REPORT:

Appropriate headings in the report must include:

• Executive Summary: Assessment of Nintendo’s current 2018 business level and corporate strategy and the capacity of Nintendo to sustain competitive advantage
• Body: Findings from external and internal analysis utilising the Business Systems Model and Drivers of Industry Development (referring to appendices). The link to theory is established.
• Conclusion: Key strategic issues/findings (at least 2) related to Nintendo’s current 2018 performance, issues it faces and options and recommendations.
• Reference list (at least 6 references including the text and case materials)
• Appendices: In-depth analysis conducted before the report should be written. (Note the appendices will not be read unless referred to in the body of the report)

Note: Students need to be able to assess the organisation’s current business-level strategic performance using the Business System Model’ as set out in Chapter 4 p.102 of the unit text and Drivers of Industry Development as set out in the Chapter 10 text p.243

Students are required to demonstrate an understanding of the distinctions between resources and capabilities together with the capacity to identify strategic capabilities.

Extensive description of data without critical evaluation and analysis will score very low marks.

APPENDICES:

Only two (2) analytical tools must be used to be capable of completing this report.

1.The Components of a Business System (p.102 of text) including analysis of the Resource Base/ Stock of Assets (complete an assessment of tangible and intangible, relational and competencies p. 90 of text), Activity System (complete a generic value chain analysis p. 89 of text) and Product Offering / Value Proposition (complete an analysis of competitive scope p.85 text) must be used.

2.Drivers of Industry Development analysis (text p.243) must also be undertaken.

Any data and information completed during research should be placed into appendices. The report should refer to these appendices but focus on the findings in the body. The findings are discussed in the report body and linked to a central argument about the firm’s current performance, 8 issues it faces and options and recommendations for the future. The report must be underpinned with solid contemporary research showing an understanding of strategy process, content and context.

Assessment Instructions: The case study is on Nintendo: (p.247 DeWit 2018 textbook)

When identifying key strategic issues students should consider the extent of alignment between the organisations internal capabilities and its changing industry and market. “Gaps” should be identified and options to address those “gaps” evaluated. This involves the use of both analysis and critical thinking.

Both the above assessment of the company’s alignment with its environment and the evaluation of future strategic options must be underpinned by the individual’s competent use of appropriate business and industry level analytical tools. The report however should only include the conclusions and summative discussion from this analysis (detailed results from the analysis should only be presented in appendices not in the body).

Recommendations for the organisation need to be provided as a result of the individual investigation. An explanation needs to be provided as to how and why this recommendation is the one that will provide the company with sustained competitive advantage (supported with theory and data analysis).

h Hint: The key paradoxes in some chapters in the unit text should be considered when discussing business level and corporate strategy.

The report must be in correct academic format as per University guidelines (i.e. properly referenced, references in alphabetical order at end of exercise, using correct spelling, punctuation, sentences and paragraphing).