WEEK 9

Week: 9 

In your own words and using referenced quotes describe what is meant in strategy by the ‘Resource-Based View’?

Simply strategy means the broad way action plan to achieve the organizational goal. It may be either short term or long term in nature. And strategy by the ‘Resource- based View’ means the idea that efficient and effective applications of the entire useful resources that the corporation can gather helps determine its competitive advantage. It’s the process of combining information together and making a firm different from other organization. Some advantages of resource based view strategy are as follow.

a.        It makes familiar with conceptual basis for competitive advantage.

b.      Provide proper responsibility for HR manager’s to implement a given competitive situation for producing strategic capability.

c.       Opportunities for organization to produce human capital by retaining and recruiting outstanding employees through detain the stock of brilliant talent human, underlying with productive potential.

d.      Isolating Mechanisms-attributes that create repetition complicated.(Akio T, 2005)

How might you undertake ‘Internal Strategic Analysis’? What models would you apply and why? Where would you go to find the information you need?

Based on type of organization, situation and environment the strategist move forward for internal strategic analysis. To make the proper analysis all the things need to be covered. The strategist can analysis the internal strategic by different way like value chain analysis, MC Kinsey Seven S Analysis, VRIN, strength and weakness etc.

Among many analytical tools I would select a MC Kinsey Seven S for internal strategic analysis because

a.       It helps to improve the organization’s performance.

b.       Many organizations examined and apply it because it facilitates us to understand issue of team effectiveness.

c.       Helps to determine maximum extend of utilized proposed strategy.

d.      It provides proper support for process and departments in time of acquisition or merger.

e.       Identify specific location in organization where functioning is not going well and gives idea for correction.(Mind tools, 2013)

For analysis i need a lot of relevant information to come an effective conclusion. So to collect information I would check record in database, each department record, sales record, past and present information, make query with related person, future plan, annual general meeting, customer service and website etc.

 Talk about your group video work. How is it going so far? Do you have a plan? What are you most worried about at the moment? What is going well?!

Our group video work is going very well. My team member includes Bijay, Ujwal, Nikhil, Nichal, Diphantchu and me myself Anil.  We have chosen Nike for our work. Looks like, we will have fun while making a group video presentation.

Currently we are researching for relevant information for presentation.

Yes we have a plan, with relevant information first of fall we are going to prepare a slide for presentation and we will be dividing a group member specifically with the contents topic. Finally we will be shooting a video and makes some editing part for attractiveness.

Currently we are worried about many things because of lack of experience for example collecting information, making effective slide, video shooting and editing. Despite of worried our research is going very well.

Reference

1.      Akio T, (2005) The Critical Assessment of Resources Based View of strategic analysis (online) http://www.ritsumei.ac.jp/acd/re/k-rsc/ras/04_publications/ria_en/03_8.pdf (Accessed on April 28 2013)

2.      Mind Tools, (2013) Strategy Tools (online) http://www.mindtools.com/pages/main/newMN_STR.htm (Accessed on April 27 2013)

WEEK 8

Week: 8 

The lists of competitor for Islington College are as follow

a.      Kings College

b.      NOVA College

c.       White house GSM College.

d.      International School of Management and Technology

e.       The British College

f.        Softwarica College

g.      Silver Mountain College.

h.      Presidential College

i.        Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU).

Porter’s 5 Forces Model for Islington College

a.       Threat of new entrants

Nowadays student prefer quality degree for their careers. And there are many colleges affiliated of international degree. Among them Islington is one of the college who provide international degree for Nepali student. As demand for international degree is increasing the number of college is also increasing gradually with different course degree though it’s not easy to start a college with international affiliation in Nepal. But in comparison, the increased in number of college is a kind of threat for Islington College.

b.      Bargaining Power of suppliers

Islington College is the supplier of London Metropolitan University of London. In Nepal for Islington College to run a international degree, they have to fulfill many requirements of government. To get a registration and a permit is also a very difficult task so there will be a high switching cost.

c.       Bargaining Power of Buyers

In case of Islington College the student will have a bargaining power. In today’s scenario many college is offering a similar kind of course and degree in Nepal. So, student have many choices to select the college for their career. In this way, student can take advantage of bargaining power of buyers.

d.      Threat of Substitutes Products or services

Online study and distance learning is widely flourishing in Nepal. Many colleges’ offers online and distance learning degrees with lower cost which perhaps is the substitute products to Islington College. In practical some few colleges doing a fake marketing for earning money is seen in Nepal. So the people must be aware of those colleges.

e.        Competitive Rivalry

Before for Islington college there was no competition in Nepal because it was a monopoly market of Islington. But now increase in number of college providing similar kind of course and degree is making a tough completion for Islington College. There are minimum 30 colleges in Nepal with similar kind of course and degree.

Strategic group may Islington College belong

                                                                

Strategic Grouping of Colleges

Key success Factors	Islington college Kathmandu, Nepal	ISMT college Kathmandu Nepal	British college Kathmandu, Nepal	KUSUM Kathmandu, Nepal.
Cost	High	Medium	High	Low
Brand	√	Improving	√	√
Quality	Increasing	Low	√	√
Human resources	Increasing	Medium	√	Medium
Facilities	Improving	Low	Low	Improving
Marketing Strategy	√	Increasing	Normal	√
Services	Improving	Normal	√	√

 Reference 

1.      Islington college (2013) online at www.islington.edu.np/‎ (Accessed on April 28 2013)

2.      Kings college (2013) online at www.kingscollege.edu.np (Accesses on April 27 2013)

3.      British college(2013) online at www.thebritishcollege.org.np (Accesses on April 27 2013)

4.      Whitehouse college (2013) online at www.whitehouse.edu.np (Accesses on April 27 2013)

WEEK 7

Week: 7 

                                                   

Introduction

Big mart Supermarket stands out as one of the most valuable brands in Nepalese supermarket industry in a very short span since its inception. The first store was launched on 10th July, 2009 in the finest mall of the country - City Centre Mall, Kamalpokhari, Kathmandu covering an area of 11,000 sq ft. It has been recognized for its innovation in introducing super marketing to the Nepalese market with a very different and organized approach. It stands out as being the first in Nepal to provide the VALUE & SAVINGS concept to its shoppers. (Big mart, 2013)

The PESTLE analyses of Big Mart are as follow

Political      

a.       The political instability of Nepal is directly affecting the Big Mart for day to day operation.

b.      Strike of different parties make unable for mart to open and meet the demand of customer.

c.       Political instability has direct influence in union of staff on mart. And make different unnecessary demand on the name of betterment.

d.      They are not able to expand their mart and also very hard to open a new branch.

e.       There is no any direct or indirect support from government to Big Mart.

f.       Big Mart collect product from domestic as well as international market. But in case of international market no subsidy and tax benefit is provided. 

Economic

a.       The overall economic for Big Mart refers to customer demand, customer satisfaction, government regulation etc,

b.      Big Mart has very tough competition with Bhatt Bhateni. In comparison, Bhatt Bhateni offers more products in number of branches in different part of country. So it’s very difficult for Big Mart to expand and have a loyal customer.

c.       Due to different political factor mart is not able to meet customer demand properly.

d.      Tough tax and subsidy lead Big Mart to high the price which directly effect on competition. In this scenario to mart can’t offer any discounts and gift to attract customers.

e.       The inflation in country affecting the mart externally and internally. Externally seems to increase price of product whereas internally seems increasing demand of employee union in terms of salary and facilities.

f.       Due to certain reason mart is not able to meet the demand of the entire customer they are high level, medium level and low level.

Social

a.       The taste and demand of customer varies on time so it’s very difficult for mart to make long term plans.

b.      The product that mart if offering should be authentic like if the product is expired than it’s a very disadvantage for the mart. Means while there will be bad rumors of mart in society result decreased in customer.

c.       The mart should manage there disposal properly. If not its very hard for mart to exist in that society.

d.      To meet the customer demand the mart must have knowledge of taste of every customer. Example in Nepal society, there are different people with different culture and religion. In time of occasion the mart must offer the product that is require for people of same culture.

e.       The mart must meet the life style and life standard of domestic people.

f.       The mart must contribute something positive for society. For example providing donation for educational program.

Technological

a.       The technology shows how advance and smart the business is. The mart must have similar or better technology than competitor.

b.      There is a specific department for IT in Big Mart. It assist to record consumer’s data and transition on there database and maintain supply chain order to run day to day operation activities and functioning well.

c.       The systems make direct effect on Big Mart decision. Like it helps to know the specific customer taste and preference as well as customer onion and ideas.

d.      The advance technology records the entire product in and out of the mart. And helps to make new order with supplier.

e.       The system helps to manage money properly. There is no chance of money leakages.

f.       Overall the system helps mart a lot to add value to the customer and provide better service to their customer.

Legal

a.       It includes all the rules and regulation made by the nation. In addition it has direct effect on organization.

b.      It includes like enlargement of minimum employee wages system, the foreword of age discrimination and other inducement and service has forced retailer business like Big Mart for cost increase.

c.       Any changes in legal sector may increase the price of the product and cause inflation.

d.      The competition law which is made to save small retailer business and confirm that there is no subsistence of monopoly in retail firm and consumers are not demolished from the monopoly power from the individual store.

e.       The consumer laws are made to look after the right of consumer next to the ambiguous and unfair practices.

f.       The health and safety laws are made to facilitate workers a protected and sound environment where they works using the safe products.

Environment

a.       There is a direct effect for Big Mart of environment like environment change, climate or weather condition.

b.      The mart need to make decision according to the environment like offering more umbrella in rainy season, offering more warm clothes in winter etc

c.       The mart must focus on using paper or renewable product then plastic to save the environment.

d.      The using technology and offering product should be environment friendly. And it’s better to organize the awareness program in society.

e.       The more they contribute to environment the more there brand value is added and gets positive feedback from customer as well as from government.

Reference

1.       Big mart, (2013) (online) www.bigmart.com.np, (Accessed on April 7, 2013)