This task focuses on a study of the Competitive Environment and Corporate Level Strategy for a chosen corporation. You are required to
write a report with reference to at least 15 separate scholarly journal articles, per student contribution, and your subject core text. This
report will include the following headings:
0. 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.
1. Corporation Identification
a. Identify a corporation with product or service portfolios that span multiple business units.
i. Students may use the same parent corporation chosen for one of the Strategic Business Unit studied in
Assignment 1.
ii. Provide a diagram or chart representing the relationships of the business units to the corporation.
2. Source of Sustainable Competitive Advantage
a. Identify the source of sustainable competitive advantage for the corporation across the Strategic Business Units within
the chosen corporation.
i. In your discussion define, with reference to scholarly articles, the four factors of sustainable competitive
advantage for this corporation.
3. Corporation Revenue Centres
a. Identification of Revenue Centres.
i. Identify which product and service lines are creating the greatest revenues for the corporation, within the
business units chosen.
1. Provide summary tables of the revenue for each business unit within the corporation.
4. Identify the extent of the corporation’s diversification.
a. Identify which of the business units are related, which are related-constrained and which are unrelated.
i. In your discussion define, with reference to scholarly articles, the terms “related”, “constrained” and
“diversification”.
5. External Environment Analysis
a. Identify the Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Environmental and Legal operating environments for each
business unit identified for the study.
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”.
6. Conduct a SWOT analysis for each business unit.
a. Identify the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats for each business unit.
i. In your discussion define, with reference to scholarly articles, the term “SWOT” analysis.
7. Merger, Acquisition and Downsize.
a. Make recommendations for the future strategic merger, acquisition or downsize of the corporation.
i. Provide advice on which business units to expand by acquiring similar business units from other corporations,
and advice on which business units should be downsized or sold.
1. Your advice should be supported by tables showing financial reasons for your advice.
a. In your discussion define, with reference to scholarly articles, the terms “merger”,
“acquisition” and “downsize”