Graded Homework

Week Three
Analysis

Your readings have pointed out that
strategic management involves conducting an external and internal analysis of
the organization, and it has provided several methods for doing that focused
around SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats). Strengths and
weaknesses were assessed in the internal analysis using RBV and VRIO. (Chapter
3). Opportunities and threats were assessed using categories from Porter’s Five
Forces (intensity of rivalry, threat of new entrants, threat of substitutes,
bargaining power of suppliers, and bargaining power of buyers). (Chapter 2).

I presented additional screens for
relevant categories for conducting an environmental assessment and an internal
analysis of the firm that were designed to provide a comprehensive picture of
all the factors and forces relevant to considering a strategy. (Social Process
and Corporate Process Triangles) (Mann’s paper and my introduction). (Week 3
readings)

This
analysis exercise is about applying those screens to a real situation that is
familiar to you.

1. Step
   one is to provide an external analysis of your organization’s operating
   environment. Consider that environment to be the state in which
   it operates. (For this you can use the profile indicators on p. 14 of
   Mann’s paper as guides to comprehensiveness, as well as the forces
   described in Chapter 2.) From that, you should be able to determine
   opportunities and threats facing the organization.
2. Step
   two is to provide an internal assessment of your organization. In
   this, your end product will be an understanding of your organization’s
   strengths and weaknesses in addressing the opportunities and threats
   in the environment. (For this you can use the Organizational profile
   indicators on p. 16 of Mann’s paper and the VRIO assessment categories
   from Chapter 3 of the textbook.).

The paper should be 4-6 pages, 12-point type, double space.
The intent of this analysis is to see that you are able to apply the concepts
and methods we have studied so far.

Here is a possible outline of the paper:

1. Name
   of the organization and state in which it operates. (1 or 2 sentences).
2. A.
   Economic characteristics of the state (major industry, intensity of
   rivalry, poverty level, resources available to your firm, etc.)
3. B.
   Political characteristics of the state (red or blue, stability, etc.)
4. Cultural
   characteristics of the state (state school system, major values,
   celebrations etc.)
5. Opportunities
   for your organization and/or threats this environment poses
   (This section should be no more than 2 pages)

• Operational
  Characteristics of the organization (what does it do? How does it do it
  and who are its customers?)

1. Organizational
   characteristics of the organization (Top-down or participative? Unionized?
   Silos or team-based?
2. C.
   Corporate Culture characteristics: (How are people trained? What values
   really guide the firm? How do people relate to each other and to
   customers?)
3. Strengths
   and weaknesses of the organization to operate effectively in its
   environment
   (This section should be no more than 2 pages)

This is not intended to be an exhaustive analysis, as you
can see from the page limits. It is to give you a chance to practice using the
methods presented in the course so far in analyzing a familiar situation.