GM Strategic Management

DirectorsDue Sunday, August 16th to BrightspaceAt this point of our course, you have been introduced (and practiced!) some key strategic management concepts and tools. Now, it is your chance to put everything together. In this final written assignment of the course, you will conduct an analysis of your firm and recommend a series of actionable initiatives. You will pretend that you are writing a report for your firm’s board of directors. Professionalism and incorporation of course concepts are key. In this 4-6 page double-spaced paper:1) Include an executive summary that highlights your key recommendations for your firm (one-half page maximum) – an executive summary is NOT an introduction; rather, it briefly states the analyses you conducted and your main recommendations.2) Introduce your firm (one-half page maximum). Which key industries does your firm compete in?3) Now, explore your firm’s competitive position in the marketplace. Depending on how complex your firm is, you may have to choose one strategic business unit or one product/service to focus on. Which of Porter’s generic strategies (broad cost leadership, broad differentiation, focused cost leadership, or focused differentiation) does your firm use? Be sure to justify how your firm meets the business-level strategy that you claim they utilize. In your opinion, does your firm have a competitive advantage in the marketplace? Why, or why not?4) Characterize three of your firm’s main competitors. This might be especially challenging if your firm is diverse (operating in many industries / various product lines). Therefore, similar to 3) above, you might have to limit your analysis based on a particular competition category. For example, Boeing is a diversified firm. In the aircraft manufacturing sector, they compete against Airbus and some smaller manufacturers. Boeing also competes in other sectors. Limit your analysis to competitors in a particular sector if needed. What do your firm’s competitors do well?5) Examine your firm’s financials. Provide an analysis of their financials. Compare your firm to their main competitors (pick at least three) as well as their industry average on several financial ratios (at a minimum, cover one ratio each from profitability, liquidity, leverage, and activity ratios). What do those ratios measure (in non-technical jargon, please), and how is your firm doing with respect to these measures? DO NOT INCLUDE FORMULAS FOR YOUR CALCULATIONS. (Yahoo! Finance, Bloomberg, and some other sites are usually good sources for financial ratio information).6) Based on your overall assessment, now is your opportunity to make strategic recommendations for your firm. What actions do you suggest they take in the next 3-5 years? Keep your recommendations at the strategic level (e.g., talk less about subjects such as employee training and more about subjects such as business- and corporate-level strategy). This is the most important section of your paper. Make sure your recommendations are well-thought-out, “hard-hitting,” and justified. If you do not think your firm has a promising future, it is alright if you make suggestions that include retrenchment for example. In other words, you are not expected.