Reference no: EM132634929 , Length: 900 Words
Guidelines for Strategic Analysis Project
The goal of this project is to analyze a Global 500 organization and offer your own recommendations regarding how it might improve its competitive advantage. This is an individual project and constitutes 25% of the final grade in the course. The final report should be 4-5 pages (double-spaced) and follow the guidelines below.
Introduction (about 1 page)
The first step is to identify the organization you wish to analyze. You may select any organization on the list of Global 500 organizations. You should obtain the instructor's approval before you begin conducting your research.
The first page should provide a general overview of the organization. This should include the major products or services, number of employees, major locations, financial performance (e.g., revenue, profits, recent trends, etc.), and brief history.
SWOT Analysis (about 2 pages)
The next step is to conduct a SWOT analysis of the organization and the relevant environment. You should consult at least five recent references to gather your information. This section should have four sub-sections with each sub-section being about half a page in length.
The first sub-section should describe at least two of the organization's main strengths. These might include products, manufacturing capabilities, brand awareness, locations, or financial performance. The main point is that you should be critical in identifying true strengths of the organization.
The next sub-section should describe two of the organization's main weaknesses. These might include poor product quality, high costs, or inadequate marketing. Again, please be critical in identifying the most important limitations.
The next two sub-sections should address the organization's relevant environment. The first of these should identify at least two potential opportunities. These might include new products or services, new markets, or vertical integration.
The last sub-section should describe two potential threats. Is there increased competition? Are customer preferences changing? Are costs rising? It is important to base these threats on your research and not just your own opinions.
Competitive Advantage (about 1 page)
The last page should present your specific strategic recommendations for how the organization might enhance its competitive advantage in the marketplace. At a general level, you might consider the four paths to building a competitive advantage: efficiency, quality, responsiveness to customers, and innovation. But, you must be more specific than this. You should use your SWOT analysis to suggest a new, logical strategy that would help the organization achieve its major goals. This often involves building on the strengths, taking advantage of opportunities, correcting weaknesses, and countering threats. Although new strategies rarely guarantee future success, your proposal should be consistent with your SWOT analysis, based on good research, and be realistic in the world of business.
Formatting
The front page should have a title such as "A Strategic Analysis of McDonald's Corporation" and include your name and ID. The paper should be double-spaced, use 12-point Times New Roman font and be about four pages (850 words) long. Please use APA formatting for your references. You should use at least five recent references.