: Report which analyses and evaluates the business strategy that VW is currently pursuing

Topic: Report which analyses and evaluates the business strategy that VW is currently pursuing Order Description Learning outcomes assessed 1. Understand the principle elements of business strategy. 2. Recognise the influence that the internal capabilities of an organisation can have on strategic choice. 3. Evaluate strategic options and select the most appropriate for given situation. 4. Evaluate strategic options and select the most appropriate strategic options for an organisation based on an analysis of global environmental factors and internal capabilities. 5. Provide solutions to a business problem. 6. Select and apply appropriate analytical frameworks to study the internal and global external environment of an organisation. 7. Understand the implications of strategy implementations and strategic change. Task A 2500 word individual report, which analyses and evaluates the business strategy that VW is currently pursuing. There is an article from the BBC to give you some insight into the recent emissions crisis affecting VW. You should also draw on a range of academic sources to prepare your report. This can be accessed at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business/34723424 Your report should: · Analyse and evaluate the business strategy that VW has pursued using either Bowman’s Strategic Clock or Porter’s Generic Strategies Framework. · Identify the unique resources and capabilities that underpin the value chain and support the current strategy of VW. · Analyse the implications of VW’s strategic decisions using the criteria ‘suitability, acceptability and feasibility’. Guidance on the assignment · Your report should be clearly organized with an introduction and a conclusion regarding the topic question · We would strongly advise that you think through this question as early as possible in order to make the best use of lecture and seminar time. · Your report should draw on your own reading and research as well as the ‘evidence’ in the lectures and seminars · You should make appropriate use of examples to illustrate and support your argument MANDATORY References to be used (or don't do it and refund) 1) Johnson, G., Scholes, K. & Whittington, R. (2014) Exploring Corporate Strategy 10th Ed. Harlow: FT/Prentice Hall 2) Coulter, M. (2012) Strategic Management in Action 6th ed. New Jersey: Pearson Education 3) Kourdi, J. (2009) Business Strategy 2nd Ed. London: Profile Books Lynch, R. (2015) Strategic Management 7th Ed. Harlow: Prentice Hall Journals: Harvard Business Review 4) https://hbr.org/2015/03/defining-strategy-implementation-and-execution 5) https://hbr.org/2008/07/choosing-strategies-for-change Management Today INFORMATION PROVIDED VOLKSWAGEN STRATEGY 2008 6) https://annualreport2009.volkswagenag.com/managementreport/reportonexpecteddevelopments/strategy/strategy2018.html?cat=m Power point presentation: attached with swapt, pest and 5 porters analysis for the sources/references from PPT MANDATORY to use: Bailes, D. (2014) Adwatch: how Volkswagen has mastered the art of selling value. Marketing Magazine [Online] Retrieved from: https://www.marketingmagazine.co.uk/article/1290989/adwatch-volkswagen-mastered-art-selling-value [Accessed on 22 February, 2016] Baltas, G. and Saridakis, C. (2009) "Brand-name effects, segment differences, and product characteristics: an integrated model of the car market", Journal of Product & Brand Management, Vol. 18, No. 2, pp.143 – 151 BBC (2016) EU plans new rules for emission tests following VW scandal. BBC [Online] Retrieved from: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-35420453 [Accessed on 27 February, 2016] De Maeyer, P. (2012),’Impact of online consumer reviews on sales and price strategies: a review and directions for future research’, Journal of Product & Brand Management, Vol. 21, No. 2, pp. 132 – 139. Fetscherin, M. and Toncar, M. (2010),"The effects of the country of brand and the country of manufacturing of automobiles", International Marketing Review, Vol. 27, No. 2 pp. 164 - 178 Hotten, R (2015) Volkswagen: The scandal explained. BBC [Online] Retrieved from: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-34324772 [Accessed on 27 February, 2016] Mintel (2015a) ‘The UK Car Review: An Insight into Brand Preferences and Market Trends’. Mintel Group Ltd. - UK - February. Mintel (2015b) ‘Car Finance’. Mintel Group Ltd. - UK - May. Mintel (2015c) ‘Car Purchasing Process’. Mintel Group Ltd. - UK - April. Mintel (2016) Car Review. Mintel Group Ltd. – UK – February. Reinecke, S. (2015) Will the VW scandal harm the 'Made in Germany' label? Marketing Magazine [Online] Retrieved from: https://www.marketingmagazine.co.uk/article/1365755/will-vw-scandal-harm-made-germany-label [Accessed on 26 February, 2016] Roderick (2015) Volkswagen attempts brand rebuild with marketing push. Marketing Magazine [Online] Retrieved from: https://www.marketingweek.com/2015/10/12/volkswagen-kicks-off-brand-rebuild-with-marketing-push/ [Accessed on 29 February, 2016] Marketline (2015) VOLKSWAGEN AG SWOT ANALYSIS, Ebsco [Online] Retrieved from: https://web.a.ebscohost.com.oxfordbrookes.idm.oclc.org/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=6&sid=2e26fce1-66ce-41da-96b0-12753d9a137b%40sessionmgr4003&hid=4207 [Accessed on 22 February, 2016] Murphy, A. (2015) Global 2000: The World's Biggest Auto Companies. Forbes [Online] Retrieved from: https://www.forbes.com/sites/andreamurphy/2015/05/06/2015-global-2000-the-worlds-biggest-auto-companies/#14f984626e48 [Accessed on 29 February, 2016] SMMT (2016a) INDUSTRY TOPICS. Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders [Online] Retrieved from: https://www.smmt.co.uk/industry-topics/economy/ [Accessed on 29 February, 2016] SMMT (2016b) MOTOR INDUSTRY FACTS 2015. Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders [Online] Retrieved from: https://www.smmt.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/100049_SMMT-Facts-Guide-2015_UPDATES.pdf / [Accessed on 29 February, 2016] SMMT (2016c) UK new car market starts 2016 on a high with best January in 11 years. Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders [Online] Retrieved from: https://www.smmt.co.uk/2016/02/uk-new-car-market-starts-2016-on-a-high-with-best-january-in-11-years/ [Accessed on 29 February, 2016] Volkswagen (2016) Electric and Hybrid Vehicles. Volkswagen [Online] Retrieved from: https://www.volkswagen.co.uk/technology/electric-vehicles [Accessed on 29 February, 2016] Walker (2016) Hammond: Quitting EU will damage car industry in the Midlands. Birmingham Post [Online] retrieved from: https://www.birminghampost.co.uk/business/business-news/hammond-quitting-eu-damage-car-10954413 [Accessed on 27 February, 2016] The task scope and focus of the response You must focus on the requirements of the question and address the purpose of the task, including comprehending and following explicit instructions. • The nature, quality and range of research and sources You must do enough varied research to address the tasks. In addition, you should consider the reliability and validity of sources you use – How biased are they? How reliable? What data have they been compiled from? What is the source’s own purpose? Can the sources be evaluated? • Knowledge & understanding of course concepts We expect you to know the concepts in the course textbooks. We do not expect you to describe these concepts to us in the assignment, but rather use them in your analysis and evaluation. Your understanding of concepts will be demonstrated by the way you use them. • Analysis and application of course concepts You are expected to add value through the way you use course concepts and tools to analyse data and insights. The way you combine concepts and tools, and the choices you make over which frameworks to use (and which to omit) will demonstrate this. • Argument, synthesis and evaluative conclusion This refers to the way you connect findings and evidence from your analysis into a logical line of discussion which leads to a critical individual evaluation of the work of your project team. Ideally, the disparate parts of your work “synthesize” into a distinctive viewpoint or insight. This is the added value that we look for in your work. • Structure, organisation, and presentation The structure of your work should support your discussions and arguments above all else. You should distinguish between what you want to say to answer the question, and the work that you do to provide the answer. A professional standard of presentation is expected, and the overall work should be written with the reader in mind. You must communicate clearly and succinctly. PLEASE USE ALL THE MENTIONED RESOURCES AND NEW ADDITIONAL ACADEMIC REFERENCES FROM BOOKS AND JOURNALS (LIMITED INTERNET SOURCES ONLY 10-20% MAX) All references and citation will be checked to ensure they are related to the research and exist.