For this assignment, you will complete the case study using Walmart the company that you chose in Unit II and have been researching throughout the course. Respond to the four writing prompts below. Yo

MBA 5101, Strategic Management and Business Policy 1 Cou rse Learning Outcomes for Unit VI Upon completion of this unit, students should be able to: 4. Analyze the processes for formulating corporate strategy. 4.1 Discuss Six Sigma and its use as a method of strategy implementation. 5. Evaluate methods that impact strategy implementation, such as staffing, directing, and organizing. 5.1 Identify the stages of the corporate life cycle. 5.2 Explain how a corporation’s life cycle may be extended. Reading Assignment In order to access the following resources, click the links below: Bowersox, D. J., & Daugherty, P. J. (1995). Logistics paradigms: The impact of information technology. Journal of Business Logistics, 16 (1), 65 -80. Retrieved from https://libraryresources.columbiasouthern.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direc t=true&db=bth&AN=9509300849&site=ehost -live&scope=site College of Business – CSU. (2016, January 12). MBA5101 Unit VI lesson video [YouTube video]. Retriev ed from https://youtu.be/G2GQV6iN8QY?list=PL08sf8iXqZn54RIuJs -skgp4omxG -UOu5 Click here to access a transcript of the video. Crough, C. (2012). Lean Six Sigma value - industry ready for it? Concrete Products, 115 (3), 6 -8. Retrieved from https://libraryresources.columbiasouthern.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direc t=true&db=bth&AN=73958567&site=ehost -live&sco pe=site Hahn, W., & Powers, T. L. (2010). Strategic plan quality, implementation capability, and firm performance. Academy of Strategic Management Journal, 9 (1), 63 -81. Retrieved from https://libraryresources.columbiasouthern.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login .aspx?direc t=true&db=bth&AN=51382961&site=ehost -live&scope=site Raps, A. (2005). Strategy implementation - an insurmountable obstacle? In Emerald Group (Eds.), Strategic management (pp. 141 -145). Retrieved from https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/columbiasouthern/reader.action?ppg=42&docID=282919&tm=1 507645002311 Smith, B. D. (2010). Discretio n is the better part of value: F ive rese arch -based rules for ensuring that strategy implementers implement. Journal of Medical Marketing, 10 (3), 259 -266. Retrieved from https://libraryresources.columbiasouthern.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direc t=true&db=bth&AN=51425286&site=ehost -live&scope=site Yadav, R. (2015). A roadmap for implementing total quality management practices in medium enterprises. IUP Journal of Operations Management, 14 (4), 7 -23. Retrieved from https://libraryresources.columbiasouthern.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/logi n.aspx?direc t=true&db=bth&AN=111965536&site=ehost -live&scope=site UNIT VI STUDY GUIDE Strategy Implementation MBA 5101, Strategic Management and Business Policy 2 UNIT x STUDY GUIDE Title Unit Lesson Once a strategy is designed, created, and accepted by people in an organization, the next step is implementation. W ith careful planning and consideration, the implementation p hase can be made smoother and easier. This does not account for the real world possibility of mistakes, problems, and issues. The strategy implementation phase, which is merely the act of putting strategy into action, only involves three steps: 1. Program s and tactics 2. Budgets 3. Procedures This simplicity belies the difficulty involved in a company successfully and continuously implementing all three effectively . In this unit lesson, the importance of implementation, as well as the difficulty successful firms will encounter, will be discussed. Strategy implementation is about achieving the goals developed and set forth in the company’s strategic plan.

The CEO, top management , and the cross -functional strategic planning committee have all taken great care in developing a strategic plan that demonstrates a conscious effort to create a kind of future the firm sees in which it would like to compete. Only with a good long -term str ategy and consistent implementation will a company be able to compete against rival companies in meeting customer wants and needs (Finnie, 1997 ). Dis cipline in implementing each step is critical to success. In his article published in Strategy and Leadership , the author discussed interactive organizations who wish to control their own futures. Finnie (1997) stated that organizations can use strategic thinking to plan for the future and establish long -term goals based on factors that may drive change in their industry. When the completed strategic plan is approved and ready for implementation, it is up to the firm’s middle managers to ensure its successful execution. At this point, the role of top management shifts to provide two types o f leadership: constancy of purpose (i.e., a clear, constant, motivating vision) and an environment that encourages everyone to work together to achieve the vision. W ithin that leadership structure, top management ensures that individual goals and goal meas urements are clear. The role of the cross -functional teams operating across the organization at all levels is still necessary to coordinate actions and information gathering to ensure progress towards these goals (Finnie, 1997 ). Managers, employees, and firm infrastructure must be brought together in a way that culminates in a high level of implementation capability which, when accomplished, will provide a firm with a core competence. The value of these middle managers is in how t hey work through their employees to accomplish the goals set forth in the strategic plan (Hahn & Powers, 2010 ). This is why these managers need buy in to the changes being implemented in the company. Top leadership would be wise to include managers in the planning phases. This also helps to ensure managers appreciate and understand the goals of the top management. The goals in a strategic plan must be specific and measurable to enable employees to know they are continuing to perform in line with the plan requirements. A set of metr ics need to be set up, but care should be done to ensure these metrics measure 1) what needs to be measured, and 2) what is being measured is accurate and reliable. An example of an overall goal might be to achieve certain top line revenue targets. Top man agement must insist that reaching the goal itself without adhering to plan strategies is not acceptable. This enables the manager's role to be specific in focusing employees and their activities toward achieving the specific targets set forth in the plan. In this case, that might mean not only reaching the overall revenue target, but also each of those revenue production targets within the overall revenue goal. This type of focused effort enables better communication at Marine Institute Ireland, strategic planning symbol. (Marine Institute, 2006) MBA 5101, Strategic Management and Business Policy 3 UNIT x STUDY GUIDE Title the functional level, enabling empl oyees to make important, qualitative judgments in their everyday activities. Again, implementation is important for performance because strategies do not add value unless properly implemented (Hahn & Powers, 2010 ). A company must also be flexible to make changes when necessary. Simi lar to the action research model, a process might be implemented under expertise opinion and consideration, but once implemented, more data may suggest or show change is necessary. The question of changing or staying the course must have a decision maker w ith the power to resolve such issues. To review, top management's job is far from over once the strategic plan has been approved for implementation. They must continue to provide leadership and set the tone in the organization that will enable employees t o believe they can follow and implement their firm’s strategic plan. The creation of an open and supportive culture and environment is critical. Reaching goals without fulfilling the strategy requirements does not provide a clear picture of company perform ance or its plan implementation. If the strategic plan encompasses the vision and future the company sees for itself, then to achieve that stated vision requires the company to implement and rigorously adhere to its plan. That enables the company to better understand the effectiveness of its leadership, planning, and plan implementation process. Achieving optimum performance in all three of these areas creates a distinctive competency and competitive advantage (Hahn & Powers, 2010 ). The managers within this leadership environment mu st engage and lead their employees, not just to achieve plan goals, but they must also achieve those plan goals within the framework of the plan. Companies that perform at this level consistently tend to earn a higher return on investment (ROI) (Hahn & Powers, 2010 ). In this type of implementation environment, top management and managers pay special attention to the communication and resource needs of their employees. They clearly recognize the value of discretionary decisions employees make daily in their work. Therefore, the compan y mission, plan vision, and implemented goals must be made clear and be fully understood at the functional level. It becomes a manager's primary responsibility to ensure their communication is clear and focused with regard to the needs of successful plan implementation. They must enable employees to feel that reaching the functional goals according to the strategies set forth in the plan is not only preferred, but is achievable. Goal setting may change over the course of implementation because of new data r eceived and analyzed by management. By employees clearly understanding their role and value in their daily implementation of the company strategic plan, their confidence increases, which yields higher productivity and increased plan performance. It also i ncreases employee morale, which can later translate into improved contributions during the planning process (Smith, 2010 ). Employees on the front line develop first -hand experience on any given company process. Their feedback should be considered when making c hanges, but within the context of change and ideas from multiple levels of management. Managers must be sensitive not only to the quantitative measurements required for successful plan implementation, they must also be sensitive to qualitative measurement s in the spirit of achieving implemented results within the plan strategy requirements. Consistent and constant feedback, training, and resource provisioning at all levels must come together in the correct manner to form an infrastructure and culture to ma ke that happen (Smith, 2010 ). With change will come many challenges, thus the need for support of management for workers, and vice versa. Change may not always be made easy, but teamwork and support of one another can remove many barriers and challenges to the change process. Rather than making strategy implementation an additional, but important task on top of the employees’ and managers’ daily work, successful strategy implementation must become everyone’s daily job. Only through focused leadership, communi cation, demonstrated understanding, and dedication at all levels can strategy implementation be most effective, enabling the company and its employees to reap their hard -won rewards. References Finnie, W. C. (1997). A four -cycle approach to strategy development and implementation. Strategy & Leadership, 25, 24. Hahn, W., & Powers, T. L. (2010). Strategic plan quality, implementation capability, and firm performance. Academy of Strategic Manageme nt Journal, 9 (1), 63. MBA 5101, Strategic Management and Business Policy 4 UNIT x STUDY GUIDE Title Marine Institute. (2006). Strategic planning symbol [Image]. Retrieved from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Strategic_ Planning_Symbol.jpg Smith, B. D. (2010). Discretion is the better part of value: Five research -based rules for ensuring that strategy implementers implement. Journal of Medical Marketing, 10 (3), 259. Suggested Reading In order to access the following resources, click t he links below: This article provides further information regarding organizational change. Goksoy, A., Ozsoy, B., & Vayvay, O. (2012). Business process reengineering: Strategic tool for managing organizational change an application in a multinational company. International Journal of Business and Management, 7 (2), 89 -112. Retrieved from: http://www.ccsenet.org/journal/index.php/ijbm/article/view/11655 This book provides further information regarding organizational change. Hammer, M. (1997). Beyond reengineering: Ho w the process -centered organization is changing our work and our lives. New York, NY: Harper -Collins. The article below discusses total quality management. The best information is on pages 3055 -3059 and 3068 -3069. Wiengarten, F., Fynes , B., Cheng, E. T., & Chavez, R. (2013). Taking an innovative approach to quality practices: Exploring the importance of a company’s innovativeness on the success of TQM practices.

International Journal of Production Research, 51 (10), 3055 -3074 . Retrieved from . https://libraryresources.columbiasouthern.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost. com/login.aspx?direc t=true&db=bth&AN=86746177&site=ehost -live&scope=site