The company to analyze for the assignment is Salesforce.
Must be in APA format with in text citations and a reference list.
Step 1: Create a double-spaced, 12-point font Word or Rich Text Format (RTF) document. The final
product cannot be longer than 16 pages in length, which includes all tables and matrices but excludes
the title page and reference page. Those items identified in the technical analysis should appear under
the appropriate heading in the paper. Do no use an Appendix.
Step 2: Review assignment grading rubric.
Step 3: Follow the following format using these topics as headings: Title page with title, your name, the course, the instructor’s name; Company Background/Information Internal Environmental Analysis Strategic Analysis & Strategy Selection Reference page Students may use subheadings.
Step 4: In writing the analysis, writing in the third person. What this means is that there are no words
such as “I, me, my, we, or us” (first person writing), nor is there use of “you or your” (second person
writing). If uncertain how to write in the third person, view this
link: http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/first-second-and-third-person
Step 5: In writing this assignment, students are asked to support the reasoning using in-text citations
and a reference list. If information is taken from a source document, it has to be cited and referenced. A
reference within a reference list cannot exist without an associated in-text citation and vice versa. View
the sample APA paper under Week 4 content and How to Cite and Reference, also under Week 4
content. There are also resources located under Course Content>>Student Toolbox.
Step 6: In writing this assignment, students are expected to paraphrase and not use direct quotes unless
citing the mission statement of a company. Learn to paraphrase by reviewing this
link: https://writing.wisc.edu/Handbook/QPA_paraphrase2.html
Step 7: Read all course material for weeks 1 through 6 and perform independent research to provide a
comprehensive internal environmental analysis, strategy analysis and selection.
Step 8: Jot down key facts about the company. Consider making an outline to capture key points in the
paper.
Step 9: In your paper, respond to the following: Background analysis including vision and mission statements and objectives Internal Environmental Analysis Corporate Level Strategy Business Unit Level Strategy Functional Level Strategy o Explain how these strategies align with the company’s vision and mission statements; o Assess the company’s interactions with its stakeholders, the organizational structure, the
organizational culture, and communication/decision making among managers within
human resources, marketing production, operations, finance and accounting, R&D, and
computer information systems, which can be accomplished by viewing the company’s
website, interviews, and surveys. Financial analysis for the last reported fiscal year:
o Use the company’s income statement and balance sheet to calculate key, but no less
than 10 key financial ratios to the business. There must be a mix of the different ratios
so that the ratios do not all come from the same category. Show the calculations. o Using Excel or a Word table, record key financial ratios in the first column; o Research the industry average financial ratios for the same ratios above and record in a
second column. If you cannot find an industry average, then select another ratio; o In the third column, indicate whether the financial ratio is a strength, a weakness or a
neutral factor. o Explain the results and compare and contrast the company financials to the industry. Technique Analysis: develop and explain an IFE, BCG matrix, Grand Strategy Matrix, and QSPM.
The expectation is not to copy from the Internet but to develop one’s own. The various tools
are to appear in the appropriate area of the paper and not in one section of the paper. Strategy Analysis: Identify and explain company strengths and weaknesses. Discuss success factors and what the
company must do to perform successfully in the industry? Discuss what strategies would allow
the company to capitalize on its major strengths. Discuss strategies that would allow the
company to improve upon its major weaknesses Generate a minimum of three possible alternative strategies for the company;
o Identify and discuss cultural factors that should be considered in analyzing and choosing
among the alternative strategies; Prioritize and explain the selection of alternative strategies Recommend the best one or two strategies among the alternative strategies and explain why
these strategies are the best; Step 10: Create an introductory paragraph. The Introduction should clearly and concisely convey the
main points of the assignment’s requirements. Review the following website to learn how to write an
introductory paragraph: http://www.writing.ucsb.edu/faculty/donelan/intro.html Step 11: Write a summary paragraph. A summary paragraph restates the main idea(s) of the essay.
Make sure to leave a reader with a sense that the essay is complete. The summary paragraph is the last
paragraph of a paper.
Step 12: Using the grading rubric as a comparison, read through the paper to ensure all required
elements are presented.
Step 13: Proofread the paper for spelling and grammatical issues, and third person writing. Use the spell and grammar check in Word as a first measure; Have someone who has excellent English skills to proof the paper; Consider submitting the paper to the Effective Writing Center (EWC). The EWC will provide 4-6
