MGMT 3031 – Business Strategy

Assessment 1: Individual GRADED Q&A DISCUSSION (35%)

Strategic stability, niche positioning, and organisational structure alignment form the foundation of this MGMT 3031 graded discussion assessment focused on applied business strategy decision-making.

Welcome to the first graded assessment for MGMT3031 – Business Strategy & Policy. This graded discussion forum provides you with the opportunity to demonstrate your understanding of strategic management concepts, apply theory to a practical case scenario, and earn up to 35% of your final course grade.

The discussion format mirrors how strategic analysis is often communicated in professional and advisory settings, where clarity, justification, and concise reasoning are essential.

Task 1: Your Discussion Questions

CASE STUDY: Strategic Stability in a Niche-Dominated Market

In St. Lucia, Heritage Logistics Services (HLS) is a medium-sized firm that has operated successfully for over fifteen years in a specialised logistics and transportation niche. The company focuses exclusively on secure transport and equipment handling for government agencies and regulated organisations.

The firm’s long operational history provides a useful context for examining long-term strategic consistency rather than rapid growth or diversification.

Unlike many competitors, HLS has deliberately chosen not to expand its service offerings, instead refining internal processes, strengthening operational controls, and maintaining close relationships with a small number of high-value clients. This focused strategy has resulted in stable revenues, low staff turnover, and strong operational efficiency.

Such outcomes are commonly associated with strategic stability approaches discussed in foundational strategy literature.

However, recent changes in the external business environment have raised concerns among senior management, including:

• Increased regulatory requirements affecting transportation and security services
• Technological changes influencing logistics tracking and reporting
• Heightened expectations from government clients for transparency and accountability

These environmental shifts introduce uncertainty that may test the sustainability of previously effective strategic choices.

Internally, HLS operates using a highly centralised functional structure, with most strategic decisions made by senior management. While this structure has ensured control and consistency, some managers believe it may limit organisational flexibility as environmental uncertainty increases.

This tension between control and adaptability is a recurring theme in organisational design theory.

You have been appointed as a Strategic Management Advisor and are required to assess the firm’s strategic position using ONLY concepts covered in Units 1–3 of the course.

Limiting analysis to early course frameworks ensures conceptual depth rather than breadth.

Discussion Questions

1. Identify and discuss the MOST appropriate type of strategy currently being followed by Heritage Logistics Services. In your response:
   • Clearly identify and define the strategy type
   • Explain how this strategy is reflected in the firm’s long-term behaviour
   • Use specific examples from the case study to support your discussion

   Responses should demonstrate accurate use of strategic management terminology introduced in Units 1–3.

2. a. Identify the MOST appropriate organizational structure for Heritage Logistics Services given its current operating environment.

   b. Identify ONE (1) limitation of this structure and propose ONE (1) strategy to mitigate this limitation

   The proposed mitigation strategy should remain realistic within the constraints of HLS’s size and regulatory context.

3. Using ONE (1) external environmental assessment tool, analyze the key opportunities and threats facing Heritage Logistics Services in the St. Lucian context.Your response should clearly explain how the selected tool helps managers understand and respond to external environmental forces.

   Application should reflect the specific regulatory and institutional environment of St. Lucia rather than a generic global analysis.

Instructions for Your Submission

Your total response to all three questions must NOT exceed 800 words (references excluded).

Effective responses balance depth of analysis with concise academic writing.

Your response must be posted directly in the provided discussion forum.

Attachments are NOT permitted.

You must reply to the initial discussion topic posted by your Course Instructor, Mrs. Sheralin Monrose-Gustave, to submit your work.

APA 7 citations and references are mandatory.

Use Standard English, with correct grammar and spelling throughout your response.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Usage Guidelines

This assessment follows AI Usage Level 2 – Planning

Students MAY use AI tools to:

• Brainstorm ideas and clarify concepts from Units 1–3
• Improve grammar, sentence structure, and clarity of expression

Students MUST NOT use AI tools to:

• Generate full answers or analytical paragraphs
• Produce case analysis or application of theory on their behalf

All submissions will be reviewed for AI usage. Excessive AI-generated content may result in academic penalties.

Students are encouraged to reflect critically on how AI supports learning without replacing original analysis.

Instructions for Turnitin Submission – Graded Discussion

Before posting your final initial response to the graded discussion forum, you are required to submit it to Turnitin for plagiarism and AI detection review.

Submit only your final initial response to Turnitin (do not include peer replies).

You are allowed a maximum of three (3) submissions to Turnitin.

Submit early to allow time for revisions if required.

Only post to the discussion forum after completing the Turnitin review process.

Aim for a Similarity Index of 25% or less.

SI scores above 25% will be flagged and may attract penalties.

Failure to submit your initial response to Turnitin will result in an automatic penalty.

Task 2: Engage with Your Peers

Respond meaningfully (200–300 words each) to two (2) peers.

Use the Reply link under each peer’s post.

Peer responses should extend discussion, provide insight, or respectfully challenge ideas.

Please note

• This is a Q&A discussion forum. You must submit your response before viewing others’ posts.
• Peer responses may take up to 30 minutes to become visible.
• Avoid last-minute submissions.
• Be analytical, creative, and professional.

Heritage Logistics Services demonstrates a strategic stability approach characterised by a sustained focus on a narrow service domain and long-term client relationships. The firm’s deliberate avoidance of diversification aligns with niche strategy principles that prioritise operational efficiency and risk control over rapid expansion. A centralised functional structure supports this approach by reinforcing standardisation and regulatory compliance, although it may constrain responsiveness to technological change. External pressures such as evolving government accountability requirements highlight the importance of structured environmental scanning tools like PESTLE analysis. Strategic management literature consistently links stable strategies with predictable environments, while cautioning that rigidity can amplify risk when external conditions shift (Johnson, Scholes & Whittington, 2020, https://www.pearson.com/en-gb/subject-catalog/p/exploring-strategy/P200000003179/9781292353552).

Academic References

• Johnson, G., Scholes, K. & Whittington, R. (2020) Exploring Strategy. 12th edn. Harlow: Pearson. Available at: https://www.pearson.com/en-gb/subject-catalog/p/exploring-strategy/P200000003179/9781292353552
• Grant, R.M. (2019) Contemporary Strategy Analysis. 10th edn. Hoboken: Wiley. Available at: https://www.wiley.com/en-us/Contemporary+Strategy+Analysis-p-9781119495727
• Barney, J.B. & Mackey, A. (2021) ‘Text and metatext in the resource-based view’, Human Resource Management Journal, 31(3), pp. 623–638. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1111/1748-8583.12346
• Wheelen, T.L., Hunger, J.D., Hoffman, A.N. & Bamford, C.E. (2018) Strategic Management and Business Policy. 15th edn. Boston: Pearson.