Strategic Management
PLEASE READ THE WHOLE DESCRIPTION BEFORE WRITING! THANKS.
Based on a financial services organisation (FSO) of your choice, produce a report for
senior management that identifies, places in context and evaluates:
(a) the formal planning systems which support the deliberate process
of strategy development in the context of your chosen FSO; and (50 marks)
(b) the role of the strategic leader(s) in the development of strategy in
your chosen FSO. (50 marks)
Note: Your answer should include a brief background to the
chosen FSO, including its customer base, turnover and products /
services. This information should be submitted as an appendix of
a maximum of one side of A4. It does not form part of the word
count and no marks will be awarded for its content.
(Total ñ 100 marks)
***Please do not do the appendix for me. I have prepared it already. Just focus on answering the questions (Part a and Part b) itself. For the structure, I would like it to be “executive summary”, then “answer to part a”, “answer to part b”, and finally the “conclusion”.
Throughout the essay, please always start answering with definitions. Please explain any underlying assumptions as well (i.e. inflation, LIBOR, Base Rate, GDP, Fin-tech competition)
I want the whole thing as ONE report, do not give me as TWO. thanks.
The FSO that I would like to use, would be HSBC UK!!!!!
Formal planning system:
1. Intended Strategy Development vs. Emergent Strategy Development
Intended — can be associated with individuals (design, vision, command), formalized strategic planning process.
Emergent — logical incrementalism, resource allocations process, organizational politics, cultural processes
2. Start from mission and vision
3. Then Strategic Objective
4. Planning Cycle
5. Who is involved in doing it / how is it done/ when would it be reviewed?
6. mission/vision –> internal/external environments –> setting corporate level objectives –> disseminate information (+planning cycle, emergent strategies, externally imposed strategies)
Strategic Development Process:
1. How do organisations initiate or commence Strategic Development?
2. Key Personnel: Top management, Strategic Planners, Middle Managers, Strategic Consultants, Strategic Workshops, Project Teams, cross-functional communications.
Please add in PESTLE, SWOT, PORTER’S 5 FORCES…. these kind of theories into the essay, but not doing the analysis itself. It can be just like “HSBC uses PESTLE to analysis the commercial environment. Due to Legal reasons, they have set up XYZ Policy….”
Focus the piece on corporate planning, setting out financial/strategic targets.
The examiner is NOT expecting names within the role, but expect the role title and its work duty. The examiner is NOT an insider of HSBC, same as us, so within suitable amount of making up things, that’s accepted. But obviously not too much.
Try to fit in Ocean Blue Thinking theories.
Definitions that you might need:
Strategic Planning Cycle :
Vision/Mission –> Objectives –> Planning –> Implementation –> Evaluation –> Back to stage one….
Stretegic Management Process :
Strategic Analysis/Position –> Strategic Implementation –> Strategic Choice
Strategic Management Toolkit:
Strategy Lenses, SWOT, PESTEL, Porter’s 5 Forces, Value Chain, Life Cycle Analysis, BCG Matrix, Ansoff Matrix,
Environmental Change and Strategic Drift!!
Green Issues within Banking : Social Responsibility and Sustainability
Strategic Groups and Market Segments:
Strategic Groups : Industry-based organisations which compete on similar stratgies or competing bases. (i.e. Ford vs. Porsche)
Market Segments : Grouping of customers who demonstrate similar needs.
McKinsey’s 7S Model : Internal Analysis
Bowman’s Clock : Bases of Competitive Advantages and Perception
Hyper-competition
Corporate Level Strategy : Portfolio Manager, Synergy Manager, Parental Manager!!
Corporate Parenting : Value added and Value Destroying
Innovation, Mergers and Acquisitions
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