group case analysis 1
Running head: GROUP CASE ANALYSIS 1 0
Group Case Analysis 1
Group #
Course and Section Number
Liberty University
Date
Executive Summary
Double space your paper!
The executive summary is a short overview of main points of your case analysis. It:
Highlights your findings (see textbook p. 361);
Includes a brief statement of the recommendations; and
Briefly and succinctly presents:
An overview of the company;
Key findings from your analyses; and
Rationale for your recommendations.
Try to limit executive summary to one or two pages as the detailed case analysis will immediately follow this section.
Since the executive summary includes the key ideas of the case analysis, often it is the last portion of the case analysis which is written, but it is the first section of the paper.
Remember to double space your paper, including your reference citations.
Group Case Analysis 1
Existing Mission, Objectives, and Strategies
Checklist and tips:
Describe the mission, objectives, and strategies and remember to cite your sources with proper in-text citations.
Mission
Checklist and tips:
Include the current mission statement with sources cited.
Analyze how well the mission statement describes the company;
Critique the mission statement in terms of the
Required characteristics (see textbook Table 2-3, page 47); and
Nine components (see textbook, Table 2-4, page 48).
Be through. Your discussion and critique will be evaluated in terms of how well your mission statement analysis describes the need for the new mission statement you present in that section.
.
Objectives
Checklist and tips:
Discuss the company’s objectives.
Quoting from the case or other sources is acceptable as long as it is placed inside quotation marks, or block indentation if 40 or more words, with the in-text citation that includes the page or paragraph number, and the reference citation included in your reference section.
Strategies
Checklist and tips:
What types of strategies is the company implementing? See Table 5-4, page 134 of the textbook. (Remember you just completed this exercise for Hershey in Week 5)
See types of strategies that are currently or have been pursued by some companies in Table 5-4 on page 134 of the textbook.
“Strategies are the means by which long-term objectives will be achieved” (David & David, 2017, p. 12).
“Strategies are potential actions that require top management decisions and large amounts of the firm’s resources. in addition, strategies affect an organization’s long-term prosperity, typically for at least five years, and thus are future-oriented. Strategies have multifunctional or multidivisional consequences and require consideration of both the external and internal factors facing the firm (David & David, 2017, p. 12).
New Mission Statement
Checklist and tips:
Justify the need for a new mission statement using your findings from the Mission statement analysis earlier in your case analysis.
The new mission statement must have:
Characteristics (see textbook Table 2-3, page 47); and
Nine components (see textbook, page 48) of a mission statement.
SWOT (TOWS) Analysis
Checklist and tips:
The SWOT Analysis is the first analysis completed, after the mission statement;
You may use the downloadable template in strategyclub.com for your analysis.
The SWOT Analysis is the basis for all of the subsequent analysis in the case study. “First, SWOT does not show how to achieve a competitive advantage, so it must not be an end in itself. The matrix should be the starting point for a discussion on how proposed strategies could be implemented as well as cost-benefit considerations that ultimately could lead to competitive advantage. Second, SWOT is a static assessment (or snapshot) in time…Third, SWOT analysis may lead the firm to overemphasize a single internal or external factor in formulating strategies. There are interrelationships among the key internal and external factors that SWOT does not reveal that may be important in devising strategies” (David & David, 2017, pp. 172-174).
Complete the SWOT before completing the EFE Matrix and IFE Matrix:
The EFE Matrix uses the SWOT opportunities and threats;
The IFE Matrix uses the SWOT strengths and weaknesses
Identify 40 factors: 10 strengths, 10 weaknesses, 10 opportunities, and 10 threats.
Remember, that each factors must be quantified, specific and not vague, and "actionable"
Each SWOT factor must be measurable (qualified), specific, and actionable. “Both internal and external factors should be stated in specific terms to the extent possible, using numbers, percentages, dollars, and ratios, as well as comparisons over time and to rival firms. Specificity is important because strategies will be formulated and resources allocated based on this information. the more specific the underlying external and internal factors, the more effectively strategies can be formulated and resources allocated. Determining the numbers takes more time, but survival of the firm often is at stake, so identifying and estimating numbers associated with key factors is essential” (David & David, 2017, p. 12).
Internal Strengths and Weaknesses
Controllable: “Internal strengths and internal weaknesses are an organization’s controllable activities that are performed especially well or poorly. they arise in the management, marketing, finance/accounting, production/operations, research and development (R&D), and management information systems (MIS) activities of a business” (David & David, 2017, pp. 11).
Functional areas: “Identifying and evaluating organizational strengths and weaknesses in the functional areas [emphasis added] of a business is an essential strategic-management activity” (David & David, 2017, p. 11).
Performance based: “Strengths and weaknesses are determined relative to competitors. Relative deficiency or superiority is important information. also, strengths and weaknesses can be determined by elements of being rather than performance. For example, a strength may involve ownership of natural resources or a historic reputation for quality. Strengths and weaknesses may be determined relative to a firm’s own objectives. for example, high levels of inventory turnover may not be a strength for a firm that seeks never to stock-out” (David & David, 2017, p. 12).
Use Figures. “Internal factors can be determined in a number of ways, including computing ratios, measuring performance, and comparing to past periods and industry averages. various types of surveys also can be developed and administered to examine internal factors such as employee morale, production efficiency, advertising effectiveness, and customer loyalty” (David & David, 2017, p. 12).
Opportunities and threats
Uncontrollable: Opportunities and threats are largely beyond the control of a single organization—thus the word external" (David & David, 2017, p. 11).
External trends, events, facts: "External opportunities and external threats refer to economic, social, cultural, demographic, environmental, political, legal, governmental, technological, and competitive trends and events that could significantly benefit or harm an organization in the future. Opportunities and threats are largely beyond the control of a single organization—thus the word external" (David & David, 2017, p. 11).
See examples of some opportunities and threats on page 10 of the textbook. The examples of opportunities and threats on page 10 of the textbook are the “types of changes are creating a different type of consumer and consequently a need for different types of products, services, and strategies. Many companies in many industries face the severe external threat of online sales capturing increasing market share in their industry” (David & David, 2017, p. 11).
“Other opportunities and threats may include the passage of a law, the introduction of a new product by a competitor, a national catastrophe, or the declining value of the euro. a competitor’s strength could be a threat. a growing middle class in Africa, rising energy costs, or social media networking could represent an opportunity or a threat” (David & David, 2017, p. 11).
Cite your sources for each factor. Please remember to cite your sources with proper in-text citations.
If the SWOT is created outside of your document (i.e., not a table built in Word), it must be pasted in this section of your case analysis.
Review and incorporate the feedback from your GALE2, Week 3 and IALE1, Week 1.
EFE Matrix
Checklist and tips:
Use the SWOT factors to prioritize by weighting and ranking the key internal factors for the EFE matrix. Include the key external factors, weights, ratings, and weighted score in one matrix. Remember to total the weight column and weighted score columns.
Each EFE factor must be included in your SWOT Analysis included earlier in the case analysis.
Factors must be quantified, specific and not vague, and actionable.
“Procedures for developing an EFE Matrix are presented in the textbook Chapter 3.
Weights between 0.0 and 1.0;
Ratings between 1 and 4;
Weighted score: between 1 and 4; and
The sum of all weighted scores assigned to the factors must equal 1.0
Opportunities often receive higher weights than threats, but threats can receive high weights if they are especially severe or threatening.
Appropriate weights can be determined by comparing successful with unsuccessful competitors or by discussing the factor and reaching a group consensus.
The rows of your EFE Matrix may be single spaced.
Cite sources to each factor: Remember to cite your sources for each factor in the EFE Matrix.
You may use the downloadable template in strategyclub.com for your analysis.
Interpret your results:
What does the weighted score tell us about the company.? The results must be interpreted. See Community and Collaboration Center threads: Case Analysis Template, Conducting the Case Analysis, and Case Analysis: SWOT, EFE, and IFE for additional clarification.
When conducting the case analysis, ask yourself how would the CEO react to the recommendations. Is the rationale well developed with sources cited and data so that the recommendations are well-developed, logical, and credible?
Review and incorporate the feedback from your GALE3, Week 3.
----Insert your EFE Matrix----
Interpretation of Results
Checklist and tips:
Interpretation of Results is a required sub-section in the EFE Matrix section of your paper.
What does your EFE matrix tell you about the company?
Did you interpret the weighted score?
See examples in the textbook, pp. 77-78.
IFE Matrix
Checklist and tips:
Use the SWOT factors to prioritize by weighting and ranking the key internal factors of the IFE matrix. (See the discussion about strengths and weaknesses in the SWOT Analysis section above.)
You may use the downloadable template in strategyclub.com for your analysis.
The Internal Factor Evaluation (IFE) Matrix “summarizes and evaluates the major strengths and weaknesses in the functional areas of a business, and it also provides a basis for identifying and evaluating relationships among those areas” (David & David, 2017, p. 117).
Remember, that the factors are quantified, specific and not vague, and actionable.
Include the key internal factors, weights, ratings, and weighted score in one matrix.
No more than 30% of key factors are financial ratios “because financial ratios are generally the result of many factors, so it is difficult to know what particular strategies should be considered based on financial ratios” (David & David, 2017, p. 118).
“List strengths first and then weaknesses. Be as specific as possible, using percentages, ratios, and comparative numbers” (David & David, 2017, p. 117).
See IFE Matrix in Chapter 4, beginning on page 117.
The rows of your IFE Matrix may be single spaced.
Remember to cite your sources for each factor in the IFE Matrix.
Remember to total the weight column and weighted score columns.
Interpret your results:
What does the weighted score tell us about the company? The results must be interpreted. See Community and Collaboration Center threads: Case Analysis Template, Conducting the Case Analysis, and Case Analysis: SWOT, EFE, and IFE for additional clarification.
When conducting the case analysis, ask yourself how would the CEO react to the recommendations. Is the rationale well developed with sources cited and data so that the recommendations are well-developed, logical, and credible?
Did you cite your sources for each critical success factor in the matrix?
----Insert IFE Matrix----
Interpretation of Results
Checklist and tips:
Interpret the weighted score.
What does your IFE matrix tell you about the company?
Did you mention the weighted score?
See examples in the textbook, p. 117-118.
Competitive Profile Matrix
Checklist and tips:
Determine how well the company is competing in its industry by comparing it to its major competitor(s) using the Competitive Profile Matrix (CPM).
Use the S&P Industry Studies to identify critical success factors in the industry.
Remember to cite your sources for each factor in the CPM analysis.
“Avoid assigning the same rating to firms included in your CPM analysis” (David & David, 2017, p. 79).
You may use the downloadable template in strategyclub.com for your analysis.
The rows of your CPM analysis may be single spaced.
See Chapter 3, pp. 79-82 for instructions for conducting the CPM and examples of CPM, with interpretations.
Review and incorporate the feedback from your GALE3, Week 3.
Did you cite your sources for each critical success factor in the matrix?
----Insert the CPM Matrix----
Interpretation of Results
Checklist and tips:
Interpretation of Results is a required sub-section in the CPM Matrix section of your paper.
How do you interpret the total score interpreted?
Did you include the Total Score for each company in your narrative?
How well is the company competing in its industry?
Discuss the areas that the company is competing well and where it needs to improve.
Alternative Strategies
Checklist and tips:
Include only the Types of Strategies listed in Table 5-4 (see David & David, 2017, pp. 132-144)
In this section, discuss the alternative strategies (see textbook pp. 132-144 and Table 5-4, page 133), using the EFE, CPM, and IFE results and other resources in Chapter 5.
Explain your rationale
Use the results of the EFE, IFE, and CPM matrices as your rationale.
Since the results are in this paper, there is no citation required when using these analyses.
However, you must discuss how the results of your analyses either support or are not needed for each alternative strategy.
Use the textbook, Chapter 5, as a resource for your rationale.
See textbook, p. 169: The process of generating and selecting strategies. “
See The Matching Stage beginning on textbook 172, Use the information in the case to identify the company’s internal strengths and weaknesses, and the external opportunities and threats (SWOT Analysis).
See Table 6-1, page 169 of the textbook, for some ideas for identifying key internal (strengths and weaknesses) and external (opportunities and threats) and matching them to strategies. Consider generating Table 6-1 as a worksheet when identifying strategies.
“Organizations strive to pursue strategies that capitalize on internal strengths and eliminate internal weaknesses” (David & David, 2017, p. 12).
“A basic tenet of strategic management is that firms need to formulate strategies to take advantage of external opportunities and avoid or reduce the impact of external threats. for this reason, identifying, monitoring, and evaluating external opportunities and threats are essential for success” (David & David, 2017, p. 11).
Advantages
Checklist and tips:
Discuss the advantages of each alternative strategy as it relates to the company (see textbook, pages 132-144)
Use feedback from Week 5, IALE2 and GALE3
Cite your sources.
Chapter 5 of the textbook is a good resource.
Disadvantages
Checklist and tips:
Discuss the disadvantages of each alternative strategy as it relates to company. (see textbook, pages 132-144)
Use feedback from Week 5, IALE2 and GALE3
Cite your sources.
Use Chapter 5 as a resourcey.
Recommendations
Checklist and tips:
Using the alternative strategies, select those alternative strategies that you recommend the company to implement.
Remember to limit your recommended strategies. “Because no organization has unlimited resources, strategists must decide which alternative strategies will benefit the firm most. Strategy-formulation decisions commit an organization to specific products, markets, resources, and technologies over an extended period of time. Strategies determine long-term competitive advantages. For better or worse, strategic decisions have major multifunctional consequences and enduring effects on an organization” (David & David, 2017, p. 5).
“Most, organizations simultaneously pursue a combination of two or more strategies, but a combination strategy can be exceptionally risky if carried too far. No organization can afford to pursue all the strategies that might benefit the firm. Difficult decisions must be made. Priority must be established. Organizations, like individuals, have limited resources. Both organizations and individuals must choose among alternative strategies and avoid excessive indebtedness” (David & David, 2017, p. 133).
‘Recommendations are alternative strategies actually selected for implementation’” (David & David, 2017, p. 157)
Discuss your rationale:
Use the findings from the SWOT, EFE Matrix, IFE Matrix, and CPM Analysis in your discussion.
Explain how financial, human, physical, technological, and other resources will be needed and to achieve the long-term objectives. See Table 5-4, page 133 of the textbook.
Cite your sources
Chapter 5 of the textbook is a good resource and provides examples that may be similar to what you are recommending.
Specific Strategies
Checklist and tips:
Link your tactic for facilitating each strategy to the recommended strategy discussed in the previous section.
Discuss how to implement the specific strategies discussed in the previous section, Recommendations, using “Tactics to facilitate strategies”, pages 152-154 of the textbook as a guide.
Cite your sources that support your tactics for each recommended strategy.
Long-Term Objectives
Checklist and tips:
Link your long-term objectives to each recommended strategy.
Explain what you expect the company to achieve through these recommended strategies.
How will these objectives be evaluated?
How will progress be monitored?
What tools or analysis will be used or are indicators of performance for these objectives?
What will success look like?
How will you measure success?
How will you know if objectives have been achieved?
Cite your sources that support your rationale.
How are these long-term objectives possible based upon the recommended strategies and tactics (specific strategies) discussed above?
References
Checklist and tips:
All sources that are cited in the text are included in this section.
Reference citations are double spaced, with no extra return between the section heading, References, and each citation.
The first line for each citation begins at the left margin and subsequent lines are indented. When using Word, the format command for Paragraph, Indentation, Special: Hanging, 0.5” and double spacing is Spacing: Before: 0 After: 0, Line Spacing: Double.
The reference section begins on a new page of your paper.
An example citation and the proper APA citation for the textbook is included below:
David, F. R., & David, F. R. (2017). Strategic management: A competitive advantage approach, concepts and cases (16th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson. ISBN: 9780134167848.
Do not include this section in your paper. This section includes reminders only
When conducting the case analysis, ask yourself how would the CEO react to the recommendations. Is the rationale well developed with sources cited and data so that the recommendations are well-developed, logical, and credible?
Please also refer to Part 6, "How to prepare and present a case analysis" in textbook. Specifically, "Preparing a written case analysis" on pages 362-363 and "Tips for successful case analysis" on pages 365-367 provide useful information and direction for completing your group's case analysis.
Remember to use APA style throughout your paper
The organization of your paper should follow APA style (see Assignment/Paper Template in the Collaboration and Community Center thread of the Discussion Board forum and the Liberty University Online Writing Center APA resources).
Remember to use proper APA style that includes a running heading, proper cover page, page numbers, citations for all information obtained or influenced by others, and references that conform to APA format.
When using Word, place your heading and page number in a header so it will repeat on every page. Also, select “Different First Page” so that “Running head: ” appears only on your cover page. Times New Roman 12 point is the preferred font style.
Please remember when using APA style to double space throughout your paper, with no extra line spacing between the headings or paragraphs, or reference citations. When using Word, use the Paragraph format command: Spacing Before: 0 After: 0 Line Spacing: Double.
