Global Strategic Management – Linear to Circular Business Model Transformation
This assessment for the Global Strategic Management module examines how organisations can transform from traditional linear business models towards circular business models. Students must select one of four approved organisational cases and use the same case consistently across both summative assessments. The approved cases are SKF, focusing on servitisation and remanufacturing transformation; Sandvik, focusing on closed-loop materials and tool recovery; Volvo Construction Equipment, focusing on design for remanufacturing and lifecycle optimisation; and Husqvarna, focusing on access-based and circular consumer models. The assessment requires students to apply strategic management, sustainability and circular economy concepts to evaluate the transformation of the selected organisation. Assessment A is a Strategic Poster worth 30% of the overall module mark. The poster should visually and analytically map the transformation of the selected organisation from a linear to a circular business model. It contains three main components. First, students must identify and analyse external drivers using PESTEL, explaining the factors creating pressure or opportunities for circular transformation. Second, students must explicitly reconfigure the organisation's value chain, distinguishing between primary activities such as inbound logistics, operations, outbound logistics, marketing and sales, and service or lifecycle activities, and supporting activities such as firm infrastructure, human resource management, technology development and procurement. Third, students must identify one core structural strategic tension created by the transition. This tension should represent a built-in trade-off in which improving one strategic objective may constrain or challenge another. Assessment B is a Strategic Evaluation Report worth 70% of the overall module mark. The report has a word limit of 3,500 words with a 10% tolerance, excluding the table of contents, reference list and appendices. The report requires a comprehensive strategic evaluation of the selected organisation's transition from a linear to a circular business model and should integrate concepts and frameworks covered throughout the module. The first component of the report requires a Business Model Reconfiguration Analysis using the Business Model Canvas. Students should critically analyse how the circular transformation changes the organisation's value proposition, customer segments, customer relationships, channels, key activities, key resources, key partnerships, revenue streams and cost structure. The analysis should explain how value is created, delivered and captured differently under the circular model. The second component evaluates sustainability and legitimacy using an integrated analysis of the Triple Bottom Line, SAFe framework and stakeholder power and interest analysis. Students should assess economic, environmental and social sustainability, evaluate the suitability, acceptability and feasibility of the transformation, and identify stakeholders who can enable or constrain implementation. The third component requires students to analyse the same strategic tension identified in the poster. The tension should be evaluated in greater depth using appropriate strategic, sustainability and stakeholder frameworks, followed by a theoretically grounded and operationally feasible recommendation. The final component requires students to integrate four of their strongest reflective blog posts from the twelve seminar weeks. The reflection should demonstrate intellectual development, critical thinking, engagement with theory, seminar participation and responsiveness to tutor feedback rather than simply describing the content of the seminars. The assessment is expected to demonstrate Level 7 academic standards through integrated framework application, critical evaluation, strategic judgement and advanced reflective insight. Academic sources must be cited using Harvard referencing, with appropriate in-text citations and a complete reference list.
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