I need a Sustainable Solutions paper by Friday

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Sustainable Solutions Paper

[Student Name]

DBA Strategy

[Instructor Name]

[Date]

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Sustainable Solutions Paper

[Student Instructions Begin]

When you finish each section delete all red colored information which will start with

[Student Instructions Begin] and end with [Student Instructions End]. This will

ensure that you have a clean copy to submit without the informational notes.

 Use this template for the sustainable solutions paper exactly as described in

the template – Do not add an abstract, and do not add additional headings or

delete any headings!

 Provide a brief introduction to the paper in this section. This introductory section

should be about ½ to ¾ of a page - no more! Provide a purpose and a preview –

state WHY the paper is valuable to the organization; this is the purpose –

introduce the subject and provide a preview of what will be covered – be specific

– provide a list of key sections that will be covered. This is called a preview; it is

not a synopsis. Note: the heading Introduction is not required in APA. All

required headings are provided in this paper—APA Level 0, APA Level 1, and

APA Level 2 headings. DO NOT delete them; just delete the red colored text

which will start with [Student Instructions Begin] and end with [Student

Instructions End].

[Student Instructions End]

Executive Summary

[Student Instructions Begin]

Complete this section after you finish the Week 7 analysis:

 Summarize the entire paper covering each of the key elements (sections)

presented throughout the document. Provide specifics, not generalities.

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 State the organization name along with a very brief description of it.

 The executive summary should be between two and three pages and written last

for obvious reasons, because you can’t summarize until you have completed the

full analysis.

 An Executive Summary is NOT an introduction. A summary provides a concise

portrayal of the results/outcomes of the entire SSP. It is not a restatement of the

process; it is a detailed, bottom line summary of the paper. Be very clear and be

very specific. This section should be between one and two pages.

Summary of Key Takeaways and Insights

 Summarize all of the key sections of the paper being as specific as can be. Be sure

to list the summarized sections. For example: Stakeholder Culture for this

organization can be described as ……. Economic trends of interest include ….

The top three Threats and the top three Opportunities identified are ….

Organizational leaders embrace the concept of Whole-Systems Thinking by….

Note: executives would prefer to read a short but detailed summary and may not

have time to read a 20–40 page paper to get the main focus.

 List and discuss the key takeaways of the paper. What are the “ah ha” discoveries

from the paper? Key takeaways could be things like “our vision and culture

are/are not congruent/aligned” or “our competitive strengths are exceptional/not

clear”)

 Consider the following: how is strategy and sustainability affected by

vision/mission, values, value chain, value system, life cycle, etc? What is the

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information flow from the external (GFA, FFA) and internal (SHA, VCA)

analyses to the SWOT, KSF – from SHA, SWOT, KSF to Analyzing Company

Strategy Type, Action Plan Analysis, and the Week 7 Analyses in the paper? How

do the theories/concepts synthesize to facilitate the information flow? How do the

theories/concepts integrate to facilitate the setting and executing of strategy?

[Student Instructions End]

Stakeholder Identification and Value Analysis

[Student Instructions Begin]

Please see the Sustainable Solutions Paper–Applying Traditional Strategic Thinking

Tools Part I Handout for completing the following sections of the template which you

will submit on Day 7 of Week 4.

[Student Instructions End]

Enterprise Level Strategy

Organizational Culture Type

Integrated Concepts From Readings, Evidence and Implications

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General Force Analysis: External – Remote Environment

General Force Matrix Analysis

Economics.

Technology.

Demographics / social / culture.

Government / legal / military.

Physical environment.

Implications, Threats, and Opportunities of GFA

Porter’s Five Forces Industry Analysis: External – Industry Environment

Five Forces Matrix Analysis

Barriers to entry.

Substitutes.

Bargaining power of suppliers.

Bargaining power of buyers.

Competitive rivalry.

Implications, Threats, and Opportunities of Porter’s Five Forces

Detailed Value Chain Analysis: Internal Environment

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Customized Value Chain of Activities in Table Form

[Student Instructions Begin]

As part of this analysis, complete Table 1: Value Chain Analysis by doing the following:

 List the key business processes or activities in column 1

 Succinctly describe each for your organization in column 2

 Assess as a strength or weakness versus your top two competitors in column 3

titled Competitor 1 and in column 4 titled Competitor 2.

Clearly name each strength and weakness and continue to use these names whenever the

strength or weakness is referenced later in this paper. Discuss and elaborate on each

column in narrative form after the table is populated; expand/elaborate upon what you

wrote in the cells of the table.

[Student Instructions End]

Table 1: Value Chain Analysis

Business Process Your Organization Competitor 1 Competitor 2

Management

R&D

HR

Procurement

Inbound logistics

Operations

Outbound logistics

Sales

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Service

Implications of Competitive Analysis

Strengths.

Weaknesses.

Skills.

Capabilities.

Detailed SWOT Analysis

SWOT Factor Matrix

SO strategies.

ST strategies.

WO strategies.

WT strategies

Key Success Factor Analysis

[Student Instructions Begin]

Please see the Sustainable Solutions Paper–Applying Traditional Strategic Thinking

Tools Part II Handout for completing the following sections of the template which you

will submit on Day 7 of Week 4.

[Student Instructions End]

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Analyzing the Company Strategy Type

Action Plan Analysis

[Student Instructions Begin]

Please see the Sustainable Solutions Paper–Applying Complexity Analysis Handout for

completing the following sections of the template which you will submit on Day 7 of

Week 7.

[Student Instructions End]

Boid Analysis

Industry Evolution Modeling

[Student Instructions Begin]

Please see the Sustainable Solutions Paper–Applying Systems and Sustainability

Frameworks Handout for completing the following sections of the template which you

will submit on Day 7 of Week 7.

[Student Instructions End]

Life Cycle Assessment

Sustainable Value Framework Analysis

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Detailed Analysis of All Four Quadrants

[Student Instructions Begin]

After completing your Sustainable Value Framework Analysis, per the handout, complete

the Table 2: Sustainable Value Framework with your response to this section.

[Student Instructions End]

Table 2: Sustainable Value Framework

Today Future

External Strategy:

Payoff:

Strategy:

Payoff:

Internal Strategy:

Payoff:

Strategy:

Payoff:

Conclusions

[Student Instructions Begin]

Summarize the key points in the paper and provide any conclusive ideas. No new ideas

should be included in this section. Link your arguments for conclusions to the section of

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the paper that states the analysis results used. Note: this should be considerably shorter

than the Executive Summary. This section should be less than a page.

[Student Instructions End]

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References

[Student Instructions Begin]

List around 10 references used in creating this paper in APA format in this section. Note:

Only list references actually cited in the body of the paper. Keep in mind that the

example references in the template do not have corresponding parenthetical citations as

they are here for training purposes. Your references will have at least one corresponding

parenthetical citation where applied in your writing.

Example references include the following:

Alänge, S., & Steiber, A. (2009). The board’s role in sustaining major organizational

change: An empirical analysis of three change programs. International Journal of

Quality and Service Sciences, 1, 280-293. doi:10.1108/17566690911004212

Demars, C. (2007). Organizational change theories: A synthesis. Thousand Oaks, CA:

Sage.

Epstein, M. J. (2008). Making sustainability work: Best practices in managing and

measuring corporate social, environmental, and economic impacts. San

Francisco, CA: Berrett-Koehler.

Fiksel, J. (2009). Design for environment: A guide to sustainable product development.

2nd ed., New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

Fisher, L. (2009). The perfect swarm: The science of complexity in everyday life. New

York, NY: Perseus.

Glenn, J. C., & Gordon, T. J. (2009). 2009 State of the future. Washington, DC: The

Millennium Project.

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Herman, M., Frost, M., & Kurz, R. (2009). Wargaming for leaders: Strategic decision

making from the battlefield to the boardroom. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

Meadows, D. (2008). Thinking in systems: A primer. White River Junction, VT: Chelsea

Green Publishing Company.

Pearce, J. A., & Robinson, R. B. (2003). Strategic management: Formulation,

implementation, and control. Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill.

Senge, P., Smith, B., Kruschwitz, N., Laur, J., & Schely, S. (2008). The necessary

revolution: How individuals and organizations are working together to create a

sustainable world. New York, NY: Doubleday.

Stacey, R. D. (2011). Strategic management and organisational dynamics: The

challenge of complexity. London, England: FT Prentice-Hall.

General notes to guide development of the SSP

Here are some general notes to help you finalize your SSP:

 This entire paper should be between 20 and 40 pages.

 The point count is 150 for the sections submitted in Week 4 and 300 for the sections

submitted in Week 7 along with the revisions made from the feedback you receive

after your Week 4 submission.

 In addition to points listed for each section, there are points reserved for APA form

and style, points for grammar, and points for the integration of the feedback you

receive after your Week 4 submission.

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 This template or outline is to be used for the Week 4 and Week 7 SSP paper. Week 7

elements may be left in during the submittal for Week 4. Week 4 elements may be

left in for submittal of Week 7. No need to remove and reinsert just for drill!

 It is appropriate to search for other peer-reviewed references through

http://scholar.google.com as well as the Walden or other university library. Wikipedia

is not appropriate. It is a good place to start learning something and to find peer-

reviewed references. Most scholarly peer-reviewed articles have a Document Object

Identifier (doi) number and doi should be used in reference citation. If no doi number

then you would put “Retrieved from… (adding in the Journal URL not the library site

where you found the article). Review the APA 6th edition manual for proper APA

citation format.

 APA highlights – double space everything, either one or two spaces after periods (but

be consistent) – hint: one is normally better to use as the references citation pages

have to be one space after periods anyway, cite in past tense using last names only, no

first names – strive for gender neutrality, do not use contractions, and read the APA

6th edition manual for details.

 In APA style, it is stronger to paraphrase and cite the source rather than to introduce

the paraphrase with the source. That is, it is stronger to state: The world is not flat

(Galileo, 1640); it is weaker to state: Galileo (1640) says the world is not flat. Also, it

is better to synthesize research and paraphrased the parenthetical citation rather then

direct quotations. Also, block quotes (over 40 words) are not allowed.

 Provide specifics – do not toss out abstract generalities—“mud on the wall” —and

expect full credit!

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 Be prepared to do some research above and beyond the provided and listed materials

in the classroom. The information is available, but may require some searching.

 Remember, this is a doctoral level course.

Hints on Writing your SSP

Here are some hints to help you write your SSP include the following:

 The APA Level 0 header for the SSP is:

o Sustainable Solutions Paper

Under the Sustainable Solutions Paper title on page 2 of your paper,

provide a brief (no more than one half to three quarters of a page)

introduction to the paper (for Week 4, this is an introduction for the Week

4 sections of the SSP; for Week 7, this is an introduction to the Week 4

and Week 7 sections of the SSP). An introduction states the purpose of the

paper and provides a preview of the major points presented in the paper.

The introduction does not provide any descriptions or any synopses of the

contents of the paper.

 The APA Level 1 headings for the SSP are:

o Introduction (no header – just the writing) – (10 points – Due Week 4 and

7)

o Executive Summary (15 points – Due Week 7 – but positioned at front of

SSP)

o Stakeholder Identification and Value Analysis (20 points – Due Week 4)

o General Force Analysis (20 points – Due Week 4)

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o Porter’s Five Forces Industry Analysis (20 points – Due Week 4)

o Value Chain & Relative Core Competency and Resource Analysis (20

points–Due Wk 4)

o Detailed SWOT Analysis (30 points – Due Week 4)

o Analyzing the Company Strategy Type (20 points – Due Week 4)

o Action Plan Analysis (20 points – Due Week 4)

o Boid Analysis (35 points – Due Week 7

o Industry Evolution Modeling (40 points – Due Week 7)

o Life Cycle Assessment (40 points – Due Week 7)

o Sustainable Value Framework Analysis (50 points – Due Week 7)

o Conclusions (Due Week 7)

For each Level 1 heading, provide a brief 2–3 sentence introduction to the

section. This terse introduction is the only writing between the Level 1

heading and the first Level 2 heading for the section.

An introduction states the purpose of the section and provides a preview of

the major points presented in the section. The introduction does not

provide any descriptions or any synopses of the contents of the section.

A terse, brief scholarly description is provided for each concept/theory

applied in the SSP. This terse, brief scholarly description is written first

following the Level 2 or Level 3 heading section in which your analysis is

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completed. In other words, first provide a scholarly description of the

theory you are using and then apply it in the analysis.

The conclusion should contain a definite, positive statement of what you

have learned or call to action – but, that statement needs to be based on

what you have provided in the paper/section. Remember conclusions are

formed based on the linking of results of the analysis. Conclusions do not

contain new analysis or introduce new information. When you form and

write your conclusions, link/refer back in your writing to the results of

your analysis to support them. Use a strong topic sentence to state your

conclusion. The linkage/reference back to your analysis results is part of

your paragraph development in support of your topic sentence. In some

cases the topic sentence is succeeded or preceded by a transitional

sentence linking the current paragraph/section to the previous one or

providing background information.

The SSP has no minimum or maximum number of pages. Following are

the suggested number of pages to do justice to the work required,

however, a well written full SSP normally will be between 20-40 (Week 4

SSP and Week 7 SSP combined) depending on the amount of information

available as some organizations are bigger or smaller, but all have the

same elements of strategy.

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 References and Citations

All references and citations must comply with APA 6th edition manual formatting

(Note: The Walden Writing Center webpage has good information and examples

about APA as well). List around 10 reference entries; remember that each

reference entry must be cited at least once, each citation in the paper must have a

reference entry, and citations and references must match identically in spelling.

 Writing

The SSP should be written using an introduction – body – conclusion style. This

style applies to the entire paper. It also applies to each Level 1 heading section of

the paper. A transitional phrase/sentence links one Level 1 heading section to

another (see Section 3.05 through 3.11 of the APA manual - Writing Style). Each

paragraph uses the introduction – body – conclusion style, too. The topic sentence

is the introduction. The body is the description, explanation, data, facts, analysis,

examples, etc. The conclusion connects and summarizes the results of the

analysis.

Each paragraph in the paper begins with a strong topic sentence – it advises the

reader of the subject to be discussed. The topic sentence is followed by good

paragraph development, supporting the topic sentence. The paragraph is a series

of sentences all related to the topic (all paragraphs must have at least three

sentences). Multiple paragraphs on a theme are linked with a transitional

phrase/sentence (see pages Sections 3.05 through 3.11 of the APA 6th edition

manual). In some cases the topic sentence is succeeded or preceded by a

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transitional sentence linking the current paragraph/section to the previous one or

providing background information.

This style of communication is meant to be direct, declarative, plain, and to the

point. It is meant to lead the readers of your paper directly to what you want to tell

them. It is not meant to open their thinking process. It is meant to provide them

the answers. (If they don’t like your answers and you have not supported your

analysis and conclusions adequately, that will open their thinking process.)

For purposes of this class, it is assumed that you know how to write well (i.e.,

grammar, spelling, punctuation, and sentence clarity and structure) and that you

understand what a topic sentence is and how to do paragraph development in

support of a topic sentence. If these assumptions are not true, then, please contact

your Academic Advisor and the Walden Writing Center and enroll in some

courses to achieve these writing skills.

[Student Instructions End]