The assignments have been designed to help you integrate and apply the concepts you have learned up to this point in the course.
These concepts provide a foundation on which other course concepts are built. Assessing your comprehension will help ensure that you are on track to successfully complete the course. Refer to the Course Guide or general guidelines on preparing and submitting assignments. Also, be sure to read your instructor's introductory postings pertinent to the assignments in the Discussions area of the course.
The activities in this module have introduced key features of the strategic model. This assignment will test your understanding of these features and what you have learned in Modules 1-4. All of the activities done for this module are the foundation for this assignment; a review the readings and the activities should reveal the appropriate answers to the questions posed.
This assignment consists of two parts: Part A requires an analysis of Yahoo Inc. (as of December 2012), and Part B requires that you submit evidence of your work on the module activities. The assignment is worth 15 per cent of your final grade in the course. Click here to see the Form 10K.
Part A: 80% of the assignment grade
Perform an analysis of Yahoo Inc. Your analysis will draw on the latest Form 10K (as of December 2012). Your analysis can include information prior to December 2012 but should not draw on any information that you might come across that is post-December 2012. Bear in mind that as a strategic manager you do not have the benefit of foresight and hence your analysis must be confined to the period defined in the Form 10K as of the financial year ending December 2012 for this assignment.
Address the following in your analysis:
1. What is Yahoo's current strategic thrust? Explain how its strategy has changed over the last few years. Identify how the company has positioned itself in its sector and to support your assessment prepare a SWOT for the firm and show how its strategies have been defined by its strengths and weaknesses.
2. As Yahoo operates a broad range of properties/businesses, assess and evaluate the firm's structure and control system and discuss the rationale and appropriateness of these mechanisms to sustain profitability.
3. Prepare an industry analysis and discuss how industry forces have shaped the firm's strategies as well as its structure and control mechanisms.
4. Evaluate and discuss Yahoo's organizational/corporate culture. Based on your awareness of how the company operates, discuss whether the corporate structure fits the corporate culture.
5. In conclusion, assess whether the company's structure supports its business model and strategies.
Part A should not exceed 10 pages in length, double spaced, Times Roman 12 pt. Page setup: 1 inch margin on the left and right.
Part B: 20% of the assignment grade
Write a brief report that demonstrates your active participation in the discussions and contributions to your personal journal. It should include examples of your postings on the activities, your thoughts and personal musings on the problems and issues introduced in the activities, and a summary of what you learned in this module. In addition, you can refer to questions that arose from your work on the activities. If you replied to questions posed by other class participants, indicate what your replies were and whether the interaction with other participants increased your understanding of course concepts, such as strategy formation and the strategic planning process. DO NOT copy and paste from your personal journal or discussion postings. Part B is an executive summary of the relevant issues/theory raised in the module activities.
Part B should not exceed 4 pages in length, double spaced, Times Roman 12pt. Page setup: 1 inch margin on the left and right.
When you have completed the assignment send it to your Open Learning Faculty Member using the Assignments function in Blackboard.
The assignment must be properly formatted and be professional in appearance. It must include your name, TRU student ID, Course name, assignment number, your TRU or personal email address and your current home mailing address, and other information as described in the course guidelines.