Module Information
Module Identifier
ABM6060
Module Title
Strategic Improvement Project 1
Academic Year
2024/2025
Co-ordinator
Semester
Semester 3 (Dissertation)
Also available in
Reading List
Other Staff
Course Delivery
Assessment
| Assessment Type | Assessment length / details | Proportion |
|---|---|---|
| Semester Assessment | Strategic Analysis Report 12000 Words | 100% |
| Supplementary Assessment | Strategic Analysis Report 12000 Words | 100% |
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module students should be able to:
1. Identify a suitable topic for research on a specific company /organisation/institution with a specific focus on a business or management related issue or problem.
2. Plan, organise and manage an extensive research project on the chosen topic under the guidance of the module co-ordinator and/or supervisor.
3. Make use of library and electronic resources to identify literature and locate data.
4. Synthesize and critically appraise a body of academic and professional literature.
5. Apply appropriate analytical, statistical, IT, writing and other research skills in order to strategically analyse the problem present within the company.
6. Compile, edit, and present a substantial research report in a form consistent with the typical 'management report' format employed in business and industry.
Brief description
The Report offers the opportunity for students to demonstrate investigative and research skills that are taught during the contact sessions of the module. This project includes a Strategic Analysis to scope the chosen subject area and supervised research into real-world organizations and to provide an in-depth strategic improvement report that enhances the business performance of a company.
The Report will provide some description of, financial data and product-market strategy. Examiners will seek to specifically award grades to students that address the following:
1. Critical analysis of the company/organizational/ institutional situation/financial structure and business management systems
2. Demonstrate the use of business management tools, techniques, frameworks and analytical approaches to diagnose the company /organizational/institutional situation.
3. Use appropriate referencing (both managerial and academic sources) so as to anchor analyses to literature, rather than make the project self-opinion-based.
Students should appreciate that this assignment is deliberately broad. However, it is expected that the student will base their report by focusing specifically on business structures and systems. There is no definitive structure and the scope given in the brief above is designed as integral to the assessment process. This latitude provides an opportunity for students to compile the most incisive report that analyses the company/organizational/institutional situation. An implicit part of the assessment is that students devise the structure that they feel is most appropriate to their critical analysis.
The Report will provide some description of, financial data and product-market strategy. Examiners will seek to specifically award grades to students that address the following:
1. Critical analysis of the company/organizational/ institutional situation/financial structure and business management systems
2. Demonstrate the use of business management tools, techniques, frameworks and analytical approaches to diagnose the company /organizational/institutional situation.
3. Use appropriate referencing (both managerial and academic sources) so as to anchor analyses to literature, rather than make the project self-opinion-based.
Students should appreciate that this assignment is deliberately broad. However, it is expected that the student will base their report by focusing specifically on business structures and systems. There is no definitive structure and the scope given in the brief above is designed as integral to the assessment process. This latitude provides an opportunity for students to compile the most incisive report that analyses the company/organizational/institutional situation. An implicit part of the assessment is that students devise the structure that they feel is most appropriate to their critical analysis.
Content
Understanding of strategy
Report writing, structure, and style
Designing & analyzing Qualitative and Quantitative research
Interpretation of research data
Interpretation of financial data and business systems data
Managerial implications for research findings
Company /organizational/institutional analysis
Using theory and practical knowledge gained in modules taught across the MMan (Exec) programme in the sub-disciplines of: Leadership, Financial management and Marketing to inform students’ own research.
Report writing, structure, and style
Designing & analyzing Qualitative and Quantitative research
Interpretation of research data
Interpretation of financial data and business systems data
Managerial implications for research findings
Company /organizational/institutional analysis
Using theory and practical knowledge gained in modules taught across the MMan (Exec) programme in the sub-disciplines of: Leadership, Financial management and Marketing to inform students’ own research.
Module Skills
| Skills Type | Skills details |
|---|---|
| Adaptability and resilience | The students are required to adapt their strategies and approaches to providing a solution to the identified problem or issue and to show strong leadership skills to drive home and effective solution to the issues identified |
| Co-ordinating with others | Students will need to show their ability to work as a team especially in the early stages of the project and in providing a solution to the issues highlighted |
| Creative Problem Solving | Students are expected to identify and subsequently analyse a business problem which has a significant strategic value to an organization. The students are then required to show creativity and innovation in the providing solution(s) to the identified issue using a range of problems solving techniques. |
| Critical and analytical thinking | The module demands the participants to apply analytical skills to reason and understand the challenging nature of the subject. By introducing a variety of theoretical as well as empirical topics, the module enables students to develop creative thinking approaches to problem solving. These skills will have to be applied in seminar discussions, preparation of the Strategic Analysis and the Report |
| Digital capability | Students are expected to use a range of word processing packages and deliver the report results using spreadsheets or other electronic analysis tools. Maintain links with supervisors via email and VLE |
| Professional communication | Must provide a high quality report and deliver a sound and well developed presentation of the key issues relating to the project |
| Real world sense | The report must identify a key, real life business project that will be addressed and a realistic solution found |
| Reflection | Students must show critical reflective skills and adapt and improve solutions and the quality of the reports on an ongoing basis |
| Subject Specific Skills | Must show executive level leadership and management skills in the execution of the research work |
Notes
This module is at CQFW Level 7