Course coordinator
Dr Rajendra Adhikari
Consultation by appointment. To make an appointment, please email r.adhikari@uq.edu.au.
Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 2, 2025 (28/07/2025 - 22/11/2025)
- Study level
- Postgraduate Coursework
- Location
- External
- Attendance mode
- Online
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- Gatton
- Coordinating unit
- Agriculture and Food Sustainability School
Based on agribusiness and food industry case studies, this course examines strategic issues underpinning competitiveness.
Agrifood Strategy and Competitiveness is an integrative course. This means that it requires you to use knowledge and skills from this course and from courses studied previously and to apply that knowledge to real world problems and situations. Merely memorising or describing is not enough! In this course you must develop the skills used by professional managers - critical thinking and creativity, as well as a professional level of presentation.
Major changes are taking place in the way businesses, industries and nations compete. This is giving rise to a need to think differently about how strategy is developed, and how we can best move from a competitive to a collaborative model, informed by a culture of innovation as the core of sustainable uniqueness for the firm. ‘Business as usual’/‘more of the same’ strategies are high-risk in a business environment that is rapidly and continuously changing. They can quickly lead to irrelevance in the marketplaces of tomorrow.
Strategic management is critical to survival in business. The world of commerce is increasingly dynamic and complex. It is essential that managers in an environment of global competition have an understanding of the principles of business strategy and are able to apply these principles across the range of management responsibilities - including production, sales, finance and human resources.
This course is an opportunity to integrate discipline skills learnt in specialist courses and to analyse specific applications of strategic management in the field of agribusiness.
At the School of Agriculture and Food Sustainability, we are committed to creating an inclusive and empowering learning environment for all students. We value and respect the diverse range of experiences our students bring to their education, and we believe that this diversity is crucial for fostering a rich culture of knowledge-sharing and meaningful exploration. We hold students and staff accountable for actively contributing to establishing a respectful and supportive learning environment.
Bullying, harassment, and discrimination in any form are strictly against our principles and againstﾠUQ Policy,ﾠand will not be tolerated. If you have any concerns about your experience in this course, we encourage you to tell a member of the course teaching team. Your well-being and a positive learning atmosphere are of utmost importance to us.
Course requirements
Incompatible
You can't enrol in this course if you've already completed the following:
AGRC3023 (co-taught)
Course contact
Course staff
Lecturer
Timetable
Additional timetable information
Lecture sessions are designed to be delivered in hybrid mode (simultaneous on-campus for internal students and online via Zoom for external students). These sessions will not be timetabled for external students, but they can attend the lectures scheduled for internal students via live Zoom - this is optional. Lecture recordings will be available after the lecture. Students can complete the tutorial activities online (external) or in class (internal) per their enrolment mode. Dedicated online drop-in sessions will be available, upon request, to external students who wish to discuss their learning progress. The drop-in session dates and times will be available on the course BB site, and these additional sessions will not be recorded. Guest lecture sessions are integral to this course to bring industry insights into the classroom. Depending on the availability and practicality, the guest lecture delivery mode would remain flexible, and their schedules could change with short notice, which will be announced via the course blackboard site.
Aims and outcomes
The broad aim of this course is to improve students' ability to understand and analyse the strategic management of agribusiness firms. Specifically, the course aims to:ﾠ
- Introduce the nature and importance of strategic managementﾠin agribusiness firms
- Explore the concept of competitiveness and show its relationship with strategic management
- Through the use of case studies, both live and written, show how principles of strategic management are applied in practice to improve competitiveness and sustainability in agribusiness firms
- Give students an opportunity to undertake a strategic analysis of an agribusiness firm
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Demonstrate a critical understanding of core principles and a wide spectrum of concepts and tools for strategic planning and management in applied situations.
LO2.
Apply strategy analysis tools and frameworks to formulate strategic plans for agribusinesses.
LO3.
Critically evaluate various components of a business strategy to achieve competitiveness.
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Presentation |
Strategic plan proposal and competitive landscape assessment- Video presentation
|
15% |
25/08/2025 2:00 pm |
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation | Strategic plan - Report | 25% |
21/10/2025 2:00 pm |
| Examination |
Final Exam
|
60% |
End of Semester Exam Period 8/11/2025 - 22/11/2025 |
A hurdle is an assessment requirement that must be satisfied in order to receive a specific grade for the course. Check the assessment details for more information about hurdle requirements.
Assessment details
Strategic plan proposal and competitive landscape assessment- Video presentation
- Online
- Mode
- Oral
- Category
- Presentation
- Weight
- 15%
- Due date
25/08/2025 2:00 pm
Task description
This is an individual task (worth 15%). This assignment requires the student to submit a 10-minute recorded video. The recorded video should outline a clear proposal to develop a strategic plan for an agribusiness selected by the student, along with a detailed assessment of the competitive landscape of the agribusiness and the industry in which it operates . The format and the task description will be available on the course Blackboard site under the Assessment folder.
This task has been designed to be challenging, authentic and complex. Whilst students may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) and/or Machine Translation (MT) tools, successful completion of assessment in this course will require students to critically engage in specific contexts and tasks for which AI or MT will provide only limited support and guidance.
A failure to reference generative AI or MT use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
To pass this assessment, students will be required to demonstrate their ability related to the assessment task independent of AI and MT tools. The use of AI or MT must be referenced appropriately. Please see assessment guidelines in blackboard course site for specific instructions.
Submission guidelines
You must submit your assessment task, in Blackboard, via the correct submission link by the submission deadline. You should also retain an electronic copy of every piece of assessment you submit. Legal Declaration: By submitting your work via this website, you formally declare that (1) it is your own original work, and no part of the work has been copied from any other source or person except where due acknowledgement is made; (2) no part of the work has been previously submitted for assessment in this or any other institution; and (3) you have read the Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy (https://policies.uq.edu.au/document/view-current.php?id=149) and understand its implications.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
Submission of an Extension of Assessment Due Date (EADD) should be completed online through your My Requests tab via my.UQ Dashboard, in accordance with the University's Assessment Procedure (located in the Policies and Procedures section of this course profile) which outlines the requirements for requesting extensions to assessment due dates. Extensions require the correct evidence/documentation to support the requested length of time of the extension.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
For example, a report worth a maximum of 40 marks, submitted 28 hours late will attract a penalty of 8 marks, calculated as 2 periods of 24 hours x 10% x 40 marks.
Assessment deadlines are firm and must be met. Late submission without permission or non-submission of assessable work will result in penalties being applied. Late submission of assessment will only be granted for documented medical reasons, accident, bereavement, jury service and other circumstances allowed in the UQ Policies and Procedures Library (PPL).
Strategic plan - Report
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation
- Weight
- 25%
- Due date
21/10/2025 2:00 pm
Task description
This is an individual task. This assignment requires students to develop a strategic plan for an Australian agribusiness selected by themselves. The task involves analysing the existing strategy landscape, formulating a strategic plan, and communicating the plan in the form of a written report, with the aim of shifting the agribusiness's strategic orientation from the red ocean to the blue ocean strategy. A detailed description of the task will be available on the course Blackboard.
This task has been designed to be challenging, authentic and complex. Whilst students may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) and/or Machine Translation (MT) tools, successful completion of assessment in this course will require students to critically engage in specific contexts and tasks for which AI or MT will provide only limited support and guidance.
A failure to reference generative AI or MT use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
To pass this assessment, students will be required to demonstrate their ability related to the assessment task independent of AI and MT tools. The use of AI or MT must be referenced appropriately. Please see assessment guidelines in blackboard course site for specific instructions.
Submission guidelines
You must submit your Assessment task, in Blackboard, via the Turnitin link by the submission deadline. You should also retain an electronic copy of every piece of assessment you submit.
Legal Declaration:
By submitting your work via this website, you formally declare that (1) it is your own original work, and no part of the work has been copied from any other source or person except where due acknowledgement is made; (2) no part of the work has been previously submitted for assessment in this or any other institution; and (3) you have read the Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy / Document / Policy and Procedure Library and understand its implications.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
Submission of an Extension of Assessment Due Date (EADD) should be completed online through your My Requests tab via my.UQ Dashboard, in accordance with the University's Assessment Procedure (located in the Policies and Procedures section of this course profile) which outlines the requirements for requesting extensions to assessment due dates. Extensions require the correct evidence/documentation to support the requested length of time of the extension.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
For example, a report worth a maximum of 40 marks, submitted 28 hours late will attract a penalty of 8 marks, calculated as 2 periods of 24 hours x 10% x 40 marks.
Assessment deadlines are firm and must be met. Late submission without permission or non-submission of assessable work will result in penalties being applied. Late submission of assessment will only be granted for documented medical reasons, accident, bereavement, jury service and other circumstances allowed in the UQ Policies and Procedures Library (PPL).
Final Exam
- Hurdle
- Identity Verified
- In-person
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Examination
- Weight
- 60%
- Due date
End of Semester Exam Period
8/11/2025 - 22/11/2025
- Other conditions
- Secure.
Task description
The final exam will assess students' understanding of the theoretical knowledge on strategy and competitiveness and its application to agribusiness firms.
Have your UQ student ID card available for all your exams. Students enrolled in External delivery must attend the exam in-person, either on campus OR at an approved off-campus venue as organized with UQ Examinations. Students who live within a 200km radius of the campus will be expected to attend campus for the exam.
Examinations will contact students directly to confirm arrangements. Please ensure to check your UQ student email account regularly throughout semester as One reminder will be sent and students who fail to nominate an exam centre and will be automatically assigned to sit their exam on campus. Late nominations will not be accepted.
Please ensure you update your semester address in Si-net at the start of the semester to accurately reflect where you are residing.
This assessment task is to be completed in-person. The use of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT) tools will not be permitted. Any attempted use of AI or MT may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Hurdle requirements
Students must pass the end of semester exam in order to pass the course. If a student obtains an overall percentage greater than the cut-offs set to achieve a 4 or higher for the course based on marks from a combination of progressive assessment and the final exam and the student does NOT score a passing grade in the final exam, they are unable to achieve a grade higher than a 3 (failing grade) for the course.Exam details
| Planning time | 10 minutes |
|---|---|
| Duration | 120 minutes |
| Calculator options | (In person) Casio FX82 series only or UQ approved and labelled calculator |
| Open/closed book | Closed book examination - no written materials permitted |
| Exam platform | Paper based |
| Invigilation | Invigilated in person |
Submission guidelines
Deferral or extension
You may be able to defer this exam.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Description |
|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: 0 – 34% |
| 2 (Fail) |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: 35 – 46% |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes Course grade description: 47% - 49% |
| 4 (Pass) |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: 50% - 64% |
| 5 (Credit) |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: 65% - 74% |
| 6 (Distinction) |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: 75% - 84% |
| 7 (High Distinction) |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: 85% - 100% |
Additional course grading information
Course Grading Rules and Assessment Hurdles
Grades 4 – 7 -ﾠTo achieve a grade 4 or higher for this course you must achieve a cumulative mark for all assessment greater than 50% and a passing mark in the end of semester exam.ﾠ
If a student obtains an overall percentage greater than the cut-offs set to achieve a 4 or higher for the course based on marks from a combination of progressive assessment and the final exam and the student does NOT score a passing mark in the final exam, they are unable to achieve a grade higher than a 3 (failing grade) for the course.
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Additional assessment information
TurnItIn Assignments
TurnItIn Assignments that are required to be submitted through TurnItIn, must only be uploaded to the assessment specific Turnitin link on the relevant course Blackboard site.ﾠIf you submit any version of your assessment item to any alternative Turnitin link, this is considered cheating and you will be held liable for this action.
Please note the following when writing your assignmentsﾠ
You must not re-use past work from previous assessments in your assignments.ﾠ
Results
Unless specifically indicated by the lecturer involved, every attempt will be made to have the results for progressive assessment tasks available within 3 weeks of submission. For items of assessment submitted in the last 2 weeks of the semester, the results will be available before the day of your end of semester examination in the course, unless otherwise indicated by the Course Coordinator. Results and feedback availability for progressive assessment will be announced via the course Blackboard site.ﾠ
Re-mark Applications -ﾠﾠrefer to the ﾠUniversity's Re-mark Policyﾠto check on your eligibility.
Learning resources
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources
Find the required and recommended resources for this course on the UQ Library website.
Additional learning resources information
AGRC7043 Blackboard Site - Blackboard is the main method of communication for the course.
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Week 1 |
Lecture |
Course Introduction and overview |
Week 2 |
Lecture |
Perspectives on strategy - General Competitive Strategy (GCS) vis-a-vis Blue Ocean Strategy (BOS) |
Tutorial |
Assessing competitive landscape of an agrifood industry and an agribusiness within the industry |
|
Week 3 |
Case-based learning |
Application of blue ocean strategy by Australian agribusiness: case introduction |
Tutorial |
Case Study Discussion |
|
Week 4 |
Lecture |
Strategy analysis: Tools and framework -I (with a focus on Red Ocean Strategy) |
Tutorial |
Analysis of red ocean strategic landscape and agribusiness competitiveness; Introduction to Simulation in Agribusiness |
|
Week 5 |
Tutorial |
Strategy Bootcamp-I (Sprint format) |
Workshop |
Strategy Bootcamp -I (Reflection) |
|
Week 6 |
Lecture |
Strategy analysis: Tools and framework -II (with a focus on Blue Ocean Strategy) |
Tutorial |
Application of blue ocean strategic tools and framework |
|
Week 7 |
Lecture |
Strategic plan - mission, vision and objectives |
Tutorial |
Simulating strategic planning process and strategic plan (Agribusiness focus) |
|
Week 8 |
Lecture |
Balance scorecard - measures that operationalise strategy |
Tutorial |
Balance scorecard - Metrics and indicators for the selected agribusiness: simulation approach |
|
Week 9 |
Lecture |
Strategic foresight and scenarios |
Tutorial |
Strategic foresighting exercise and reflection on simulation performance |
|
Week 10 |
Workshop |
Strategy Bootcamp-II (Sprint format) |
Tutorial |
Reflection - Bootcamp and Simulation |
|
Week 11 |
Lecture |
Agribusiness competitiveness: Australian Perspective |
Tutorial |
Measuring and evaluating agribusiness competitiveness |
|
Week 12 |
Lecture |
Agribusiness and agrifood industry competitiveness: Developing country Perspective |
Tutorial |
Measuring and evaluating agrifood industry competitiveness |
|
Week 13 |
Lecture |
Course Recap |
Tutorial |
Preparing for final exam |
Additional learning activity information
Learning resources will regularly be reviewed, and updated or additional resources will be made available under relevant weekly learning folder.
Policies and procedures
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
- Student Code of Conduct Policy
- Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Examinations Procedure
- Reasonable Adjustments for Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.