Reference no: EM133201200 , Length: Wrod Count: 2000 words.

Assignment: Strategic Management- Marketing Wal-Mart vs Target Strategic Management Paper

Learning Outcomes:

1. Exemplify and explain key concepts in the field and appraise the role and significance of these factors in the business context.

2. Explain how theory informs the stages involved in the strategic management process.

3. Evaluate how certain factors influence an organisation's strategy and explain and critically appraise how strategic decisions might impact various levels of an organization.

4. Explain and critically appraise the role of environmental analysis, innovation, entrepreneurship, and business ethics in the development of strategy.

5. Critically appraise the strategic choices of a range of different business organisations with reference to relevant sources.

Introduction:

The world of business is rapidly changing and becoming more international. As businesses internationalise, they face a great many opportunities and challenges, and they must be aware of the impact of robotics and artificial intelligence on the way that they operate. In light of this, businesses need to conduct an environmental analysis and innovate into new products or services that are appropriate for the international environment. They must also understand the importance of business ethics in international operations. In addition to these operational factors, businesses face challenges as how to market their goods and services when they enter international markets.

Task:

You should select two companies to be the focus of your research. While you can pick any two companies adjusting to internationalisation, it is recommended that they be from the same industry and that they are operating in the same geographic region or country. Your research and analysis must be appropriate for whatever two companies you choose. The companies must not have originated in your home country but may now be operating there. You should conduct research to find out how they have developed their international operations; your research will then be presented as a report.

Structure:

There are six sections of the report to be completed:

Section I: Introduction (max 200 words): Introducing the companies the report is written for; identifying the country/region and industry involved; outlining the purpose of the report.

1. Explain the purpose of the report.

2. Introduce Company A.

3. Introduce Company B.

4. Describe the industry that the companies are involved in.

5. Identify the specific area/region that each company expanded into.

Section II: International Development (max 600 words): Explain why the companies have entered a particular international market by using suitable models of internationalisation to analyse their choice of country.

1. Explain Company A's main drivers for internationalisation.

2. These drivers can be linked to elements of the PESTLE framework as applicable.

3. Complete a Porter's Diamond's analysis of Company A related to the country or region that it entered.

4. Explain Company B's main drivers for internationalisation.

5. These drivers can be linked to elements of the PESTLE framework as applicable.

6. Complete a Porter's Diamond's analysis of Company B related to the country or region that it entered.

Section III: Business Challenges (max 600 words): Explain and critically analyse, using appropriate theoretical concepts, how the companies met the challenges of new environments in terms of barriers and risks, entry modes, and innovation.

1. Explain using appropriate models the extent to which Company A met challenges of barriers and risks, entry modes, and innovation in their new environment.

2. Critically analyse how Company A has responded to these challenges.

3. Explain (using the same model(s) used for Company A) the extent to which Company B met the challenges of barriers and risks, entry modes, and innovation in their new environment.

4. Critically analyse how Company B has responded to these challenges.

Section IV: Factor evaluation (max 600 words): Evaluate how specific factors have influenced the two companies' strategies and explain how strategic decisions might impact on various levels within the organisation. This will require you to critically appraise the strategic decisions that have been made.

1. Critically appraise how one or more applicable factors such as Diversification (Ansoff Matrix), Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Corporate Social Responsibility and/or Market Segmentation and the Marketing Mix have influenced Company A's strategic decisions.

2. Evaluate how the factors you have appraised could have impacted on different organisational levels within Company A.

3. Critically appraise how one or more applicable factors such as Diversification, Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Corporate Social Responsibility and/or Market Segmentation and the Marketing Mix have influenced Company B's strategic decisions.

4. Evaluate how the factors you have appraised could have impacted on different organisational levels within Company B.

Section V: Conclusion (max 200 words): The final part of your report is a conclusion where you summarise key points in your report and reach a conclusion on your critical appraisal of the strategic choices that both companies have made.

1. Critically appraise the strategic choices made by Company A.

2. Reach a conclusion about the strategic choices made by Company A.

3. Critically appraise the strategic choices made by Company B.

4. Reach a conclusion about the strategic choices made by Company B.

Section VI: Reference list

8 academic references, including 4 peer-reviewed journals.