Reference no: EM132176989

Instructions for Case: Strategy Formulation for Southwest

Members of case teams may use work from cases 1 and 2 for Appendices 1-3 (Southwest's current strategy and 5 most important Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats). Appendices 4-8 (the strategy formulation) and the executive summary must be completed by INDIVIDUAL students with NO COLLABORATION. Each student must email one completed assignment, including the executive summary, reference list, and all 8 appendices, to me before class on the due date. Each student must also submit a legible (no font smaller than 12 point) printed copy to me in class on the due date.

You have been asked to prepare a report for the top management team at Southwest (LUV) that includes and the results of an analysis of the company's internal & external environments (strategic analysis) and then uses this strategic analysis in a TOWS matrix to generate a set of >=8 strands of strategic alternatives, concluding with a selection (and explanation for that selection) of a subset of 4-6 of the strands of strategic alternatives that, together with elements of LUV's existing strategy that you recommend be retained, provide a comprehensive, mutually reinforcing set of strategy elements, as a final recommended strategy for Southwest. Your case report should include a two-page Executive Summary, 8 Appendices, and Reference list.

Format and instructions for the Case:

Your submitted case assignment must include:

I. NSU Cover page (1 page in length). It will present the name of the case and the author(s) of the report.

II. Results of Strategic Analysis (ONLY Part II can be completed with the Case team) (Appendices 1-3-Rubric: Analyzes the situation...)

1. Results of Strategic Analysis
- Appendix 1: Provide full description of Southwest's current strategy. You can use Appendix 1 from case 2. Please also include a few comments on how well the strategy seems to have been working, based on your financial assessment in Case 2.
- Appendix 2: List of 5 most important strengths and 5 most important weaknesses in Southwest's internal environment. You can use Appendix 6 from Case 2.
- Appendix 3: List of 5 most important opportunities and 5 most important threats in Southwest's external environment. You can use Appendix 6 from Case 1.

III. Strategy Formulation (Parts III-VI must be completed by INDIVIDUAL)

A. Place your 5 most important strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats from Appendix 2 and Appendix 3 in the row and column headings of a TOWS matrix & generate a SET OF >=8 STRATEGIC ALTERNATIVES for LUV (Appendices 4-7- Rubric: Generates realistic Strands of Strategic Alternatives)
a. Appendix 4: >= 2 potential SO strategic alternatives from the TOWS matrix
b. Appendix 5: >= 2 potential ST strategic alternatives from the TOWS matrix
c. Appendix 6: >= 2 potential WO strategic alternatives from the TOWS matrix
d. Appendix 7: >= 2 potential WT strategic alternatives from the TOWS matrix
e. Each of the >=8 total strategic alternatives should include:
i. A brief description of The specific suggested action
ii. Identification of the specific intersecting row & column items that the suggested action addresses (i.e. number the SWOT items and refer to the intersecting items by the assigned numbers)
iii. Identification of the types of strategies (e.g., differentiation, backward integration, 1st mover, etc.), with which the suggested action would be most consistent. Should include >=3 types for each TOWS alternative.
f. Example of an ST alternative:
i. If STRENGTH #1 on the TOWS is "S#1: strong global brand recognition" and THREAT #1 on the TOWS is "T#1: highly different customer tastes in China vs. the US" and THREAT #3 on the TOWS is "T#3: Increasing governmental restrictions on US firms selling products in China"
ii. ST #1 might be: "ST#1: Create licensing agreements with Chinese firms to produce and sell products in China with features that appeal to local Chinese tastes, using the firm's strong brand (S#1 & T#1 & T#3) (This suggested action is most consistent with a multi-country, licensing, focus differentiation, marketing strategy)"

B. Appendix 8: List a mutually reinforcing subset of 4-6 of the strands of strategic alternatives (from the>=8 total strategic alternatives in Appendices 4-7) as the RECOMMENDED STRATEGIC ALTERNATIVES (Appendix 8-Rubric: Evaluates Solutions/Selects Optimal)
a. The set of recommended strategic alternatives should include:
i. Some subset of 4-6 of the SO, ST, WO, and/or WT strategic alternatives from the TOWS matrix (Appendices 4-8)
ii. Explain why each strategic alternative was selected
iii. Explain how the set of 4-6 recommended strategic alternatives, together with the elements of LUV's existing strategy that are working and being retained, address each of the elements of the H&F 5 elements of a good strategy and are mutually reinforcing

iv. Include a few comments about why the recommended strands of strategic alternatives would be expected to improve LUV's strategic and/or financial performance

IV. Executive Summary (must be completed by INDIVIDUAL)

The Executive Summary is a concise summary of the main findings in the Appendices (maximum two pages in length). Please use full sentences and paragraph form, NOT bullets or lists. The Executive Summary must include the following sections:

A. A statement indicating which of the 5 Porter's Generic Competitive Business Strategies LUV employs, along with the highlights of what LUV is doing in each of the Hambrick & Fredrickson 5 elements of a good strategy (briefly summarizing the highlights of Appendix 1).

B. Identification of the single most important strength, weakness, opportunity, and threat in LUV's internal and external environments (i.e. choose the four most important SWOT items from Appendices 2 & 3) and a brief assessment of the collective effect of these most important SWOT items on LUV's future.

C. A summary of commonalities among various subsets of the eight+ strands of strategic alternatives identified in Appendices 4-7.

D. A summary of the recommended strategy with a summary of the most important justifications for the recommendation (briefly summarizing the highlights of Appendix 8).

FORMATTING for Executive Summary (maximum two pages in length):

- Single-spaced
- Twelve-point font
- One inch margins all around
- Four main sections as described above (A, B, C, D)
- Use headings and subheadings to organize the material in an easy to read and understandable manner that highlights the essential points of your analysis.
- Use full sentences and paragraph form, NOT bullets or lists.
- Do NOT include a summary or overview of the firm in your report. All parties are knowledgeable and need no background presented.

V. Bibliography or Reference List. All evidence provided in the Appendices must be followed by embedded citations indicating the source(s) for the evidence and the embedded citations must have corresponding full citation listings in the reference list. The embedded citations and reference list must conform to APA style guidelines.