17 February
Topic:Organisational strategy (PESTEL) and stakeholders
     As the further studying of our business and management course, I have understood lots of theories about organisations deeply. Through this week's study,I mastered some fresh professional knowledge and got the continuous learning to last week.Now,I will talk about some important points about the organisational strategy and stakeholders in detail.     

     Firstly, I want to talk about the general environment---PESTEL.It is a technique which includes six factors---political,economic,social,technological,environment and legal.Each of them is consisted of many different points and all of them are relevant to an organisation. The theory of PESREL provides different angels to help managers analyse organisations' pressure and problems from the external environment,ensuring they can solve these problems exactly as well as formulate feasible development strategy.For example,I was taught a case which is analysed with PESTEL---university of Sussex.Through the analysis of six aspects,let me have a clear understanding for the general environment of the university.Thus, PESTEL likes a tool to make organisations progress.

      Secondly,I focus on the strategy.Strategy is about how people decide to organise major resources to enhance performance of an enterprise.It is significant for organisations and divided into different types,like competitive strategy,emergent strategy and so on.Moreover,I know some methods which managers use to develop strategies,such as shifting from formalised to less formal,decreasing documentations and increasing the flexibility in plans.

      Finally,let me talk some important points about stakeholders.Stakeholders refer to any individual or group or organisation that is vital to the surveil or success of the organisation.A wider definition includes any of above that affects or is affected by the organisation.The power of stakeholders have strong influence.It can bring lots of advantages and disadvantages for organisations,even affecting the overall interests.In addition,according to sources of power for internal stakeholders and external stakeholders,managers can analyse business cases and work easily and correctly.In fact,equal levels of power and impacts for all stakeholders are nonexistent.The analysis of British Airways as an important negative example,showing the importance of these theories.Due to its shortcomings and huge losses,British Airways have to change its original management strategy to get development.These measures make stakeholders get new benefits and more powerful position in the market.

      All of these are fresh knowledge for me,although some of them are quite difficult to be mastered,I am still interested in this course.After classes,I will research some typical business cases to read and expert the further studying. 

3 February

Topic:Placing organisations in context part 1-internal environment,micro environment

      This week, we concentrate on another vital context about organisations. Environment is the surroundings or conditions in which a person,animal,or plant lives or operates.The organisations' environment as one of important parts, including a lot of different factors which effect or decide the development of organisations. Now I will talk about two parts of this context in detail,one is internal environment and the other is micro environment.

       The internal environment is regarded as a major contextual feature,which consists of elements within the organisation such as its  technology,structure or business processes.This kind of environment should be pay attention because of its importance.The world's leading manufacturer of mobile phones,named Nokia,is one of very important examples to prove this opinion.It success depends on many factors like its abilities,but its advantageous internal environment,such as extensive consumers in the mobile phone market,experienced managers,professional technology and so on,also provides a positive support for its development.Obviously,beneficial and steady internal environment can offer many platforms for developing and ensure the organisation has strong power to be supported.

        On the other hand,the competitive environment,sometimes known as the micro-environment,is the industry-specific environment comprising the organisation's customers,suppliers and competitors.Organisations and managers should have a correct attitude to treat it.It gives them not only challenge but also opportunity.There is a useful tool,which is divided into five points,helping people analyse the micro environment clearly.Buyers,competitors, potential entrants,substitutes and suppliers are regarded as five significant forces.All of them influence organisations commonly,expect the pressure,the micro environment also can make organisations become better and have stronger competitive power.In addition,let us talk about the most important force among them.In fact,it depends on the industry.Different industry has different important force need to be focused on and also has its own way to manage.

         Although the internal environment and competitive environment are not the whole environment which have important influences for organisations,they are essential and inevitable. To sum up,master these environments clearly and have a positive attitude to treat as well as deal with,really can help organisations get better development and further perfection.