Reference no: EM132389729 , Length: word count : 3500
Project : Internal Environmental Analysis
BMGT 495 Strategic Management System
Instructions:
Step 2: Course Material and Research
Although you are required to research information about the focal company and the internal environment for this project, you are accountable for using the course material to support the ideas, reasoning and conclusions made. Course material use goes beyond defining terms but is used to explain the 'why and how' of a situation. Using one or two in-text citations from the course material and then relying on Internet source material will not earn many points on an assignment.
A variety of source material is expected and what is presented must be relevant and applicable to the topic being discussed. Avoid merely making statements but close the loop of the discussion by explaining how something happens or why something happens, which focuses on importance and impact. In closing the loop, you will demonstrate the ability to think clearly and rationally showing an understanding of the logical connections between the ideas presented from the research, the course material and the question(s) being asked.
Step 3: How to Set Up the Report
Use this template to complete the project: Project 3 Template. The document has to be written in Word or rtf. No other format is acceptable. No pdf files will be graded. Use 12-point font for a double-spaced report. The final product cannot be longer than 16 pages in length, which includes all tables and matrices but excludes the title page and reference page.
Do no use an Appendix. Those items identified in the technical analysis should appear under the appropriate heading in the paper. It is important to format the tables/matrices to fit the report and to present the analysis in a clear concise manner.
Title page with title, your name, the course number, the instructor's name;
Step 4: Strategic Role of Corporate Strengths/Weaknesses in the Internal Strategy Analysis
There are three levels of strategy: corporate level strategy, business level strategy and functional level strategy. Corporate level strategies are related to businesses or markets the focal company successfully can compete within.
Corporate level strategies affect the entire organization and are formulated by top management using input from middle and lower management.
Decision making about corporate level strategies are considered complex, affect the entire company and relate to an organization's resource capabilities. Corporate level strategies align with an organization's mission statement and ideally are designed around goals and objectives.
Perform an analysis on:
• Corporate-level strategies
• Create a partial SWOT table and performs a SW analysis and discuss the strategic inferences/implications (Discuss what strategies would allow the company to capitalize on its major strengths and what strategies would allow the company to improve upon its major weaknesses.)
• Create an IFE matrix analysis. Make sure to explain how the matrix was developed and discuss the strategic inferences/implications
• Develop a Grand Strategy Matrix. Make sure to explain how the matrix was developed and discuss the strategic inferences/implications at a corporate level and business-unit-level.
Step 5: Strategic Role of Internal Resources/Departments/Processes
Perform an analysis on:
• Business-level strategies
o Evaluate the company's product line, target market
o Identify and explain business-level strategies
• Functional-level strategies
o Assess the company's organizational structure, the organizational culture, marketing production, operations, finance and accounting, and R&D that can be accomplished by viewing the company's website, interviews, and surveys.
o Explain how these strategies align with the company's vision and mission statements.
Step 6: Strategic Financial Analysis for the Last Reported Fiscal Year
• Use the company's income statement and balance sheet to calculate no less than a total of ten (10) key financial ratios to the business that are relevant to the focal company. There must be a mix of four different key categories inclusive of the leverage, liquidity, profitability, and efficiency ratios so that the ratios do not all come from the same category. The specific ratios selection must come from the following categories.
o Leverage Ratios (Long term debt ratio, Total debt ratio, Debt-to-equity ratio, Times interest earned ratio, and Cash coverage ratio).
o Liquidity Ratios (Net working capital to total assets ratio, current ratio, quick ratio, and cash ratio)
o Efficiency Ratios (Asset turnover ratio, Average collection period, Inventory turnover ratio, and Days sales outstanding)
o Profitability Ratios (Net profit margin, Return on assets, and Return on equity)
• The selection of the ratios has to be relevant to the focal company so it is important to choose wisely.
• Quote industry financial average ratios that correlate to the 10 financial ratios selected for the focal company. You may find the industry averages by going to the library. If you are unable to find on your own, reach out to the librarian as these resources are readily available.
• Discuss the corporate financial standing based on a financial ratio analysis. Include whether the company's financial ratio is a strength, a weakness or a neutral factor.
Note: If copied directly from the Internet, a zero will be assigned. When placing any table or figure in a table, it must be explained in detail.
Step 7: Composite Analysis
A composite analysis is one in which you will bring in a combination of relevant factors from the various analyses (EFE Matrix, IFE matrix, CPM matrix, SWOT, Grand Strategy Matrix and QSPM). The QSPM is a tool that helps determine the relative attractiveness of feasible alternative strategies based on the external and internal key success factors.
• Develop a Quantitative Strategic Planning Matrix (QSPM) analysis. Make sure to discuss how the matrix was developed and discuss the strategic inferences/implications.
• Develop a composite analysis on internal factor strategy analysis based on the qualitative and quantitative analytical outcomes from those steps above.
lease write Introduction like this:
A (very simplistic) example might be: How is my company positioned?
"Company X is positioned (well, at risk, uncertainly, poorly, etc) in its industry because its is facing (key challenges, opportunities, threats, stiff competition, great advantages, etc.)
The basis of competition in this industry is driven by (key dominant Porters force, key success factors, other ideas, winners are low cost, or best product, etc) and winners will need to (exploit key success factors 1, 2,3... other rationale...) in order to gain sustainable advantages
The external environment competition comprises (how many key competitors) who (have advantages, competitive specialties, carved out market niches, are bigger, etc, show up better in CPM, etc.). Overall, the key success factors that Company X can exploit are (W, X, Y, Z). Combining these factors within the competitive dynamic can potentially enable Company X to carve out a winning position by (doing J, K, L).
In summary, we see (fact 1, 2) that lead us to believe (finding 3). Because of this, it may be concluded that Company X has an opportunity to improve its position by (key conclusions: thinking about options X, taking action Y, lowering costs, developing more competitive products, etc)."
This is in stark contrast to an abstract (which is not appropriate): "This paper will conduct an OT analysis. Then it will present an EFE matrix and CPM analysis...finally it will provide Porters Five Fores Analysis..." (in other words, don't provide an academic abstract of review of the contents, tell your reader what they need to know to keep thinking about the company and what they should be investing in it, managing it differently, etc...