MNG4801/103/0/2022

Tutorial Letter 103/0/2022

Strategic Management

MNG4801
Year module

Department of Business Management

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Please register on myUnisa, activate your myLife email address and

regularly visit the myUnisa module website, MNG4801-22-Y.

This module is only available online on myUnisa.

THIS TUTORIAL LETTER CONTAINS

YOUR ASSIGNMENT 2

BARCODE

Open Rubric
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CONTENTS

1 INTRODUCTION...................................................................................................................................3
2 ASSESSMENT .....................................................................................................................................3
2.3 General assignment numbers ..........................................................................................................5
2.3.1 Grace period for assignment submissions ............................................................................6
2.3.2 Technical requirements ........................................................................................................6
2.3.1 Special assignment concession procedure ...........................................................................7
2.3.2 Assignment due dates .........................................................................................................7
2.3.3 Submission and resubmission of assignments .....................................................................8
2.3.4 Assignment queries on results ...........................................................................................10
3 IN CLOSING .......................................................................................................................................11
ANNEXURE A: ASSIGNMENT 2 ................................................................................................................12
ANNEXURE B: CASE STUDY ...................................................................................................................17
THE NANDO’S STORY: FROM SOUTH AFRICAN ROOTS TO UNIVERSAL APPEAL ……………………17
ANNEXURE C: DECLARATION .................................................................................................................20
ANNEXURE D: COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE ............................................................................................21

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1 INTRODUCTION

Dear MNG4801 Students

Welcome to Strategic Management (MNG4801) and greetings to all our MNG4801

students:

“Sanibona, Dumelang, Molweni, Hallo, Avuxeni, Salibonani, Bonjour, Salaam

aleikum, Ete-sen, Meeng-gah-bou, Habari, Jambo, Lumela, Salama, Moni and
Muli shani”.

The purpose of Tutorial letter 103 is to introduce you to the second assignment for
MNG4801.

This tutorial letter contains assignment 2, the second of (3) three assignments
you are required to complete for MNG4801. Make sure to go through all the
instructions we have provided in this tutorial letter in conjunction with TUT101
and TUT301.

2 ASSESSMENT

For this module, three assignments form part of the formative assessment. These
assignments are used to assess your progress during the year and provide feedback,
which you can use to improve your future performance in this module.

Please note:
• All information on when and where to submit your assignments is available
to you via the MNG4801 module site for your module.
• Due dates for assignments are available on the MNG4801 module site. This
is a postgraduate module and therefore adherence to due dates is expected.
• The penalty for late assignment submissions – irrespective of whether the
portal is open or not – is Zero. This is a postgraduate module. Please see
TUT 101.
• Tutorial letter 103 contains your assignment 2. Assignment 1 was made
available in the previous tutorial letter (Tutorial letter 102). Assignment 3
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will be made available to you in follow up tutorial letter (Tutorial letter 104)
which will be uploaded under the “Assignments” tab on the module site.
• NB: General assignment extensions communicated by the College (or via
SMS), usually only apply to undergraduate modules and NOT postgraduate
modules. Students therefore need to stick to the due dates provided on the
MNG4801 module site and should not Assume an extension applies. Lecturers
will communicate with students directly via an announcement (email) should
any extensions be given for the module. If you are unsure about whether an
extension has been provided or not, please contact the lecturer for confirmation.

All students enrolled for honours and postgraduate modules will be required to have a
minimum year mark of 40% for admission to the exam. Although the first assignment
contributes to your year mark, it is not a requirement for obtaining examination entrance.

You will be required to submit three assignments, which will be used to calculate
your year mark. If you submit only two assignments, the third mark will be 0%. Similarly,
if you submit only one assignment, the second and third marks will be 0% each. All three
assignments contribute to your year mark. Your year mark, based on the mark obtained
for the three assignments, contributes 40% towards your final mark, while your
examination mark contributes 60%.

No adjustments of year marks will be done to ensure examination admission. If your

year mark is 39% or less, you will not gain admission to the examination. Please
do not ask your lecturer to allow you to write the examination when your mark is lower
than 40%, your lecturer is unable to grant you access. Your admission is an automatic
process based on your year performance. The following examples illustrate each
assignment's contribution to your year mark as well as the final calculation of the year
mark for exam admission:

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Assignment Assignment Contribution Assignment Assignment

number type to year mark mark contribution
to year mark
01 Written 20% 55% 11%
02 Written 40% 20% 8%
03 Written 40% 10% 4%
Year mark 23% No exam admission

Assignment Assignment Contribution Assignment Assignment

number type to year mark mark contribution
to year mark
01 Written 20% 60% 12%
02 Written 40% 60% 24%
03 Written 40% 50% 20%
Year mark 56% Exam admission

To pass this module, you must obtain a final mark of 50%. Both your year mark
and examination mark contribute to the final mark. The subminimum rule of 40% is
applicable, which means that your MNG4801 year mark will not be part of the final
mark if the examination mark is less than 40%. We realize that you will be growing in
your learning experience and have thus decided to let Assignment 01, which is due
early in your learning process, contribute proportionately less towards the year mark.
As you gain more strategic management skills and knowledge, the subsequent
assignments will contribute proportionately more towards your year mark.

2.3 General assignment numbers

Assignments are numbered consecutively per module, starting from 01. In addition to the
general assignment number (for example, Assignment 01), each assignment has a
unique assignment number that is required when assignments are submitted. The
unique number will be on the Assignment Submission tab when you submit online via
myUnisa.

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2.3.1 Grace period for assignment submissions

GRACE PERIOD FOR ASSIGNMENT SUBMISSIONS

We are providing you with an additional week (seven days including weekends) grace
period after the initial due date to submit or resubmit your assignment and for it to be
marked. Do not abuse this grace period. This extra week after the due date is to
accommodate:

• ALL types of life circumstances and family, health, travel, work and technical
challenges. It is for students who genuinely need it.
• Errors and incorrect uploads that occur during uploading. During the grace period,
you should "view" your submission and make sure you uploaded the correct
document and then resubmit before the final submission date. Re/Submissions
after the final upload date = late assignment = zero.

The last day to upload is the absolute final date for you to upload or resubmit your
assignment. Do not aim to submit on the final date. An assignment is considered late
if it is uploaded eight days after the initial due date. Irrespective of whether the portal is
open; if you submit your assignment eight days after the due date then your assignment
is LATE. LATE ASSIGNMENTS WILL NOT BE MARKED AND WILL GET ZERO.
Part of the learning outcomes for this module is to plan ahead, work in advance and
manage time. Contacting the lecturers with assignment questions so close to the due
date may be considered as poor planning and lack of hard work on your side.

2.3.2 Technical requirements

Please make sure to adhere to the following technical requirements in each assignment:

Assignments should adhere to the following criteria:

Font size 11
Font style Arial
Margins 2 centimeters on all sides of the page
Lines Justified. Use this MSWord function →
Referencing method Harvard referencing method according to the MNG4801 Harvard referencing Guide
(available on the MNG4801 module site). Also refer to the Topic lessons on the
module site (in Lesson 1 tab): we have provided important instructions
pertaining to referencing, paraphrasing and plagiarism.
Page limits If the assignment content does not adhere to the page limits as set out for each
question in the assignment, penalties will be applied. Student’s work will not be
marked after the page limit is exceeded.
Assignments should be typed and written in third, not first, person.

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All assignments are INDIVIDUAL assignments. Although we find that students often
work in a group when preparing for an assignment, limit your group work to
conceptual discussions and NEVER share your assignment content (answers) with
others. You must do your own assignment and give your own interpretations of what
you have learnt when completing the assignments. Identical assignments or customized
'templates' by different members of a group is unacceptable. When caught, you will
receive zero (0%) for the assignment and be subjected to disciplinary action.

2.3.1 Special assignment concession procedure

SPECIAL ASSIGNMENT CONCESSION PROCEDURE

Since we have already provided you with a concession of an extra seven days for all types
of life events, we do not expect to receive e-mails asking for concessions. However, for extra-
ordinary circumstances, you can e-mail the lecturer to request a concession to submit a late
assignment via the portal. If you cannot submit by the last – final - day, then this is what
you should do:

1. E-mail the primary lecturer promptly. Students need to contact the lecturer before
the due date or within 7 days after the due date has passed in order to apply for a
concession.
2. Explain your situation and motivate with evidence why you require an extension.
Your e-mail should be both polite and reasonable.

The lecturer will evaluate your situation and respond. IF the concession is granted, you are
likely to receive a 10% penalty for the late submission. Please do not e-mail us weeks after
the due date, asking for a concession. We cannot accommodate concessions and
submissions once the follow-up TUT 201, 202, 203 is out and when it is time for the next
assignment.

Concessions are awarded at the discretion of the lecturer and students who do not
make an arrangement with the lecturer (Step 1) or have insufficient evidence (Step 2),
will get ZERO for their Late Assignment.

2.3.2 Assignment due dates

The three assignments are designed to prepare you to achieve the outcomes for the

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module and for the examination. Please take note of the following:
• The due dates will be available to you upon registration, on the module site.
• Please start working on your assignments as soon as you register for the
module.
Assignment Due date Last day to Type of Assignment Marks
upload
(seven days later)
01 Due dates for =
Asfinal upload
indicated ondate
the - 9 MCQ’ s (multiple choice 70
assignments are MNG4801 module questions)
available on the site - Essay style with structured
MNG4801 module questions
site for this referring to a case study.
module. The - It includes an online
assignment graded activity.
questions for - Individual assignment.
assignment 2 are
02 - 7 MCQ’ s 70
available in this
tutorial letter. - Essay style with
structured questions
referring to a case study.
- Individual assignment.

03 - 6 MCQ’s 70
- - Essay style with structured
- questions referring to a
- case study.
- Individual assignment.

2.3.3 Submission and resubmission of assignments

We require that you submit your typed assignments online via myUnisa in PDF.
Marking at Unisa is done through Adobe PDF files, customised marking and
commenting tools. The distribution and marking are managed through an online
marking system. You need to comply with the following submission instructions to get
your assignment marked. Firstly, you should submit your typed assignment as ONE
PDF file ONLINE. Secondly, it is YOUR responsibility to ensure that your assignment
submissions include:

• The CORRECT assignment. This means the correct module, correct assignment
and the correct assignment number. ALWAYS click "view" assignment after
submission to check that you did not upload another document erroneously.

• A SINGLE, STANDARD PDF file. Open your typed assignment and then simply
'save as' PDF from the MSWord version. You should have one electronic document
to submit. The system does not combine files for you. It must be done before the

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upload. If you submit a document and then another, the second document replaces
the first one.

• DO NOT protect it with a password and DO NOT make it a READ ONLY PDF. We
cannot mark it in these formats. You will get zero marks if you upload such files.

• DO NOT EMBED files in assignments as embedded files in PDF documents cannot

be opened.

• DO NOT CERTIFY or WRITE PROTECT the PDF file. You will get zero marks if you
do this.

You should ensure your computer is virus free and make sure the file you upload is
clean from viruses. A file that contains viruses can result in a corrupted file that cannot
be marked.

Note that electronic signatures automatically convert the document to Read Only
format, avoid using electronic signatures in your declaration.

It is important to note that you have a maximum of three attempts to resubmit your
assignment. Be aware that the system will record the latest date that you uploaded
your assignment. If you submit a draft or a wrong assignment on time and then decide
to cancel the submission and upload another version of the assignment AFTER the final
upload date, we will consider the latest date and not your earlier submission date. Your
assignment will be considered late. Make sure that you resubmit WITHIN the grace
period provided.

In the past, students have uploaded a draft assignment, believing that they have
"submitted on time" and they then assume that it is okay to cancel their assignment at a
later stage and replace it with another, after the final date of submission. This is not
permitted. The marking process starts immediately after the final date to upload.

Please also take note that the assignment portal date on myUnisa is NOT necessarily
your assignment due date. Irrespective of whether the system or portal allows you
to submit your assignment, late assignments will receive zero marks. You need to
adhere to the due dates we have provided on the MNG4801 module site, unless an
announcement from the lecturer states otherwise.
UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES MAY ASSIGNMENTS BE SUBMITTED BY E-MAIL.

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A tutorial letter will be uploaded on myUnisa containing feedback with guidelines of what
was expected from you for the assignment questions. You will receive your marked
assignment with the marker's comments via myUnisa.

Assignments are marked exclusively onscreen. Marked assignments are distributed

after they have been marked. There is no need to panic if your peers have received their
marked assignment, as the marking for this subject is done in real time. Allow at least
six weeks after the closing date of the assignment for the marking and return of your
assignment as this is a large module. If you
have still not received a marked assignment and feedback when the tutorial letter is sent
out, follow up with the lecturer. Annexure C contains the declaration of own work (MUST
form part of EACH assignment). Annexure D includes the complaints procedure for your
reference.

2.3.4 Assignment queries on results

Please follow these steps BEFORE contacting us about your assignment result:

1. Read all instructions for the assignment.

2. Read the marker's comments and pause to reflect on them for a few days (this is an important
step in the learning process). Try to take the emotion out and focus on what needs to be
improved. This is a learning journey.
3. Wait for/ Refer to the follow-up Tutorial Letter 201/202/203 and then study it carefully and
reflect on your work further.
4. Usually, all your questions and concerns are addressed by the third step. Please understand
that we will ask you to follow this reflective and learning process (steps) first.

Should you still have queries after this, then follow the steps below:

1. Be specific about what you are querying.

2. Compare your assignment answers with the contents of the follow up tutorial letters and the
theory in the textbook.
3. You need to do a question-by-question analysis in TEMPLATE form with comments on where
you believe additional marks should have been allocated or where you have concerns.
4. We will review the specific assignment sections of the assignment that you are querying and
give you individual feedback. We will ask you for this analysis before we can provide
you with individual feedback.

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This is a good learning exercise that helps to direct us to the specific areas you are
concerned about and assists us to give you swift feedback. Always keep emails about your
assignments polite and avoid personally attacking markers. Our markers are highly
qualified individuals dedicated to fair assessment. Lecturers are also very involved in the
marking process and do hours of marking and moderation.

Please note we will not be remarking your entire assignment because you want a higher mark
and nor are we willing to remark all three assignments so that you can get examination entrance.
This raises Red Flags about your motives and commitment to learning.

3 IN CLOSING

We trust that this tutorial letter has provided you with insight into the module and how
you can prepare. We wish you a fascinating and satisfying journey and hope that you
will complete the module successfully. We wish you the best with your studies!

Kind regards
Dr Nadine de Metz
Dr Catherine le Roux
Ms Lebogang Mametja

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ANNEXURE A: ASSIGNMENT 2

Assignment 2

70 Marks

Due date (initial due date): Refer to the MNG4801 module site

Last day to upload: Refer to the MNG4801 module site

Message to students:

Apply yourself to this INDIVIDUAL assignment by engaging with the prescribed

material. By doing this assignment you are preparing for examinations and expanding
your knowledge of strategic management.

Follow these instructions carefully:

1 Please adhere to the page limits provided per question. Students will be
penalized if page limits are not adhered to.
2. The declaration template is in Annexure C. Do not forget to complete the
declaration of your own work (Question 1 of assignment 2) – or your assignment
will not be marked.
3. Do not forget to answer the reflection questions (the last question in each
assignment) – or you will lose marks.
4. Follow the instructions in the questions carefully and do not plagiarize as you
will be penalized or could get zero and be reported to student disciplinary.
Learn more about plagiarism and how to reference on myUnisa.
5. Start your assignment and preparation early: Do not submit the assignment late.
6. Please use full sentences and write in third person and do not use bullet points,
lists, tables or figures in the assignment.
7. It is important that you reference all sources in accordance with the Business
Management Harvard Referencing Guidelines (available on myUnisa) and
that you do not plagiarize. Refer to the topic lessons on myUnisa module site.
8. Please number your assignment answers in the same format as they are
asked in this assignment and do not create your own numbering and sub-
questions.

Background to Assignment 2 (setting the scene):

Nando’s management team heard that you are doing a postgraduate course in strategic
management and they approached you and requested that you offer strategic advice
and support to Nando’s on the following tasks (questions). Read the Nando’s case study
(Annexure B) and answer the questions that follow.

Important: You may NOT contact Nando’s or ANY employee or stakeholder directly or
indirectly involved with Nando’s or any other organisation mentioned in the case study – ONLY
make use of the case study provided and the prescribed material. You may consult and
reference peer-reviewed academic sources.

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Question 1: DECLARATION
1. Copy and paste the declaration template (Annexure C) here and complete it
as part of your assignment.

Failure to complete the declaration of your own work will result in a zero (0)
mark for the entire assignment.

<Your answer should be ½ pages>

Question 2:
Answer the following multiple-choice questions covering the theory relating to the analysis
of the macro environment (Chapter 5) and the industry environment (Chapter 6) from
your prescribed book Louw and Venter (2019).

Example:

1 (a)

1. What two measures can Nando’s use to assess environmental turbulence within
the macro-environment?
a. Predictability and reliability
b. Reliability and changeability
c. Changeability and conformity
d. Predictability and changeability

2. Once level 3 of the national lockdown was announced, Nando’s was able to offer its
customers safe, sanitised and almost contactless takeaway meals, with the
introduction of their “Kerbside Collections” initiative. The implementation of level 3
lockdown was a variable in the _______________ macro-environment that
affected businesses across South Africa.

a. political-legal
b. economic
c. socio-cultural
d. environmental

3. Consider the following excerpt: “businesses are encouraging and promoting healthier
lifestyle choices to their employees”. Indicate which macro-environmental factor
Nando’s is responding to by offering healthy office lunches delivered to their
employees.
a. Political-legal

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b. Economic
c. Socio-cultural
d. Environmental

4. When facing increasing levels of uncertainty and complexity associated with

macroenvironmental factors, Nando’s can make use of ____________ as a
mitigation tool to assist them in developing alternative strategies.
a. PESTEL
b. SWOT analysis
c. Scenario analysis
d. Porter’s five forces model

5. An embedded personal tendency to reject unfamiliar and especially negative

information by executives in organisations is known as _________________.
a. strategic presbyopia
b. strategic hyperopia
c. strategic myopia
d. management reluctance

6. In order to understand the external sources of competitive advantage within an

industry, Nando’s needs to understand their industry’s key success factors which
comprises of:
a. Customers, clients and cost advantage
b. Customers, competition and corporation
c. Competition, capabilities and costs
d. Competition, capabilities and comparative advantage

7. ___________________ refers to a strategy where a new activity is developed to

generate the funds required to make up the difference between existing revenues.
a. Strategic piggybacking
b. Merging
c. Strategic alliances
d. Strategic crowdfunding Total: [7 marks]

[End of MCQ section. Question 3 begins on the next page].

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Question 3:
3. Critically analyse Nando’s in terms of their organisational capabilities. As part of
your analysis, you should begin by introducing the concept of organisational
capabilities and then apply theory on threshold capabilities, distinctive
capabilities and dynamic capabilities when analysing Nando’s.

You need to support your discussion by integrating the appropriate theory in your
discussion with practical examples from the case study.

<Your answer should be 1 ½ pages> Total: [15 marks]

Question 4:
4. Nando’s has “changed the way that the world thinks about chicken” and has
successfully competed against powerful brands such as KFC and Chicken Licken.

Identify and briefly discuss the business level (competitive) strategy adopted by
Nando’s by using Porter’s generic strategy tool (Louw & Venter, 2019). As part of
your discussion evaluate Nando’s business level strategy in terms of its contribution
to the organisation’s objectives by considering Thompson and Martin’s three
criteria (Louw & Venter, 2019) for evaluating a strategic option (Louw & Venter,
2019:268-271).

You need to support your discussion by integrating the appropriate theory in your
discussion with practical examples from the case study.

<Your answer should be 1 ½ pages> Total: [13 marks]

Question 5:
5. Critically evaluate the innovation opportunities provided by Nando’s business
model amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of your evaluation, discuss the
following two elements of a business model (the value proposition and operating
model) and apply the theory associated with figure 9.4 (Louw & Venter, 2019:301) to
your evaluation.
You need to support your discussion by integrating the appropriate theory in your
discussion with practical examples from the case study.

➢ Important: In addition to incorporating and referencing theory from your

prescribed material into your answer for Question 5, you must locate,
incorporate and reference 1 (one) applicable academic article of your
choice (published after 2016) from the Unisa Library into your discussion.

<Your answer should be 1 ½ pages> Total: [15 marks]

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Question 6:
6. Critically analyse how Nando’s leadership used a transformational leadership style
to support innovation in Nandos. Briefly introduce the theory of transformational
leadership and then critically analyse Nando’s leadership against the four
interrelated components of transformational leadership.

You need to support your discussion by integrating the appropriate theory in your
discussion with practical examples from the case study.

<Your answer should be 1 page> Total: [10 marks]

Question 7:
7. Please briefly answer these reflection questions:
• Do you feel that you have achieved the learning outcomes in the assignment?
• In what way did this assignment contribute to your understanding of the course
and concepts?
Total: [5]

Technical requirements: Total: [5]

• Table of contents
• Short overall introduction to assignment
• Structure, academic writing style
• Short overall conclusion to the assignment
• Technical specifications
• In-text references Harvard method according to the MNG4801 Harvard referencing
guide
• List of references Harvard method according to the MNG4801 Harvard referencing
guide
TOTAL = 70

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ANNEXURE B: CASE STUDY

THE NANDO’S STORY: FROM SOUTH AFRICAN

ROOTS TO UNIVERSAL APPEAL (ASSIGNMENT 2)
The first Nando’s restaurant was opened in 1987 in the small town of Rosenttenville, Johannesburg and
has since become one of the most popular fast-food restaurants in South Africa and abroad (Nandos, 2021).
“We’re a flame-grilled peri-peri chicken brand, with Portuguese heritage but also a flavour coming from
Mozambican heritage, and we have restaurants trading in 21 different countries,” says Trudi van Niekerk,
Chief Executive Officer of Nando’s Licensed Markets & India (Business Focus magazine, 2020). In 2021,
Nando’s expanded to 1 200 restaurants across 30 countries with its most popular restaurants in the UK,
Canada, Australia and South Africa (Herbster, 2020). Trudi van Niekerk comments that,“the global Nando’s
empire now stands at more than 1000 restaurants, with more than 300 in South Africa alone, becoming an
even bigger and more successful export of the country than Charlize Theron.” (Staff, 2020).

Nando’s continues to be committed to creating jobs, contributing to economies and supporting the
agricultural sector in South Africa and abroad (Staff, 2020). Head of Design at Nando’s, Michael Spinks,
emphasises that even though we have grown into a global brand, “we remain completely true to our roots.
We’re a brand that was born in South Africa but inspired by flavours that are Portuguese in origin and
universal in appeal.” He further states that they are committed to their global business strategy by putting
their “unique taste on plates from Sydney to Singapore and from Bloemfontein to Birmingham.” (Staff, 2020)

Becoming the best casual diner

Co-founder of Nando’s, Robert Brozin says, “in South Africa, you have to expect the unexpected” and over
the years, the brand has stuck to its core values: pride, passion, courage, integrity and family. His business
partner, Enthoven, shares these values, and their partnership has been key in scaling up the business.
Brozin emphasises that it is important to have supportive, long-term partnerships (Omarjee, 2015).

They have changed the way in which the world thinks about chicken. Brozin says that initially, Portuguese
flame-grilled peri-peri chicken only existed at small family operations in the south of Johannesburg,
Mozambique and Angola. The market was also dominated by KFC at the time. Nando’s built their brand,
using 30-second television adverts designed by advertisement agency, Hunt Lascaris, and these
advertisements, “defined and created the brand character of Nando’s.” Through this approach, Nando’s
has become a social commentary brand in South Africa where, “we can say what other people are thinking.”
The goal of this approach is to lure customers to their outlets and to make people remember and think
about the brand (Omarjee, 2015).

An integral part of the Nando’s image is the design of each restaurant which has played a fundamental role
in its overall attractiveness and appeal to potential customers. Everything they do is rooted in their Afro-
Portuguese heritage, from their menus to the design of their restaurants and the Afro-Luso music they play
in their establishments. Van Niekerk says that “anything Nando’s related, including our marketing, our
corporate gifts and our staff uniforms are all designed with this heritage in mind”. The Head of Design,
Spinks, says “Nando’s is differentiated through its approach to design which looks to create unique spaces
that stimulates the senses of the customer, while enjoying the soulful experience of being in Nando’s.”
(Staff, 2020). Physical evidence and process is all part of the Nando’s experience, and these are cleverly
intertwined throughout the consumer experience to influence behaviour (Myers, 2020). This is evident in
their décor, which is different from other fast-food chains as each Nando’s outlet has its own signature and
no two outlets are identical. This means that consumers are offered a new experience when dining in
different cities or countries.

Co-founder, Brozin, believes in looking at things differently and says that it is important to be “part of the
solution and not being part of the problem.” They have implemented social projects that “resonate with the
soul of the brand”, including art projects where contemporary art by local artists are displayed in restaurants
worldwide (Omarjee, 2015). Each outlet has South African artwork which adds a nice touch and reminds
the consumer of its heritage and roots, capturing the uniqueness of the local outlet-themed décor (Myers,
2020).

Their approach to the employee experience and building a family-friendly culture is an integral part of their
marketing strategy. This is evident from the names of their restaurants – ‘Cases’ and staff known as
‘Nandocas’, and storytelling remains a key component of the Nando’s brand and global success

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(Fernandes, 2019). Krista McLay, Manager of Brand Communications Strategy at Nando’s Canada says
that “We believe that the frontline – our Nandocas” – are the most important people in our business. They
are the ones who talk to guests as they walk in the door and determine if those quests will have a really
great experience or not” (Fernandes, 2019).

Creativity amidst COVID-19

The outbreak of the Covid-19 virus in the beginning of 2020 put the world at a standstill and the restaurant
industry in South Africa was no exception. It quickly became evident that the world would never be the
same and business had to find creative ways of adjusting to the new way of living (Business live, 2020). In
true Nando’s fashion, the restaurant found some savvy new ways of bringing everyone’s favourite flame
grilled chicken to them (Business live, 2020).

The general manager of digital marketing, Darren Hampton, highlighted that “There are always
opportunities to innovate, and a changing environment does not necessarily change our desires, it simply
changes the way we fulfil them. Our customers still want our chicken, and we want to serve it to them. So,
we found a way!” (Business live, 2020).

The restaurant started implementing these creative ideas as soon as the country entered level five lockdown
by allowing customers to purchase vouchers for meals that would be claimed as soon as the restaurant
was allowed to operate again. This strategy ensured that sales would continue to flow into the franchise
while simultaneously doing their part by helping to raise R1 million towards the Solidarity Fund, a COVID-
19 relief organisation that allowed civilians as well as public and private companies to make contributions
towards various initiatives aimed at alleviating the impacts of the pandemic (Business live, 2020).

Once level three of the lockdown was announced, Nando’s was able to deliver safe, sanitised and almost
contactless takeaway meals to its customers with the introduction of their “Kerbside Collections initiative”
(Business live, 2020). This collection method allowed customers to order and pay for their meals on the
Nando’s website, then drive to the nearest Nando’s store where their food would be presented on a tray
brought to the car that was parked in a demarcated parking area, all at no extra cost. The innovation of
Kerbside collections is expected to continue past the pandemic as it offers customers a convenient way of
collecting their food without leaving the car or paying any extra delivery fees (Business live, 2020).

With a new set of relaxed lockdown regulations on level one, customers could walk into their favourite
restaurants and enjoy a meal. Nando’s continued its innovation towards creating a safe dining environment
by introducing downloadable menus, using a QR code. Customers were now able to browse the menu,
using their phones rather than risking potential infection by using paper menus (Business live, 2020).

In a pre-pandemic world, Nando’s had already provided its employees and several other companies with
food vouchers as part of its employee benefits. However, with employees being required to work from home,
Nando’s had to find a new way to still provide this benefit. Companies could still offer their employees a
subsidiary on a specific menu item, one that Nando’s will create a special coupon for. “We have the footprint
and meal options to deliver healthy office lunches, no matter where a person is working from. As central
workspaces in a single location become less prominent, businesses are encouraging and promoting
healthier lifestyle choices to their employees. Being readily positioned to move into the business-to-
business space is an exciting prospect for us,” says Hampton (Business live, 2020).

As the Covid-19 pandemic continues to reshape the way in which the world operates, businesses are faced
with the expectation to evolve with the times. This is both a challenge and an opportunity that can yield
exponential benefits for successful innovators; or mark the end for those who are not as savvy. Nando’s
savvy creativity has cemented the restaurant’s position in the fast food market, irrespective of the external
challenges they face (Business live, 2020).

This case study’s content was developed from incorporating various article on Nando’s for the purposes of teaching
only. The ideas included in the case study belong to the respective, referenced authors .

Page 18 of 21
References
Business Focus magazine. 2020. Nando's Per-Prepared. [Online]
Available at: https://www.businessfocusmagazine.com/2020/07/02/nandos-peri-prepared/
[Accessed 29 April 2021].
Business live. 2020. How savvy creativity brought new ways of bringing nandos peri peri to the people.
[Online]
Available at: https://www.businesslive.co.za/redzone/news-insights/2020-10-12-native-how-savvy-
creativity-brought-new-ways-of-bringing-nandos-peri-peri-to-the-people/
[Accessed 20 April 2021].
Herbster, D. 2020. Nando's - The world's most popular chicken restaurant. [Online]
Available at: https://fooddigital.com/restaurants/nandos-worlds-most-popular-chicken-restaurant
[Accessed 18 July 2021].
Myers, P. 2020. Nando's Case Study: A Restaurant with excellent execution of basic marketing principles.
[Online] Available from: https://bettermarketing.pub/nandos-case-study-a-restaurant-with-excellent-
execution-of-basic-marketing-principles-722a31e933a9 [Accessed 6th August 2021].

Nandos. 2021. Our brand story. [Online]

Available at: https://www.nandos.co.za/explore/brand-story
[Accessed 26 April 2021].
Omarjee, L. 2015. Nando’s: Three ingredients for global success. [Online] Available from:
https://www.news24.com/fin24/finweek/entrepreneurs/nandos-three-ingredients-for-global-success-
20151125 [Accessed: 6th August 2021].

Staff, M. 2020. Born in South Africa, Universal in Appeal. [Online] Available from:
https://www.africaoutlookmag.com/company-profiles/607-nandos-south-africa [Accessed 5th August
2021].

19
 MNG4801/103/0/2022

ANNEXURE C: DECLARATION

I (your full name and surname) ,

student number hereby
declare:

- I have read the TUT 101 and TUT 103 in detail and understand the
procedures I need to follow regarding the submission of my assignment. I
am aware of and accept the consequences for late submissions and for not
following the assignment procedures.

- I declare that this assignment is my own work and that all sources used or
quoted are indicated and acknowledged both in text and in full references. I
also declare that I have not copied (partially or in full) another student(s) or
third-party’s work or allowed another student(s) to copy my work (partially or
in full).

- I have read and understood Unisa’s policy on plagiarism, available on

myUnisa(https://www.unisa.ac.za/sites/myUnisa/default/Assignments-&-
Examination/Assignments/Plagiarism) and I have read and understood the PowerPoint
Presentation and other resources on Plagiarism provided to me on the MNG4801-
2022-Y site.

- I a cce p t responsibility to categorically adhere to Unisa Academic

Integrity and Plagiarism policies and their expectations.

- Lastly, I am fully aware that if I am found in breach of Unisa’s policies, I will

not only be penalized with a mark of zero but I will be reported to the Student
Disciplinary Department which could result in suspension or expulsion from
UNISA.

Signature / typed name Date

Should you require assistance to better understand these expectations – please

contact the lecturer because “I did not know” and “I did not understand” will not be
acceptable excuses.

YOUR ASSIGNMENT WILL NOT BE MARKED UNLESS THIS DOCUMENT IS

SUBMITTED WITH YOUR ASSIGNMENT (IN QUESTION 1). AN ELECTRONIC
VERSION OF THIS DECLARATION IS AVAILABLE ON THE MNG4801 MODULE SITE
UNDER THE “ADDITIONAL RESOURCES” TAB.

Page 20 of 21
 MNG4801/103/0/2022

ANNEXURE D: COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE

CEMS COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE

Step 1 Any module related (academic) complaint must first be
thoroughly discussed with the relevant module lecturer to Module
resolve the matter. lecturer
Step 2 If the matter cannot be resolved through a discussion with the lecturer,
students can approach the Chair of the relevant department. Please note
that complaints will be referred back to the lecturer if the lecturer has not
been afforded an opportunity to respond. Chair of
Step 3 If students are not satisfied with the resolution from the Chair of the Department
department, they have the option to direct the complaint to the office of the
School Director. Please note that complaints will be referred back to the
lecturer at this step too, if the lecturer has not been afforded an opportunity
to respond.
School
Step 4 If students are not satisfied with the resolution from the School Director, Director
they have the option to direct the complaint to the office of the Executive
Dean.

If the complaint relates to postgraduate affairs, it will be

Executive
investigated by the Head of Postgraduate Studies and Research Dean
on behalf of the Executive Dean and provide feedback to both
the student and the Dean.

Students may also use the following College mailboxes for any type of enquiry or complaint:

- cemsenquiries@unisa.ac.za (general academic enquiries)

- cemsqa@unisa.ac.za (quality issues)

Any academic complaint received in these mailboxes will be escalated to either the Chair of the Department or the Director of the
School.

Administrative enquiries and/or complaints must be directed to the correct administrative department:

https://staff.unisa.ac.za/sites/intranet/default/Services-&-Groups/Help-a-student

21