MM532

Management Policy and Strategy

Summer Strategy Project Guidelines

And

Individual 1,500 word Strategy Case Write-up

Summer Term 2011

As at 22 February 2011 1
Introduction
The Group Project represents one of the major elements in Management Policy and Strategy
(MM532) and is also a central component of the MBA program.

The Project must relate to an issue of strategic significance. That is to say that it should relate
to the broad direction the company is taking, to the company’s boundaries or to the way in
which it seeks to develop and exploit competitive advantage. A project narrowly focused on
“Pricing and Promotion Strategy” or the “introduction of a Management Information System”
to streamline company operations, for instance, would not be considered as one that looks at the
overall picture of the company. Such topics would be more in line with a Marketing project or
an IT project, not a strategy project. Hence we really want you to take several steps back and
look at your chosen organization from a more macro strategic perspective.

Inevitably, the Project should relate to a problem of importance to practicing managers, which
may be addressed by applying business theories and analytical techniques. It may be a specific
problem facing a firm (perhaps your own employer), a group of firms, or an entire industry. It
will test your ability to undertake a substantial piece of “applied” research work that has
practical implications.

Aims and Learning Outcomes

The major aim of the project is to demonstrate your ability to undertake and complete a
substantial and rigorous piece of applied business research, to present the results in a
professional manner, and to be able to generalize and link your results to an underlying
theoretical and conceptual base, where possible. It will provide you with the opportunity to
connect the concepts covered in the MBA programme with real business practices, and to
develop stronger and more practical insights. While the project is included in the grading
component of MM532, it is actually a key component of the whole MBA programme.

The learning outcomes are to develop your ability to:

* identify problem areas or critical issues concerning the business strategy of a real
organization;
* undertake independent research using an appropriate research method;
* complete a substantial investigation of a management problem or issue at an
appropriately senior level that will involve information specification, gathering,
interpretation, and use; along with recommendations and suggestions for
implementation and evaluation
* prepare a project report which:
(i) documents your ability to present succinctly and to realistically interpret data and
information and to use it as a basis for drawing action-oriented conclusions;
(ii) documents your ability to go beyond the problem solving level in generalizing the
results, thus linking basic theory and application.

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Subject Assessment
Assessment for the subject as a whole will be as follows:
Group Class work 20%
Group Project Presentation (10-15min.) 10%
Group Project Written Report 30%
Total for Group Work 60%
Individual Strategy Case Write-up 30%
(1,500 words = 200 words statement of
the problem + 1,300 words suggested
answers and strategic tools)
Individual Confidential Peer Appraisal 10%
Total for Individual Work 40%
Total Course Work Mark 100%

Project Group Members

The project will be carried out in groups of 4 members.

There will be four classes of MM532. All members in a project group must register in the same
class and their projects will be assessed by the lecturer of their class. Members in the same
group do not necessarily need to belong to the same MBA concentration (e.g. FBC, ITM etc.).
Indeed, we encourage students from different concentrations to work together - it often
produces better projects.

Professor Howard Davies will deliver the first three (3) strategy lectures in March, April and
st nd rd
May (1 lecture on 29 or 30 March; 2 lecture 26 or 27 April; and 3 lecture 24 or 25
May).

Project Topic and Proposal (getting prepared during APRIL)

Your group is going to focus on a Hong Kong company, whether local or multi-national (and
preferably listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange so that you can easily have access to their
accounts). If the organization you choose is not listed on the HKEx, then you will need access to
their accounts (P&L / Balance Sheet) in order to realistically undertake a strategic audit of that
organization (otherwise your recommendations may not be in line with the financial health of
the organization).

To help you with your chosen organization’s strategic analysis, each week’s seminar
discussions and exercises along with the pre-posting of all the strategy topic Power Points will
help you build your analysis.

Once you’ve had the introductory lecture on Strategy and the Guidelines for your Summer
Projects by Professor Howard Davies (on 29 or 30 March) we strongly encourage you to get
together with your group to discuss on the requirements and expectations of the summer project.
Once you have clarified your focus and chosen your organization for strategic analysis, you are
required to seek the endorsement of your subject professor well before the end of April.

Soon after Professor Davies’ Introductory Strategy Lecture on 29 or 30 March, you should send
your subject lecturer a SHORT email (using the following 9 sub-headings) outlining the

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following framework of your intended PROJECT PROPOSAL (1-page single lined):

1 List the full names (including English names, if possible) of your group members
2 Proposed Title (please give it a ‘sexy title’ that is thought-provoking)
3 Name of organization and its HKEX stock number (if any)
4 What is the strategic focus of your project?
5 Why is this important from a strategy point of view?
6 What types of strategic tools and analysis will you intend to use in your report?
7 What are the anticipated recommendations?
8 What resources / references have you resorted to prior to meeting your professor?

Propose a meeting date / time with your subject lecturer to be held BEFORE END OF APRIL to
confirm your project focus.

Remember, it must be a strategy case dealing with a strategically significant issue.

Once confirmed with your respective subject lecturer, you will have the whole of MAY to do all
the ground work before your summer term begins in June (remember, this summer we will
finish the course on the 23 July: one week earlier in order for us to moderate the marks /
grades well before our Board of Examiners’ Meeting)

Strategy Teachers:
Group 3311 (Wednesday & Friday)
Dr Humphry Hung (tel: 2766 7357; email: mshung@polyu.edu.hk)

Group 3321 (Monday & Thursday)

Dr Kwong-fai Chan (tel: 2766 7391; email: mskfchan@polyu.edu.hk)

Group 3331 (Tuesday & Wednesday)

Prof. Howard Davies (tel: 2766 7137; email: mshoward@polyu.edu.hk)

Group 3341 (Saturday)

Dr Anthony Lok (tel: 3400 3235; email: mslok@polyu.edu.hk)

Recommended Books
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The textbook without cases: Ireland, R. D., Hoskisson, R. E., and Hitt, M.A., The Management of Strategy:
Concepts, 8th edition, Thomson Learning, (2009).

Johnson, G., Scholes, K. & Whittington, R. 2008. Exploring corporate strategy. 8th Edition. London:
Prentice Hall

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

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Project Time Line
The overall timetable for the Project and the subject is as follows:

Introductory THREE Strategy lectures by Prof. On 29 or 30 Mar What is Strategy? On 26

Howard Davies (What is Strategy? External or 27 Apr External Analysis On 24 or 25
Analysis, and Internal Analysis); and a run May Internal Analysis
down of the Requirements / Expectations for
your Summer Strategic Audit Reports

Student Groups send their respective Strategy By the end of April

Teachers details of their Project Proposal via
email outlining their chosen organization /
strategic focus. Students set up meeting with
their respective Strategy Teachers to discuss and
confirmation Project Proposals and finalize
rundown of Summer Strategic Audit Reports

First week of summer term teaching starts Week of 13 June (Mon)

Student Groups make 10 – 15min. max Week of 18 July (Mon)

presentations to class and receive feedback from
Strategy Teacher

Individual 1,500 Word Strategy Case Write-up 25 July (Mon) 5pm

Submit Final Group Project Written Reports 25 July (Mon) 5pm

(Absolutely no extensions will be granted)

Best Project Award Competition (Judging Panel 30 July (Sat) Afternoon

made up of Business Professionals And MBA
Alumni Council Members)

Strategy Professors Meet to Moderate Marking 5 Aug (Fri) 10am

and Grades

Remarks: Individual lecturers may have minor adjustments to the above time line.

Final Group Project Written Reports

Your final project report should normally consist of about 6,000 to 7,000 words, single-line
spacing and printed on both sides of the A4 paper (with 1 inch margins, font size 12) (excluding
appendices). Quality is more important than quantity of work, so although we have given you a
word limit, more words does not necessarily mean you’ll get a better grade. At the end of the
day, we are looking for how well you identify the strategic issues, the depth and completeness
of your strategic analysis using the various strategic tools and techniques, whether your
recommendations follow through logically from your level of analyses (are they creative,
innovative, set new rules and boundaries…) and whether you have carefully thought through
how they will be implemented and evaluated to achieve sustained competitive advantage for
that organization.

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The recommended format here is not a requirement and you may wish to amend it to suit your
own purposes. However, you may use the very user-friendly Strategic Audit framework
provided by Wheelen and Hunger (2006) for your Summer Strategy Project Report (please also
refer to the diagrammatic flow chart attached to P. 16 of this handout):

A. Cover page with thought-provoking title, full names (including English) of all your group members.
Please also include in the top right-hand corner of cover page the total number of words used in your
report (excluding the reference list appendices)
B. 1st page is an Executive Summary of what you did, what you found and what you recommended (this
should be no more than half a page.
C. 2nd page is your table of content (“in one page)
D. 3rd page is a one page brief background of the organization
E. Your Strategic Audit report starts on the 4th page
(We encourage bullet points for your submission so long as they are detailed enough with some
points elaborated by way of paragraphs):
1. Current Situation
a. Overall health of company (financial analysis)
b. Major issues
2. Strategic Posture
a. Mission / vision
b. The strategic objectives of the company
c. Current strategies
d. Policies
3. Strategic Managers and their Backgrounds
a. Who are the board of directors?
b. Top management team?
c. (show their photos and background like as if in annual report)
4. External Environment
a. Societal environment
b. Task environment
5. Internal Environment
a. Corporate structure
b. Corporate culture
c. Corporate resources
d. Marketing, Finance, R&D, Operations, HR, IT…
6. Analysis of Strategic Factors
a. Situational Analysis
b. Review of Mission / Vision / Objectives
7. Strategic Alternatives and Recommendations
a. Pros and cons of each
b. Recommended strategy (and justification why)
8. Implementation (how, who, when, what, why)
9. Evaluation and Control
10. List of Reference
11. Appendices (extra tables, diagrams, possible interview questions if you interviewed
people, newspaper clippings, articles your found very useful etc…)
12. Please insert (at the end of your report) the completed Strategic Tools table and
the Reference Sources table that summarizes what you have used and done to put
together your Summer Strategic Audit Report.
13. Acknowledgements
14. PolyU Faculty of Business Declaration Form to declare that your submitted work does
not breach any copyright laws / that the work you have submitted is original and not
plagiarized (attached to this guidelines).

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To ensure all Final Year Summer MBA students get full learning benefit out of this major
project, we strongly encourage you to use as many of the strategic tools taught throughout the
program, as are appropriate (blindly applying every tool and ticking every box will not get you
a higher mark! If there are other tools / concepts which can help your analysis, please note them
down and use them). We also strongly encourage students to widen their reference sources in
putting together the report. As stated in Point 12, these two tables are important and are
provided here for your easy reference:

Different Reference Sources Used Makes sure clearly stated in your

Please tick those used in Your Strategic Audit Reference List
Academic journal articles
Practitioner journal articles
Books on the subject
Newspaper clippings (English) (In your Strategic Audit Report Reference
List, please use ALL OF THE

Newspaper clippings (Chinese) ITEMS ON THE LEFT OF THIS TABLE AS

SUB-HEADINGS. If you did not resort to
any particular reference source,

Business magazines STILL LIST IT AS A SUB-HEADING,

Company Annual Reports & coy. Documents then leave blank.)
Internet sources from company homepages
Internet sources from search engine search
Company databases used
Textbook
Interviewed practitioners (questions attached)
Interviewed academics (questions attached)
Interviewed students (questions attached)
Video, TV & radio programs
Hong Kong Stock Exchange Website
Securities & Futures Exchange Website
Others… (please list)

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 Checklist: of Strategic Tools and References Used in your Strategic Audit
Strategic Tools Please tick those used in Your Strategic Audit (citing page numbers) Page #

External Analysis
Environmental Variables Scanning Map
External Factor Analysis Summary (EFAS)
Industry Matrix (Weighted Competitive Strength Assessment)
Nine-Cell Industry Attractiveness-Competitive Strength Matrix [Weighted Industry Attractiveness
Scores Table (Industry A, B, C…) + Weighted Competitive Strength Scores for Business Units Table
(Business A in Industry A, Business B in Industry B …)
PEST Analysis
Porter’s Diamond (Competitive Advantage of Nations)
Porter’s 5-Force Model
Strategic Group Map (6 different versions)
Internal Analysis
Internal Factor Analysis Summary (IFAS)
Resource-based View of the Firm
Value Chain
Strategy Formulation: Situational Analysis & Business Strategy
Bowman's Strategy Clock
Porter’s Generic Competitive Strategies
Strategic Factor Analysis Summary (SFAS)
SWOT Analysis
TOWS Matrix
Strategy Formulation: Corporate Strategy
General Electric’s Business Screen
Portfolio Analysis: BCG Growth-Share Matrix
Strategic Choice
Hambrick & Mason’s Strategic Choice Under Conditions of Bounded Rationality
Strategy Implementation
McKinsey 7S
Miles & Snow’s Strategy Typology
The Matrix of Change
Evaluation & Control
Balance Score Card
Financial Analysis
Common Size Statement
Financial Ratio Analysis
Overall Strategy
5 Ps of Strategy
Strategic Audit Process Worksheet (p. 362 of textbook)
Corporate Governance, Ethics & Social Responsibility
Corporate Governance Code of Practice (HKEx)
Stakeholder Analysis

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Project Presentation (Week of 18 July)
The final analysis should be summarized in a 10 - 15 minutes presentation. Since this is a group
project, all members of the group are strongly expected (but not required) to participate in the
presentation. Immediate feedback will be provided by the subject lecturer, which should give
you sufficient and reasonable time to make any modifications to your report prior to submission
on Monday 25 July 5pm to the Graduate School of Business Office.

All presenting groups should practice good structure and time management in delivering their
10-15 minutes. You can be as creative as you desire in your presentation style: PowerPoint,
OHPs, handouts, etc… You may like to co-ordinate this between all groups by using ONE
laptop to save time on connections and reconnections. (Please have emergency black & white
OHP transparencies in case you have technical difficulties) for your presentation.

1 Tell us up front your presentation Business Problem / issue

2 Provide 1 PPT slide of rundown of your group's presentation (handout?)
3 Give a brief account / background of the company you chose and why
4 Incorporate your views that tie the readings, your Strategic Analysis and the Coy.
5 Reference your PPT slides (as footer) to add credibility where appropriate
6 At the end of your PPT, include 1 slide that list all your key references / sources
7 Remember: 15mins MAX., so don't tell us everything under the sun...
8 After presentation, be prepared to answer questions and make comments
9 No need to be shy - just enjoy the experience!
10. Two ways to find out how well you have done:
(a) At the end of class, ask anyone "what did you learn from all this?"
(b) When there was a lot of discussions and debate after your case...
11 "POST" your PPT presentation (virus free) onto our WebCT e-Board (within 24hrs)

Best Project Competition (Saturday afternoon: 30 July)

Subject to final approval, there will be a best project competition. Each class of MM532 will
elect and nominate ONE best project presentation. A final presentation will be made for these 4
elected projects, from which the best project of the year will be chosen and awarded a trophy,
courtesy of the Graduate School of Business! We are currently negotiating through the MBA
Alumni Association to request real business executives to judge these strategic audit
presentations!

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“Individual” Strategy Case Write-up (25 July 5pm)
(1,500 word case: 200 words Problem Identification + 1,300 Solutions)

All students will also be required to submit as part of individual assessment, a real life Strategy
Case focusing on a “Strategic Issue”. You may base this individual case write-up on either:
1. Focusing on one “strategic” aspect of your overall group Strategic Audit Report or
2. Choose any organization of your choice Students can choose from any one (1 ONLY) of
the 12 topics to focus their Strategy Case:
I. Corporate Governance & Boards of Directors
II. External Analysis
III. Internal Analysis
IV. Business Strategies
V. Corporate Strategies (diversified firms)
VI. Strategic Choice
VII. Strategy Implementation
VIII. Strategy Evaluation
IX. Organization Structure
X. Corporate Culture / Strategic Leaders
XI. Different Schools of Strategy
XII. The Art of War
Each final year MBA student is required to submit a (maximum 1,500 words, printed on back
& front of A4 paper) a case study of a strategic nature (all pages should be single line, font size
11, and with half inch margins). The format will be as follows using the subheadings:

For the Problem Identification (200 words):

1. Title (provide a thought-provoking title)
2. Background to the case
3. The problems / issue
4. Different perspectives
5. The alternatives (these are the choices you want the reader to make a decision about)
For the Answers / or Suggested Answers (1300 words):
A. Summary of the case
B. What is the key focus of the case?
C. What Strategy theory, concept, tools can be applied to address the Strategy Case?
D. Suggested answers and / or actual decision(s) made from real life
E. Learning objectives to achieve from the Strategy Case
F. References (a short list of key sources that will help further our knowledge of the case)
(– references are not included in word count!)

Although the submission only requires 1,500 words (single-lined), the amount of conceptual
thinking about what to include should not be underestimated. Your case study can be either
“real” or “hypothetical” and it must be to do with a strategic issue! That is, it must be based on
a strategic issue / problem that has already happened OR something that is currently being
experienced in an organization OR hypothetical situation facing an organization (it does not
have to be in your current organization). The case must make a typical manager really THINK
about the issue / problem you have presented. Strategic issues are never obviously easy to
solve – so think very carefully before putting it together!

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Our past experience has showed that getting students to engage in reflection by way of case
writing of issues can significantly take their learning to a whole new level. We believe this
endeavor will further help you get a deeper appreciation of strategy-making as it is carried out in
organizations. Furthermore, the whole purpose of getting you to write your own strategic case
study is to get you to “engage” with the intricacies of what it means to be dealing with strategic
issues and to be able to reflect upon the seriousness of issues / problems at this level.
By getting you to articulate your chosen strategic challenge in a limited amount of words will be
challenging in itself, so think very carefully how you will present the issue(s). The subheadings
suggested above will help you frame your strategy case in a succinct and impact-full manner. It
may be worthwhile to consult your professor if you need further guidance on what is a “strategic
issue” BEFORE starting.

**End**

As at 22 February 2011 11
Honour Declaration (For group assignment)
We declare that the work in this assignment is completely our own work. No part of this assignment
is taken from other people’s work without giving them credit. All references have been clearly cited.

We understand that an infringement of this declaration leaves us subject to disciplinary action by

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

_______
Student Name Signature Student ID Date

_______
Student Name Signature Student ID Date

_______
Student Name Signature Student ID Date

_______
Student Name Signature Student ID Date
Date

Department Programme

Subject Title & Code (for the assignment concerned)

MM

As at 22 February 2011 12
Some very useful Databases to help you with your Summer Strategic Audit
Report

OSIRIS
1) Go to the website: http://www.lib.polyu.edu.hk/
2) Select “Databases” under “Research Tools”  “Find Articles, Journals, News”
3) Select “Database A-Z”  Select Letter “O”
4) Select “OSIRIS - Publicly Listed Companies Worldwide (current and historical)”  Select “Online
Access”
5) Select “*Expert Search”
6) Select “Stock Data”  Stock Exchange  Choose “Hong Kong Stock Exchange”  “OK”
7) Select “Industry”  “Industry Classification Benchmark”  Choose one particular industry
(e.g. Telecommunication)  “OK”
8) Select the page “List”
9) Select one company to see the company details (e.g. Header/ Financial Statements/ Board
members and managers)

*If you are selecting “Quick Search” at Point 5, you can just type the company name (Such as HSBC) to
search the information of HSBC.

BUSINESS SOURCE COMPLETE

1) Go to the website: http://www.lib.polyu.edu.hk/
2) Select “Databases” under “Research Tools”  “Find Articles, Journals, News”
3) Select “Database A-Z”  Select Letter “B”
4) Select “Business Source Complete”  Select “Online Access”
5) Select either link
6) Select “Company Profiles”
7) Type the company name in order to access the information of the company such as SWOT analysis

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 Faculty of Business
ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

WHAT IS REQUIRED FOR DIFFERENT GRADES IN MY ASSESSMENT?

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ‘A’, ‘B’ AND ‘C’ GRADES?

The detailed answer to these questions depends on the subject and the specific assignment. Your Strategy
Professor may give you some specific guidelines. However, there are a number of general points that may
help you to understand.

The PolyU regulations describe a ‘C’ grade as ‘satisfactory.’ To

achieve a ‘C’ or ‘C+’ grade you need to:

Address the task as set.

Display a basic understanding of the concepts involved in the assignment.
Use the materials provided to you by the tutor in ways which are relevant.
Display no major errors of understanding.

If your answer does not meet these criteria it will be awarded a ‘D’ or worse.

To achieve a ‘B’ or ‘B+’ you need to do everything required for a ‘C’ and in addition you need to display
good ‘relational understanding’. That requires:

Using a range of source materials, going beyond those provided by the tutor. If you think in terms
‘my tutor should give me all I need’, you are not reaching this level.

Using a diversity of source materials. The Internet, newspapers, magazines, case studies, interviews
with real-life managers.

Proper referencing – to show the tutor the materials you have accessed.

Using these materials to explain the main ideas involved in the topic, analyze the different
components, show how they relate to each other. Compare, contrast and apply the ideas. Applying
ideas appropriately is key. It requires linking the ideas to the facts of real-life situations.

To achieve an ‘A’ or ‘A+’ you need to do everything required for a ‘B’. You also need to go beyond that to
‘extended ideas’. This can be difficult to describe but may involve:

Seeing the issues from a different angle – perhaps one the tutor did not have in mind but which is
useful.

Having an element of originality.

Reflecting your own ‘voice’ and opinions

Theorizing, hypothesizing, recommending or reflecting.

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Recommended Framework for your Summer Strategic Audit Report

16

Wheelen T, L., & Hunger, J. D. (2006) 10h Edition, Strategic Management and Business Policy. Prentice Hall, U.S.A. p.20

As at 22 February 2011 15
 RUBRICS
Capstone Project Presentation Assessment Form
Fluency & Technique in Presentation
Performance
3 marks
Level
In addition to being fluent and
A=3 articulate, the presentation seizes the
attention of the audience, in ways which
add to the effective communication of
key points
Presentation is fluent and articulate.
B=2 Handovers (if any) do not detract from
communication of the key points.
Presentation is hesitant and inarticulate.
C= 1 Presentation does not flow naturally.
Handovers from one student to another
(if used) are clumsy and detract from the
communication of key points.
As at 22 February 2011 16
Effectiveness & Creativity in
Visual Aid Design
3 marks
In addition to making key points
and the flow of argument clear,
the visual aids stimulate the
audience’s interest in the topic.
Visual aids make key points
clear and show the flow of
argument from analysis to
recommendations
Visual aids fail to make key
points clear and/or do not
indicate the flow of the
argument from analysis to
recommendations
Handling Techniques for
Q&A Session
3 marks
Group directly answers
questions without hesitation and
shows an understanding of the
motivation and direction from
which the questions are coming.
Understands WHY the question
is asked.
Group directly answers the
questions asked, with mo more
hesitation than reasonably
required to formulate an answer
Group fails to address questions
as asked, hesitates longer than
needed to formulate and answer,
prevaricates
 DEPARTMENT OF MANAGEMENT AND MARKETING Assessor:
FACULTY OF BUSINESS
MANAGEMENT POLICY AND STRATEGY (MM532)
Intensive Summer Term (June – July 2011)
Capstone Project Report Assessment Form

Performance Contents & Effort in Conceptual Application Critical Thinking in Analysis Fluency & Readability of
Research Work of Strategic Tools & Recommendations Presentation Structure Total Score
Group (20) (20) (40) (20)
(100%)
Alpha

Bravo

Charlie

Delta

Echo

Foxtrot

Golf

Hotel

India

Juliett

Kilo

Lima

Mike
Specific Requirements:
1. Demonstrates good use of references reading material, industry reports, interviews (where appropriate) to support analysis (throughout the entire report and presentation)
2. Demonstrates clear and strong link between analysis AND recommendations
3. Demonstrates clear application of the strategic tools
4. Recommendations demonstrates insights into the strategic issues / challenges facing organization

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 Performance Contents & Effort in Conceptual Application Critical Thinking in Analysis Fluency & Readability of
Research Work of Strategic Tools & Recommendations Presentation Structure Total Score
Group (20) (20) (40) (20)
(100%)
Group is aware of In addition to using an In addition to having In addition to being clearly
15-20 research and debate appropriate range of recommendations which structured and effective, the report
on a topic, and is able strategic tools the group follow logically and clearly uses layout and/or graphics to
(for 20 as max.
to synthesize and reflects on the usefulness from the overall evaluation, the direct the reader’s attention to key
score) integrate information of the tools and/ or analysis identifies possible points and the flow of the
from a variety of introduces tools not weaknesses or limitations of argument. The report is a pleasure
30-40 appropriate sources, explicitly introduced in those recommendations to read.
(for 40 as max. class for clear reasons
score)
Group uses Group uses an appropriate Recommendations follow Report is clearly structured with
10-15 appropriate range of strategic tools, logically and clearly from an effective initial summary or
information to supporting their argument overall evaluation of the abstract, introduction, logically
(for 20 as max.
address the strategic and analysis and does not company’s situation. ordered sub-headings, key points
score) issues on hand. include redundant tools clearly distinguished and clear
for their own sake conclusions.. Graphics are used to
20-30 good effect and do not ‘clutter’.
(for 40 as max. The report is easy to read.
score)
Group is not Group fails to use Recommendations are poorly Report lacks a clear structure such
5-10 aware of the appropriate and available linked to the evaluation of the that the reader has to ‘search’ for
information necessary range of strategic tools in company’s situation. key points or is unclear on the
(for 20 as max.
to research its topic, support of their purpose of the Project and the
score) and the types of data arguments. broad thrust of the analysis and
that would be useful recommendations. The report is
10-20 in formulating a irritating to read.
(for 40 as max. convincing argument.
score) Information is either
incomplete or too
voluminous and does
not support the
intended purpose.

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