SM9689 Responsible Strategy Assessment Brief 2026 | Northumbria University, Singapore

SM9689 Assessment Brief

Instructions on Assessment

For Part 1 Individual assignment you are required to produce a 2000-word (+/-10%) report based on the following tasks:

Select a company from the list of companies provided on the module eLP. Evaluate the strategic development of your selected organisation through the corporate social responsibility and sustainability lens using a range of suitable frameworks introduced and discussed throughout the course of the module. This will include theories, models and frameworks from the field of strategic management, business ethics and responsible organisational contexts.

Your assignment must follow the following structure:

1. An introduction

This section introduces the content of the assignment and the company. It briefly outlines the organisation’s strategic position within their industry. We recommend that you do not use more than 100 words for this section. [5%]

2. A three-horizons analysis

Using a three-horizons framework discuss the company’s existing, emerging and prospective activities shaping the future of the organisation and its potential development. Drawing upon the value chain and resource-based view discuss the company’s sources of competitive advantage. Which of the company’s competencies and/or dynamic capabilities do contribute the most to its responsible and sustainable development and future? Use a range of scholarly sources, debates and frameworks to conduct a critical analysis. (aprox 800 words) [40%]

3. Stakeholder Assessment

Evaluate how responsible the strategic direction of the organisation has been from the point of view of its key stakeholders. Discuss how the organisation tackled various corporate social irresponsibility (CSIR) acts it committed over the past 10 years and which stakeholder groups were affected the most by the company’s misconduct/s. Discuss whether the organisation has done enough to rectify the damages caused to its key stakeholders and whether and how the company invested into building and strengthening these relationships for future success. For this part of the analysis, you are welcome to use suitable CSR and CSI frameworks introduced and discussed throughout the course of the module (approx. 800 words) [40%]

4. Drawing upon the overall analysis, propose a suitable strategic direction for the company to make it more responsible, sustainable and ethical both short-term and long-term. The recommendations proposed for the company’s strategic development should be assessed against SAF (Suitability, Acceptability, and Feasibility) criteria and grounded in practical considerations (aprox 300 words) [15%]

For Part 2 of the assignment, which is a Group Presentation, you are required to prepare a group presentation.

In a group of (3-5 people) you are required to prepare a 10-minute recorded presentation. As management consultants you have been hired by a company that has been struggling to integrate CSR into its business functions and operations. You will be required to conduct research into your selected organisation and prepare a plan of how the organisation can develop and integrate or improve its CSR in one of its business functions. Recommendations provided would help the organisation to become a more socially responsible and sustainable business.

Please note: Your group must select an organisation by yourselves for the assignment. You are not allowed to use any of the companies provided for the Part A of the assignment.

Your team will produce a 10-minute recorded presentation (i.e. a powerpoint with a recorded voiceover submitted as a recorded video file) and should include:

1. An introduction to the team and each member’s specific responsibilities for this task.

2. An introduction to the company outlining its key business specialisation, industry and strategic developments.

3. An overview of the organisation’s approach to CSR with specific examples related to a specific business function. Students are required to provide evidence that their chosen company is struggling to integrate CSR and identify main problems contributing to this challenge.

4. A plan with recommendations outlining the steps the organisation can/should take to become more socially responsible, ethical and sustainable.

5. A reference list that includes all the sources used in conducting your research and presentation.

Mapping to Programme Goals and Objectives 

Module Level Objectives

Knowledge & Understanding:

MLO1: Appreciate and critically evaluate strategic opportunities and challenges within a complex global business context.

MLO2: Evaluate the wider impact of strategic business decisions on social, economic and environmental contexts.

Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:

MLO3: Make theoretically and empirically informed arguments about the nature of responsible business.

Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):

MLO4: Reflect on your interpersonal communication skills and with ability to work within multi-cultural teams.

Programme (Level) Learning Outcomes that this module contributes to

Knowledge and Understanding (K&U):

6.1.1 Appraise knowledge of contemporary professional practice in business and management informed by theory and research.

6.1.2 Appraise knowledge of business and management to complex problems in or related to professional practice in order to identify justifiable, sustainable and responsible solutions.

Intellectual / Professional Skills & Abilities (IPSA):

6.2.1 Evaluate effective interpersonal communication skills and the ability to work in multi-cultural teams.

Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural Awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):

6.1.3 Appraise an awareness of the cultural and ethical contexts in which international business operates.