. Company Background: Briefly outline the history and development of your chosen company over time. What are the company’s mission, vision, goals and values? (2 pages; 6 points)
2. External Analysis: Analyze the company’s industry environment using a Porter’s 5 Forces Analysis. In addition to factors in the industry environment, what are major factors in the company’s macro-environment? Describe and discuss the opportunities and threats presented by its industry and macro-environment. (2 pages; 6 points)
3. Internal Analysis: Describe and evaluate the specific value chain activities you think to contribute to the company’s competitiveness. Relatedly, what are the company’s major resources and capabilities, and how do they contribute to its strategy? Overall, in doing an internal analysis on the company, what are its strengths and weaknesses? (2 pages; 6 points)
4. Business-level and corporate-level strategy: Would you describe the company’s strategy to be differentiation or cost leadership? Please explain why. Differentiation, while increasing value, tends to increase costs. Cost leadership, while reducing costs, tends to decrease value. In other words, a particular activity oriented toward one type business-level strategy often has trade-offs. Discuss any trade-offs that may be generated from these activities. (2 pages; 6 points)
5. Recommendations: If you were acting as consultant advising the company’s top management team, what would you propose in terms of business strategy (1 page; 6 points)
In evaluating your recommendations, you will be evaluated on the practicality and logic of your ideas, and potentially originality and brilliance. Please be sure to indicate the sources of information (i.e., citation & references).