A Strategic Position Analysis of an Organisation in the Fast Fashion Industry 

Introduction
In this assessment, you will identify a key player in the fast fashion sector. After selecting a company of your choice, you will determine the strategic position of the company and make recommendations to implement a sustainable strategy.

Background
The fast fashion industry is responsible for depleting resources at an alarming rate. A T-shirt requires 2,700 litres of water, and a pair of jeans 10,000 during its production cycle. Between 80 and 100 billion clothes items are produced every year.

Scenario
Following the successful completion of your Masters degree course, you have secured a strategy consultant job in a top-tier consultancy firm. You are attending the first meeting with your team. Your line manager asks you to introduce yourself to colleagues and share your passion for strategy and sustainability. You explain how future business winners need to implement today sustainable strategies for tomorrow.

Task
Enthused by what you enthusiastically conveyed about sustainable strategy, your line manager is keen to test your strategic planning skills. Your manager asks you to select an organisation of your choice in the fast fashion industry.

Given that the report is going to be shared with the senior management team, the line manager suggests the following structure for your report.
● Title (not included in the word count)
● Executive summary (not included in the word count)
● Table of contents (not included in the word count)
● Introduction
● Strategic Position Analysis
o External (Opportunities and Threats)
o Internal (Strengths and Weaknesses)
● SMART recommendations for a sustainable strategy
● Reference list (not included in the word count)
● Appendix (not included in the word count)

You are expected to research relevant information about the sector and the company of your choice. You are encouraged to use frameworks and models stemming from the lecture, textbook and academic sources covered in the module. You should use diagrams and tables as much as possible to illustrate your core ideas. Tables and diagrams are not included in the word count. Chapters 2, 3 and 4 from Exploring Strategy: Text and Cases might be useful to perform the strategic position analysis, as well as content from the lectures and tutorials.

The total word count of your answers to both questions must be 2,000 words and it must comply with the guidelines provided here:
- Introduction and background section: 200 words
- Question 1: 800 words
- Question 2: 800 words
- Conclusion: 200 words

The word limit for Part A does not include the cover page, reference list, and appendices. This is subject to a ±10% allowance to the allocated word count. Where a submission exceeds the stated word limit (allowing for the +10%), the maximum grade awarded will be P1. Appendices can be useful to provide additional information from your analysis, but you must incorporate the key analytical arguments into the main body of your answer.

Additional Guidance
The introduction should set the scene and explain the need to perform this strategic position analysis. Relevant figures and data should be used to reinforce the background. The introduction should present an overview of the report.

Question 1 focuses on the external part of the strategic analysis. All elements from the external environment influencing the organisation’s strategy should be considered and segmented into opportunities and threats. You are advised to support your analysis using relevant frameworks and evidence stemming from your own research.

Question 2 focuses on the internal part of the strategic analysis. All elements associated with the internal focus of the organisation should be considered and segmented into strengths and weaknesses. You are advised to support your analysis using relevant frameworks and evidence stemming from your own research.

The conclusion should recommend a clear strategy for a sustainable future for this organisation in the agricultural and food sector. The recommendations should be Specific Measurable Achievable Relevant and Time-bound (SMART).

A good piece of work is attractively styled and logically structured, with a high standard of written English. Do not cut and paste phrases or paragraphs from published material without citing your sources. You should seek to use your own words to explain concepts and theories while acknowledging the work of other scholars.
You are strongly advised to support your statements with evidence, doing this via in-text citations and adding a list of references. Ideally, you will cite 15+ sources within the text. This section does not count towards your word limit for the assignment.

⮚ Assessment marking criteria and feedback sheet for Part A