Master of Business
Administration
Student Details ( Student should fill the content)
Name Shabdhi Hewapathirana
Batch Number MBA 15
Student ID (UWIC ID and ICBT ID) Cardiff Met ID : ST20115606 ICBT ID
:ST/MBACMU/15/21
Scheduled unit details
Unit code MBA 7002
Unit title Strategic Management
Assignment Details
Nature of the Assessment REPORT
Topic of the Case Study GIVEN
Learning Outcomes covered YES
Word count 3000
Due date / Time
Extension granted? (For Office use Yes No
only)
Declaration
I certify that:
This assignment is my own work, based on my personal study and/or research.
I have acknowledged all material and sources used in the preparation of this assignment.
Neither the assignment, nor substantial parts of it, has been previously submitted for assessment in
this or any other institution.
I have not copied in part, or in whole, or otherwise plagiarized the work of other students.
(If this work is submitted as the work of one person) I have not engaged in collusion in the completion
of this piece of work
I have read and I understand the criteria used for assessment.
The use of any material in this assignment does not infringe the intellectual property/copyright of a
third party.
I understand that this assignment may undergo electronic detection for plagiarism, and a copy of the
assignment may be retained on the database and used to make comparisons with other assignments in
future.
Signature Date
Result (Assessor use only)
Marks by 1st Name & Signature of the 1st Agreed
Assessor Assessor Mark
Marks by IV: Name & Signature of the IV
For Office use only (hard copy assignments)
Receipt date Received by
, Master of Business
Administration
Assignment Type & Title:
For student use: Critical feedback on the individual progression towards achieving the assignment
outcomes
For 1st Assessor use: Assessment feedback
Strengths
Weaknesses
Name & Signature of the Assessor : Date :
Comments by the IV
Name & Signature of the IV: Date :
2
, Master of Business
Administration
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This comprehensive strategic management assignment is based on the strategic management
strategies that are using in growing a business through various growth strategies in Sri
Lanka’s prominent noodles manufacturer; Harischandra Mills PLC. Harischandra Mills PLC
is one of the leading company in Sri Lanka’s national business environment, and initially it
was started their business operations in Matara.
Therefore, task one provides introduction on comprehensive historical overview of
Harischandra Mills PLC. Task two provides clear illustration of the growth paths of a
company of the two paths. Also, task three includes the analysis of strategic opportunities
utilized through market penetration, product and market development, and related or
unrelated diversification in Harischandra Mills PLC. Task four is based on a comparative
explanation of how Harischandra Mills PLC’s corporate, business level and operational
strategies that may differ in the two categories.
Also, task five includes the comprehensive explanation about the investment risks in unitary
business and diversified businesses, and explanation of measures to minimize risks in
Harischandra Mills PLC. Finally, task six is consisting logical explanation for a “Dog” in the
BCG matrix to diversify Harischandra Mills PLC’s products.
3
, Master of Business
Administration
TABLE OF CONTENTS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY...........................................................................................................................3
1.0 INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................................5
Vision.................................................................................................................................................5
Values................................................................................................................................................5
2.0 ILLUSTRATION OF THE GROWTH PATH OF A COMPANY..................................................................6
3.0 ANALYSIS OF STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES UTILIZED THROUGH MARKET PENETRATION, PRODUCT
AND MARKET DEVELOPMENT, AND RELATED OR UNRELATED DIVERSIFICATION.................................9
4.0 A COMPARATIVE EXPLANATION OF HOW CORPORATE, BUSINESS LEVEL AND OPERATIONAL
STRATEGIES MAY DIFFER IN THE TWO CATEGORIES............................................................................12
5.0 INVESTMENT RISKS IN UNITARY BUSINESS AND DIVERSIFIED BUSINESSES, AND EXPLAINED
MEASURES TO MINIMIZE RISKS...........................................................................................................15
5.1 Investment risks in unitary business and diversified businesses................................................15
5.2 Measures to minimize investment risks.....................................................................................16
6.0 LOGICAL EXPLANATION FOR A “DOG” IN THE BCG MATRIX TO DIVERSIFY....................................18
7.0 CONCLUSION.................................................................................................................................20
REFERENCES.........................................................................................................................................21
4
, Master of Business
Administration
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Harischandra Mills PLC organized with its subsidiaries, manufactures and distributes food
products in Sri Lanka (Harischandramills.com, 2018). Mr. C.A. Harischandra initiated the
organisation in 1943, Matara, Sri Lanka, with a preliminary capital of R.S. 25,000/- on a land
vicinity of 20 perches (Harischandramills.com, 2018). The primary activities of the business
enterprise had been the milling of rice, kurakkan and different grains. By 1952, the
organization had expanded into diverse other fields inclusive of the milling of coconut oil
(Harischandra Mills PLC-Annual Report 2015-2016, 2017).
The enterprise carried out via Mr. Harischandra became included in Sri Lanka under the
groups Ordinance No. 51 of 1938 on the 9th day of January 1953 (Harischandra Mills PLC-
Annual Report 2016-2017, 2018). Further, being a pioneer industry in the south of the united
states, the agency has become a pioneer in every other field with the aid of meting out in
1959 a 40% of its stocks to its employees. In 1983 the corporation became indexed on the
Colombo stock exchange (Harischandra Mills PLC-Annual Report 2016-2017, 2018). The
corporation at present is the marketplace leader within the income of noodles, coffee,
kurakkan flour, ulundu flour and has a considerable market proportion in rice flour, laundry
bar soap and blue washing soap (Harischandramills.com, 2018).
Vision
“To enhance our heritage brand status and serve the nation.”
Values
“To provide the public with a variety of high quality foods and soaps.”
5
, Master of Business
Administration
2.0 ILLUSTRATION OF THE GROWTH PATH OF A COMPANY
Harischandra Mills PLC is one of the prominent business organization in Sri Lankan, because
of the corporate and organizational growth pathway. Harischandra Mills PLC synonymous to
Matara is a family brand in Sri Lanka, particularly packaged coffee and noodles; both are
age-vintage products (Harischandra Mills PLC-Annual Report 2016-2017, 2018). It is a
household name for many years in the meals zone, is growing swiftly; however, it cannot
expand in its cutting-edge area. Powdered coffee packets have become the marketplace leader
and Harischandra Mill has the admiration of producing noodles for the first time in Sri Lanka
which too increased an authentic share of that marketplace (Perera, 2012).
As an ancestral commercial enterprise which got here into existence, in view that around
Eighteen Eighties or earlier. Its founder Kandaudarata Arachchige Odiris Silva became born
on 2 August 1867 (Harischandra Mills PLC-Annual Report 2016-2017, 2018). His schooling
was disrupted in the early days after which, turning to entrepreneurship he commenced to
extract coconut oil via turning a Sekkuwa (a commonplace device constituted of granite and
driven in a round form by way of a bull in historic times) belonging to his grandfather –
Samichchi de Silva - and earning 3 cents daily (Harischandramills.com, 2018).
The business enterprise has long records expanding over seventy-three years and a household
emblem name, derived as a token of excellent assurance (Wijayasinghe, 2017). The vision of
the organization has been laid all the way down to beautify the repute of the historical past
logo and additionally to serve the kingdom, imparting giant employment possibilities to
humans of the region, utilising the local uncooked substances as properly. The enterprise was
converted to a Public quoted limited liability corporation on 14th December 1959 underneath
the name of Harischandra mills percent (Harischandra Mills PLC-Annual Report 2015-2016,
2017).
As per Harischandra Mills PLC-Annual Report 2016-2017 (2018), the company has a unique
commercial enterprise version as parallel to its business operations, it is also human beings-
orientated or extra employment orientated. Furthermore, the company guarantees maximum
manual operations within the manufacturing and packaging methods while using modern-day
technologies for the producing of bulk merchandise. Its product variety is enormously
aggressive wherein its competition would be the use of high tech modern-day technology
which would need just a few persons to function (Wijayasinghe, 2017). But within the case of
6
Administration
Student Details ( Student should fill the content)
Name Shabdhi Hewapathirana
Batch Number MBA 15
Student ID (UWIC ID and ICBT ID) Cardiff Met ID : ST20115606 ICBT ID
:ST/MBACMU/15/21
Scheduled unit details
Unit code MBA 7002
Unit title Strategic Management
Assignment Details
Nature of the Assessment REPORT
Topic of the Case Study GIVEN
Learning Outcomes covered YES
Word count 3000
Due date / Time
Extension granted? (For Office use Yes No
only)
Declaration
I certify that:
This assignment is my own work, based on my personal study and/or research.
I have acknowledged all material and sources used in the preparation of this assignment.
Neither the assignment, nor substantial parts of it, has been previously submitted for assessment in
this or any other institution.
I have not copied in part, or in whole, or otherwise plagiarized the work of other students.
(If this work is submitted as the work of one person) I have not engaged in collusion in the completion
of this piece of work
I have read and I understand the criteria used for assessment.
The use of any material in this assignment does not infringe the intellectual property/copyright of a
third party.
I understand that this assignment may undergo electronic detection for plagiarism, and a copy of the
assignment may be retained on the database and used to make comparisons with other assignments in
future.
Signature Date
Result (Assessor use only)
Marks by 1st Name & Signature of the 1st Agreed
Assessor Assessor Mark
Marks by IV: Name & Signature of the IV
For Office use only (hard copy assignments)
Receipt date Received by
, Master of Business
Administration
Assignment Type & Title:
For student use: Critical feedback on the individual progression towards achieving the assignment
outcomes
For 1st Assessor use: Assessment feedback
Strengths
Weaknesses
Name & Signature of the Assessor : Date :
Comments by the IV
Name & Signature of the IV: Date :
2
, Master of Business
Administration
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This comprehensive strategic management assignment is based on the strategic management
strategies that are using in growing a business through various growth strategies in Sri
Lanka’s prominent noodles manufacturer; Harischandra Mills PLC. Harischandra Mills PLC
is one of the leading company in Sri Lanka’s national business environment, and initially it
was started their business operations in Matara.
Therefore, task one provides introduction on comprehensive historical overview of
Harischandra Mills PLC. Task two provides clear illustration of the growth paths of a
company of the two paths. Also, task three includes the analysis of strategic opportunities
utilized through market penetration, product and market development, and related or
unrelated diversification in Harischandra Mills PLC. Task four is based on a comparative
explanation of how Harischandra Mills PLC’s corporate, business level and operational
strategies that may differ in the two categories.
Also, task five includes the comprehensive explanation about the investment risks in unitary
business and diversified businesses, and explanation of measures to minimize risks in
Harischandra Mills PLC. Finally, task six is consisting logical explanation for a “Dog” in the
BCG matrix to diversify Harischandra Mills PLC’s products.
3
, Master of Business
Administration
TABLE OF CONTENTS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY...........................................................................................................................3
1.0 INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................................5
Vision.................................................................................................................................................5
Values................................................................................................................................................5
2.0 ILLUSTRATION OF THE GROWTH PATH OF A COMPANY..................................................................6
3.0 ANALYSIS OF STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES UTILIZED THROUGH MARKET PENETRATION, PRODUCT
AND MARKET DEVELOPMENT, AND RELATED OR UNRELATED DIVERSIFICATION.................................9
4.0 A COMPARATIVE EXPLANATION OF HOW CORPORATE, BUSINESS LEVEL AND OPERATIONAL
STRATEGIES MAY DIFFER IN THE TWO CATEGORIES............................................................................12
5.0 INVESTMENT RISKS IN UNITARY BUSINESS AND DIVERSIFIED BUSINESSES, AND EXPLAINED
MEASURES TO MINIMIZE RISKS...........................................................................................................15
5.1 Investment risks in unitary business and diversified businesses................................................15
5.2 Measures to minimize investment risks.....................................................................................16
6.0 LOGICAL EXPLANATION FOR A “DOG” IN THE BCG MATRIX TO DIVERSIFY....................................18
7.0 CONCLUSION.................................................................................................................................20
REFERENCES.........................................................................................................................................21
4
, Master of Business
Administration
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Harischandra Mills PLC organized with its subsidiaries, manufactures and distributes food
products in Sri Lanka (Harischandramills.com, 2018). Mr. C.A. Harischandra initiated the
organisation in 1943, Matara, Sri Lanka, with a preliminary capital of R.S. 25,000/- on a land
vicinity of 20 perches (Harischandramills.com, 2018). The primary activities of the business
enterprise had been the milling of rice, kurakkan and different grains. By 1952, the
organization had expanded into diverse other fields inclusive of the milling of coconut oil
(Harischandra Mills PLC-Annual Report 2015-2016, 2017).
The enterprise carried out via Mr. Harischandra became included in Sri Lanka under the
groups Ordinance No. 51 of 1938 on the 9th day of January 1953 (Harischandra Mills PLC-
Annual Report 2016-2017, 2018). Further, being a pioneer industry in the south of the united
states, the agency has become a pioneer in every other field with the aid of meting out in
1959 a 40% of its stocks to its employees. In 1983 the corporation became indexed on the
Colombo stock exchange (Harischandra Mills PLC-Annual Report 2016-2017, 2018). The
corporation at present is the marketplace leader within the income of noodles, coffee,
kurakkan flour, ulundu flour and has a considerable market proportion in rice flour, laundry
bar soap and blue washing soap (Harischandramills.com, 2018).
Vision
“To enhance our heritage brand status and serve the nation.”
Values
“To provide the public with a variety of high quality foods and soaps.”
5
, Master of Business
Administration
2.0 ILLUSTRATION OF THE GROWTH PATH OF A COMPANY
Harischandra Mills PLC is one of the prominent business organization in Sri Lankan, because
of the corporate and organizational growth pathway. Harischandra Mills PLC synonymous to
Matara is a family brand in Sri Lanka, particularly packaged coffee and noodles; both are
age-vintage products (Harischandra Mills PLC-Annual Report 2016-2017, 2018). It is a
household name for many years in the meals zone, is growing swiftly; however, it cannot
expand in its cutting-edge area. Powdered coffee packets have become the marketplace leader
and Harischandra Mill has the admiration of producing noodles for the first time in Sri Lanka
which too increased an authentic share of that marketplace (Perera, 2012).
As an ancestral commercial enterprise which got here into existence, in view that around
Eighteen Eighties or earlier. Its founder Kandaudarata Arachchige Odiris Silva became born
on 2 August 1867 (Harischandra Mills PLC-Annual Report 2016-2017, 2018). His schooling
was disrupted in the early days after which, turning to entrepreneurship he commenced to
extract coconut oil via turning a Sekkuwa (a commonplace device constituted of granite and
driven in a round form by way of a bull in historic times) belonging to his grandfather –
Samichchi de Silva - and earning 3 cents daily (Harischandramills.com, 2018).
The business enterprise has long records expanding over seventy-three years and a household
emblem name, derived as a token of excellent assurance (Wijayasinghe, 2017). The vision of
the organization has been laid all the way down to beautify the repute of the historical past
logo and additionally to serve the kingdom, imparting giant employment possibilities to
humans of the region, utilising the local uncooked substances as properly. The enterprise was
converted to a Public quoted limited liability corporation on 14th December 1959 underneath
the name of Harischandra mills percent (Harischandra Mills PLC-Annual Report 2015-2016,
2017).
As per Harischandra Mills PLC-Annual Report 2016-2017 (2018), the company has a unique
commercial enterprise version as parallel to its business operations, it is also human beings-
orientated or extra employment orientated. Furthermore, the company guarantees maximum
manual operations within the manufacturing and packaging methods while using modern-day
technologies for the producing of bulk merchandise. Its product variety is enormously
aggressive wherein its competition would be the use of high tech modern-day technology
which would need just a few persons to function (Wijayasinghe, 2017). But within the case of
6
