Assignment Question
Explore the contribution of the T/3 Framework in the execution of various strategic
choices as deployed by a company in an attempt to establish and maintain a
competitive advantage. In so doing, you are asked to apply your knowledge to the
analysis of the market-as-a-game with particular emphasis on the strategic
interdependencies among rival players.
Assignment Objective
Your essay should critically assess the value-added of using the T/3 framework in
contributing to an understanding of how players execute various strategies to establish
and maintain a competitive advantage. The exchanges on Blackboard with Practicals I–
IV and the Online Lectures have offered you the opportunity to gather your thoughts on
the topics.
You should also use some case studies and your Workshop case research. A key
objective is to outline the overlap between micro-economics and game theoretic concepts
introduced in this Module. Using academic literature and coupled with the practical case
research undertaken by your group during the Workshop or coupled with the research
you may have undertaken in support of your individual Workshop Alternate Assignment,
illustrate how the transaction cost economics and the economics of game theory can be
used to reshape strategy. So, please do use real case study materials where appropriate.
Hint: The best way to approach the assignment is to imagine that the essay is to be read
by senior management. Their concerns may have to do with (i) market entry (ii) product
launch (iii) challenges of technology or (iv) prices. So, proceed to analyse the market-asa-game, identify and filter the competitive threat, assess the action-reaction sequence of
events and evaluate your results. And always provide a risk assessment of the likely
competitive threats facing a company on choice of strategy.
Remember: You are an MBA consultant. Here is an opportunity to reflect on both the research
undertaken by you at the Workshops and on the learning obtained in the preparation of your
assignments for this Module. In any consultancy, you must try to impress upon the team. One
way to do that is to convince them of the value-added of applying economic concepts and
economic reasoning from game theory and transactions cost economics to an evaluation of their
company strategy. This essay also supports the learnings in your various Practicals undertaken
throughout the module.
