BLM103L Strategic Management Assessment Brief 2026 | Aston University

2.0 Assessment Overview

Assessment Mode (What do I need to produce at the end?)

a. Assignment 001 requires you to prepare, present and report your strategic analysis of the The Strategy Experience [TSE] simulation company ‘WRSX’, in the form of a summary strategic business plan for a three to five-year period.
b. This is a group-working assignment to which all group members are required to contribute. One aggregate mark for part A (presentation) and B (written report) will be given, along with the written feedback via Blackboard VLE.
c. This assignment is weighted at 40% of the available module marks.

Task Description (What do I have to do for this assessment?)

Your Part A presentation and Part B report should succinctly address the following issues:

a. Key environment and industry conditions and trends
b. WRSX strategic capabilities and competitive positioning
c. Defining and evaluating strategic options and priorities
d. Setting quantified objectives for financial and non-financial key performance indicators? e. Implementation plans for achieving those KPI targets

Submission Instructions (When and Where do I submit?)

Part A slide presentation to be a maximum of 7 slides, including titles; in PowerPoint or PDF. A minimum of two presenters from each group. Duration between 7 and 10 minutes. Note:

a. It is not necessary for all group members to present, but all members must participate in the analysis and preparation of the presentation and the Part (B) report.

b. a copy of the slides to be provided to the class tutor as an email attachment (not a link), no later than 23:59 on the evening before presentation

The Part B report is to be submitted electronically (by just one member of each working group) through the group-work assessment area on BLM103L Blackboard. Guidance on how to submit can be found in this guide to submitting to Blackboard assignments.

a. Formatting: Arial, Calibri or similar Font; Size 12 point. Line Spacing: 1.5 note: wordcount excludes title, figures, references and appendices; but includes in-text citations

b. Groupwork contribution (peer review): All student members of a working group are required to acknowledge their contribution and sign the group participation sheet (sample attached to this assignment brief) which is to be submitted with the Part B report. Each student member must agree and acknowledge their contribution by signing the sheet. Any student who does not do so may be liable for a zero grade for this Assignment 001

c. Late submissions for Exceptional Circumstances (EC) are not permitted for these group- work coursework assignments

3.0 Purpose of Assessment

Link to Module Learning Outcomes

1. Critically assess the modern competitive environment.
2. Systematically assess the internal strengths and weaknesses of an organisation.
3. Analytically formulate and evaluate strategic options and make appropriate recommendations.
4. Critically apply core conceptual frameworks related to the analysis and development of corporate and competitive strategy.

Purpose of Assessment

This module encourages students to think effectively and act strategically. This assessment involves critical analyses, evaluation, and synthesis through application of academic theory and models/ frameworks to practical situations. Working within a team will give experience of strategic decision- making in challenging environments and how a collective strategic plan can be derived and agreed. That is likely to provide valuable experience for future professional management roles in business.

4.0 Feedback Expectations

When and where can I find my grades and feedback?

Staff will aim to return provisional marks for coursework assessments to students within 4 weeks of the submission deadline during term time.

For this assessment staff will aim to provide formative or summative feedback and/or provisional grades before students are required to submit Ass002 indivdual coursework

Any grades that you see outside of My Aston Portal (MAP) should be thought of as provisional. Only final Exam Board approved grades will appear in MAP. Feedback and provisional grades can be accessed in Blackboard for both Turnitin and Blackboard Assignments. [Select one of the following depending on your submission] – For Turnitin assignments, see our quide to accessing your Turnitin feedback. For all other types of assignment, use this Grades quide.

5.0 Assessment Top Tips

What further information and advice might help me to complete this task?

In addition to the Essential Reading in the module outline and Blackboard pages, it is vital that each student is conversant with The Strategy Experience [TSE] simulation (Learning Dynamics Ltd, via The Simulation Space), including industry and ‘WRSX company briefing papers and audio/video materials: https://learningdynamics.co.uk/the-strategy-experience-simulation/ Note: a non-transferable licence for TSE has purchased for each registered BLM103 student
Each student is required to log in and follow TSE self-study Phases 1 and 2; then engage in group- work preparation of a WRSX business plan (for this Ass001) and TSE Phase 3 (board meetings) prior to Ass002.

6.0 Assessment Criteria and Rubrics

What will my work be marked against?

Presentations and reports will be assessed for:

1. Appropriate application of theoretical models to case data
2. Convincing analysis and answers
3. Presentational style and clarity (including any referencing)

Assessment criteria are as per attached marking grid (Marking Guideline and Grading Scheme), which is also available on Blackboard.

Notes:

i) You are encouraged to make use of tables/figures in your assignments. However, please make sure that these are self-explanatory and/or that you provide a brief explanation on how to interpret them; also that you include key conclusions from the tables/figures in your text.

ii) References should be in the required Harvard style (see note on Ass002 assignment brief). You are not expected to include an extensive list of additional references beyond the relevant course readings: this assignment focuses on how well you can apply frameworks and tools, rather than requiring extensive literature research.

BLM103L Grading Criteria