Reference no: EM132317918

Business Policy and Strategy

You will find in the following document guidance and example to structure your work according to a report structure.
Keep in mind that all parts of the work need to be complementary and coherent with one another.

Topic - Apple inc.

COVER PAGE (1 PAGE)
- The work should be having a clear title
- Name of student and Student ID
- Date of submission
- Name of the lecturer, course

TABLE OF CONTENTS (1 PAGE)

INTRODUCTION
- Choose the Parenting Company
- Scope the analysis with the Strategic Business Unit
- Focus on the last 5 years
- Focus on a geography and a specific segment of the market
- Clearly state the objectives of your work so the reader knows what to expect

Question 1: Discuss of the key strategic Issues
- You need to explain these issues you need to undergo a clear comparison of its resources with its direct competitors and the success factors in the industry.
- Using the appropriate analytical tools discuss whether these strategic issues are internal or external.

Issue 1
(PEST) Political - Taxation - Impact on the financial capacity of the company with spillover effect on the price competitiveness of the company
Technological - Robotization and Digitization are having an impact on how companies think their supply chain, value system and their information systems
Issue 2
(Porter's 5 Forces) New Entrants - Small companies with disruptive strategies are changing the way how their industry deals with online marketing and sales
Supplier Bargaining Power - The merger of several suppliers on the market has created a stronger company capable of imposing standards, deadlines, pricing, etc. on you.

Issue 3
(Internal resources) Leadership Style - Difficulty to adapt the leadership style to a quickly changing environment where flexibility is key

- You should discuss the matters which are strategic for the company, i.e. events in the industry, in the company or trends which are directly impacting the way how the company operates. These events should be supported by reliable sources of information. The student must try to the define the extent to which each of these facts/events are having on the business.

- Only after reading can you identify the strategic issues of the company. Careful not to list information which are not related therefore relevant to your company.

Question 2: Discuss the firm's key resources
- After using the value chain to identify the appropriate resources (Distinctive and/or Threshold), discuss them in the light of the critical success factors of the market and the industry
- This section should be showing clearly the strengths and weaknesses of the company in the current strategic position it holds.
- Discuss whether these distinctive resources are competitive advantages.

Industry You need to discuss the strategic group of the industry. This means you need to identify the direct competitors of a company (and the potential ones only).
Consumer electronics -> Portable devices -> Tablets -> Premium tablets
Automotive Industry -> Sports cars
Critical Success Factors (CSF) You need to address the questions
- What does the customer(s) want?
- How does the company need to compete on the market?
Resources and Capabilities Discuss these elements in the light of the value chain. Only the most appropriate resources needed (and facing the challenges of the company) must be discussed.
Link CSF and CA Discuss whether the resources and capabilities the company have match the critical success factors.

- You should be discussing the resources and competences of the company which are directly related to the strategic issues identified.
- You need to support your statement using several reliable sources of information.
- The student must articulate the following concepts in this section: Analysis of the value chain of the company->Identification of the relevant support and primary activities dealing with the strategic issues-> identifying if these activities hold distinctive or threshold resources to meet the critical success factors of the market and industry-> these critical success factors need to be discussed.

Question 3: Analyze the Corporate-Level strategy of the firm using the ANSOFF matrix
- Discuss the businesses the company is in and whether and how they create additional value in their combination (Synergy, economies of scale, etc.)
- Explain the entry strategy used by the firm to enter some of the most profitable segments.

Corporate Level Use the ANSOFF matrix to identify the strategic choices of the companies on a short and long term
Business Level Discuss the strategic option developed by the company using porter's generic options
Operational Level Present and discuss which departments were taking the lead to implement the strategy.

Question 4: Discuss how each division/function in the value chain operated to implement the business strategy.
- Discuss how the strategic option has been appropriately implemented in each department of the company and how they coherently (or not) articulate towards the same mission, vision and values of the organization.
- Assess the sustainability and the results of the strategy

For example, in the case of a company developing a differentiation strategy, analyse what are the operational tasks, goals and responsibilities of each teams and departments

Information technology - Not tactically important, but could be slightly amended as new stakeholders will be involved in the
Human Resources - Developing workshop and training sessions to develop new skills or leverage the ones already used by the company; new talents could be hired in specific departments in order to pitch a new product or to re-organize a specific department

Research and Development - More budget would be allocated to this department to develop differentiation features of the product (packaging, technical features, etc.).

Inbound and outbound logistics The supply chain is adapted with the suppliers to fit the new requirements of spare parts and raw material to be found; new s
Operations The assembly line can be readapted considered the new production needs; elements can be produced in-house but other outsources for quality and cost purposes
Sales and Customer Follow-Up Pitching the customer with the new product or new features; new customers are to be found; New pricing, etc.

Results
SAFe Suitable strategy - Does the strategy meet the critical success factors of the market and industry?
Acceptable strategy - Are all stakeholders of the company supporting the strategy?
Feasible strategy - Appropriate resources to optimize all aspects of the strategy?
Sustainable competitive advantage? Did the company create a competitive advantage (brand-image, customer network, specific technology, etc.) giving it an edge over its competition?
Financial Results The financial results of the company should be highlighted and critically discussed in the light of the critical success factors and the competitive advantages of the company.

Question 5: Design recommendations to the key issues stated in the first section. Your recommendations must be specific and actionable
How to Improve the Strategy? Address CSFs?
Develop Unique Capability?
Build Resources, capabilities or reputation?

CONCLUSION
- Summarize your results
- Discuss the limitation of your approach
- Present an interesting question which should be discussed in the future

BIBLIOGRAPHY
- You need to use the Harvard referencing system
- Focus on reliable and scientific articles to support your statement

APPENDIX
- Any extra information supporting the analysis of the work, and which is too long to fit in the body of analysis, will be included here

Attachment:- Business Policy and Strategy - Individual Assignment Worksheet.rar