LASA—Strategic Analysis: Organizational & Competitive

LASA—Strategic Analysis: Organizational & Competitive

The goal of conducing a competitor analysis is to gather information  about the company’s competitors and systematically formulate a strategy  to become the market leader in the industry. In formulating any  strategy, it is imperative that the company understand its  organizational structure as well as the internal and external forces  which could impact their strategic decisions.

Based on the company you chose in the previous module, analyze the  organization’s mission, vision, and values, its ability to compete, and  the effectiveness of its management team in executing strategy. Some of  the factors to be considered in doing this evaluation include the  company’s internal resource capabilities, its relative cost position,  and its competitive strength. In addition, evaluate the competitive  strategy of your selected organization and examine how this strategic  approach drives the rest of the strategic actions the company undertakes  in terms of product line, production emphasis, marketing emphasis, and  the means for sustaining the strategy. Make sure to include at least one  analytical tool such as SWOT analysis, Porter’s, BCG, etc. in your  analysis.

Research your selected organization’s strategy and analyze the following elements:

• The organization’s mission, vision, and values. What does it tell  you about the company, their culture, their direction? Does it convey  the purpose and primary objectives of the company? If so, how, if not  what is missing?
• The organization’s strategic goals. Based on your research, what are the top three strategic goals of your chosen company?
• The relative alignment of strategic goals with the organization’s  mission, vision, and values. Include at least three examples of how the  strategic goals help and/or hinder the organization in achieving its  mission, vision, and values.
• Additions or changes you would recommend to the strategic goals to  better achieve the company’s mission, vision, and values. Include at  least two additions or changes and justify your response.
• Describe the relevant external factors and influences (at least 3)  which could affect the decisions the company makes about its direction,  objectives, strategy, and business model.
• Describe the Internal factors and influences (at least 3) which  could impact the company’s decision making such as the company’s market  position and its competencies, capabilities, resource strengths and  weaknesses, and competitiveness.
• Does your selected organization have a focused strategy that  differentiates it from other companies in the same marketplace? Explain  your answer.
• Is the organization seeking a competitive advantage by taking the initiative in the marketplace? Explain your answer.
• Does the organization have a strategy for competing in  international markets? Does it appear to have a solid understanding of  local customer needs and preferences to create customized products or  services? Does it appear to know how to transfer company expertise to  initiate actions to compete internationally?
• Make sure you utilize at least one analytical tool in your analysis of this section.

Write up your findings in a 6 to 8 page MS Word format paper which  complies with APA standards, including proper grammar and spelling.  Include at least three scholarly resources in your report.