MRSDS
T4 Case study - TOPCIMA
Strategic Analysis
N Retailer
Nick Best with www.astranti.com
Welcome
Welcome to Nick Best’s T4 Case Study strategic analysis
For those of you who don’t know me, I’ve tutored TOPCIMA for BPP, Kaplan, First
Intuition and Reed Business School, am the author of the official CIMA T4 learning system, on which I worked together with one of the TOPCIMA examiners, and now work for Astranti Financial Training on their TOPCIMA Courses.
For Mock Exams on the latest case, and a range of other TOPCIMA information visit www.astranti.com Introduction to the case
The retail industry is the focus for the latest T4 Case Study. That will no doubt be a relief to many of you, as it is an industry which is very familiar to us all.
We’ve all been to and shopped in department stores and have at least a little knowledge of N’s competitors (in the UK companies like Debenhams, John
Lewis, House of Fraser and Marks and Spencer. This should also make finding industry examples (necessary for the diversity marks) very easy to find. What a relief after the Vehicle Maintenance industry last time around!
The case company N Retailer was a successful company operating internationally, but has struggled to be successful over recent years, with more dynamic competitors and the insurgence of internet retailing into the market. With the European economies continuing to face difficulties, N is facing a challenging future.
There is a new CEO however who has been charged with turning the business around – and it is in this context that we must advise the business on the key issues it now faces; as will be revealed on exam day.
Strategic analysis – the rational model
This analysis uses the rational planning model of strategic analysis, summarised in the following diagram
Governance
& Ethics
Business Environment
PEST
5 Forces
S W
NOW
O T
Internal
analysis
Business Strategy
Generic strategies
Ansoff’s matrix
Method of
Strategic Analysis
N Retailer
Nick Best with www.astranti.com
Welcome
Welcome to Nick Best’s T4 Case Study strategic analysis
For those of you who don’t know me, I’ve tutored TOPCIMA for BPP, Kaplan, First
Intuition and Reed Business School, am the author of the official CIMA T4 learning system, on which I worked together with one of the TOPCIMA examiners, and now work for Astranti Financial Training on their TOPCIMA Courses.
For Mock Exams on the latest case, and a range of other TOPCIMA information visit www.astranti.com Introduction to the case
The retail industry is the focus for the latest T4 Case Study. That will no doubt be a relief to many of you, as it is an industry which is very familiar to us all.
We’ve all been to and shopped in department stores and have at least a little knowledge of N’s competitors (in the UK companies like Debenhams, John
Lewis, House of Fraser and Marks and Spencer. This should also make finding industry examples (necessary for the diversity marks) very easy to find. What a relief after the Vehicle Maintenance industry last time around!
The case company N Retailer was a successful company operating internationally, but has struggled to be successful over recent years, with more dynamic competitors and the insurgence of internet retailing into the market. With the European economies continuing to face difficulties, N is facing a challenging future.
There is a new CEO however who has been charged with turning the business around – and it is in this context that we must advise the business on the key issues it now faces; as will be revealed on exam day.
Strategic analysis – the rational model
This analysis uses the rational planning model of strategic analysis, summarised in the following diagram
Governance
& Ethics
Business Environment
PEST
5 Forces
S W
NOW
O T
Internal
analysis
Business Strategy
Generic strategies
Ansoff’s matrix
Method of