Strategic Management BUS 401

FINAL Group Project Guidelines (100 Points)

The project requires a complete strategic management analysis of key strategic decisions taken by
any organization of your choice. You will need to show an understanding of the organization’s vision,
mission, objectives and stakeholders; the internal and external environments that influenced the
decision being made, how these decision fits in with the firm’s overall business, corporate and (if
relevant) international level strategy; and finally how you think the decision can and should be
implemented and the implications of the decision for the firms control mechanisms. This is a GROUP
Project so students can work in groups up to 4 team members.

Suggested Structure-Outline

I. Cover Page
II. Table of Contents (1 point)

A. Introduction (5 points)
1- History of Company
2- SBUs of Mother company
3- SBU of your interest
4- Why will you learn from this Project
B. Mission-Vision-Objectives (5 points)
1. Mission
2. Vision
3. Strategic & Long Term Objectives
4. Financial & Short Term Objectives
C. SWOT Analysis (10 points)
D. Competitors’ analysis(10 points)
1. Identify your competitors.
2. Categorize Your Competitors:
 Primary Competition: These are your direct competitors .
 Secondary Competition: These competitors may offer a high- or low-end version of
your product, or sell something similar to a completely different audience.
 Tertiary Competition: This category includes businesses that have related products
and services that are trending, as well as businesses that may be beneficial to partner
with further down the line. (areas for future integration or partnership)
3. Examine your competitor's website & customer experience.
4. Identify your competitor's market positioning and market share.
E. External Analysis- 5 Rival Forces (10 points)
1. Rivalry
2. New entrants
3. Substitutes
4. Buyers Power
5. Suppliers Power
F. Internal Analysis-Value Chain(18 points)
1- Reference to what Generic Strategy they Assume (no elaboration, elaborate in
Generic Strategies)
 2- Inbound Logistics(Sourcing)
3- Operations – Production –Transformation Process
4- Outbound Logistics(Supply Chain Mgt & Inventory Control)
5- Sales/Marketing(Distribution, Promotion)
6- Service(Customer Service)
G. Generic Strategies (10 points)
1. 5 Strategies explanation and choice of one(why)
2. Analysis of Chosen Generic Strategy
H. Grand Strategies & Foreign Market Strategies (15 points)
1- Growth Strategies (Ansoff Matrix)
2- Alliances & Mergers
3- Integration Strategies (Vertical or Horizontal)
4- How they work on Value Chain
I. Structure & Corporate Social Responsibility (15 points)
1. Choice of Functional, Organic or Matrix
2. Organizational Culture
3. Competencies & Capabilities
4. Structure Graph
5. Identify Corporate Responsibility & Business ethics in the company’s policies
6. Mention 2 CSR initiatives for the company in different cities or countries
J. References (references are evaluated in all parts) (1 point)

Johnson, K., Li, Y., Phan, H., Singer, J., & Trinh, H. (2012). The Innovative Success that is Apple, Inc.

Govindarajan, V. (1986). Decentralization, strategy, and effectiveness of strategic business units in

multibusiness organizations. Academy of Management Review, 11(4), 844-856.

Karnani, A. (1984). Generic competitive strategies—an analytical approach. Strategic Management

Journal, 5(4), 367-380.

Kim, E., Nam, D. I., & Stimpert, J. L. (2004). The applicability of Porter’s generic strategies in the digital
age: assumptions, conjectures, and suggestions. Journal of management, 30(5), 569-589.

Parker, B., & Helms, M. M. (1992). Generic strategies and firm performance in a declining industry. MIR:
Management International Review, 23-39.

Jennings, D. F., & Lumpkin, J. R. (1992). Insights between environmental scanning activities and Porter's
generic strategies: An empirical analysis. Journal of Management, 18(4), 791-803.

Kotha, S., & Vadlamani, B. L. (1995). Assessing generic strategies: an empirical investigation of two
competing typologies in discrete manufacturing industries. Strategic Management Journal, 16(1), 75-83.