Reference no: EM132832660

Guidelines for Individual Written Assignment

Reflecting on your competitive business strategy, its implementation and outcomes and offering guidance for future strategy development.

Assignment Objectives and Structure

The individual assignment should consist of your personal reflections about the following two points and the sub-points. Additional questions are provided to help the reflection process, but not necessarily should be all addressed.

1. Reflect on your understanding of a firm's performance in the simulation (1-2pages)

(i)  Provide a concise overview of your company performance in the simulation (briefly mention the strategy the firm played with, key markets, product portfolio, position in the industry among competitors)

Additional questions: where did you plan to see your company and where did it end up being by the end of the 8^th round in terms of market coverage, foreign operation, offered product portfolio, distribution of production capacity (vs outsourcing), R&D, and competitors' dynamic?

(ii) Analyze key environmental and organizational variables that influenced the firm's performance within and across markets. Use fact-based analytical decision-making to link cash flows to your firm's performance (list and briefly discuss 3-5 key variables)

Additional questions: Based on the chosen strategy, what factors affected your company's stock price (e.g., sales growth and market share)? What did your firm do to maximize shareholder value throughout the game? What did your firm do to establish a strong financial position? (E.g., reflect on return on equity (ROE) and the balance of its three key ratios - asset turnover (efficiency of your assets' management), profit margin (your firm's preference for sales growth vs profitability; consider production costs), leverage ratio (your firm's debt to equity ratio and its optimal capital structure).

2. Offer alternative recommendations for further strategy development

(i) Discuss future strategic alternatives or scenarios (at least 2 alternatives)

Additional questions: Considering the market saturation factor by the end of the simulation and your MNC's financial situation and market position by the end of the 8^th round, what are possible future scenarios and alternative recommendations for responding to strategic needs? What are the strategic options for an MNC to continue its international operation? What are the chances to improve/strengthen MNC's current position in the market? Should an MNC enter/re-enter a new market or divest from the existing one? Why? 

(ii) Offer specific recommendation (with justification) that realistic-firm could actually do it (3-5 future steps)

Additional questions: Which of the discussed alternatives in the previous question 3. (i) would you recommend an MNC to proceed in the future? What should be done, and why? What issues can you identify and how could they be addressed? Provide clear and well-reasoned justification, bases for deciding on strategic alternatives, and key indicators of performance and change.