Strategic Management & Innovation
Assessment (Individual Report)
This assessment is based on the Azzawiya Oil Refining Company Identify 2–3 strategic issues that the Azzawiya Oil Refining Company is facing. These could be amongst other things, the entry of new and agile competitors, emergence of new customers, unfavourable macro and micro economic conditions etc. Drawing on a range of strategic
management theories, concepts and analytical models undertake a strategic analysis of Azzawiya Oil Refining Company and propose meaningful strategic options and responses.
Task specific guidance:
Ensure you clearly identify the issues you are focusing on and indicate why among other things; your chosen issues seem to more pressing and critical than others for Azzawiya Oil Refining Company.
Select which theories/tools to use (such as the Ansoff matrix and its critiqued variants, Value chain and portfolio analysis, dynamic capabilities, business model innovation, servitisation, etc).
For each strategic issue identified, consider and pick the best approach to maximise corporate outcomes as part of your analysis and also in your recommendations.
Irrespective of which models you choose, do not describe them, but apply them.
If you are not using any theory, model, ideas concepts from the module, then you are going wrong.
The quality of your work is judged by your engagement with key and relevant literature.
ensure you cite the source of any recognized theories, models, tools, that you use. Any original models always indicate source/s.
If you choose to combine model/concepts in order to create your own to reflect the contextual issues Azzawiya Oil Refining Company faces, then indicate such as ‘author’s own conceptualisation.’ Or when modified state ‘Adapted from’……
Good presentation of bibliography and quality in-text references count towards your overall marks so ensure you follow HBS referencing guidelines.
The word count for this report is 1,500 so make good use of appendices.
Additional Guidance
Part 1: − Contextual overview of the company and the challenges or opportunities that the company is facing. Identification, review and justification of appropriate model (s) that will underpin the analysis (20%).300 words.
In this section, students are required to provide a thorough and robust contextual background of the Azzawiya Oil Refining Company. This includes the industry or space in which they are operating as well as the products or services that they are providing. Relevant boundaries and relationships with other actors or competitors should be highlighted. It is also expected that students will highlight strategic issues that the Azzawiya Oil Refining Company is facing. These can be either challenges or opportunities. Relevant strategic management theories and analytical models should be identified and must be aligned to the strategic issues that have been identified. Any analytical models that have been selected must be properly justified and evaluated, supported by relevant literature. A SWOT analysis is NOT expected at this level of study.
Part 2: Application of selected model (s) (50%).750 words
This section requires students to apply strategic analytical models identified in part 1 above in order to provide further insight into the strategic issues that the company is facing and how they are affecting its operations. Debates must demonstrate deeper analytical work and coherence of arguments. Stronger students will embed other relevant strategic management concepts and approaches in their discussions to reinforce their arguments. These could be strategic capability, servitization, ecosystems or an approach relevant to your chosen organisation.
Part 3: What should the company do? (30%).450 words
Drawing on the synthesis of discussions in parts 1 and 2 provide specific and realistic strategic responses or options that the company can pursue. These must be realistic and achievable. You are advised to demonstrate critical analysis and wider reading.
