Scenario: As a member of the Marketing Department, you have been given the task of preparing a report for the main board of the Sony Corporation. The report must be written in a professional manner and properly referenced. The report should comply with the word count of 2000 words (± 10%). You may use tables and diagrams to support your report and to illustrate the text. Word count excludes the index, headings, information contained in tables, references and bibliography.

Case Study for Task 2

Following the analysis you have carried out in Task 1, you are required to produce a report which addresses the following elements:

a) Analyse and evaluate four key options that the Sony Corporation could adopt when considering its future strategy. These options are:

1. Market entry

2. Substantive growth

3. Limited growth

4. Retrenchment (LO3.1)

b) Justify your selection (LO3.2)

c) Assess the roles and responsibilities of Sony staff (functions or individuals, as appropriate) who are directly involved in strategy implementation. (LO4.1)

d) Analyse the estimated resource requirements that Sony will need to identify and allocate if it is to implement the new strategy you have recommended. (LO4.2)

e) Evaluate the contribution of SMART objectives which Sony could employ to help it to achieve its overall strategic implementation. You may consider a number of approaches, including the balanced score card approach. (LO4.3)

To achieve M3 the work you present will be presented in suitable business formats and will use appropriate business terminology accurately, in line with the scenario described in the case study. To achieve D1 you must show that you have evaluated the strategies you have presented in your assignment, such that they are clearly identified in order of importance (as selected by you) in relation to the future success of the company in the case study. To achieve D2 you will have demonstrated an effective approach to independent research and study, and you will have presented your recommendations in an appropriate business format. To achieve D3 you will have drawn conclusions which identify the links between the planning and the implementation of a global strategy for the company cited in the case study. To achieve this you must show that convergent and lateral thinking has been applied to problems and that innovation and creative thought have been applied to your work.