MBA assignment
MBAA 635 Capstone Requirements
The chosen company you will work on is Delta Airline Inc. your strategic analysis will be focused on Delta Airline Inc. The reference provided will be the most deducted from the airline company
Strategic Analysis
Objective
The objective of the capstone paper is to demonstrate the comprehensive knowledge and skills—gained throughout your pursuit of a graduate degree—in a business plan analyzing the many strategic planning aspects of a firm. The paper must demonstrate significant knowledge of the firm gained from your significant scholarly research conducted during this course.
Methodology
You are to select a firm approved by your instructor and then independently formulate a single strategic plan that best fits the firm chosen for study. The firm must be a publicly traded global firm listed on the NYSE. This is to ensure there is public access to annual reports, financial data, and so forth. Because each student must analyze a different firm (there will be no duplication of firms), the first person to post a selection gets that firm (unless the instructor does not approve the choice for another reason). You are to develop the strategic plan incrementally over eight weeks and submit specific sections each week. The complete document is due by the end of Day 6 of the Module 9 week. Submission of the final complete paper is a requirement for passing the Course. You are to incorporate any instructor feedback received throughout the course or new learning in the individually submitted sections; however, all changes from the original submissions must be distinguished by red-colored font, as illustrated here.
Requirements for the Deliverables
The following elements are to be analyzed and included in the strategic plan (page lengths are intended as guide only):
1. History of the Firm (1 to 2 pages)
Rely on the knowledge and skills developed in your core courses covering research methods to address the history of the firm.
2. Financial Overview (2 to 3 pages excluding any figures)
Include trends in important financial ratios for the firm (graphs/figures may be useful here). Ratios deemed important could vary based on the industry of firm; therefore, provide justification of any ratios chosen and include industry measures. Be sure to address issues related to the firm operating across the globe. Rely on the knowledge and skills developed in your core courses covering accounting, economics, finance, research methods, and international business for the scope of topics to address in the overview.
3. Corporate Governance (1 to 2 pages)
Review the senior management and the Board of Directors. Rely on the knowledge and skills developed in your core courses covering research methods to address corporate governance.
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4. Mission and Vision Statements (1 to 2 pages)
Analyze the current mission and vision statements and provide recommendations for possible revised statements for both.
5. Analyses of Key Strategies (4 to 8 pages)
-Firm's current functional-level strategies.
o Functional strategies include but are not limited to marketing strategies, new product strategies, human resources strategies, financial strategies, legal strategies, supply chain strategies, manufacturing strategies, and information technology strategies. Rely on the knowledge and skills developed in your core courses covering marketing, accounting, economics, international business, and operations research to address the functional-level strategies.
-Firm's current business-level strategies.
o Business-level strategy is defined as an integrated and coordinated set of commitments and actions the firm uses to gain a competitive advantage by exploiting core competencies in specific product markets. The generic strategies are cost leadership, differentiation, focused low cost, focused differentiation, and integrated low-cost/differentiation. Rely on the knowledge and skills developed in your core courses covering accounting, finance, economics, marketing, and international business to address the business–level strategies.
-Firm's current corporate-level strategies.
o Corporate level strategy focuses on selection of businesses in which the firm should compete and how to boost the combined performance of the set of the firm’s business diversifications. Corporate-level strategy concerns the scope and portfolio of businesses in the firm. Rely on the knowledge and skills developed in your core courses covering research methods, finance, and economics to address the corporate-level strategies.
- Firm's current global (international) strategies.
o International strategies refer to the firm’s strategy for competing in two or more countries simultaneously. Strategies include multi-domestic, global, and transnational. Rely on the knowledge and skills developed in your core courses covering international business and marketing to address the current international strategies.
6. SWOT Analysis (4 to 6 pages)
Size up the firm’s strengths, weaknesses opportunities, and threats using a SWOT analysis, developed in two separate deliverables: Strengths and Weaknesses (SW) analysis (2 to 3 pages) and an Opportunities and Threats (OT) analysis (2 to 3 pages). The analysis involves evaluating all aspects of the firm such as market opportunities, financial resources, product innovation capabilities, customer service, intellectual and human capital, foreign trade issues, and many others.
-SW analysis: This deliverable includes an Internal Factor Analysis Statement (IFAS) identifying and analyzing the strategic Strength (S) and Weakness (W) factors facing the firm.
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-OT analysis: This deliverable includes an External Factor Analysis Statement (EFAS) identifying and analyzing strategic Opportunities (O) and Threats (T) factors facing the firm.
The SW and OT deliverables should include a Strategic Factor Analysis Statement (SFAS) identifying and analyzing the most significant strategic SWOT factors, at least 10 altogether for the SWOT analysis.
7. TOWS Analysis (3 to 4 pages)
Using your SFAS,
o Identify four potential strategies for the firm to follow,
o Develop the best strategic plan, and
o Provide the rationale for each strategy.
Create a TOWS analysis by combing the results from your SWOT analysis to develop strategies. As stated previously, SWOT analysis involves evaluating a wide range of areas applicable to the firm.
8. Executive Summary (1 to 2 pages)
Rely on the knowledge and skills developed in your core courses covering research methods to address the executive review.
9. Conclusions (1 to 3 pages)
Rely on the knowledge and skills developed in your core courses covering research methods to address your conclusions.
10. References
The list of references must include a full reference for every source cited (see the APA manual).
Rely on the knowledge and skills developed in your core courses covering research methods to develop your list of references.
11. Appendices (as needed)
Rely on the knowledge and skills developed in your core courses covering research methods to develop your appendices.
Manuscript Style and Format
The length of the final paper should be approximately 18 to 23 pages, not including the title page, appendix, or any figures/tables in the document body. Use double line spacing throughout the paper. Use Times New Roman or Arial typeface with a 12-pt font and 1-inch page margins throughout the manuscript. Sequentially number each page, except for the title page that takes no page number, at the top right corner with Arabic numerals. All other style/format requirements must comply with current APA guidelines for reporting research. This means, in addition to compliance with the style guidelines for headings, paragraphs, tables, and figures, any content not originated by you must be cited and referenced properly.
