1. Coverpage This page should include the project title, course title, name of the student, and submission date.
2. Introduction (20 points) Introduce briefly the defining characteristics ofthe firm, unique background and philosophy of the company, including brief history,some ofits outstanding qualities, past successes,failures, and productsorservices. What business they are in, and what in their environment (internal and external) is creating a need for a new strategic plan. Also briefly discuss your plans objectives.
3. Environmentalanalysis (100 points) Conduct an external and internal analysis of the company. This is essentially a SWOT analysis. Remember, in SWOT, Strengths and Weaknesses are INTERNAL, and Opportunities and Threats are EXTERNAL. For the External analysis, include a broad environment analysis, an industry analysis and an examination of key external stakeholders. Focus on current and future influential trends and factors that will shape the company’s future strategic direction. Please note that this section should focus on analyzing significant externalfactorsthat you believewill determine the company’sfuture strategies.In- depth analysis of each external factor is expected to support your recommendations of strategic direction. Thissection should NOT be a list ofthe company’s current practices or accomplishments. And itshould NOT be a comprehensive list of all possible external factorsthat haslittle to do with your future strategic directions. For the Internal analysis, include an analysis ofresources and capabilities,such as operations,marketing, and/or finance. Please note that thissection should focus on analyzing significant internal factors that will have impact on the company’s future strategies. In-depth analysis of each significant internal factorisexpected. It is suggested you identify 4-5 of each SWOT component, i.e. 4 Strengths, 4 Weaknesses, etc. This will aid you in your development of strategies for component 4.
4. Overallstrategy and challenges(30 points) Explain what the company’s overall corporate, business, and functionalstrategies(where appropriate) are and explain the company’s current overallstrategic direction.Discuss and evaluate the strategic problems and challengesthatthe company currently face with these strategies. Publicly traded companies list their strategies on their websites and in their SEC financial reports. It is recommended that you discuss at least 3 of the company’s’ current strategies. 3
5. ConclusionsandRecommendations(30points) Some conclusionsshould emerge from your analysis.Based on your conclusions, you should provide specific tactical and strategic recommendations for the company. You should provide suggestions about potential challenges and barriers when implementing such recommendations. This should include at least 3 strategic recommendations for your company based on the SWOT analysis and current strategic direction of the company. These should NOT be the same as current strategies the firm is utilizing.
6. References Please list here all the reports, articles, books, and othermaterials used when preparing thisreport. Please use APA style to format the references.
