EXPLAIN HOW VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS CAN BE USED TO MAKE A FIRM MORE COMPETITIVE.

1. Describe in detail what a learning organization is and why it is critical to the competitive success of most firms today.
2. Give an analysis of Mintzberg’s Modes of Strategic Decision Making. Which mode do you consider the most strategic and why?
3. What strategic value do external and internal environmental scanning activities provide to businesses?
4. What role does strategy formulation play in a firm’s strategic management process? What pitfalls may a firm face when working on strategy formulation?

Three assignments during the course will draw on different parts of the strategic audit. This should make the entire process much easier. The final strategic audit is due in Module 8. You will have the ability to create your own assignments for the other modules for this activity.

For this activity, analyze both the Mission and Vision Statements of the approved firm you will use in your Strategic Audit Report. This analysis could consist of the following steps for both your Mission and Vision Statements:

• Identify your firm’s Mission and Vision Statements.
• Describe if the current Mission and Vision Statements are effective and why.
• Recommend new Mission and Vision Statements, if need be, and support your work.
• Develop a Mission Statement and or a Vision Statement, if your firm does not have one. Support the new statement.

1. Discuss the differences between the “agency theory” and the “stewardship theory”. Explain which of these theories applies to your strategic audit firm and why?
2. Explain the strategic roles Board of Directors have in conjunction with senior management and the running of an organization. Which Degree of Involvement in Strategic Management describes the Board of Directors for your strategic audit firm, and why?
3. Discuss in detail the ramifications the Sarbanes-Oxley Act has had on business in the United States.
4. Define the three basic approaches to ethical behavior. Discuss your views on each of these ethical behaviors.
5. Describe Friedman’s view on the responsibilities of business. Do you agree or disagree with Friedman’s views and why?
6. Explain Carroll’s two responsibilities that pertain to social responsibilities. Do you believe these responsibilities are growing in support from corporations, or not, and why?

Identify the Board of Directors serving your Strategic Audit firm. Tell if the Board members are internal or external directors. If external directors, mention what organizations they represent, and which country they are from. Indicate when the directors were elected to the Board. Relate what Board Committees they serve on.

1. Complete a Porter’s Analysis to Industry Analysis on the Airline Industry using the six forces. Indicate each force’s competitiveness intensity by signifying Low-Medium-High, or combination of two grades. Support your evaluation on each force’s competitiveness position in the industry.
2. Discuss five trends in the external environment scanning process that will affect most businesses.
3. Create a Strategic Group map of industry (but not the airline industry) using two broad characteristics- price and product-line. Use at least eight firms in this analysis.
4. Create an Industry Matrix featuring your Strategic Audit firm and two competitors. Use five Key Success Factors, one of which should be low cost. Use the table found in Chapter Four for this assignment.

Complete an External Factor Analysis Summary on your Strategic Audit firm

• EFAS Worksheet
• External Factor Analysis Summary Guidelines
• EFAS Sample

1. Discuss the positives and negatives of corporate culture in the competitiveness of a firm. Relate how firms should deal with different corporate cultures in mergers and acquisitions.
2. Explain how value chain analysis can be used to make a firm more competitive.
3. Identify core competencies, resources, and capabilities found in your Strategic Audit firm. Explain how they make your Strategic Audit firm more competitive.
4. Discuss in detail how the VRIO Framework can be used to evaluate a business’ competencies. Explain which of the VRIO factors would allow a firm to achieve a sustainable advantage over its competitors, and why?

Complete an Internal Factor Analysis Summary on your Strategic Audit firm

• IFAS Worksheet
• Internal Factor Analysis Summary Guidelines
• IFAS Sample

1. Discuss how collusion can have a negative affect as a business strategy. Give an actual example of a collusion strategy used by a company.
2. Describe how a firm develops a business strategy when in a hypercompetitive industry.
3. Explain how a company can have a successful business strategy based on both the cost leadership and differentiation strategies.
4. Evaluate the differences between cooperative and competitive strategies. Given specific examples of each type in your analysis.

Select a Fortune Top 50 Company, then select a firm within that company.

• Discuss which of Porter’s Business Strategies this firm follows to stay competitive.
• Explain why you think it is the best business strategy to take, or should the Company change to another business strategy.

Please provide at least 300 words in this assignment.

1. Describe the advantages and disadvantages of Portfolio Analysis, as it pertains to the BCG Growth-Share Matrix.
2. Explain how Corporate Parenting can contribute to an effective corporate strategy. Discuss how it can relate to a SWOT analysis.
3. Describe the two types of diversification strategies. Evaluate which of these two strategies you would recommend for your Strategic Audit firm to u se moving forward and why.
4. Discuss the roles each of the four vertical growth integration strategies play in corporate strategy.

Complete a SFAS Matrix on your Strategic Audit firm using your EFAS (Textbook example on p. 121) and IFAS (Textbook example on p. 154) matrixes.

• Use the SFAS Worksheet, SFAS Guidelines, and SFAS Sample.
• Based on your SFAS Matrix, complete a TOWS Matrix on your Strategic Audit firm.
• Use the TOWS Guidelines and TOWS Sample.

For more information on TOWS, go to MyManagementLab module.

1. Describe what you believe to be the strategic differences between globalization, regionalization and localization.
2. Discuss two reactive responses and two proactive reasons why firms wish to become involved with globalization.
3. Describe an entry strategy used by your Strategic Audit firm to enter global markets.
4. Describe the benefits and pitfalls of making a strategic alliance with another global firm.
5. Identify and analyze an actual global joint venture that has occurred over the past few years.
6. Discuss the difference between equity and non-equity strategic alliances.

Identify a global strategic alliance or a joint venture by a firm that is not your Strategic Audit firm, nor being studied by another student in your class.

• Explain the rationale for the strategic alliance or joint venture.
• Discuss how the strategic alliance or joint venture worked out.

Please provide a minimum of at least two full pages of analysis, not counting your title and reference pages.

1. Explain Corporate Scenarios and then describe how they can have an effect on the formulation and implementation of a firm’s strategy.
2. Describe the expanding roles outsourcing plays on creating an effective strategy. Discuss any outsourcing performed by your Strategic Audit firm.
3. Select a functional strategy and then discuss how this functional strategy can enhance a firm’s bottom line.
4. Discuss how Programs, Budgets, and Procedures can be used to create a successful strategy.
5. Analyze the various Stages of Corporate Development. Describe which Organizational Life Cycle Stage your Strategic Audit firm is currently in.
6. Describe the importance of synergy to an effective strategy.

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