Assessment Brief
This module is assessed through one graded element worth 100%. You must achieve at least 50% to pass this module.
PART A - BUSINESS REPORT (70 MARKS)
In the role of a Management Consultant, you are required to undertake a strategy upgrade of Zara and provide a business report to the CEO on further growth opportunities using the techniques and concepts you have covered in the module.
PART B – POWERPOINT PRESENTATION (30 MARKS)
In the role of a Management Consultant, you are required to design a short PowerPoint Presentation for the CEO of Zara on how they can sustain their growth and profitability. Models of Strategic Purpose: Ethics and CSR Sustainability discussed in the module will be used.
ZARA CASE STUDY – BACKGROUND READING: AVAILABLE IN THE CORE TEXTBOOK (This book can be found online)
Core Text: De Wit, B (2020), Strategy, An International Perspective; 7th edition, Cengage Learning EMEA, Andover, Hampshire
IN ADDITION TO THE BACKGROUND READING ABOVE, STUDENTS ARE EXPECTED TO CONDUCT THEIR OWN INDEPENDENT RESEARCH ABOUT THIS COMPANY.
ZARA MANAGEMENT CONSULTANCY REPORT
PART A- Business Report (3000 words) – 70 MARKS
In the role of a Management Consultant, you are required to undertake a strategy upgrade of ZARA and provide a business report to the CEO on further growth opportunities using the techniques and concepts you have covered in the module. At least THREE Global Entry Strategies should be evaluated in the report.
• Task 1 -The External and Internal Environment (15 Marks; LO1)
o Identify and critically analyse the external and internal environment for Zara using relevant models.
o Determine Zara’s current sources of competitive advantage from the environmental analysis and critically evaluate how they maintain and build on this competitive advantage.
Support your arguments with academic literature and references to other similar real companies.
• Task 2 – Strategy in the Global Environment (15 Marks; LO3)
o Using a relevant model for analysing how organisations enter foreign markets, critically evaluate the motives for Zara’s Global expansion and explain how this impacts their overall company strategy.
o Based on research conducted, provide justified recommendations for the different strategies (at least THREE Global Entry Strategies), which Zara can use in a better way to enter and compete in the global environment.
o Use the Environmental Analysis conducted above to provide a brief justification of the Global Entry Strategies suggested.
Support your arguments with academic literature and references to other similar real companies.
• Task 3 – Corporate Strategy (15 Marks; LO2)
o Evaluate and critically analyse how Zara can improve its supply chain globally with the use of horizontal integration, vertical integration, outsourcing, strategic alliances and so on.
o Provide recommendations as to how Zara can increase their profitability using relevant models/frameworks.
Support your arguments with academic literature and references to other similar real companies.
• Task 4 – Strategic Purpose – Ethics and CSR (15 Marks; LO4)
o Using a relevant theoretical model, analyse and evaluate Zara’s CSR strategy.
o Using theories, identify and critically discuss the main ethical issues which Zara currently faces and provide recommendations as to how they can address these.
Support your arguments with academic literature and references to other similar real companies.
Presentation and Structure (10 Marks)
Assessment Self-Evaluation (N/A)
You should self-evaluate each single task of your report by using the rubric provided in the marking guide and attach it to your report. The template for this can be found in the marking guide section.
Word count: 3000 words
Your report structure should include the following sections:
Cover page (University cover sheet)
Table of Contents
List of Abbreviations (if appropriate)
Introduction
Task 1 – The External and Internal Environment
Task 2 – Strategy in the Global Environment
Task 3 – Corporate Strategy
Task 4 - Strategic Purpose
Conclusion
References
Assessment Self-Evaluation
Appendix (if appropriate)
Word count – only applies to the main body (shown in bold); i.e., cover page, table of content, list of abbreviations, references, assessment self-evaluation and appendix are not part of the 3000-word count.
Tip for Mapping the Assessment towards Module Topics and Module Learning Outcomes (LOs)
