Task 1: Select an appropriate „industry“ (in Porter‘s sense) for your assignment.
Define this industry; provide information and key data.
Describe the industry‘s business model and value chain; name a few
example companies which participate at the various stages of the value chain.
What products or services does this industry provide? Which competences does this industry exploit?
Who are customers? What needs do these customers have? Who are key suppliers? Why are they
important? (Remember that suppliers can have different functions: commodities, cost savers,
differentiators, enablers.)
Task 2: Evaluate the differentiation potential for companies in this industry by taking
the value chain into consideration.
How can a company maintain control over its success? How can a company stand out against its
competitors in this industry? Which core competences lend themselves to differentiation?
Task 3: Finally describe an example for a company in this industry and evaluate whether
and to what extent this company exploits its differentiation potential.
INTSM Assignment_New
Introduction to Strategic Management
Assignment: „Value Chain Analysis“ (4000 words)
General: The structure of your assignment shall clearly separate the tasks from each other !
The assignment assumes competence in writing academic papers
Given hints are indicative only; they are not meant to be sufficient or compulsory
The assignment is in English; aim for adequate language
Provide professional referencing of sources (Minimum: 10)
Provide data and figures as far as reasonable
Focus your key results / messages through graphics / tables etc.
Provide appendices as deemed appropriate
Aim for a wholistic, business-level paper! Tell a consistent „story“!
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