There are eight required sections to this paper.
1. COMPANY NAME, WEBSITE, and INDUSTRY
State the company name, website address, and industry.
2. BACKGROUND and HISTORY
Briefly describe the company in the case analysis. What is their primary business, who were the officers or key players described in the case study? If the case study company is currently in business, list the company’s current CEO, total sales, and profit or loss for the last year where data is available. Identify key events or phases in the company’s history. Describe the performance of this company in the industry. Visit the company’s website and use http://finance.yahoo.com and/or some other financial search engine to find this data.
NOTE:
Make sure to use APA citations throughout the paper. The textbook should be
cited if it is the source of information.
3. ANALYSIS VIA PORTER’S FIVE FORCES MODEL
Analyze the competitive environment by listing the threat of new entrants, the bargaining power of buyers, the bargaining power of suppliers, the threat of substitute products and services, and the intensity of rivalry among competitors in the industry. You should have subheadings for each of your five paragraphs where you analyze each force against your company. Summarize your key points in a figure.
4. STRATEGY USED
How does this company create and sustain a competitive advantage? What strategy from the readings was undertaken by this company? Were they successful? Can all companies use this strategy? How is the strategy affected by the life cycle in the industry? Remember to reference Porter’s generic competitive strategies identified in the textbook.
5. Specific STRATEGY(S)
**This is the second of two required strategy sections in this paper. This is the heart of the paper**
Choose two specific strategies from the below list of five strategies from the text.
Apply them in detail to the organization. Be sure to think strategically and show the results clearly. Use the strategy as a sub-header for each section so it is clear what is being applied.
Ensuring Coherence in Strategic Direction (pages 23–28)
Value Chain Analysis (pages 76–88)
Resource View of Firm (pages 88–96)
Industry Life Cycle Strategies (pages 167–173)
Portfolio Management and the BCG Matrix (pages 192–194)
6. COURSE OF ACTION RECOMMENDED
If you were in a position to advise this company, what strategy would you recommend to sustain competitive advantage and achieve future growth? Be specific and list the steps the company should take for successful implementation of your course of action. Your recommendations need to connect to information you present earlier in your paper. Think of this section as a conclusion along with action steps for implementing your recommended strategy enhancements or changes.
7. OPINION
What do you think of this case study? Describe what you believe are the lessons learned from this case.
8. REFERENCES
When you have completed the paper using the above sections, insert a page break and have a separate reference page. The references should be listed in accordance with the APA guidelines.
