BUS310 Branches TMA Summer 2023

Arab Open University
Faculty of Business Studies

BUS310: Strategic Management: Creating Competitive Advantages
Summer 2022-2023
Team Work –Tutor Marked Assignment,
All - Branches
(Due date: TBA by VPAA)
1. TMA Topic overview: Strategic Analysis for an Institution/Organization
 The essence of strategic management is the study of why some firms outperform others.
Managers need to know how to compete and secure a competitive advantage over a
lengthy period and to practice several strategic tools and models are used. How useful
these strategic tools and models in helping decision-makers at organizations to make a
better decision is a noteworthy question for investigation.
2. TMA Requirements/Components
 This TMA is a team-based assignment and it accounts for 15% of the total grade
assigned to the course distributed as follows: 10% for essay report and 5% for in-class
presentation.
 Each team should consist between 2-3students. TMA is divided into two complementary
parts namely, essays report and presentation. For essay report, each team is required to
select a team leader. Only the team leader should upload the TMA essay part to the
LMS. This is a very important requirement in order to avoid similarities. Names of all the
team members should be on the pt3 form, including the name of the team leader. Team
members will receive the same mark on the TMA essay paper. It is highly important that
team to use the pt3 form provided on the LMS for this specific TMA.
 For class presentation, each team will conduct a presentation for TMA to the class based
on the relevant submitted essay report to tutor and accordingly; should prepare
PowerPoint slides to use them during presentation. The PowerPoint presentation should
reflect on the most important points discussed in the essay submitted and should
demonstrate a good level of understanding by being capable to handle respective
questions from both the instructor and students.
 Tutor decides time allowed for presentation, Q&A and discussion. Team members should
contribute equally. Accordingly, team members will receive the same mark on the
PowerPoint presentation, given they have shown up and they have balanced participation
in the presentation, otherwise tutor can assign different grades to team members. Any
team members who do not show up or participate in the presentation will receive a Zero
grade on the presentation part.
 Submitted work copied from or written jointly with others is not acceptable. Submitting
work done by someone else and persistent borrowing of other people’s work without
citation are obvious instances of plagiarism/cheating. At AOU, plagiarism is a serious
offence and disciplinary procedures will be taken, as described under the Examination
Policy of the AOU. Cases of plagiarism will receive a mark of “Zero” on the assignment.
Copy and paste-plagiarized work will be detected by Urkund. Similarity should not
exceed 30%
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 TMA answers should be in ESSAY (discussion) format, bullet points and numbering not
allowed. You should present a well-structured and organized piece of work that is of your
own.
 Word count should be exact with 10% (More/less) tolerance.
 You must acknowledge all sources of information using Harvard Style Referencing (In-
text referencing plus list of references at the end). Minimum of three references are
required. TMA MUST include E-library and course materials. You should avoid using
Wikipedia as a reference.
 Strictly use the PT3 form accompanying this TMA.
N.B-1: Grades deduction will be implemented if you do not comply with the following criteria:
 Proper referencing (Harvard style referencing) - Deductions could be up to 5 grades.
 Essay format/Presentation (including Pt#3 form) - Deductions could be up to 5 grades.
 Adherence to specified word count – Deductions could be up to 5 grades.
 Use of the E-library/External resources – Deductions could be up to 5 grades.
N.B-2: TMA is meant to respond to recommendations given by EE to encourage and develop
greater critical analytical skills especially at level 6, by encouraging you as students to read
more widely and to reflect on the application of the course theories and concepts
3. Analyzing an organization
-It is advisable to use publicly available information to begin your analysis: the organization's
Web site is often the best starting point. Remember, however, that you are using the Web site as
a source of data for the analysis; do not simply copy material off the Web site. Your assignment
is an analysis, not a data-dump. (N.B. You should check with your tutor that no other team
had selected the same organization for the TMA).
-You will need to interview at least one member of the organization (either a current member or
one who has recently left it). It can be very useful to make an initial contact with your informant
early in the research process, to ensure that the person is indeed willing to talk with you. You
will find the informant most useful, however, after you have done the preliminary work with the
publicly available materials.
-The purpose of this TMA is to develop your ability to use the conceptual frameworks and tools
from the BUS310 course since this TMA is to assess your ability in understanding, and
application of the course materials and ideas as well as your reflection and critical thinking. It is
intended to test your ability to argue relevantly and to justify a point of view besides,
constructing, defending and evaluating an argument, using relevant evidence and giving reasons
for conclusions.
B2B E-Commerce
The development of B2B ecommerce has been a major driver of economic growth and
innovation over the past two decades. B2B ecommerce refers to the buying and selling of
goods and services between businesses. This type of e-commerce has revolutionized the way
businesses interact, allowing for faster, more efficient transactions and a greater variety of
products and services. The development of B2B ecommerce has been driven by a number of
factors, including the rise of the internet, the emergence of mobile technology, and the
increasing availability of online payment systems. The internet has allowed businesses to
reach a much larger customer base, while mobile technology has enabled customers to shop
from anywhere at any time. Online payment systems have made it easier for customers to
make purchases, and have allowed businesses to accept payments from different businesses in
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different countries. The development of B2B ecommerce has been driven by the emergence of
new business models, such as subscription-based services, marketplace platforms, and digital
marketplaces. These new business models have allowed businesses to offer customers more
options and better prices, while also providing them with more control over their purchases. In
addition, the development of B2B ecommerce has been driven by the emergence of new
technologies, such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and block chain. These
technologies have enabled businesses to automate processes, improve customer service, and
provide customers with more personalized experiences. Overall, the development of B2B
ecommerce has been a major driver of economic growth and innovation over the past two
decades. It has allowed businesses to reach a much larger customer base, while also providing
business with more options and better prices. It has also enabled businesses to automate
processes, improve service, and provide more personalized experiences. Finally, it has allowed
businesses to shop from anywhere at any time and has made it easier for them to make
purchases.
 Based on your understanding of previously mentioned highlights, you are requested
to select a company that do B2B ecommerce in the world or in your region to
conduct your research, study, and analysis.
 By referring to your chosen company, you should answer the following three
questions in an essay format:
Q1. Critically discuss the key important factors and forces of B2B ecommerce industry
environment that affect the chosen company choice of strategy. From your own perspective,
what actions should your chosen company do to keep its competitive advantage alive? (Include
data/facts to support your opinion) (35 marks-850 words).
Q2. Based on your findings in question 1, critically evaluate the key resources, capabilities, core
competences and knowledge available for the chosen company to successfully compete within its
boundary and sustain a competitive advantage?
As a strategist, what recommendations would you suggest helping the company to sustain its
competitive advantage? (35 marks-850 words).
Q3. Critically evaluate the chosen company Corporate and Business–Level strategies components
in response to the challenges of B2B ecommerce locally and globally. (Include facts/facts to
support your opinion) (30 marks - 500 words)
-End of Questions-
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Faculty of Business Studies

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