LUBS1795 – The Contemporary Business Environment

LUBS1795 – The Contemporary Business Environment

University of Leeds | Leeds University Business School

🎯 Course Overview

This investigative module equips students with analytical tools to examine corporate strategies through six key perspectives. Using real-world case studies (e.g., Nike, Boohoo, Croda), we explore how companies navigate business environments, formulate strategies, and measure success in contemporary markets.

📅 Weekly Themes

  • Weeks 1-2: Macro/Micro Business Environment – PESTEL analysis, Porter’s Five Forces
  • Week 3: Company Objectives, Strategy & Culture – Mission statements, SMART goals, cultural web
  • Week 4: Measures of Success – Financial/ESG metrics, KPIs
  • Week 5: Capabilities & Competitive Behaviors – Resource-based view
  • Week 6: International Perspectives – Globalization challenges
  • Week 7: CSR & Sustainability – Ethical dilemmas, net-zero strategies

🔍 Analytical Perspectives

1. Business Environment

Analyze political (e.g., trade tariffs), technological (e.g., AI disruption), and industry factors through PESTEL and Five Forces frameworks.

2. Strategy & Culture

Evaluate corporate statements (e.g., Danone’s “One Planet. One Health”) and cultural alignment (e.g., BrewDog controversy).

3. Performance Metrics

Examine financial reports (e.g., Croda’s £1.8bn sales) and ESG targets (e.g., M&S net-zero roadmap).

4. Competitive Dynamics

Assess market threats (e.g., Nike losing share to On/DECKERS’ Hoka).

📚 Key Resources

  • Core Readings:
    • Volberda et al. (2024) Strategic Management
    • Porter’s Competitive Strategy
  • Industry Reports: Deloitte, PwC, McKinsey analyses
  • Data Sources:
    • Financial Times (e.g., Itsu vs Pret analysis)
    • Company annual reports

📝 Assessment Overview

Analytical Report (100% of grade)

Task: Evaluate a LSE/NYSE-listed company (excl. Apple, Croda, M&S) using 4 of 6 course themes to determine investment potential.

Length: 2,500 words + appendices

📑 Report Structure

Section Requirements Word Count
Infographic Summary One-page visual executive summary Excluded
Company Introduction Background and business overview ~200
Theme Analysis 2 rewritten themes with reflections ~1,600 (800 each)
Investment Conclusion Justified buy/sell recommendation ~300
Appendices 4 AI-generated analyses, financial data Excluded

⚙️ GenAI Guidelines

Permitted Uses

  • Generating initial drafts for 4 themes
  • Data collection assistance
  • Must use Microsoft CoPilot (on-campus/VPN)

Prohibited Uses

  • Writing final analysis sections
  • Creating infographic content
  • Generating reflections/conclusions

All AI-generated content must be:

  1. Moved to appendices
  2. Clearly labeled as AI-generated
  3. Verified for accuracy

📌 Submission Requirements

  • File name must be your student ID only (e.g., “201234567.docx”)
  • Include signed coversheet (no name in document)
  • Word count declaration on title page
  • Harvard referencing for all sources

🏆 Assessment Criteria

  1. Critical Analysis (40%): Depth of independent evaluation beyond AI outputs
  2. Strategic Insight (30%): Quality of investment recommendation
  3. Professional Presentation (20%): Clarity of infographic and report structure
  4. Academic Integrity (10%): Proper AI use acknowledgment