achieved

1.1

1.2

2.1

2.2

3.1

3.2

3.3

4.1

4.2

5.1

5.2

5.3

5.4

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