Company: Microsoft
You are required to perform an in-depth analysis of a company (Microsoft) and the industry in which it operates and submit one written report. Do research on company (Microsoft) strategic issues with information/data only from secondary sources. You should read strategic audit exercise in chapter 1, PP. 64-71.
• The project report should be type written, 1.5 line-spaced, using 12-point size font, and report should be 5500 words in length and should not exceed 25 pages (excluding cover page, appendices, and references).
• The report should contain the following sections:
(1) A cover page
(2) Executive Summary
(3) Introduction to the company
• History of the Company & Current Status.
• When was the organization founded?
• Who are its top executives?
• Discuss the organization’s Business Model?
• What is the impact of globalization on this organization?
• Other information.
(4) Analysis of the comapny (Mission, Vision, Goals, Core Values, Core Competencies)
• What is the mission of the organization? Has the mission changed over time?
• What is the vision of the organization? Has the vision changed over time?
• What are the organizations core values? Analyze current problems that conflict with the organization’s core values.
• What are the organization’s core competencies? How are they unique? How secure they are by conducting VRIO analysis.
• What are the organization’s broad and specific goals?
(5) Analysis of the company – Corporate Level and Business Strategies
• What are the current corporate-level strategies? Business strategies?
• How are the strategies aligned with the goals?
• Compare this organization’s strategies with those of competitors.
(6) Analysis of the company – Functional Strategies
• Marketing – Purchasing – Research and development – Operations– Supply chain management –Human Resources – Information Technology – Infrastructure (Leadership)
• How well are the functional strategies aligned?
(7) What is the company’s measurement and control system?
• Current financial position – Is the organization financially sound?
• Compare with competitors and standards.
• What are the organization’s Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s)?
(8) Analysis of the Macro-Environment (PEST Analysis)
• What political/legal forces affect the industry?
• What economic forces affect the industry?
• What sociocultural forces affect the industry?
• What technological forces affect the industry?
• What are the opportunities and threats facing the organization?
(9) Analysis of the Industry
• Industry definition is necessary so that competitors can be identified.
• Intensity of rivalry among existing competitors. Use Porters 5 Forces.
• Potential Profitability of the Industry – What organizations have succeeded and failed in the industry and why?
• Identify and compare key strategies pursued by major players in the industry.
• What are the Critical Success Factors for the industry?
(10) Analysis of Internal Environment
• Value chain of activities analysis.
• What are the company strengths and weaknesses?
• Compare between the company strengths and weaknesses and other companies strengths and weaknesses within the industry.
(11) Key Strategic Issue
• Use external environment analysis to define the key strategic issue.
• From the PEST and industry analysis of the company, identify and discuss a single major strategic issue facing the company (the best issues are typically either major threat to be tackled, or major opportunities to take advantage of).
(12) Strategic alternatives
• Use SWOT analysis to suggest strategies
• Develop, in detail, three strategic alternatives. In each alternative you should show how it addresses the key strategic issue and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each alternative.
(13) Strategic Decision and Strategy implementation
• Select one strategic alternative and discuss why this alternative was chosen over the other.
• Discuss how this strategic alternative will help company to tackle the threat or to advantage of the opportunities.
• Discuss how the recommended strategic alternative can be implemented.
• Discuss how the disadvantages of the chosen strategic alternative can be minimized or handled.
• Analyze company’s improvement/change initiatives (e.g., Six Sigma, TQM, Lean Manufacturing, JIT, Process Reengineering, High Performance Work Teams, Benchmarking, Balanced Scorecard, etc.) Alignment of improvement initiatives and changes into strategic implementation.
(14) Strategy evaluation and control
• Determine and discuss what to be measured.
• Identifying strategy key performance indicators (KPI’s).
• Adopting the Balanced Scorecard approach.
(15) Conclusion and Future of Company
• Comment about the organization’s profile for future competitiveness and success.
• What does the organization have to do right to succeed (organization’s Critical Success Factors)?
• What are the expected results in terms of short-and long-term profitability and survival?
(16) List of References
(17) Appendices
Please follow the rubric in the next page to Exceeds Minimum Standards.
Exceeds Minimum Standards Meets Minimum Standards Fails to Meet Minimum Standards
Introduction to the Organization –
Company History. Current Status.
Executives. Business Model. 3 Points Includes essential material in this section. 3 Points Includes essential material in this section. 3 Points Essential material not included.
0 to 2 Points
Analysis of Organization– Mission, Vision, Core Values, Core Competencies, Goals. 8 points Demonstrates knowledge and capability to apply theories and tools in the analysis of the organization in terms of its mission, vision, core values, and core competencies. 7 to 8 points. Meets the basic criteria for this Outline Item, but fails to demonstrate knowledge of, or capability to apply, theories needed to address some of the requirements. 5 to 6 points Meets some of the basic criteria for this Outline Item, but fails to demonstrate knowledge of theories needed to address most of the requirements. 0 to 4 points
Analysis of the company – Corporate Level and Business Strategies.
8 points Demonstrates knowledge of, and capability to apply, theories & tools in analysis of organization (current strategies, alignment of strategies with goals, competition). 7 to 8 points. Meets the basic criteria for this Outline Item, but fails to demonstrate knowledge of, or capability to apply, theories needed to address some of the requirements. 5 to 6 points Meets some basic criteria for this Outline Item. Fails to demonstrate knowledge of theories needed to address most of the requirements.
0 to 4 points
Analysis of Organization–
Functional Strategies. 8 points Marketing – Purchasing – Research and development – Operations– Supply chain management –Human Resources – Information Technology – Infrastructure (Leadership) and their alignment. 7 to 8 points. Meets basic criteria. Fails to demonstrate knowledge of, or ability to apply, theories needed to address requirements. 5 to 6 points Fails to demonstrate knowledge of, & ability to apply, theories needed for most requirements.
0 to 4 points
Analysis of Organization –
Measurement and control system –
Current financial position – Compare with competitors and standards. List KPI’s (Key Performance Indicators) 8 points Applies financial analysis theories and tools to determine organization’s current financial position & compares it with competitors and standards. Discusses its measurement and control system & KPI’s. 7 to 8 points. Meets basic criteria for this Outline Item. Fails to demonstrate knowledge of, and/or capability to apply, financial analysis theories & tools and/or fails to compare it with competitors and standards. 5 to 6 points Meets some of the basic criteria for this Outline Item, but fails to demonstrate knowledge of, or capability to apply, theories & tools needed to address most of the requirements. 0 to 4 points
Analysis of Macro-Environment (PEST) (Political, Economic, Social, and Technological forces – Opportunities & threats. 10 points Demonstrates knowledge of, & capability to apply, theories and tools in the analysis of Macro-Environment (e.g., Political, Economic, Social, and Technological forces). Also identifies the threats and opportunities facing the organization. 9 to 10 points. Meets basic criteria for this Outline Item. Fails to demonstrate knowledge of, or ability to use, theories & tools needed to analyze Macro-Environment. May not identify some threats and/or opportunities facing the organization. 7 to 8 points Meets some of the basic criteria for this Outline Item, but fails to demonstrate knowledge of theories needed to address most of the requirements. 0 to 6 points.
Analysis of the Industry: Porter’s 5 Forces, Industry CSF’s, & Successful & Failed Organizations – 10 points Analyzes organization’s strategic group(s), critical success factors for industry, & lists successful & failed organizations. Discusses Porter’s 5 Forces & provides an in-depth analysis for industry & organization. 9 to 10 points Meets the basic criteria for this Outline Item, but fails to demonstrate knowledge of theories needed to address some of the requirements.
7 or 8 points Meets some of the basic criteria for this Outline Item, but fails to demonstrate knowledge of theories needed to address most of the requirements. 0 to 6 points
Analysis of Internal Environment: Value chain of activities analysis. What are the company strengths and weaknesses? Compare with competitors. 10 Points Demonstrates knowledge of, & capability to apply, theories and tools in the analysis of value chain of activities. Also identifies company strengths and weaknesses. 9 to 10 points. Meets the basic criteria for this Outline Item, but fails to demonstrate knowledge of theories needed to address some of the requirements. 7 or 8 points Meets some of the basic criteria for this Outline Item, but fails to demonstrate knowledge of theories needed to address most of the requirements. 0 to 6 points
Key Strategic Issue: identify and discuss a single major strategic issue facing the company 6 points
Use SWOT analysis to identify a single major strategic issue facing the company (the best issues are typically either major problems to be solved, or major opportunities to take advantage of). 6 Points Meets the basic criteria for this outline item, but fails to demonstrate knowledge of, or capability to apply, theories needed to address some of the requirements. 4 to 5 Points Meets some basic criteria for this outline item. Fails to demonstrate knowledge of theories needed to address most of the requirements.
0 to 3 Points
Strategic Alternatives: Develop, in detail, three strategic alternatives.
7 points
Uses SWOT analysis to suggest strategies & evaluates each of them. In each strategy you should show how it addresses the key strategic issue and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each strategy.
6 to 7 Points Meets the basic criteria for this outline item, but fails to demonstrate knowledge of, or capability to apply, theories needed to address some of the requirements.
4 to 5 Points Meets some basic criteria for this outline item. Fails to demonstrate knowledge of theories needed to address most of the requirements.
0 to 3 Points
Strategic Decision and Strategy Implementation Analyze company’s improvement/change initiatives; how the recommended strategic alternative can be implemented. 10 points Demonstrates knowledge of, and capability to apply, theories & tools in analysis of organization to suggest a strategy & how to implement it. 9 to 10 points. Meets the basic criteria for this outline item, but fails to demonstrate knowledge of, or capability to apply, theories needed to address some of the requirements. 7 to 8 points Meets some basic criteria for this outline item. Fails to demonstrate knowledge of theories needed to address most of the requirements.
0 to 6 points.
Evaluation & Control:
7 points
Demonstrates knowledge of, and capability to apply, theories & tools to suggest how organization can evaluate and control the strategy. 6 to 7 Points Meets the basic criteria for this outline item, but fails to demonstrate knowledge of, or capability to apply, theories needed to address some of the requirements. 4 to 5 Points Meets some basic criteria for this outline item. Fails to demonstrate knowledge of theories needed to address most of the requirements.
0 to 3 Points
Conclusion and Future of Organization. 5 Points Addresses expected results & organization’s potential for future success. 5 points Meets basic Outline Item Criteria. Fails to address some requirements. 3 to 4 points. Fails to address most of the Item Requirements. 0 to 2 points
Rubric
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