Strategic Management Report: Business Unit and Revenue Analysis

This report is a comprehensive strategic management analysis of a corporation, examining its structure, business units, product and service lines, and revenue centers. It delves into the external environment, including political, economic, social, technological, environmental, and legal factors for each business unit. The report identifies the sources of sustainable competitive advantage and provides recommendations for the future strategic direction of the organization, all supported by scholarly articles and the core text. The report fulfills all the requirements of the assignment, providing detailed definitions, analyses, and recommendations, demonstrating a strong understanding of strategic management principles. It identifies the corporation, its business units and product and service lines, analyzes its revenue centers, external environment, source of sustainable competitive advantage and finally suggests strategic direction, all supported by the core text and scholarly articles.

Individual Assignment
WORD LIMIT: 2000 words
DUE DATE: 6th of October 2016,9:00 am
Description of Task:
You are required to write a report with reference to at least 20 separate scholarly journal articles and
your subject core text.
Core Text Strategic Management: Competitiveness and Globalisation 11th Edition Hitt, M.A., Ireland,
R.D., and Hoskisson, R.E (2014).
This report will include the following headings:
1) Corporation Identification
A. Identify an organisation with product or service portfolios that span multiple business units.
i. In your discussion define, with reference to scholarly articles, the term “corporation”.
ii. In your discussion define, with reference to scholarly articles, the terms “product
portfolio” and “service portfolio”.
2) Corporate Research
A. Business Unit Identification.
i. Identify the separate business units within the corporation.
1. In your discussion define, with reference to scholarly articles, the term
“Business Unit”.
B. Identification of Product and Service Lines.
ii. Identify the separate product and service lines of the corporation.
1. In your discussion define, with reference to scholarly articles, the terms
“product lines” and “service lines”.
3) Corporation Revenue Centres
A. Identification of Revenue Centres.
i. Identify which product and service lines are creating the greatest revenues for the
corporation.
1. In your discussion define, with reference to scholarly articles, the term
“revenue”.
4) External Environment Analysis
A. Identify the Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Environmental and Legal operating
environments for each business unit.

i. In your discussion define, with reference to scholarly articles, the terms Political,
Economic, Social, Technological, Environmental and Legal.
1. Provide a definition of the term “operating environment”.
5) Source of Sustainable Competitive Advantage
A. Identify the source of sustainable competitive advantage for each business unit.
i. In your discussion define, with reference to scholarly articles, the four factors of
sustainable competitive advantage.
6) Strategic Direction
A. Make recommendations for the future strategic direction for the organisation.
i. In your discussion define, with reference to scholarly articles, the term “strategic
direction”.
Grading Criteria and Feedback Criteria Weighting
1. Hurdle requirement Pass/Not Pass: No Marks
are awarded in this criterion.
a. The item has been presented in the medium of
written English. Sentences are structured and
conform to academic writing guidelines. The
paper has an identifiable structure including an
introduction, a main body, and conclusion. The
paper follows the Harvard Referencing Style. The
examiner can proceed with further assessment.
b. The item has not been presented in the
medium of written English and the examiner
cannot proceed with further assessment.
Sentences are not structured and do not conform
to academic writing guidelines. The paper does
not have an identifiable structure including an
introduction, a main body, and conclusion. The
paper does not follow the Harvard Referencing
Style.
2. Corporation Identification a. The report
identifies an organisation with product or service
a. Comprehensive (4-5 marks)
b. Detailed (3.5-3.75 marks)
c. Effective (3-3.45 marks)
d. Adequate (2.5-2.75 marks)
e. Not Adequate (0-2 marks)
i. The report discusses with reference to scholarly
articles, the term “corporation”.
a. Comprehensive (4-5 marks)
b. Detailed (3.5-3.75 marks)
c. Effective (3-3.45 marks)
d. Adequate (2.5-2.75 marks)
e. Not Adequate (0-2 marks)

ii. The report defines, with reference to scholarly
articles, the terms “product portfolio” and
“service portfolio”.
a. Comprehensive (4-5 marks)
b. Detailed (3.5-3.75 marks)
c. Effective (3-3.45 marks)
d. Adequate (2.5-2.75 marks)
e. Not Adequate (0-2 marks)
3. Corporate Research
a. Business Unit Identification.
i. The report identifies the separate business
units within the corporation.
a. Comprehensive (4-5 marks)
b. Detailed (3.5-3.75 marks)
c. Effective (3-3.45 marks)
d. Adequate (2.5-2.75 marks)
e. Not Adequate (0-2 marks)
ii. The report defines, with reference to scholarly
articles, the term “Business Unit”
a. Comprehensive (4-5 marks)
b. Detailed (3.5-3.75 marks)
c. Effective (3-3.45 marks)
d. Adequate (2.5-2.75 marks)
e. Not Adequate (0-2 marks)
b. Identification of Product and Service Lines.
i. The report identifies the separate product and
service lines of the corporation.
a. Comprehensive (4-5 marks)
b. Detailed (3.5-3.75 marks)
c. Effective (3-3.45 marks)
d. Adequate (2.5-2.75 marks)
e. Not Adequate (0-2 marks)
ii. The report defines, with reference to scholarly
articles, the terms “product lines” and “service
lines”.
a. Comprehensive (4-5 marks)
b. Detailed (3.5-3.75 marks)
c. Effective (3-3.45 marks)
d. Adequate (2.5-2.75 marks)
e. Not Adequate (0-2 marks)
4. Corporation Revenue Centres
a. The report identifies which product and service
lines are creating the greatest revenues for the
corporation.
a. Comprehensive (4-5 marks)
b. Detailed (3.5-3.75 marks)
c. Effective (3-3.45 marks)
d. Adequate (2.5-2.75 marks)
e. Not Adequate (0-2 marks)
i. The report defines, with reference to scholarly
articles, the term “revenue”.
a. Comprehensive (4-5 marks)
b. Detailed (3.5-3.75 marks)
c. Effective (3-3.45 marks)
d. Adequate (2.5-2.75 marks)
e. Not Adequate (0-2 marks)
5. External Environment Analysis
a. The report identifies the Political, Economic,
Social, Technological, Environmental and Legal
operating environments for each business unit.
a. Comprehensive (4-5 marks)
b. Detailed (3.5-3.75 marks)
c. Effective (3-3.45 marks)
d. Adequate (2.5-2.75 marks)
e. Not Adequate (0-2 marks)
ii. The report defines, with reference to scholarly
articles, the terms Political, Economic, Social,
Technological, Environmental and Legal.
a. Comprehensive (4-5 marks)
b. Detailed (3.5-3.75 marks)
c. Effective (3-3.45 marks)
d. Adequate (2.5-2.75 marks)
e. Not Adequate (0-2 marks)

iii. The report provides a definition of the term
“operating environment”.
a. Comprehensive (4-5 marks)
b. Detailed (3.5-3.75 marks)
c. Effective (3-3.45 marks)
d. Adequate (2.5-2.75 marks)
e. Not Adequate (0-2 marks)
6. Source of Sustainable Competitive Advantage
a. The report identifies the source of sustainable
competitive advantage for each business unit.
a. Comprehensive (4-5 marks)
b. Detailed (3.5-3.75 marks)
c. Effective (3-3.45 marks)
d. Adequate (2.5-2.75 marks)
e. Not Adequate (0-2 marks)
b. The report defines, with reference to scholarly
articles, the four factors of sustainable
competitive advantage.
a. Comprehensive (4-5 marks)
b. Detailed (3.5-3.75 marks)
c. Effective (3-3.45 marks)
d. Adequate (2.5-2.75 marks)
e. Not Adequate (0-2 marks)
7. Strategic Direction
a. The report makes recommendations for the
future strategic direction for the organisation.
a. Comprehensive (4-5 marks)
b. Detailed (3.5-3.75 marks)
c. Effective (3-3.45 marks)
d. Adequate (2.5-2.75 marks)
e. Not Adequate (0-2 marks)
b. The report defines, with reference to scholarly
articles, the term “strategic direction”
a. Comprehensive (4-5 marks)
b. Detailed (3.5-3.75 marks)
c. Effective (3-3.45 marks)
d. Adequate (2.5-2.75 marks)
e. Not Adequate (0-2 marks)
8. Examiner’s Comment. No marks are awarded
in this criterion.