Assignment for SCARLETTUTOR

JWMI 540: Strategy Academic Submissions and Evaluations

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Assignment 1: Case Study – Environmental Analysis Due Week 4, Day 7 (Weight: 20%)

Latest woes - sales dwindling, market share eroding, disruptive competitors – are featured heavily in the media today, and even in the Wall Street Journal. But is disaster really looming on the horizon for the low- cost giant? Or do the issues simply present an opportunity for big success?

Select any publicly traded business of your choice and assess the company's external environment using three or more media sources to identify factors that are impacting their business model. Argue your position on whether these factors signal imminent doom or new growth opportunities and a possible credible strategy to ensure ongoing competitive advantage. You may use this same business in the upcoming Assignments 2 and 3.

Imagine yourself as part of the Executive Team. Write a Business Brief for the organization’s Board Members for an upcoming meeting.

1. Identify and concisely describe four external factors impacting.

• Is each a positive or negative? Explain. • What are the “symptoms” of each factor? (What is likely happening as a result of a factor?) • How does each factor correlate to Porter’s Five Forces, Christensen’s Disruptive Innovation and

Kim’s Blue Ocean models? Explain.

2. Rank the factors in order from least to greatest potential impact and briefly explain your rationale.

3. Argue your position – Persuasively assert what these factors imply for the future. • Consider how the factors potentially influence the organization’s capabilities, behavior, and

strategic options.

4. Develop and support your recommendations, assertions, and facts with in-text citations, appendixes, and references.

Required format and organization for the Business Brief. Business briefs are often used to convince and inform clearly and concisely in the business environment. For this assignment, your business brief should state its purpose, create awareness, and provide a persuasive informed assertion based on research and conceptual understandings.

1. Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, your name, professor’s name, and the course title and date. (The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required page length.)

2. Single-spaced, professional font (Times New Roman or Ariel), 10-12 font size 3. Headings, bolded, are used to identify main topics and subtopics 4. Paragraphs separated by a single space

© Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University confidential and proprietary information and may not be copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed, in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of Strayer University. This course guide is subject to change based on the needs of the class.

JWMI 540: Strategy Academic Submissions and Evaluations

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Weight: 20% Assignment 1: Big 5 Oil Co. Environmental Analysis

Criteria Unsatisfactory Low Pass Pass High Pass Honors

1. Identify and Fewer than three Three to four Four external Four external Four external concisely factors are external factors factors factors factors describe four identified and/or impacting your impacting your impacting your impacting your external factors the descriptions chosen chosen chosen chosen impacting your are vague. company are company are company are company are chosen company Weight: 25%

Symptoms and correlations to Porter and or Blue Ocean are either not made or stated without explanation.

partially described. The descriptions may not be clear, logical, or fully supported. The student partially relates and explains the symptoms and correlations to either Porter and/or Blue Ocean model.

satisfactorily described. The descriptions are mostly clear and logical. The symptoms and connections to the Five Forces or Blue Ocean model are mostly explained. Overall the explanations and rationale are lacking some key information or support.

completely described. The description is clear, concise and logical. The student makes connections in relation to the type of influence and potential symptoms, and logically relates and explains the correlations to either the Porter and/or Blue Ocean model. All information is supported.

exemplarily described. The description is clear, concise and logical. The student demon- strates breadth of knowledge, makes thought- provoking connections in relation to the type of influence and potential symptoms, and logically relates and explains the correlations to either the Porter and/or Blue Ocean model.

2. Rank the factors in order from least to greatest impact. Include a brief explanation for rankings.

Fewer than four factors are provided or the sequencing is not supported. Explanation is poor.

Four factors are ranked in sequence of greatest to least impact. The rationale for ordering is provided but is unclear or less

Four factors are ranked in sequence of greatest to least impact. The rationale for ordering is provided, but is not clear at all

Four factors are ranked in sequence of greatest to least impact. The rationale for ordering is explained. The rationale is fully

Four factors are ranked in sequence of greatest to least impact. The rationale for ordering is exemplarily and concisely

Weight: 15% than adequately times. The supported from explained. The supported or rationale is course reading rationale is explained. generally materials and supported from supported from demonstrates course reading course reading complete materials and material. understanding. external sources and demonstrates thought leadership.

© Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University confidential and proprietary information and may not be copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed, in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of Strayer University. This course guide is subject to change based on the needs of the class.

JWMI 540: Strategy Academic Submissions and Evaluations

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Weight: 20% Assignment 1: Environmental Analysis Criteria Unsatisfactory Low Pass Pass High Pass Honors

3. Persuasively assert what the factors imply for the future of the organization. Weight: 30%

The student does not or unsatisfactorily asserts how the factors may impact the future of the company. Little to no synthesis of ideas is demonstrated and logical reasoning is not included or evident.

The student partially asserts how the factors may impact the future of the company and may not be persuasive. The student partially demonstrates synthesis of ideas and logical reasoning from a core capabilities, behavior, and strategic options perspective. The assertions lack clarity and/or conciseness.

The student satisfactorily asserts how the factors may impact the future of the company in a persuasive manner. The student may not fully demonstrate synthesis of ideas and logical reasoning from a core capabilities, behavior, and strategic options perspective. The assertions may lack some clarity or conciseness and/or may not be highly persuasive or thoroughly supported.

The student completely asserts how the factors may impact the future of the company in a persuasive manner. The student demonstrates synthesis of ideas and logical reasoning from a core capabilities, behavior, and strategic options perspective. The assertions are mostly clear concise, persuasive, and well-supported.

The student exemplarily asserts how the factors may impact the future of the company in a persuasive manner. The student demonstrates critical analysis, excellent synthesis and understanding of the factors from a core capabilities, behavior, and strategic options perspective. Unique insights and stance are clear, concise, persuasive, and supported by course materials and/or outside research and logical reasoning.

4. Recommend- ations, assertions, and facts are supported with in-text citations, appendixes, and references. Weight 15%

There are no in- text citations, appendixes, or references to support recommend ations, assertions, or facts.

Some recommend- ations, assertions, and facts are supported with in-text citations, appendixes, and references; formatting is not consistent and does not support easy identification of sources.

Many recommend- ations, assertions, and facts are supported with in-text citations, appendixes, and references; formatting may not be consistent or enable the reader to easily locate sources.

Most recommend- ations, assertions, and facts are supported with in-text citations, appendixes, and references; and/or the formatting is mostly consistent and enables the reader to identify sources.

All recommend- ations, assertions, and facts are exemplarily supported with in-text citations, appendixes, and references; formatting is consistent and enables the reader to easily identify sources.

© Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University confidential and proprietary information and may not be copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed, in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of Strayer University. This course guide is subject to change based on the needs of the class.

JWMI 540: Strategy Academic Submissions and Evaluations

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Weight: 20% Assignment 1: Environmental Analysis Criteria Unsatisfactory Low Pass Pass High Pass Honors

5. Business brief is logical, professionally formatted, and free from grammatical errors. Weight: 15%

Business brief is illogical and unprofessional and contains multiple mechanics and usage errors. There is no cover page, and headings may be missing.

The business brief is somewhat logical and semi- professional, and includes a cover page and some headings. Several mechanics and usage errors make parts of the text difficult for the reader to understand.

The business brief is satisfactorily logical and professional. It includes a cover page, and headings. The headings and/or the font or spacing may not look professional. There may be a few mechanics and usage errors, but they do not have a major impact on the flow.

The business brief is logical and professional. It includes a cover page, may have mostly appropriate headings, font, and spacing. Mechanics and usage errors, if any, are minor and have no impact on the flow.

The business brief is highly logical and extremely professional. It includes a cover page and appropriate headings, professional font and spacing are used. It enables the reader to quickly skim and understand main points. There are no mechanics or usage errors.

© Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University confidential and proprietary information and may not be copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed, in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of Strayer University. This course guide is subject to change based on the needs of the class.