perform a PEST analysis OR an environmental analysis using Porter’s Five Forces. Which you choose is entirely up to you, but you don’t need both. Bear the following in mind when deciding on your approach

perform a PEST analysis OR an environmental analysis using Porter’s Five Forces.  Which you choose is entirely up to you, but you don’t need both.  Bear the following in mind when deciding on your approach:

There are some really helpful templates for both of these analyses on Moodle (see the top section, under the “Only look at the contents of this section if you want to pass the assignments” heading

In my experience as a marker, students generally perform PESTEL analyses better than they perform Porter’s Five Forces

You don’t get extra marks for taking the more difficult route

You do NOT need SWOT. 

Remember ….

Ensure you include about five points under each of the PESTEL subheadings

Make those points especially relevant to the company and product in the case study

“We must obey all employment law” is not especially relevant because:

• ALL organisations must do this: you might just as well write “we must not murder our future competitors” – these things are LAWS and laws must be obeyed, doing so is not optional!
• Also, it is not relevant because we are marketers, not lawyers

“We cannot begin formal marketing until we have been granted government-approved safety clearance” would be relevant because we are marketers, not lawyers

List the points in each quadrant in order of importance

Expand on some of the points made if necessary for clarity of meaning

Short summary points like “green issues” or “mobility” would need expansion

If GDP is included as an economic factor (a student favourite), the report MUST say WHY it is a factor worth considering

• Not once I have ever considered the state of GDP before making a purchase!

Show a diagram of the model you are using

Put the diagram before the discussion, and in the same section as the discussion

The diagram is there to aid reader understanding

• It’s NOT there merely to look pretty or to tick a box that says “diagram included”
• It must be big enough to be legible – if it isn’t, what does it add to your report?

Reference your work using academic journal articles and textbooks

• There is a section at the end of these notes that will help you determine the value of different source types