Corporate Strategy

1.      Corporate Strategy – Virgin Group

Assignment Overview

For this assignment, you are to write a 4–6 page business analysis to the vice president of corporate strategy at the company’s headquarters that describes key elements of the corporate strategy of the firm you selected. Include key findings for the firm’s level of diversification (product scope), geographical and vertical scope, and the overall fit with the business strategy or strategies identified in Unit 1 of the course.

By successfully completing this assignment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and assignment criteria:

• Competency 1 – Apply strategic theories, models and tools to distinguish an organization’s strategy.

• • Analyze the corporate strategy of the selected firm, including product, geographical, and vertical scope in which it operates.
• Competency 5 – Analyze the strategic fit of an organization’s structure and business systems.

• • Analyze the firm’s overall corporate structure and key management systems.
• Competency 6 – Evaluate an organization’s strategic fit with the external industry environment.

• • Analyze the strategic fit between the business and corporate strategies of the selected firm.
• Competency 7 – Communicate in a manner that is professional and consistent with expectations for members of the business professions.

• • Write coherently to support a central idea (in appropriate APA format) with correct grammar, usage, and mechanics as expected of a business professional.

 

Assignment Preparation

For your selected firm (Ford, Proctor and Gamble, or Virgin Group), research the firm’s corporate strategy, including its level of diversification, corporate structure, extent of vertical integration, and global scope. Use the Capella University Library, Internet, your text case studies, or the firm research information in the Assignment Resources to find at least four current, scholarly, or professional resources for this assignment.

Assignment Requirements

For this assignment, use headings and subheadings to help organize the key points of your 4-6 page business analysis and include the following:

• Analyze the corporate strategy of the selected firm, including product, geographical, and vertical scope in which it operates. Has the firm expanded from its initial product line or field of operation? Does the firm own vertically related activities along the value chain for its products?
• Analyze the firm’s overall corporate structure and key management systems. Does the firm employ any of the following three elements of corporate strategy: diversification, vertical integration, or globalization? Are global alliances an overall part of the corporate strategy?
• Analyze the strategic fit between the business and corporate strategies of the selected firm.

Write coherently to support a central idea (in appropriate APA format) with correct grammar, usage, and mechanics as expected of a business professional.

2.     Assignment Overview – The Virgin Group

For this assignment, the vice president of strategy for Virgin Group has asked you to prepare an objective review of the internal strengths and weaknesses of the firm. Your leaders are hoping to use this understanding to plan for the future direction of the organization. Prepare a 4–6 page executive briefing report identifying not only internal strengths and weaknesses, but also a rationale that addresses why your analysis pointed to a particular strength or a weakness. Also be sure to focus on strategic elements (capabilities) of the firm and on how the strategic elements fit into the strategic position of the company.

Assignment Preparation

Use the Internet, your text case studies, or the firm research information in the Assignment Resources to find at least four current, scholarly, or professional resources for this assignment.

Assignment Requirements

For this assignment, an Executive Briefing Report template is available in the Assignment Resources. Use headings and subheadings to help organize the key points of your 4-6 page executive briefing report and include the following:

·       Evaluate how the selected firm leverages its resources and capabilities to execute the business strategy. Are the firm’s capabilities found in its functions or the value chain, or both? Does the strategy give coherence to decisions about allocation of resources?

·       Evaluate the effectiveness of the organizational structure and management system design. Include the firm’s ability to support the key resources and capabilities that execute the business strategy. Is the organizational structure suited for the particular tasks and particular business environment of the firm?

·       Explain possible ethical dilemmas and governance issues. These issues may include shareholders and stakeholders, distribution of excess profits, and top management’s pay.

Write coherently to support a central idea (in appropriate APA format) with correct grammar, usage, and mechanics as expected of a business professional.

Submission Requirements

·       References: Support your executive briefing report with at least four academic resources from the Capella University Library. You must use proper APA style and format for citations and references.

·       Length: The body of the  report must be 4–6 double-spaced, typed pages, not including the references list.

·       Written communication: Demonstrate graduate-level writing skills through accurate communication of thoughts that convey the overall goals of the analysis and do not detract from the message.

·       Font: Times New Roman, 12 point.

 

3.    External Analysis – The Virgin Group

Assignment Overview

You will use two external analysis frameworks, PEST and Porter’s Five Forces Model, to support a 4–6 page summary report of the external environment and industry influences that could impact the strategy of the Virgin Group.

By successfully completing this assignment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and assignment criteria:

·       Competency 1 – Apply strategic theories, models and tools to distinguish an organization’s strategy.

§  Explain the key findings from PEST analysis. 

§  Explain the key findings from Five Forces analysis. 

§  Summarize the key finds for both strategic models.

·       Competency 3 – Analyze the strategic fit of the goals and values of the organization.

§  Recommend organizational strategies for leadership based on the external analysis.

·       Competency 7 – Communicate in a manner that is professional and consistent with expectations for members of the business professions.

§  Write coherently to support a central idea (in appropriate APA format) with correct grammar, usage, and mechanics as expected of a business professional.

Assignment Preparation

For this assignment, review the organization and the industry before applying the strategic models below to your selected firm. You will need at least five current, scholarly or professional resources to complete this assignment. Follow these steps:

1.      Complete a PEST analysis for the selected firm. Be sure that this is based on research of the organization, not conjecture or opinion.

2.      Complete Porter’s Five Forces Model for the selected firm. Pay particular attention to the relationships of elements from both models.

Assignment Requirements

Using the results from both PEST and Porter’s Five Forces models, write a 4-6 page executive briefing report to organizational leadership that outlines the key findings for an external analysis of environmental and industry influences that could impact the strategy of your selected firm. An Executive Briefing Report template is available in the Assignment Resources. Support your report with at least five academic resources and include the following:

·       Title with introduction.

·       An explanation of key findings from PEST analysis.

·       An explanation of key findings from Five Forces analysis.

·       A summary of key findings/results for both models.

·       Recommendations for leadership as a result of your external analysis.

·       Reference page. Note: Title and reference pages are NOT counted in the overall page count.

Your summary should be written clearly and be communicated effectively to organizational leadership in a business environment.

3.    Using a SWOT Analysis for Strategic Thinking – The Virgin Group

Assignment Overview

You will synthesize your internal and external analyses for the Virgin Group) into a PowerPoint presentation of 8-12 slides (with speaker’s notes), including a SWOT table and potential strategic actions the company could take to address the issues raised by the analyses.

By successfully completing this assignment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and assignment criteria:

·       Competency 2 – Analyze the strategic fit of an organization’s business model.

§  Illustrate the key strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats using a SWOT table.

§  Relate the SWOT analysis to key strategic actions for the selected firm.

·       Competency 4 – Analyze the strategic fit of organizational resources and capabilities.

§  Examine the internal resources, capabilities and competencies of the selected firm.

·       Competency 6 – Evaluate an organization’s strategic fit with the external industry environment.

§  Analyze the firm’s external environment including its general environment, industry, and competitive position.

·       Competency 7 – Communicate in a manner that is professional and consistent with expectations for members of the business professions.

§  Write coherently to support a central idea (in appropriate APA format) with correct grammar, usage, and mechanics as expected of a business professional.

Assignment Preparation

If necessary, familiarize yourself with Microsoft’s PowerPoint program and a SWOT analysis format. Both will be required in this assignment. To explain and support your internal and external analyses, five current, scholarly, or professional resources are needed.

Assignment Requirements

Develop a PowerPoint presentation of 8-12 slides (with speaker’s notes) that synthesizes the internal and external analyses for your selected firm. Your presentation is to include a well-developed SWOT analysis, a summary of potential strategic actions and the following:

Summary of SWOT Analysis

·       Examine the internal resources, capabilities and competencies of the selected firm using key strategic management tools and models such as the VIRO Framework and Value Chain.

§  Look specifically for capabilities that are required for the company’s competitive advantage.

§  Be specific about the firm’s resources (both tangible and intangible) that seem most strategically important, now and in your vision of the company’s future strategic development.

§  Cleary state where firm Strengths and Weaknesses are found.

·       Analyze the firm’s external environment including its general environment, industry, and competitive position. Choose a strategic management model such as PEST analysis or Porter’s Five Forces Model to use in this analysis. Clearly state where external Opportunities and Threats are found.

·       Illustrate the key strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats using a SWOT table. You might also develop a SWOT figure that depicts your findings in a way that allows for more effective integration and synthesis of your key ideas.

Strategic Actions Based on SWOT Analysis

·       Relate the SWOT analysis to the key strategic actions the selected firm could take to further its alignment and long-term success.

§  How can you relate internal strengths and weaknesses with opportunities and threats in the external environment? Are there capabilities that need to be enhanced in order to capitalize on opportunities or reduce threats? Are there capabilities that can be divested because they no longer are need in the current or projected environment?

§  What are the strategic actions that would align specific strengths and weaknesses with specific opportunities and threats?

Your presentation should be written clearly and be communicated effectively to organizational leadership in a business environment. Keep in mind that the audience is an upper level leadership audience, so formatting your content to appeal to that audience will help your presentation be on point.