1) What are the most important 1-2 general environment factors to be considered for the industry and what is their effect (positive-negative-neutral)? What is your evidence for the importance of these factors?
2) What are the most important 1-2 of the five industry forces affecting the industry and what is their effect (high-moderate-low)? What is your evidence for the importance of these forces? Is the industry attractive for new entrants AND for incumbents? Why?
3) List two major strategic group competitors and briefly predict the significant future action(s) of each competitor. What is your evidence for their importance?
4) What are the most important 1-2 of the eight value chain areas for the company? What is your evidence for their importance? Are they superior, inferior or neutral vs. each of the two major competitors and why (be specific but concise)?
5) Discuss the most significant financial factor(s) (be specific, calculating and presenting in a line chart the most important ratios in the profitability, leverage and/or activity areas compared to your two strategic group competitors or the industry) and non-financial factor(s) (leadership, culture, ethics/social responsibility) for the company? What is your evidence for their importance?
6) INTEGRATE the SWOT analysis: discuss how one major strength pursues one opportunity and limits one threat and how one major weakness limits one opportunity and enhances one threat.
7) Using your analysis above, briefly state what you believe to be the companyâs 1-2 major core competencies (if any) and assess their ability to create a sustainable competitive advantage by explaining each of the VRIO criteria for each competency. Be sure to state the results of your VRIO analysis (i.e. competitive disadvantage, competitive parity, temporary competitive advantage or sustainable competitive advantage).
8) In light of your analysis above, what are the companyâs current strategy types (i.e. type of business level, corporate level, cooperative and international strategies the company is pursuing)? What is your evidence for your assessment? Do they fit with your analysis above? Why or why not?
9) Briefly, based on your above analysis, what is the firmâs main problem and what is your suggested solution? Which 1-2 7S implementation factors are most important? Why?
10) Finally, based on your analysis, create two questions for our class discussion.
Sample Solution
Public Safety. Then the Montagnards used their power to identify their enemy in the revolution. The Committee of Public Safety was necessary because it united all the revolutionists together and progressed towards their goal of equality and justice. Under the direction of Maximilien Robespierre, the Committee of Public Safety executed tens of thousands of people by guillotine in the name of the revolution. At least 300,000 suspects were arrested, 17,000 were officially executed, and many died in prison or without trial (French Revolution, 2018). In addition, the Committee of Public Safety had to mobilize an entire society into a defensive position because they faced internal collapse and external defeat (Mcphee, 2006). The Committee of Public Safety was focused on increasing their size so they established a draft for all men between the ages of 18 and 25, which made the French army increase in size massively. Then the Convention abolished the Gregorian calendar which had Christian associations and replaced it with a more scientific calendar. In July 1794, the Convention overthrew Robespierre and put an end to the reign of terror which is known as the Thermidorian reaction (French Revolution, 2018). The Convention drew up a new constitution that established the French Directory which was governed by five directors and these five directors were chosen by a bicameral legislature divided into the Council of Five Hundred and an upper chamber of 250 ancients. In addition, the Directory was plagued by the same problems encountered by the Convention (French Revolution, 2018). Napoleon Bonaparte, a young republican artillery officer, who helped in the war overthrew the directory in a coup dâetat and in 1802, he appointed counsel for life and in 1804, he proclaimed himself emperor Napoleon I of France (Mcphee, 2006)(French Revolution, 2018). This war permanently affected France in many ways. For example, every France citizen was judged the same and taxed the same on wealth and more importantly land. Daily life was unchanged and women also remained unchan>
Public Safety. Then the Montagnards used their power to identify their enemy in the revolution. The Committee of Public Safety was necessary because it united all the revolutionists together and progressed towards their goal of equality and justice. Under the direction of Maximilien Robespierre, the Committee of Public Safety executed tens of thousands of people by guillotine in the name of the revolution. At least 300,000 suspects were arrested, 17,000 were officially executed, and many died in prison or without trial (French Revolution, 2018). In addition, the Committee of Public Safety had to mobilize an entire society into a defensive position because they faced internal collapse and external defeat (Mcphee, 2006). The Committee of Public Safety was focused on increasing their size so they established a draft for all men between the ages of 18 and 25, which made the French army increase in size massively. Then the Convention abolished the Gregorian calendar which had Christian associations and replaced it with a more scientific calendar. In July 1794, the Convention overthrew Robespierre and put an end to the reign of terror which is known as the Thermidorian reaction (French Revolution, 2018). The Convention drew up a new constitution that established the French Directory which was governed by five directors and these five directors were chosen by a bicameral legislature divided into the Council of Five Hundred and an upper chamber of 250 ancients. In addition, the Directory was plagued by the same problems encountered by the Convention (French Revolution, 2018). Napoleon Bonaparte, a young republican artillery officer, who helped in the war overthrew the directory in a coup dâetat and in 1802, he appointed counsel for life and in 1804, he proclaimed himself emperor Napoleon I of France (Mcphee, 2006)(French Revolution, 2018). This war permanently affected France in many ways. For example, every France citizen was judged the same and taxed the same on wealth and more importantly land. Daily life was unchanged and women also remained unchan>
