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PROJECT INFO
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Write My Essay For Me1. General information:
1.1. AACSB Assessment: This assignment is used to assess student performance for AACSB
accreditation. In other words, this assignment is how UHV determines whether you have
learned certain skills that UHV would like all graduates to know.
1.2. Academic Honesty: You may include a few short, selected quotes (properly cited with page
numbers included) in your report, but each and every sentence you write in this assignment
must be crafted by you. This means that you need to seriously avoid copying and pasting from
any sources. Your assignment will be checked for originality.
2. Project Description: The purpose of this project is to apply theories, concepts, and tools of strategic
management to a real‐world case. The students should conduct a full strategic planning process on
the selected company, starting from the company’s vision and mission statement, to the analyses of
its external and internal environment, to developing strategic recommendations.
2.1. Your Role: For this assignment, assume that you are a management consultant hired to analyze
the company and to give an honest and thorough assessment of the company’s environment
and competitive situation. You are required to research the company, and the industry yourself,
and to conduct the required analyses requested using the tools, theories, and ideas that you
have learned in this class and in the core and elective classes you have completed.
3. Report Format: All the parts must be typed and double‐spaced using font size 12, Times New
Roman, 1 inch margins on all sides, spell‐ and virus‐checked. APA style is required. Please remember
to include page numbers.
References: You are required to provide appropriate references for all data and for all sources
of information that you use in your analyses. For any source from the ‘web’, you also need to
provide an appropriate reference as you would for any other cited reference (author, date, etc.).
You also should include the date the URL was accessed and the entire web address to reach the
cited materials. Please and to use the APA format. You may refer to
Writing Center: The Student Success Center provides writing assistance and writing resources
to University of Houston‐Victoria students in Victoria, Sugar Land, and Cinco Ranch. Face‐to face
or online, the Center staff review class papers and other student writing projects. UHV students
may make an appointment for face‐to face tutoring or email documents as attachments through
WCOnline available at http://uhv.mywconline.com. The report format accounts for up to 10% of
the total grade; therefore, I strongly encourage you take advantage of this free service.
4. Report Structure: The final term project report consists of four parts. The Midterm exam consists of
Parts I and II. The team project report (Final exam) consists of the REVISED Parts I and II along with
Part III and IV. Please follow the structure in Appendix A and number each section and its
subsections.
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Part I includes an analysis of the general environment, the industry and the assigned firm’s
competitors. You are expected to provide a specific definition of the industry and an in‐
depth analysis of the industry’s current and future outlook. Your focus in Part I is the
external environment.
Part II requires you to analyze the assigned firm.
Part III is the section where you need to summarize the strategic challenges (opportunities
and threats) from both the general environment and the industry environment (Part I) and
match them with the internal strengths and weaknesses through SWOT analysis.
Part IV is the section of recommendations.
4.1. Executive Summary (1‐2 pages): The executive summary is the first section of a report for your
audience to read and the last section you write after completing your report. The executive
summary is simply a brief description of a) the purpose and scope of the report, b) major parts
of the report and methods and results in each part, and c) the final conclusion. The executive
summary may have 4‐5 paragraphs. Each paragraph consists of 3‐5 short sentences.
4.2. PART I: External Environmental Analysis
Page limit: 10‐15 pages total, excluding figures or tables, which should be included in the
Appendix section.
A. General Environmental (PESTEL) Analysis (2‐4 pages): This section needs to include a complete
analysis of the general external environment. Please refer to Table 3.1 and figure 3.1 on page 39 of
your textbook (4th Ed.). You should explicitly analyze how any trend you identify in each of the
segments in the external environment may affect the industry. You need to explicitly state the
implications. For example, if the industry you are analyzing is personal computers and you see an
expanding economy in some emerging economies, but a recession and declining disposable incomes
in other economies, your analysis should include how these trends are likely to influence the
personal computer industry. Do not discuss specific companies in this section. At the end of this
section, you need to identify the industry top two driving forces (DFs). A driving force is an external
environment change (e.g. change in a governmental policy or emergence of a new breakthrough
technology) which may significantly change the rule of the game in the industry competition. Please
refer to Table 3.3 and pages 55‐57 of your textbook (4th Ed.).
B. Industry Dominant Economic Features (2‐3 pages): This section needs to include a complete
analysis of Market Size, Market Growth Rate, etc. Please refer to Table 3.2 and pages 41‐42 of your
textbook (4th Ed.).
C. Five Forces Analysis & Industry Attractiveness (3‐5 pages): You need to employ the 5 forces
framework to examine the competitive environment of the company. This section also includes an
analysis of the industry profitability based on the collective strength of the five forces. Your analysis
should clearly address profitability of the industry for an “average” firm. You are required to provide
a table (in the appendix) summarizing your findings using the format shown below. Industry
profitability is defined as its long‐term profit potential of the industry. Please refer to Figure 3.2 and
pages 42‐54 of your textbook (4th Ed.).
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Summary of Five Forces Analysis
Buyer Leverage
Supplier Leverage
Threat of New Entrants
Threat of Substitutes
Intensity of Rivalry
Profit Potential
Rating Key: VL = Very Low; L = Low; M = Medium;
H = High; VH = Very High; N/A = Not applicable
D. Industry Competitors Analysis and Analysis of their Anticipated Strategic Moves (2‐3 pages):
This section delves deeply into the specific industry of the assigned firm (as opposed to the general
environmental analysis). In this section, the focus is on the competitors, and their Anticipated
Strategic Moves. Please refer to pages 61‐62 of your textbook (4th Ed.). In addition, this section
explains all strategic groups in the industry (Please refer to textbook pages 59‐61).
E. Industry Key Success Factors (1‐2 pages): This section provides an examination of 3‐5 key success
factors (KSFs) you identify in the industry. A KFS may be defined as what any firm in the industry
must have to survive and grow. Please refer to Table 3.4 and pages 62‐64 of your textbook (4th Ed.).
4.3. PART II: Internal Analysis
Page limit: 10‐15 pages total, excluding figures or tables which should be included at the
Appendix section.
A. Organizational Strategy Analysis (4‐6 pages): This section examines the company’s current
strategy and its components. For analyzing a company’s current strategy at the business level,
Figure 5.1 on page 94 of your textbook is useful. Please use this table as a framework for
analyzing the current business strategy for the company. For example, if you think the company
is pursuing a cost‐leadership strategy, your analysis should include a rationale based on market
segmentation and key functional areas (basis of competitive advantage). This section also
includes analyses of mission statement, core values, organizational culture and leadership.
A. Financial Analysis (2‐3 pages): Please provide an interpretation of the financial ratios. This
section explains completely what the numbers mean in terms of the financial health of the
company. Please refer to pages 240‐241 of your textbook (4th Ed.). The financial review includes
the past 3‐5 years. Industry average ratios and/or 2‐3 major competitors’’ ratios need to be
included in the comparative analysis. Please include summary tables in the appendix.
B. Value Chain Analysis (4‐6 pages): For the value chain analysis, you may refer to Figure 4.1 on
page 78 of the textbook. A complete value chain analysis includes examination of the company
and at least ONE of the competitors or industry average statistics so that you can assess the
company’s cost competitiveness in relation to its rivals. Be sure to identify major primary and
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support activities undertaken to deliver value to the customer, and value chain activities that
firm does more or less well (or more or less efficiently/cost effectively) than competitors. Your
analysis should help you understand the internal cost structures of the firm (vs. competitors),
and the resources and capabilities of the firm. Please also refer to Table 4.1 on pages 71 of your
textbook (4th Ed.).
4.4. PART III: Strategic Fit Analysis
Page limit: 5‐10 pages total, excluding figures or tables which should be included at the
Appendix section.
C. Strategic Opportunities and Threats (1‐2 pages): Based on Part I analysis, these section lists 2‐4
external opportunities and 2‐4 external threats. Please refer to Table 4.2 on pages 76 of your
textbook (4th Ed.).
Identification of an opportunity or threat depends on the level of company capabilities to
respond to them. With a relevant and strong internal capability, the company may see an
external challenge as an opportunity. However, when a company lacks the necessary capabilities
to properly respond to a strategic challenge then that challenge becomes a threat.
The potential benefits of pursuing each opportunity should be identified.
The consequences of failing to address each threat should be identified.
D. Core competencies (1‐2 pages): Based on Part II analysis, this section lists 2‐4 internal strengths
and 2‐4 internal weaknesses. Please refer to Table 4.2 on pages 76 of your textbook (4th Ed.).
Using the 4 tests framework (Chapter 4, Pages 71‐72 in your textbook), you need to justify which
of the internal strengths may be considered as the most important core competency of the
company.
E. Strategic Fit (SWOT) Analysis (3‐6 pages): This section explains the link between Strategic
Challenges (O&T) and the organizational competencies (S&W).
You need to provide a “SWOT summary table” (in the appendix) that recaps the strengths,
weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.
SWOT Summary Table
A. List of Opportunities (external) B. List of Threats (external)
C. List of Strengths (internal) D. List of Weaknesses (internal)
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After strengths and weaknesses are matched with opportunities and threats, strategic directions
emerge at their intersections. You need to identify 4‐5 such strategic directions. The following
matrix describes the 4 types of matching with related questions which may help you identify the
strategic directions. Needless to say, not all internal and external factors may match well with
each other. Therefore, you need to only focus on the meaningful, relevant, and significant fits.
You need to provide the “SWOT Matrix Table” (in the appendix) that recaps 4‐5 strategic
directions.
SWOT Matrix Table: Strategic Directions
A. List of Strengths (internal) B. List of Weaknesses (internal) C. List of Opportunities (external)
1 – S/O Match Strategic Recommendations
Obvious attractive options
Likely to produce greatest ROI (Return On
Investment)
Likely to be quickest to implement and
easiest to justify immediate action‐
planning or feasibility study
‐ Executive question: “If we are not
already looking at these areas and
prioritizing them, then why not?”
2 – W/O Match Strategic Recommendations
Potentially attractive options
Likely to produce good returns if capability
and implementation are viable
Potentially exciting and rewarding due to
change, challenge, surprise tactics, and
benefits from achieving improvements
‐ Executive questions: “What’s actually
stopping us from taking advantage of these
opportunities?”
D. List of Threats
(external)
3 ‐ S/T Match Strategic Recommendations
Easy to defend and counter
Only basic awareness, planning, and
implementation required to meet these
challenges
Investment in these issues is generally
safe and necessary
‐ Executive question: “Since we are strong
here, can any of these threats be turned
into opportunities?”
4 ‐ W/T Match Strategic Recommendations
Potentially high risk
Where risk is low , we must ignore these
issues and not be distracted by them
Where risk is high we must assess capability
gaps and plan to defend/avert in very
specific controlled ways
‐ Executive question: “Where the risks of
these threats are high, do we have specific
improvement plans for related weaknesses
to minimize the risk of those threats?”
4.5. PART IV: Recommendations Page limit: 5‐10 pages total, not including figures or tables which should be included at the Appendix section. A. Selection and Justification of the Top Two Recommendations (1‐2 pages): In part III, you have identified a set of 4‐5 strategic directions. In this section, you need to select the top 2 out of those and include a complete discussion to justify your selection. Each of your top 2 choices needs to answer the questions of what, why, how, and when to really develop into sound recommendations. What: You need to develop specifics rather than vague, general statements like “they should innovate.” Your recommendations should include detailed descriptions. Be specific about what you are recommending and how you propose it be accomplished. For example, “we recommend the company expand its northeast coast operations through a balanced combination of retail outlets and direct sales approaches”. Why: You need to explain why it is important that the company implement your recommendations. For example, “Our recommendation will produce needed sales growth, utilize excess capacity, build on our reputation for quality products and is projected to produce $30 million in revenues in the first year”. How: You need to explain how the company may implement the recommendations and how to acquire the required capital to pay for it. For example, “Since sixty percent of our current customers purchase our products in retail outlets we propose forming an exclusive relationship with PDQ Corporation to provide the needed additional retail channels. PDQ Corporation is the Northeast’s leading retailer of products and has 156 locations in the most densely populated regions of the northeast. Our proposal will be funded by issuing $50 million in debt and financing the rest of the needed working capital through short‐term credit. Please refer to appendix 3C which illustrates. . . ”. When: Describe the time horizon for the plan. How long will the plan take to implement? B. Implementation of the Top Recommendation Action Plans, Deliverables, and Milestones (2‐4 pages): The first step in strategic implementation is to develop action plans. A 3‐year or 5‐year projection is very helpful. Your action plans should be a straightforward description of the specific actions that are required to accomplish your strategies. Action plans are effective when they incorporate the following elements. Specific tactics and actions. Action plans should specify what exactly needs to be done today, tomorrow, next week, next month, or next quarter. Clear period for completion. You action plan must specify when actions start and when objectives will be reached. Deliverables. The next step is to define major deliverables—the expected outputs over the life of the improvement project. Deliverables typically include time and quantity. Milestones. A milestone is a significant event in a project that occurs at a point in time. Resources, Technical requirements, and Budgeting (2‐4 pages): This section the following elements: Identification of personnel involved: You must specify which organizational department or manager is responsible for each action in the plan. Will current staff handle the strategies? Are you planning for staffing increases or layoffs? 7 Identification of materials and costs: You must specify at what cost, if at all, can the raw materials be procured? Can the materials be found in time to support the effort? Technical requirements: You must specify technical requirements to ensure proper performance of the new product or service. Examples from IS projects include speed and capacity of database systems and connectivity with alternative systems. Budgeting: Allocating scarce resources involves funding capital projects, shifting resources, downsizing some areas, upsizing others, killing activities no longer justified, and funding new activities with a critical strategy role. Specifically you should suggest a project budget to explain resource allocation, the cost control metrics you think are valid, and milestone reports. You must specify the Key Performance Indicators for each phase of the plan. Explain why you chose each of them. You should also discuss cash flow considerations and resource constraints. 8 MGMT 4309: Final Team Project Report Outline Title page* Table of content* 1.0. Executive Summary*…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 2.0. Company History* 2.1. Background…………………………………………………………………………….……………………….………………………… 2.2. Products and Services ……………………………………..……………………………………………….………….…………… PART I: External Environmental Analysis 3.0. External Analysis 3.1. General Environmental Analysis 3.1.1. Political Segment ………………………………………………………………………………………. 3.1.2. Economic Segment ……………………………………………………………………………………………………. 3.1.3. Socio‐Cultural and Demographic Segment ………………………………………………..……………… 3.1.4. Technological Segment………………………………………………………………………………………………. 3.1.5. Environmental Segment ……………………………………………………………………………………………… 3.1.6. Legal Segment …………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 3.1.7. External Environment Driving Forces …………………………………………………………………………. 3.2. Industry Dominant Economic Features (e.g., Market Size, Market Growth Rate)………………………… 3.3. Five Forces Analysis 3.3.1. Threat of New Entrants…………………………………………………………………………………. 3.3.2. Power of Suppliers ………………………………………………………………………………………… 3.3.3. Power of Buyers……………………………………………………………………………………….……. 3.3.4. Power of substitutes …………………………………………………………………………………..… 3.3.5. Intensity of Rivalry …………………………………………………………………………………………. 3.3.6. Summary of Five Forces Analysis ………………………………………………………..………… 3.4. Industry Competitors Analysis and Analysis of their Anticipated Strategic Moves…………………….. 3.5. Industry Key Success Factors……………………………………………………………………………………………………… PART II: Internal Analysis 4.0. Internal Analysis 4.1. Organizational Strategy Analysis 4.1.1. Corporate Mission…………………………………………………………………………………………..……………… 4.1.2. Strategy (corporate level & business level) ……………………………………………………………………… 4.1.3. Organizational Culture and Core Values…………………………………………………………………………… 4.1.4. Leadership ……………………………………………….………………………………………………..…………………… 4.2. Financial Analysis 4.2.1. Valuation Analysis (e.g., Stock Price/Book value, P/E Ratio)…………………………………………… 4.2.2. Growth Analysis (e.g., Revenue growth rate)…………………………………………………………………. 4.2.3. Profitability Analysis (e.g., Gross Profit Margin, ROA, ROE, EPS)………………………………………. 4.2.4 Financial strength Analysis (e.g., Current and Quick Ratios, Debt/equity)………………………. 4.2.5. Management Efficiency Analysis (Inventory Turnover, accounts receivable to sales)………….. 4.2.6. Summary of Financial Analysis……………………………………………………………………………………….… 9 4.3. Value Chain Analysis 4.3.1. Support Activities 4.3.1.1. Structure (organizational chart, communication system, etc.)………….…… ……… 4.3.1.2. Design, Research and Development (R&D)……………….……………………………………… 4.3.2. Primary Activities 4.3.2.1. Input (tangible and intangible resources) …………………..…………………………………… 4.3.2.2. Operation Processes (e.g. production, logistics, product/service cost structure) 4.3.3.3. Marketing and Customer Service………………………………………………………………………… PART III: Strategic Fit Analysis 5.0. SWOT Analysis 5.1. Strategic Challenges: Opportunities and threats (based on Part I)…………………………………………………….. 5.2. Core Competencies: Strengths and Weaknesses (based on Part II)……….…………………………………………… 5.3. Strategic Fit Analysis (SWOT Matrix) …………………………………………………………………………………….……. PART IV: Recommendations 6.0 Recommendations 6.1. Selection and Justification of the Top Two Recommendations………………………………………………….….. 6.2. Implementation of the Top Recommendation 6.2.1. Action Plans, Deliverables, and Milestones…………………………………………………………………..… 6.2.2. Resources, Technical Requirements, and Budgeting………………………………..……………….……… References………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. ………………………. Appendix …………………………………………………………….………………………………………………………………………………………. *Note: Any report needs to have a title page, table of content and page numbers. Section 2 will be included in all project reports. Executive Summary is only required for the final report (Part IV).
