Undergraduate Project Plan: Sports Direct Strategic Issues

This project plan analyzes Sports Direct, addressing strategic issues, challenges, and solutions. The student identifies and analyzes three strategic issues, including profit decline, restructuring challenges, and high staff turnover, using forecasting and employee attrition models. The plan further examines three key challenges such as regulations and compliance, high competition, and delays in results integration. Finally, the project proposes three solutions: implementing policies, embracing innovation, and improving employee relations through training and fair treatment. The plan incorporates evidence from financial reports, news articles, and best practices, providing a comprehensive overview of Sports Direct's business environment and potential strategies for improvement.

PROJECT INSTRUCTIONS
Assessment Project plan
Module Title: Undergraduate Major Project
Word Limit: 1200
This excludes bibliography and other items listed in rule 6.75 of the
Academic Relations
Assessed Learning
Outcomes
1-5
WRITING YOUR PROJECT:
● This project must be completed individually.
● You must use the Harvard referencing system.
● Your work must indicate the number of words you have used. Written projects must not
exceed the specified maximum number of words. When a written project is marked, the excessive
use of words beyond the word limit is reflected in the academic judgement of the piece of work which
results in a lower mark being awarded for the piece of work (regulation 6.74).
● Project submissions are to be made anonymously. Do not write your name anywhere on your
work.
● Write your student ID number at the top of every page.
● Where the project comprises more than one task, all tasks must be submitted in a single
document.
● You must number all pages.
SUBMITTING YOUR PROJECT:

In order to achieve full marks, you must submit your work before the deadline. Work that is submitted
late – up to five working days after the published submission deadline - will be accepted and marked.
However, the element of the module’s assessment to which the work contributes will be capped with a
maximum mark of 40%.
Work cannot be submitted if the period of 5 working days after the deadline has passed (unless there
is an approved extension). Failure to submit within the relevant period will mean that you have failed
the assessment.
PROJECT QUESTION
Write a project plan for your Undergraduate Major Project using the approved project plan template.
You should include details of how you intend to research your choice of one of the following
companies or services (or a company/service agreed with the module lead):
● Sports Direct
● Jet2
● Virgin Care Services Ltd
● Jaguar Land Rover Automotive PLC
● Child and Adolescent Mental Health services
● HIV services
The project plan should provide an outline of how you intend to answer the four questions on the
project plan template.
ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
To pass this project, you must satisfactorily complete all elements of the Project Plan Template.
You must show:
● Knowledge of theoretical/ethical issues relevant to your chosen company or service
● Ability to incorporate theory and to solve problems in the discipline
● Effective use of learning resources

● Accuracy of structure and expression
● Evidence of developing professional problem-solving skills

UMP Organisation or Service Project Plan Template
Student Number: Organisation or service:
Question 1. Identify and analyse three strategic issues facing your chosen company or service.
(Total 300 words)
P
oi
nt
Strategic Issues Evidence
(financial,
reports, news
etc.)
Area (internal,
external,
competition,
practice etc.)
Model(s)
1
Sports Direct profits plunge by
72% after £85m hit on
Debenhams stake. Under this
issue, company invest in
Debenhams that is struggling
department store chain. This is
the reason that stakeholder
doesn't invest in this company.
It may negatively impact its
overall profitability level.
https://
www.theguardi
an.com/
business/
2018/jul/19/
sports-direct-
profits-
nosedive-by-72
This strategic issue
of Sports Direct is
elated to the
external factors.
This type of
strategic issue s
identifying by
using forecasting
model. When
company invest
their money in
Debenhams. In
his regards,
profit at Sport
Direct have drop
down by nearly
three quarters
after the retailer
took and £85m
hit on its total
investment in
Debenhams. In
this people does
not invest in it
due to struggling
department store
chain. As its
stakeholders are
forecast its
performance to

ensure about its
investment and
profits as well. In
this Forecasting
model is used
that help in
analysing
financial
planning. It help
them in building
a forecast that
directly compare
to the budget
model.
2
Sports Direct facing direct
challenge to restructuring that
wiped out investors from
company and its services.
https://
www.businesso
ffashion.com/
articles/news-
analysis/
debenhams-
receives-
sports-direct-
challenge-to-
restructuring
This type of
challenge is related
to external factors
that negatively
impact on its
overall brand
image at market
place.
For this strategic
challenge,
Restructuring
model that focus
on its investment
and trainee also
learn the
framework of
restructuring to
build the better
image at market
place.
3 Sports Directs high staff
turnover
https://
www.theguardi
an.com/
business/
2016/aug/11/
sports-directs-
high-staff-
turnover-puts-
further-
pressure-on-
mike-ashley
It is major issue
faced by company
that is related with
external factors. As
it is uncontrollable
by the company
Sports Direct has
judge for treating
its lowest- paid
workers without
respect and
dignity. It rising
staff turnover
rate within the
company that
put negative
impact on its

brand image.
This issue is
analysis by
employee
attrition
modelling that
evaluate rate at
which workers
leave company.
With the
assistance of this
company easily
evaluate as well
as understand
how many
workers are
likely to leave
from business
organization.
Question 2. Identify and analyse three challenges facing your chosen company or service. (Total
300 words)
P
oi
nt
Challenges Evidence
(financial,
reports, news
etc.)
Area (internal,
external,
competition,
practice etc.)
Model(s)
1 Regulation and compliance
(Sports Direct shares tumble
as it races to find new auditor
)
https://
www.theguardi
an.com/
business/
2019/aug/14/
sports-direct-
faces-race-
against-time-
as-auditor-
grant-thornton-
This challenges is
related with he
external factor of
business that
negatively
influence on the its
ethical brand
image in negative
way.
Sports Direct
have tumbled
share after its
auditors quit
along with this
retailer is also
leaving and also
find better
replacement.
Company also

quits fail in following
all the legal
compliances
related to he
stock and its
activities as well.
For this,
company use
compliance to
one's advantage
that help them n
identifying the
opportunities to
satisfy all the
regulation by
following the
same.
2 High competition with Big 5
Sporting Goods
https://
craft.co/sports-
direct/
competitors
This type of issue
cover external area
that is enhance he
chances of arising
issues in decline
image of company.
High competition in
market place with
Big 5 Sporting
goods is major
challenge for
Sports Direct that
negatively impact
on its profitability
level.
It is important for
company to
improve their
performance by
using new and
innovative
products at
market place. By
this they can try
to compete their
Big 5 Sporting
Goods. This will
improve the
chances of
attaining higher
profitability at
market place and
also capture
market share
from its rivals.

3 Sports Direct delays results due to
problems integrating House of Fraser
https://
www.irishtimes
.com/
business/retail-
and-services/
sports-direct-
delays-results-
due-to-
problems-
integrating-
house-of-
fraser-
1.3956976
It is related to the
external area in
which company
has engaged in a
raft of dealmaking
that make
organisation more
complicated.
Principles of
management
Question 3. Identify and analyse the three solutions to the challenges facing your chosen
company or service. (Total 300 words)
Po
in
t
Solutions Evidence
(financial,
reports, news,
best practice
guidance, etc)
Area (internal,
external,
competition, best
practice etc.)
Model(s)/
Theory(ies)
1 Implementing all the policies
and standards within the
company.
Best practice
guidance.
It is related to the
internal factors of
business
organisation as
they needs to
follow all the set
legal standards
within their
activities in order
to resolve issues
related to
regulations and
compliance .
For overcoming
from the issues
related to the
regulations and
compliance. In
this, Sports
Direct needs to
ensure that all
the legal
activities are
followed and
implement. With
the help of this,
Sports Direct
easily improve

the overall
performance at
market place and
also minimize he
legal risk in
operational
activities.
2 By implement innovation within
the production process.
This type of
information is
based on best
practice
guidance that
support in
resolving
issues raised
within the
company due
to higher
competition
with the Big 5
Sporting Goods
This solution is
related to he
internal area in
which company
focus on workers
performance and
their innovation in
production
activities.
Innovation is one
of the important
aspect for
business
organization to
serve unique and
quality products
to its customers
so that they can
improve their
profitability level
and at the same
time also
compete their
competitors at
market place.
With the
assistance of
this, Sports
Direct easily
enhance their
market share as
compare to Big
5 Sporting
Goods.
3 Proper management of team
and workforce
Through best
practice
guidances
It is related to
internal factors
that help n
improving
performance of
For resolving his
company use
team building
model related to
Tuckman team

workers. building. This will
help in
enhancing the
chances of
attaining success
at market place.
Question 4. Explain how your company or service could practically implement one solution.
(Total 300 words)
Spec
ific
obje
ctive
Approach
(marketing,
HRM,
Operations,
Practice
etc.)
Stage 1:
Inputs,
financial,
technolo
gical,
material,
human.
Stage
2:
Actions
and
timeline
Stage 3: Delivery and Evaluation Model(s)
For
addressing
the issues
ad
challenges
Sports
Direct use
appropriate
approaches
so that they
can easily
overcome
from the
issues. In
this
regards,
Sports
Direct use
marketing
approach to
It is also
importan
t for
Sports
Direct to
use
appropri
ate
resource
s such as
enough
fund,
time to
manage
all the
activities
while
impleme
nting the
business
For this
compan
y needs
to take
action
by
includin
g E-
commer
ce and
marketi
ng for
managi
ng
negativ
e
impact
of the
challen
ges
It is important for company to
effectively deliver their services
to its customers with the aim of
generating higher profitability at
market place. It also help them in
capturing larger market share
from its rivals. For attaining he
same, Sports Direct use Social
media as a marketing tool for
serving their services to its
customers. By this platform
company share all the necessary
information about company
products and services. This will
contribute n increasing the
profitability level and at the same
time also established their
competitive edge.
For attaining
better
solution,
Sports Direct
can use
Marketing mix
for improving
the production
process of
company.

reducing he
negative
impact of
issues and
challenges
that they
faced.
activities.
Along
with
this ,
company
also
includes
skilled
and
talent
workforc
e who
have
knowledg
e about
all the
legal
complian
ce and
technolo
gy.
arise
within
the
compan
y while
prepari
ng their
busines
s.