Critically demonstrate strategic planning in the context of the financial industry. Critically explain how your selected organisation’s strategy fits with the various strategy definitions. BA6NB02O Business Strategy Summative Assessment 2 Assessment title
Individual Report
Submission date and time
Word Count (or equivalent)
2,500 words (+/- 10%)
Where to submit
Turnitin
Feedback date
15 working days after the deadline
Assessment Weighting
AI usage Guideline
AMBER: AI can be used in the assessment for brainstorming, creating structures, and generating ideas for improving work.
No AI Content is allowed in the Final submission.
Submitting, feedback & grades online using VLE Students should provide a completed assessment cover sheet with all essential details. This assessment should be submitted in electronic format via college systems on the VLE on or before the submission deadline. All late submissions will be capped to PASS. Students can view their feedback and grades by using the same submission link in the VLE.
Assessment Aim: This assessment will cover Learning Outcomes 4 and 5. This assessment aims to test your understanding of strategic planning for the financial industry, identify relevant challenges in this industry and recommend a justified remedy. It also aims to evaluate the position of wholesale/retail operations in financial sectors. It further aims to establish your conceptual views on different strategic option models. Finally, it aims to grade your standard of academic writing skills based on your critical analysis and evaluation of relevant aspects.
Assessment Descriptions: This assessment is for a formal report with a maximum word limit of 2,500 words (plus or minus 10%). Words in tables, diagrams and appendices, including reference lists, will not be counted. You should note that there may be penalties for assessment work which is over or under the permitted word count.
Note: Do not use the same organisation used in Assessment 1
Assessment Scenario: You are working as a Junior Management Consultant for a business consultancy firm that specialises in advising organisations within the UK financial services sector. A UK financial organisation of your choice has approached your consultancy to review its strategic position and assess its ability to remain competitive in an increasingly dynamic environment. The organisation is facing challenges such as technological disruption, changing customer expectations, increasing regulatory requirements, economic uncertainty, and growing competition from fintech companies and other financial service providers.
Senior management has requested a strategic report that examines the organisation`s current approach to strategic planning and evaluates whether its strategy aligns with recognised definitions of strategy in academic and professional literature. In addition, the organisation wants to gain a better understanding of the major challenges affecting the wider UK financial industry and identify practical solutions that can strengthen its competitive position.
As part of the review, management has also asked for an evaluation of the strategic differences between wholesale and retail financial activities in terms of their infrastructure, operations, and customer expectations. Furthermore, they require an assessment of strategic option models, such as the Ansoff Matrix and Rackoff Model, to determine how these frameworks can support strategic decision-making and future growth opportunities.
Your report should provide a critical, evidence-based analysis and offer justified recommendations that can support the organisation`s long-term sustainability and strategic success in the UK financial services industry and should cover the following questions.
Assessment Questions: You must answer all the following questions:
Critically demonstrate strategic planning in the context of the financial industry. Critically explain how your selected organisation’s strategy fits with the various strategy definitions. Research and identify the challenges encountered by the UK financial industry and recommend a justified solution. Critically evaluate the strategic differentiation between wholesale and retail financial activities (such as wholesale banking and retail banking) of your choice in terms of their infrastructure, operations, and customer expectations. Critically analyse the effectiveness and application of strategic option models (Such as Ansoff & Rackoff) through your financial organisation. Note:
The work presented should be well-referenced and include business-related examples used as evidence. The work should be well structured with evidence presented in a logical and clear structure with good use of language, cited and presented according to convention. Marks will be adjusted accordingly for good and poor work in this respect.
No.
Learning Outcomes
Marking Criteria
4
5
Identify an appropriate way to implement a chosen strategy.
Critically evaluate current and future strategies concerning their likely effectiveness.
Introduction – 5%
Knowledge and understanding and critical analysis of all four questions – 20 x4 = 80%
Conclusion – 5%
Structure & Harvard References -10%
Section
100–80% (Excellent – Level 6)
79–70% (Very Good)
69–60% (Good)
59–50% (Satisfactory)
49–40% (Marginal)
39–30% (Poor)
29–0% (Fail)
Introduction (5%)
Highly focused and conceptually strong introduction. Purpose, scope, and structure are critically framed and clearly contextualised within the subject area.
Clear and well-focused introduction with good contextualisation.
Appropriate introduction with clear purpose and structure.
Basic introduction with limited context or focus.
Weak introduction with vague purpose.
Poorly written or unclear introduction.
Missing or irrelevant introduction.
Knowledge, Understanding & Critical Analysis of Questions (20% × 4 = 80%)
Outstanding Level 6 performance demonstrating advanced subject knowledge, critical evaluation, synthesis of theory and evidence, and independent academic judgement across all four questions. Arguments are coherent, original, and supported by high-quality academic sources.
Very strong critical analysis with clear evaluation and good synthesis of literature across all questions.
Sound knowledge and understanding with some critical analysis and evaluation.
Mostly descriptive with limited critical depth and evaluation.
Basic understanding with minimal analysis and weak academic support.
Poor understanding with little or no critical engagement.
Insufficient, inaccurate, or missing responses to one or more questions.
Conclusion (5%)
Insightful and analytical conclusion synthesising key arguments across all four questions and demonstrating higher-level reflection.
Clear conclusion summarising key arguments effectively.
Appropriate conclusion addressing main issues.
Basic summary with limited synthesis.
Weak or repetitive conclusion.
Poor or unclear conclusion.
Missing or irrelevant conclusion.
Structure & Harvard References (10%)
Excellent academic structure and presentation. Flawless Harvard referencing with extensive use of high-quality, contemporary academic sources.
Very good structure with minor referencing errors.
Good structure with some referencing inconsistencies.
Adequate structure with noticeable referencing issues.
Weak structure and frequent Harvard errors.
Poor structure and incorrect referencing.
No clear structure and/or missing references.
Assessment Format Guidance: Title page – The details of the Module, your Name and ID number.
Contents page – Should be provided with page numbers.
Executive Summary: It contains a short statement that addresses the problem details in the attached documents and features background information and a concise analysis.
Introduction – The background, the context and the aim of the report. Starts on Page
Key Sections – As many as necessary in line with the assessment questions.
Summary and Conclusion – Overall findings of the investigation: the overall picture that has emerged and the implications.
References – Identification of literature and other sources used and referred to in the text. Ensure that all references are quoted at the end of any quotations, definitions and web-sourced materials.
Submission of a report without references will not be allowed.
*Do not provide appendices unless asked by the lecturer/research supervisor.
Employability Skills This assessment 2 covers the following employability skills, which you could demonstrate on your CV and at job interviews if you successfully pass the assessment:
Communication (written) Writing Critical thinking Problem solving Decision making Planning and organisation skills Industry / commercial awareness Global / cultural awareness (financial markets context) Reflective lifelong learning Ability to learn and adapt Initiative and self-motivation Intellectual curiosity Time management Working under pressure and to deadlines Integrity and accountability Confidence (evidenced through justified strategic judgement) Perseverance / resilience
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