Strategic International Business Management

 

ModuleTitle:

Strategic International Business Management (RKC)

Level: 7
Module Leader/ Assessment set by:
Assessment title: Mid-Term Assignment
Assessed intended learning outcomes: On successful completion of this assessment, you will be able to:

Knowledge and Understanding.

1.Critically review the strategy of an organisation in light of international business issues, applying relevant theories and concepts.

2.Produce a creative strategic solution to a business problem for an organisation facing diverse challenges, taking into account the firm’s external and internal environments.

3. To think reflectively about the formulation and implementation of international strategy in an ethical and professional manner.

 

Transferable/Key Skills and other Attributes.

1. Apply planning, organising, decision-making and time management skills appropriate for use in an organisational context.

 

2. Experiment and develop personal initiative and responsibility in undertaking complex investigations in the solving of organisational problems and issues.

 

3. Critically analyse and apply key ideas and concepts via comprehensive research relevant both to the subject area and to professional practice in the field.

 

4. Use terminology associated with the subject area accurately and in a way, which demonstrates sophisticated knowledge and understanding.

 

5. Develop and enhance individually and/or collaboratively effective written and/or oralcommunication skills for both specialist and non-specialist audiences.

Weighting within module: This assessment is worth 50% of the overall module mark.
Task details and instructions:

You must structure your report in the same order as the assignment tasks set out below.

While the word count for the report is 3000 words(+ / – 10%), the suggested word limits below are based on your using the extra 10% word limit and are merely indicative.

Remember to number the pages, starting with the first page.

 

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Aldi (https://www.aldi.com/) is the common brand of 2 leading German global discount supermarket chains operating across 19 countries globally. The company is looking to further expand internationally.

Using Aldi as a case company, produce a report that addresses the 5 following tasks:

TASK 1.

Evaluate the following 2 countries to identify which represents the most potentially attractive target marketfor Aldi’s future international expansion strategy:

  • Czech Republic

 

  • New Zealand

 

In order to evaluate which of these 2 countries represents the most potentially attractive target market, you are required to undertake a comparative PESTEL analysis of those macro-environmental factors of the 2 countries that are relevant to Aldi.

– Worth 20% of the overall mark

– Not included in the word count

  • This background analysis must be included as an appendix, presented in table format and must be no more than 5 pages in length.
  • Data should be recent, primarily quantitative and obtained from appropriate sources (e.g. the most recently published World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness report).
  • A scoring system should be used for each macro-environmental factor / sub-factor for each country to show whether each factor / sub-factor is more or less attractive for your company. These scores should then be totalled for each country in order to arrive at an overall scoring of attractiveness for each country.

 

 

TASK 2.

Discuss the rationale for the selection of your chosen market. Your rationale should be justified with a more detailed discussion of your PESTEL analysis of the macro-environmental factors of your chosen market that you have presented in the appendix for Task 1. This discussion should explicitly consider the implications of the macro-environmental factors of your chosen market for Aldi.

– Worth 20% of the overall mark; 825 words.

  • This task must be presented in the first section of the main body of your report.

 

TASK 3.

Apply the 5-Forces model to critically analyse the competitive intensity of the industrial environment of Aldiin your chosen market. A SWOT analysis isnot acceptable.

– Worth 20% of the overall mark; 825 words.

  • This task must be presented in the second section of the main body of your report.

 

TASK 4.

Analyse the firm’s internal environment in order to EITHER:

i) critically evaluate the resources and capabilities of Aldiand the competitive implications of these for the company when entering into your chosen market (this will require an application of the VRIO framework)

OR:

ii) identify Aldi’s internal value-adding activities and critically evaluate which of these will be most relevant in supporting the company to enter into your chosen market (this will require an application of the Value Chain model).

A SWOT analysis for either option isnot acceptable.

– Worth 20% of the overall mark; 825 words.

  • This task must be presented in the third section of the main body of your report.

 

TASK 5.

Critically evaluate the various modes of entry available to Aldiand recommend – with justification based on the findings of your analyses in Tasks 2, 3 & 4 above – the most suitable mode of entry that will enable this strategic international expansion to be a success for the company.

– Worth 20% of the overall mark; 825 words.

  • This task must be presented in the fourth and final section of the main body of your report.

 

Word count As indicated above, your assessment should be3000 wordsin total (+ / – 10%).

Details about the indicative word count for each section of the report are outlined in the Task Details above.

The word count excludes the following:

– cover page

– contents page

– references

-tables

– diagrams

– appendices

Marking criteria/scheme: Marks for your assessment will be awarded with reference to the weighting of the tasks outlined above and to the Level 7 grade descriptors that can be found on the University web site.
Penalties for exceeding word count/duration: We expect all students to comply with the indicative word count outlined in the Task Details above.
Feedback arrangements: The purpose of feedback is not to provide students with a benchmark between passing and failing but to identify strengths and where there is room for improvement and development” (Assessment and Feedback for Taught Awards Policy).

You will receive feedback in the usual way via

All marks will be ratified at the appropriate Board of Examiners following internal and external moderation.

Please note that being dissatisfied with your results does not constitute grounds for an academic appeal.

Support arrangements: Please refer to the relevant forum topic
Reassessment: