Term Project Assignment
For this project you will conduct research on and analyze a specific C Suite leader and a major business decision that was made by that leader. To begin you need to select your topic with the following steps:
1. Select a C Suite leader to profile. Pick someone who is visible in the public eye. The CEO of a public American company can be a good choice. Part of your research will be to read press and news reports on this person so it is a good idea to check on their public visibility before finalizing your selection. CNBC.com, YouTube, Fortune.com and WSJ.com are all good sources for interviews and videos on business leaders.
2. Identify a major strategic marketing decision the company made while that person was in their C- Suite role. Common strategic marketing decisions are launching a new product, acquiring a business/entering a new market, rebranding a product, launching a major marketing campaign. Example: Elon Musk CEO of Tesla oversees the decision to launch a self driving car.
For the project you will conduct research on the executive, the company and the business decision and use your findings to write a report in which you:
1. Describe the leadership background and leadership style of the executive (what is their leadership experience, what style of leadership do they demonstrate, what are previous successes/failures)
2. Analyze the strategic business situation relevant to this decision: What forces were driving the company to take this action? What problems do you think they were trying to solve with this decision? Use data as much as possible.
3. Take the role of a member of the Board of Directors for the company and identify three risks that the company should address in making a commitment to this course of action (e.g. risk that culture of acquisition will not fit into company, risk that leader is repeating a decision from the past that did not turn out well, etc).
Course Concepts:
1. Daniel Goleman - a leading authority on emotional intelligence - has identified six effective leadership styles:
a) Pacesetting: "Do it my way".
b) Commanding: "Do it because I say so".
c) Visionary: "Let's remind ourselves of the larger purpose".
d) Affiliative: "People first, task second".
e) Democratic: "Let's work it out together".
f) Coaching: "Let me help you develop"
2. Who are the stakeholders for his company in this case? Can the relationships with any of these groups be improved? What actions should be taken by leaders?
3. How this case situation required the leaders to use IQ/RQ/EQ skills.
4. Considering the way in which C Suite executives make decisions, and the factors that drive good/bad decision making.
5. We have examined the use of data in making decisions, and read about how Gap uses data to make some marketing decisions.
6. Perils and Pitfalls of Leading Change
7. What kind of leader was him? Start with the last name of the person you are commenting on (e.g. Musk: This is a dynamic leader).
8. Now that we have studied many aspects of leadership we will spend our time looking at the very real situations we will face on the job. Each of you will be asked to work on teams, and many of you will work with colleagues around the world. As you think about what you have learned in our class, what will be your personal priority as a team member? as a member of a global team?
9. What challenges do the leaders face in managing a complex global organization? What do you think the biggest leadership challenges are for the this C Suite team? What are the benefits of reorganize? Any risks?
Format your assignment according to the following formatting requirements:
1. The answer should be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides.
2. The response also includes a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student's name, the course title, and the date. The cover page is not included in the required page length.
3. Also include a reference page. The Citations and references should follow APA format. The reference page is not included in the required page length.