Assignment 1:
Linking Strategic Organizational Initiatives to Purpose, Mission, and Vision
Choose an existing business which is entering into a new or emerging market for that company. You may also use your own company. Consider how the organization’s purpose, mission, vision, and objectives are linked to recent strategic decision making.
Prepare information on:
• The organization’s purpose, mission, vision and strategic objectives
• A recent strategic decision
• Your analysis of what led to the strategic decision (please consider fiscal, market-based and other factors in your analysis)
• How that strategic decision aligns or does not align with the organization’s purpose, mission, vision and strategic objectives
Assignment 1.1: Instructions:
Assigned Reading and Research
• Using value-chain analysis to discover customers' strategic needs Crain, David W; Abraham, Stan. Strategy & Leadership36. 4 (2008): 29-39.
• Global Value Chains and Technological Capabilities: A Framework to Study Learning and Innovation in Developing Countries. - Morrison, Andrea Oxford Development Studies; Mar2008, Vol. 36 Issue 1, p39-58, 20p, 3 Charts.
• Value chain management for commodities: a case study from the chemical industry. - Kannegiesser, M., et al OR Spectrum; Jan2009, Vol. 31 Issue 1, p63-93, 31p, 3 Diagrams, 4 Charts, 6 Graphs.
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wL6x1BSlw8
Assignment 2: Article Review
After reading through the articles provided in your Assigned Reading and Research, review one of the articles using the following format with the headings indicated in bold below:
1. Citation: Rhode, D. L., & Luban, D. J. (Eds.). (2006). Legal Ethics: Law Stories. New York, New York: Foundation Press
2. Summary: The article should be summarized (using your own words) in two to three paragraphs and focus on the author’s main points.
3. Critique: In two to three paragraphs, explain how the article influenced your understanding of the topic.
4. Application: In two to three paragraphs, discuss how you will apply what you have learned from the article in a professional setting. How does the article relate to real world strategy applications or your business? Include how you might share information in the article with your colleagues or supervisor. In addition, please indicate how this information change the way you approach a situation, project, or discussion related to this topic at work. What did you find interesting or insightful.
Your answer should be at least 500 words in length.
Assignment 2.1: Instructions:
Assigned Reading and Research
• Development Strategy By Design - Carlopio, James World Future Review; Summer2011, Vol. 3 Issue 2, p11-16, 6p.
• Sustainable Development and Long-Term Strategic Management - Zhouying Jin;Ying Bai World Future Review; Summer2011, Vol. 3 Issue 2, p49-69, 11p.
Assignment 3:
Linking Organizational Alignment and Long-Term Strategic Management
Select an existing business that has recently been part of a merger and/or acquisition. You may also use your own company. Consider the challenges this business faces specific to organizational alignment and long-term strategic management. Then write a white paper, focusing on how this organization can best align its levels of strategy to achieve long-term success. Specific sections to your white paper should include:
• Define the audience and their concerns
• State the problem
• Provide a recommended solution to the problem
• Summarize the potential benefits and return on investment from your recommendation
Assignment 3.1: Systematic Analysis
At this time, take a step back and clear your head. Spend a few moments in deeper thought about yourself, in a self-evaluative manner. Then, describe how you will incorporate what you have learned and experienced thus far into the personal, academic, and professional aspects of your life. Provide a specific example of how a learning moment – possibly an Aha! Moment – was realized through what you have learned in the last three weeks.
This assignment should be at least 500 words in length, and specifically address the personal, academic, and professional aspects of your life.
Assignment 4: Models of Strategic Management
Select an existing business that has experienced long-term success. You may also use your own company. Consider how this organization has developed their strategic management. Then write an original article addressing how this organization selected a model of strategic management, and how this model is linked to their long-term success.
Assignment 5: Marketing Strategy
Select an existing business that has recently launched a new product. You may also use your own company. Consider how the organization’s marketing strategy has benefited the new product’s offering. Further consider how the marketing strategy is aligned with the overall strategy of the organization.
Additional items to include in this assignment are:
• Your analysis of what led to the decision to launch this product
• How this initiative aligns or does not align with the organization’s purpose, mission, vision, and strategic objectives
• Your analysis of this product’s expected life cycle
Assignment 6: Corporate Parenting Appendix
Corporate parenting is a type of business strategy that views a corporation in terms of resources and capabilities in an effort to develop business unit value, and align those business units. In corporate parenting, strategy is developed by focusing on core competencies of the parent corporation as well as through the value created through this relationship.
Over the next three weeks, you will perform a Corporate Parenting Analysis specific to your topical area for your case study. This Corporate Parenting Analysis will become “Appendix B” for your case study.
Additional guidance for this Corporate Parenting Analysis is as follows:
• Analyze the strategic factors of each business unit or level of management
• Analyze potential areas of performance improvement
• Analyze the organizational alignment of each business unit or level of management
• Analyze the main business functions, to include: finance, marketing, operations, and human resources.
• The analysis should be suitable for review by a senior business executive demonstrating evidence of logical analysis, reasoned judgment, attention to organizational ethics, and value creation.
• Please be sure to include your recommendations for action in your narrative.
The Corporate Parenting Analysis should be at least 1,000 words in length.
Assigned Reading and Research
• https://www.hrfolks.com/Articles/Strategic%20HRM/Essentials%20of%20Strategic%20Management.pdf
• https://www.ashridge.org.uk/website/IC.nsf/wFARATT/What%20do%20we%20know%20about% 20group%20level%20strategy/$file/WhatDoWeKnowAboutGroupLevelStrategy.pdf
• https://fusionmx.babson.edu/entrep/fer/2005FER/chapter_xiv/summary_xiv3.html
Assignment 7: Business Ethics and Public Relations
Select an existing business that is dealing with, or has recently dealt with, a negative public relations situation involving business ethics. You may also use your own company. Consider the effect this negative public relations situation has had on the organization’s strategy. Then write a white paper focusing on how this organization can alter their business strategy moving forward in a manner that demonstrates logical analysis and reasoned judgment.
Specific sections to your white paper should include:
• Define the audience and their concerns
• State the problem
• Provide a recommended solution to the problem
• Summarize the potential benefits and return on investment from your recommendation
Assigned Reading and Research
• STRATEGIC PLANNING-BOTH SHORT TERM AND LONG TERM - Di Stefano, Paul J Volume 149, Issue 8, Pages 26-27
• D'Aveni, Richard A; Ravenscraft, David J; Anderson, Philip. Managerial and Decision Economics25. 6-7 (Sep 2004): 365-381.
Assignment 8: Strategic Planning
Select an existing business that utilizes short, medium, and long-term strategic planning. You may also use your own company. Consider how the organization’s operational-level planning differs from their corporate and/or business level planning. Prepare information on:
• Examples of the organization’s short, medium, and long-term strategic planning
• A recent strategic decision from each level of strategic planning
• Your analysis of what led to the strategic decision (please consider fiscal, market-based and other factors in your analysis)
• How that strategic decision aligns or does not align with the organization’s purpose, mission, vision and strategic objectives
Assignment 9: Strategy and Employee Performance
Select an existing business that aligns their business strategy with employee performance. You may also use your own company. Consider the effect this alignment has had on sustaining good business strategy. Then create a PowerPoint addressing the following:
• Evidence of this organization’s usage of performance management techniques
• Evidence of this organization’s measurement techniques surrounding performance against their strategic plan
• Evidence of financial metrics demonstrating strong business performance
Assignment 9.1: Portfolio Analysis Appendix
In portfolio analysis, the business views its product lines and business units as separate investments, each responsible for producing a positive return. These separate investments together form a portfolio from which the business decides where best to invest their resources.
Over the next three weeks, you will perform a Portfolio Analysis specific to your topical area for your case study. This Portfolio Analysis will become “Appendix C” for your case study. Additional guidance for this Portfolio Analysis is as follows:
• Include either the BCG Growth Share Matrix or the GE Business Screen in your analysis
• Analyze the main business functions, to include: finance, marketing, operations, and human resources.
• The analysis should be suitable for review by a senior business executive demonstrating evidence of logical analysis, reasoned judgment, attention to organizational ethics, and value creation.
• Please be sure to include your recommendations for action in your narrative.
The Portfolio Analysis should be at least 1,000 words in length
Assignment 10: Synergy With Capital
Consider this situation. You are the Chief Operating Officer (COO) for your organization. The CEO (your supervisor) wants to achieve greater synergy between the areas of human capital, intellectual capital, physical capital, financial capital, and structural capital. The CEO wants to present a formal proposal to the Board of Directors to support this initiative. The segment of this proposal you have been assigned to
present should encompass the following:
• How do these areas of capital interrelate in your organization?
• How do these areas of capital support the overall area of strategy of your organization?
• What specifically should your organization do differently to achieve greater synergy in this respect?