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First written analysis assignment of the casebook. Case analysis puts you in the shoes of those faced with actual managerial situations and forces you to make decisions as managers based on limited information and a finite time frame. Your objective is to appraise the situation from a top manager’s perspective, by asking the following: 1) What factors are critical to understanding the current situation? 2) How do these factors affect one another (do some cause others)? 3) What problems and/or opportunities are evident? ) What actionable recommendations can be offered? When preparing a case analysis it is important to be thoroughly familiar with the case. This means that you must read the case for both general impressions and for specific facts. In writing a case analysis, and in class discussions, you need to provide supporting evidence for your views and judgments. Use tight logical arguments backed by facts and figures; avoid unsupported opinion and over-generalizations. Avoid sentences that state the obvious. Finally, your analysis should be reasonable and objective. Purpose
The purpose of analyzing cases is to help you identify those factors which directly influence the company’s performance and its competitive advantage in the market place. Written assignments should present the situation as it exists at the time of the case. These assignments are designed to help you develop skills at sifting through lots of data about a company and its industry, and find that information which can help you understand why the company is successful or not. Once you understand what drives company performance, you can more easily see what needs to be done to ensure future profitability.
Also, mastering this skill will help you determine which employers are likely to grow and prosper and which might be headed toward failure. Procedures and Formats Cases should be done individually. Below you will find the required format. Follow these formats as closely as you can. File Naming and Identification – Please name your word document in the following manner: External_Analysis_STUDENTNAME for the external analysis; and Internal_Analysis_STUDENTNAME for the internal analysis. Be SURE to include your name on the paper! Below you will find the required format for the external analysis paper.
If you do not follow this format, you will be assessed an automatic 15 point deduction. Quality papers will be between 6 & 8 pages in length, 1 ? spacing, 11 point font. REQUIRED FORMAT: EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS Introduction In this section, give an overview of the whole case (a situation analysis). It is helpful to give a historical frame (the who, what, where, when and why) and a summary of the critical strategic issues. General Environment Which general environment dimension(s) is/are most relevant in this case? Why? List them in the order of importance; but, ALSO discuss why the TOP THREE are so important to this company: Demographic segment – Economic segment – Political/legal segment – Sociocultural segment – Technological segment – Global segment – Physical segment Be sure to indicate if the segment is an OPPORTUNITY or a THREAT to the company. Industry Environment Answer what kind of industry this is in general and then define it specifically below. Industry Definition – e. g. Retail Industry / Airline Industry List and explain the dominant industry characteristics below. Explain the Dominant Characteristics of this Industry – Market Size – (This company’s REVENUE / TOTAL MARKET REVENUES) Life Cycle Stage – (look this up if you don’t know what it means)
Growth Rate – Is this industry growing? Scope of Rivalry – (intense, moderate or weak, explain) Rivalry Concentration – (how many competitors? How big are the competitors? ) Pace of Industry Change – (Slow or fast? ) Product/Service Differentiation – Apply Porter’s Five Forces Model to the industry AND ANSWER: Is this an attractive industry? Five Forces Model of Competition – Give an overview of the industry and the competitive environment. (e. g. “This is an attractive industry overall, as significant growth is expected. However…. ) Threat of New Entrants – Bargaining Power of Suppliers – Bargaining Power of Customers –
Substitutes – Rivalry Among Competitors – What factors are critical for success of the company given the competitive environment? Critical Success Factors – What are the company’s biggest factors related to their success? Competitive Environment Competitor Analysis – Who are the company’s primary competitors? What do you know about their current strategies, missions, capabilities, competencies, and competitive response profiles, and how does this relate to the company’s competitive profile? External Analysis Summary and Conclusions Summarize specifically what the company needs to do in the future to position itself in this environment.