TMA 02: HILLBERG& BERK: AIMING TO SPARKLE IN THE DESIGNER JEWELLERY BUSINESS

The primary purpose of this case is to teach students about the key strategic planning frameworks used in strategic management, including those used in external analysis (industry, suppliers, customers, and competitors) and internal analysis (resources, capabilities, and firm value chain). This case outlines the strategic planning process in order to enhance students' ability to develop appropriate business strategies from Units 3 and 4. After working through the case and assignment question, students should be able to:

1. To execute a differentiation strategy in a crowded marketplace;
2. To design a strategy that addresses an imperative for growth; and
3. To implement a business unit strategy in a context of organic growth.

This assignment is based on the case study Hillberg& Berk: Aiming to Sparkle in the Designer Jewellery Business (Pritchard, 2017). This TMA will contribute towards the achievement of BB835 Learning Outcomes 1 and 2 (by reinforcing your understanding of BB835 concepts and encouraging you to apply them to case situations), as well as Learning Outcomes 3 (in that we ask you to demonstrate your strategic and critical-thinking capabilities).

There are two tasks in the assignment. The tasks involved in this TMA have been designed to provide you with practice in answering the types of questions you will face in the BB835 examination.

Identify and critically evaluate Hillberg& Berk's resources and capabilities using relevant BB835 frameworks and concepts.

In your answer you should use your evaluation of resources and capabilities to assess how Hillberg& Berk achieves competitive advantage in its industry.

Drawing upon your analysis of Hillberg& Berk's resources and capabilities in Task One, advise its management team on how they should develop and expand the business.

This builds upon skills you have developed from the activities in the units of BB835 that you have studied so far. As the answers for this assignment, ensure that you make use of the concepts you have read about and used, as well as the insights you have gained, during your BB835 studies up to this point. All of the units that you have read so far are relevant. However, the project must demonstrate a particular understanding of Unit 3, where the internal analysis of an organisation was discussed.

This TMA specifically tests strategic thinking skills and the ability to apply module concepts to understand the situation facing the case organisation, developing insights in the process and then using those insights to offer your perspective on what the case organisation should work how and why. This aspect of the TMA task, offering your own view on how the case organisation should act, is an important measure of your ability to think strategically and construct a supported argument.

You are required to draw explicitly on relevant BB835 models, concepts and theories to support your analysis, conclusions and recommendations. Tutors will impose marking penalties for failure to make explicit use of module material, or lack of rigour in referencing.

In answering the tasks, it is important that you draw upon all of the information provided in the case study, including appendices and any statistical and financial data that is relevant to the assignment.

Your assignment should not be more than six pages, with part one in three fourth part and part two in one fourth part of solution excluding appendices, which should not be excessive; your application of frameworks should not be presented in appendices.