Critical analysis of Amazon

Project Outline for Group 4 – Amazon (Jordan Tanko and Aditya Pratap Singh)

1. Executive Summary: This section would contain the major findings of our research efforts. Specifically, it would highlight a 360 view of the pre-covid and current state of the company. This includes company finances, business model, key strategies, human resources and the organizational structure. We would also bring to light major problems faced by the company and their causes. This would be the last section of the report to be completed.

2. Company History: This section would contain background history of Amazon. This includes critical events and milestones since its foundation, the initial vision and objectives of the company and how they have evolved, size and the leadership in the company.

3. Strategic Analysis of the Company: This section would include Pre-covid information

of the company. The following information shall be incorporated and described in thorough detail:

• Company Locations • Products and services • Business models and strategies • Market share • Future projections

4. Covid 19: This section would contain information of the virus. This would include:

• Early warnings and beginning of a global pandemic • Advisory by World Health Organization • Response by Governments and organizations • General Impact to Individuals, Companies and the world at Large. • Impact of Covid-19 on Amazon

5. Critical Internal Analysis: For an internal analysis, we plan on utilizing two main tools:

SWOT and Value Chain Analysis. This section would examine Amazon’s internal environment to assess its resources, competencies and competitive advantage. We chose these tools because they help us identify the strengths and weaknesses (SWOT) and important activities (value chain) that provide amazon a competitive edge. This critical analysis would be based on the “after” covid period, i.e. from the current state of the company.

6. Critical External Analysis: In a bid to examine the opportunities and threats in the

business environment, we will perform a critical external analysis which would be divided into 2 sections. Each of these sections would utilize a different strategic tool.

Macro-environment: Using DESTEP, the six components of the macro- environment would be thoroughly analyzed in relation to Amazon. These components are:

• Demographic forces • Economic forces • Socio-cultural forces • Technological forces • Ecological forces • Political forces

Industry analysis: For a complete industry analysis, Porter’s Five forces model

would be utilized. This very important tool would help us understand the forces that shape competition to Amazon within the retail imdustry. This model would include:

• Competition in the industry • Potential of new entrants into the industry • Power of suppliers • Power of customers • Threat of substitute products

7. Functional analysis: This is an analysis of the key business function units of Amazon.

These units are the backbone of the company and as such we would analyze how they have involved from before the pandemic to a current state. The units that would be analyzed are:

• Marketing • Operations/Production • Finance and accounting • Human resource • Organizational structure

8. Major Issues and causes: After a complete analysis of all aspects of the company, we

would highlight the major problems the company faces, their cause and the impact they have had on the company. In this section, a pareto chart and a Fishbone diagram would be used.

9. Comparison to Walmart: In this section we would make a comparison to Walmart, a big competitor of Amazon.

10. Conclusion