UCBP7010 Strategic Management

Assessment of this module is based up on 100% coursework.

PART I – Executive Summary, Thinking & Structure Plan (20% of module grade).
Students will create an executive summary, and structure plan for a strategic management
report which meets the criteria set out in the assessment part 2 brief. Students will bring this
executive summary and a detailed structure plan to Lectures and seminars in week 8 of this
module, to receive formative feedback which should be used as a guide for performance.
Following the formative feedback, students should submit the executive summary ,
thinking and structure plan for marking which will contribute towards the overall unit
grade.

Part I Assessment Criteria

Executive summary
The executive summary should follow the following criteria:
200 words in length

 Title of the report

 Purpose/rationale
 Report aims and objectives
 Key strategic and/or decision making issues from the literature
 Appropriate frameworks selection
 Justification of the relevance and application of theory to the strategic management
process
 Recommendation
 References

Thinking/Structure Plan:

The Thinking and structure plan should follow the following criteria:
800 words in total
You can be creative with your thinking plan in terms of whether you adopt a linear or mind map
approach but the structure plan should be in a table and should outline: Key issues and
information, implications and relevance of key issues, and sources of information.
PART II - Full Strategic Management Report ( 80% of Unit Grade)

You should produce a report to critically evaluate key issues and challenges in corporate
strategies and their strategic management.
The strategic management report involves:
1. Analysis and evaluation of the ways in which practising managers address key strategic
and/or
decision making issues.
2. Selection and use the appropriate frameworks in the strategic decisions.
3. Provision of a critical evaluation of the relevance and application of theory to strategic
management practice process stages: strategic analysis, strategic choice and strategic
implementation.
4. Evidence of analytical and synthesis skills and justification of proposals in the preparation of
a business related strategy report.

Explore how these challenges could be solved by managers. You should illustrate your
arguments with reference to theory and with practical examples from the business world. The
discussion, evaluation and application should be related to the discussion and analysis of case
studies over the duration of your module.

Word limit : 3700 words ( 10%+-) excluding references, which must be

Harvard format

You, as a student, should be aware of the following penalties:

 Assessment Word Limit – the upper limit specified may be exceeded by up to 10%
without penalty. Penalties apply to work which exceeds the word limit beyond 10%,
including citations within the main body of your assignment, and you will lose marks
(please refer to the Academic Regulations, Appendix 3c, (section 3.5), so that you
are aware of these penalties).

 If you falsify the word count you will be subject to Minor Malpractice procedures and
will receive a penalty in accordance with those procedures (please familiarise yourself
with these procedures in the Academic Regulations, Appendix 3d, section 7.5.
Further details about assessment word limits can be found in Section 3 of the
University’s Academic Regulations, Appendix 3c, Conduct of Assessment.

Academic Malpractice

The University adopts a firm position on academic malpractice (cheating) of any kind,
which can include: cheating in exams; plagiarism (i.e. use of someone else’s work and
trying to pass it off as your own); collusion (e.g. working with other students
inappropriately in the submission of work); fabrication and falsification; and
impersonation. Penalties for academic malpractice may affect your reassessment
opportunities and can, in some cases, mean that you will be required to leave the
University without any award. Full detail on the academic malpractice procedures can be
found here.
Submission by Turnitin

Turnitin software is used by the University to match text and determine the
originality of your work. It is a useful tool to indicate where work may not be your
own and academic malpractice may have been committed. You should use
Turnitin as a developmental tool to improve your academic practice and use of
academic sources.
Further useful information can be accessed via the “study skills” tile under “digital
skills” Student Hub.

Assignment 1 (please refer to the SU ‘Tick List’ at the end of this Module Guide)

Assessment timescales

Cohort group start Assignment deadline Feedback date to

date students
w/c 30/1/2023 By Friday 5 May 2023 By 2/6/2023
– 4pm via turnitin

Assessment and Reassessment detail and Guidance

Important: Please familiarise yourself with the guidelines for Assignment

Submission detailed in the Assessment & Exams section of the Student
Handbook.

Internally agreed feedback and provisional marks will be disclosed to students

within 20 days. [This is before moderation by the External Examiner and
confirmation of marks by the Module Assessment Board and hence marks will
only be provisional at this point in time].

Summative Assessment Summative assessment is the process of evaluating (and

grading) the learning of students at a point in time.

Formative Assessment Formative assessment is designed to help learners

learn more effectively by giving them feedback on their performance and how
it can be improved and sustained.

Diagnostic Assessment Diagnostic assessment is the process of evaluating the

ability and preparedness for a programme or module of study, identifying possible
learning problems.

Further information on assessment (e.g. extenuating circumstances

(and/or extensions) and academic malpractice) can be accessed using
the links at the end of this module guide.

Referencing

The University of Cumbria uses the Harvard system of referencing contained in

Cite them right. This book is your key to referencing and copies can be found in
the library or it can be accessed electronically from the skills@cumbria tab in
Blackboard. For more details about referencing, please refer to “Study Skills” tile
the Student Hub.
UCBP7010 Summative Assessment: Marking Criteria

Part Number. Criteria and To obtain 70% or To obtain 60% To obtain 50% To obtain 40% To obtain between
Weighting above 39-0 %

Part 1 Structure Plan All points expressed Most points Some minor factual Some major factual Little evidence of
clearly and excellent expressed clearly errors and or not all errors, with relevant knowledge
20% structure. and very good points expressed irrelevant material. may cite personal
overall structure. clearly. anecdote.
Part 2 Analysis and Evidence of extensive Evidence of detailed You have described You have outlined Not clearly assessing
evaluation of the knowledge & discussion of the the situation with the strategic issues strategic issues though
ways managers understanding of key key strategic issues evidence of of the organisation may have
address key strategic issue with and theories to knowledge & with evidence of demonstrated basic
strategic decision detailed explanation support this. understanding of key basic knowledge & knowledge of some
making issues by of the challenges, Discussion displays strategic issues and understanding of relevant topic issues
use the Evidence of reading a very good level of theories which is key concepts and and evidence of partial
appropriate exceptionally widely independent and generally sound. theories. Limited understanding. The
frameworks beyond the critical judgement. Referencing done referencing. work is too descriptive
prescribed reading though not always with unsubstantiated
35% list detailed. assertions. Limited
evidence of reading.

critical evaluation Excellent discussion Very good Good analysis but Not quite adequate. The analysis is weak
of the relevance which examines discussion displays a may lack sustained the discussion and
and application of critically and very good level of conceptual analysis, displays little
theory to independently the independent and tending to accept evidence of vague. Offers
strategic theories and their critical judgement. uncritically the independent thought unsupported opinion
management applications clearly principal arguments and critical and
practice process justified. in an area. judgement, rather it demonstrates no
stages includes a partial evidence of critical
and rather judgement .
35% superficial coverage
of the key issues.

Recommend an The work adopts a Overall critical The work shows The work is limited Poor range of
appropriate route critical approach, approach but extent evidence of a general to description with solutions. Analysis is
and analyse the using wide-ranging of research, use of critical approach limited range of minimal or
actions required evidence, supported evidence, reasoning using some different solutions and contradictory lacking
to achieve the by reasoning and and reflection may ways to tackle weaker depth or detail.
recommended reflection based on not be so extensive. problems and recommendations, Recommendations
strategy. extensive research, principles, although based on basic based on little or no
theories or models. there may be some analysis. evidence.
10% lack of focus on
recommendations.