Assessment 1
Preparation
For the assessments in this course, select one of the
companies from the list below to be your focus:
Ford: Ford is a complex multinational organization that has
recently focused on strategic initiatives to address production capacity,
supply chain reliability, sustainability, and technological innovation in order
to remain competitive in the rapidly changing automotive industry.
Procter and Gamble: This is a huge multinational firm with
products you probably buy every day. This business is interesting because the
company is focusing on science and technology to help it revise many of its
business strategies and contribute to overall company goals for sustainability
and corporate social responsibility.
Virgin Group: This company is an interesting one because of
its high profile owner, Sir Richard Branson, and the many widely diversified
companies that are part of the Virgin Group.
Walgreen’s: The #1 drugstore chain in the United States,
Walgreen’s operates approximately 8,300 stores in the United States, the
District of Columbia, the Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico. Note: A Walgreen’s
case study is available for purchase for your use in this course. See the
Suggested Resources for more information.
Build Your Own Case: Create a strategic case on the company
of your choice. The company must be publicly traded, have multiple strategic
business units (a corporation), and be approved by faculty.
Review the resources available in the Company Research
Information document (in the Suggested Resources) for understanding the
organization, and begin researching the firm’s business strategy and business
model. Use additional resources from the Capella University Library or your own
research as needed. Find at least four current, scholarly, or professional
resources for this assessment.
Overview
The vice president of corporate strategy at the headquarters
of your selected firm—Ford, Procter and Gamble, Virgin Group, Walgreen’s or a
firm of your choice—has requested that you provide her with a business analysis
of your key findings regarding the firm’s business strategy:
An overview of the generic strategy that seems to best
describe the company’s strategic approach.
A discussion of key elements in the overall business
strategy.
A review of the most important components of the company’s
business model.
Requirements
In 4–6 pages, provide a business analysis of the firm you
selected. Your analysis should do all of the following:
Explain the generic business strategies, including cost,
differentiation, and focus or hybrid information, for the selected firm.
Analyze what business strategies the firm is using in their
marketplace approach. Provide examples of how they use the strategy to position
itself in a competitive environment.
Analyze the firm’s business model.
What are their core products?
How does the firm make money?
What is the customer value proposition?
What is the profit proposition?
Use clear headings and subheadings to organize the key
points of your analysis.
Your report should be clearly written and communicate
effectively to organizational leadership; use correct grammar, spelling and
mechanics as expected of a business professional. Cite and reference all
sources using current APA style.
Additional Requirements
References: Support your business analysis with at least
four academic resources from the Capella University Library.
APA Style: Use proper APA style for all citations and
references.
Length: The body of the business analysis must be 4–6
double-spaced, typed pages, not including the references list.
Written communication: Demonstrate graduate-level writing
skills through accurate communication of thoughts that convey the overall goals
of the analysis and do not detract from the message.
Font: Times New Roman, 12 point.
Assessment 2
Overview
The vice president of corporate strategy at the headquarters
of your selected firm (Ford, Proctor and Gamble, Virgin Group, Walgreen’s, or
another firm you have selected) has requested that you provide her with a
business analysis of your key findings regarding the firm’s level of
diversification (product scope), geographical and vertical scope, and the
overall fit with the business strategy or strategies (identified in Assessment
1 of the course).
Preparation
Use the Capella University Library, the Internet, or
resources provided in the Firm Research Information document (in the Suggested
Resources) to find at least four current, scholarly, or professional resources
that provide the information you need to complete this assessment.
Requirements
In 4–6 pages, provide a business analysis of the firm you
selected. Your analysis should do all of the following:
Analyze the corporate strategy of the selected firm,
including product, geographical, and vertical scope in which it operates. Has the
firm expanded from its initial product line or field of operation? Does the
firm own vertically related activities along the value chain for its products?
Analyze the firm’s overall corporate structure and key
management systems. Does the firm employ any of the following three elements of
corporate strategy: diversification, vertical integration, or globalization?
Are global alliances an overall part of the corporate strategy?
Analyze the strategic fit between the business and corporate
strategies of the selected firm.
Use clear headings and subheadings to organize the key
points of your analysis.
Your report should be clearly written and communicate
effectively to organizational leadership; use correct grammar, spelling and
mechanics as expected of a business professional. Cite and reference all
sources using current APA style.
Additional Requirements
References: Support your business analysis with at least
four academic resources from the Capella University Library.
APA Style: Use proper APA style for all citations and
references.
Length: 4–6 double-spaced, typed pages, not including the
references list or title page.
Written communication: Demonstrate graduate-level writing
skills through accurate communication of thoughts that convey the overall goals
of the analysis and do not detract from the message.
Font: Times New Roman, 12 point.
Assessment 3
Overview
The vice president of strategy for your selected firm (Ford,
Proctor and Gamble, Virgin Group, Walgreen’s, or another firm you have
selected) has asked you to prepare an objective review of the internal
strengths and weaknesses of the firm. Your leaders are hoping to use this
understanding to plan for the future direction of the organization.
Preparation
Use the Capella University Library, the Internet, or
resources provided in the Firm Research Information document (in the Suggested
Resources) to find at least four current, scholarly, or professional resources
that provide the information you need for this assessment.
Requirements
Prepare a 4–6-page executive briefing report identifying not
only internal strengths and weaknesses, but also a rationale that addresses why
your analysis pointed to a particular strength or a weakness. Also be sure to
focus on strategic elements (capabilities) of the firm and on how the strategic
elements fit into the strategic position of the company.
Use the Executive Briefing Report template available in the
Required Resources. Use headings and subheadings to help organize the key
points of your 4–6-page executive briefing report and include the following:
Evaluate how the selected firm leverages its resources and
capabilities to execute the business strategy. Are the firm’s capabilities
found in its functions or the value chain, or both? Does the strategy give
coherence to decisions about allocation of resources?
Evaluate the effectiveness of the organizational structure
and management system design. Include the firm’s ability to support the key
resources and capabilities that execute the business strategy. Is the organizational
structure suited for the particular tasks and particular business environment
of the firm?
Explain possible ethical dilemmas and governance issues.
These issues may include shareholders and stakeholders, distribution of excess
profits, and top management’s pay.
Use clear headings and subheadings to organize the key
points of your report.
Your report should be clearly written and communicate
effectively to organizational leadership; use correct grammar, spelling and
mechanics as expected of a business professional. Cite and reference all
sources using current APA style.
Additional Requirements
References: Support your executive briefing report with at
least four academic resources from the Capella University Library.
APA Style: Use proper APA style for all citations and
references.
Length: The body of the report must be 4–6 double-spaced,
typed pages, not including the references list.
Written communication: Demonstrate graduate-level writing
skills through accurate communication of thoughts that convey the overall goals
of the analysis and do not detract from the message.
Font: Times New Roman, 12 point.
Assessment 4
Overview
The organizational leadership of your selected firm has
requested that you provide them with an executive briefing report outlining the
key findings of an external analysis of environmental and industry influences
that could impact the strategy of the firm. You are required to use two
external analysis frameworks, PEST and Porter’s Five Forces Model, to support
your report.
Preparation
Review the organization and the industry before applying the
strategic models below to your selected firm. You will need to use at least
five current scholarly or professional resources for this assessment. Follow
these steps:
Complete a PEST analysis for the selected firm. Be sure that
this is based on research of the organization, not conjecture or opinion.
Complete Porter’s Five Forces Model for the selected firm.
Pay particular attention to the relationships of elements from both models.
Requirements
Using the results from both PEST and Porter’s Five Forces
models, write a 4–6-page executive briefing report for organizational
leadership. An Executive Briefing Report template is available in the Required
Resources. As noted above, support your report with at least five academic
resources. Your report should include the following:
Title with introduction.
An explanation of key findings from PEST analysis.
An explanation of key findings from Five Forces analysis.
A summary of key findings/results for both models.
Recommendations for leadership as a result of your external
analysis.
Reference page.
?Note: Title page and reference
page(s) are NOT included in the overall page count.
Use clear headings and subheadings to organize the key
points of your report.
Your report should be clearly written and communicate
effectively to organizational leadership; use correct grammar, spelling and
mechanics as expected of a business professional. Cite and reference all
sources using current APA style.
Additional Requirements
References: Support your executive briefing report with at
least five academic resources from the Capella University Library.
APA Style: Use proper APA style for all citations and
references.
Length: The body of the report must be 4–6 double-spaced,
typed pages, not including the title page and reference list.
Written communication: Demonstrate graduate-level writing
skills through accurate communication of thoughts that convey the overall goals
of the analysis and do not detract from the message.
Font: Times New Roman, 12 point.
Assessment 5
Overview
The organizational leadership of your selected firm has
requested that you provide them with an executive PowerPoint presentation
synthesizing your internal and external analyses of the firm, as well as
recommend potential strategic actions the company could take to address the
issues raised by your analyses.
Preparation
If necessary, familiarize yourself with Microsoft’s
PowerPoint program and a SWOT analysis format. Both are required to complete
this assessment.
You will need to include at least five current, scholarly,
or professional resources to support your presentation.
Requirements
Develop a PowerPoint presentation of 8–12 slides (with
speaker’s notes) that synthesizes the internal and external analyses for your
selected firm. Your presentation must include a well-developed SWOT analysis, a
summary of potential strategic actions, and the following:
Summary of SWOT Analysis
Examine the internal resources, capabilities, and
competencies of the selected firm using key strategic management tools and
models such as the VRIO Framework and Value Chain.
Look specifically for capabilities that are required for the
company’s competitive advantage.
Be specific about the firm’s resources (both tangible and
intangible) that seem most strategically important, now and in your vision of
the company’s future strategic development.
Cleary state where firm Strengths and Weaknesses are found.
Analyze the firm’s external environment including its
general environment, industry, and competitive position. Choose a strategic
management model such as PEST analysis or Porter’s Five Forces Model to use in
this analysis. Clearly state where external Opportunities and Threats are
found.
Illustrate the key strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and
threats using a SWOT table. You might also develop a SWOT figure that depicts
your findings in a way that allows for more effective integration and synthesis
of your key ideas.
Strategic Actions Based on SWOT Analysis
Relate the SWOT analysis to the key strategic actions the
selected firm could take to further its alignment and long-term success.
How can you relate internal strengths and weaknesses with
opportunities and threats in the external environment? Are there capabilities
that need to be enhanced in order to capitalize on opportunities or reduce
threats? Are there capabilities that can be divested because they are no longer
needed in the current or projected environment?
What are the strategic actions that would align specific
strengths and weaknesses with specific opportunities and threats?
Your presentation should be written clearly and be
communicated effectively to organizational leadership in a business
environment. Keep in mind that the audience is an upper level leadership
audience, so formatting your content to appeal to that audience will help your
presentation be on point.
Additional Requirements
References: Support your PowerPoint presentation with at
least five academic resources from the Capella University Library. You must use
proper APA style and format for citations and references.
Length: 8–10 PowerPoint slides (with speaker’s notes), plus
references.
Written communication: Demonstrate graduate-level writing
skills through accurate communication of thoughts that convey the overall goals
of the analysis and do not detract from the message.
Font: Times New Roman, 12 point.
Assessment 6
Preparation
Identify at least five current scholarly or professional
resources for use in this assessment.
Requirements
Write a 3–4-page analysis focused on the role of strategy,
its relationship to different business activities across an organization, and
how these business activities inform the formulation and implementation of
strategy for your selected firm.
Include the following in your analysis:
Explain why strategy is important and what impacts it has on
an organization.
Explain how strategy is formulated.
Explain how strategy can be effectively integrated and
implemented.
Analyze how strategy informs (and how is it informed by) key
activities of your firm, including leadership, marketing, accounting, finance,
and others.
Use clear headings and subheadings to organize the key
points of your report.
Your report should be clearly written and communicate
effectively to organizational leadership; use correct grammar, spelling and
mechanics as expected of a business professional. Cite and reference all
sources using current APA style.
Additional Requirements
References: Support your business analysis with at least
five academic resources from the Capella University Library. Use proper APA
style and format for citations and references.
Length: The body of the business analysis must be 3–4
double-spaced, typed pages, not including the references list.
Written communication: Demonstrate graduate-level writing
skills through accurate communication of thoughts that convey the overall goals
of the analysis and do not detract from the message.
Font: Times New Roman, 12 point.
