From humble beginnings in the 1800s, John Nordstrom founded what is today the gold standard for legendary customer service. Nordstorm started modestly as a shoe store, but expanded rapidly to what is, today, a well-known department store giant. For generations, with one exception in the 1990s the CEOs office has been occupied by a member of the Nordstorm family. Today, Blake Nordstorm, the great grandson of the founder, leads the company at its CEO.
Blake Nordstorm began his career with the company in the shoe department when his father was president and CEO of the firm. Nordstorm has remained true to the founders values with the exception of a near disastrous change in strategy. The failed marketing segment but in the process, lost its way. The company apparently forgot about its core customer base. With the replacement of the CEO, again with a family member, the company was able to get back on track.
Nordstorm is well known for its corporate culture that is based on the philosophy of the inverted pyramid. Unlike other traditional corporations, Nordstorm stands the traditional corporate pyramid on its head. Customers occupy the broadest and most important element in the pyramid, following by employees, with shareholders last. The philosophy suggests that if customers are satisfied and employees are empowered to do whatever it takes to delight customers, shareholders will benefit significantly. This approach has served Nordstorm well through several generations.
Today, under the leadership of Blake Nordstorm, the company has regained its footing; has computerized inventory control systems; and has the ability to track customer preferences, colors, sizes, and so on, so that customers are continuously satisfied.
Please answer the questions;

1. Since Nordstorm completes in the U.S., give an example of each of the marketing environment forces (Political, Legal, and Regulatory; Technological; Social; and Competitive and Economic Forces).

2. Discuss the positive or negative impact of the forces on marketing the department store.

3. Recommend how the company should take advantage of or respond to each of the marketing environment force example (Political, Legal, and Regulatory; Technological; Social; and Competitive and Economic forces.)

4. Assume the company is planning to open stores in a new foreign market area, Mexico. Recommend an overall promotional (integrated marketing communication) strategy to support the market entry (major actions, general sequence).

Title of dissertation) Westjet vs. Air Canada: Why Westjet Will Win!
The duopoly in Canada known as Westjet and Air Canada is locked in a battle for passenger supremacy.
Westjet will win because it has closely aligned its business model with one of the worlds most successful airlines, Southwest Airlines.
More importantly, it will succeed because of its corporate culture: Very passenger friendly, fun and customer -centric
Highlighting contrasting business models, aircraft, corporate culture, employee morale, code sharing and alignment with international carriers, reservation systems, application of theories such as Porters Five Forces and many other relevant MBA theories may be incorporated etc. etc. etc.) will constitute part of the entire argument for the dissertation .
Please kindly follow the required format below explicitly!
15,000 words MINUMUM do not short and/or overrun, 300 words per page use line space of 1.5 see below in format.
WARNING :This paper will be submitted through Turnitin and therefore must be 100% original!!
I also have two more elective papers totaling 2,500 words, both will be submitted by October 11th.
What kind of special total price can you offer for the dissertation and two papers?
I would also prefer the same author for all three if possible, so give me your absolute best!
Thanks kindly.
P.

Introduction
In this section of the guidelines we set out the requirements for the document that
you are required to produce.
Format
The following standard is required for the submitted dissertation.
The dissertation is to be typed in a permanent and legible form.
Only one side of the paper should be used and the page setup should be portrait for
the main body of the dissertation. A left hand margin of 40 mm should be used all
other margins being 20 mm. Line spacing of 1.5 or 2 should be used for typescript,
except for indented quotations where single spacing may be used. A font size of 12 is
required and you are encouraged to use a clear font design such as Arial, Times New
Roman or Courier New.
Pages must be numbered consecutively throughout the text. Page numbers shall be
located centrally at the bottom of each page.
Any abbreviations used should be those in normal use. Where necessary a key to
abbreviations should be provided.
Where it is felt that the contents of the dissertation would be of interest to a wider
audience it is hoped that course members will consider publishing their
dissertations either in total or in an edited form.
Structure
A typical dissertation is likely to include the following:
??title page (see Appendix B)
??contents list (see Appendix C)
??acknowledgments
??executive summary
??introduction
??literature review
??methodology
??findings/data analysis
??conclusions
??recommendations
??reflections
??references
??appendices
Contents list
A table of the various chapters and sections of the dissertation must be included
together with clear page references to each of these. Well documented contents will
quickly show any reader the scope and direction of the work. See Appendix C for
details.
Executive Summary
The final dissertation will need an executive summary, which emphasises the main
findings of the study. In particular this executive summary should contain:
??an introduction telling the reader what the dissertation is about, its objective,
terms of reference and a description of the approach used
??a summary of the information collected and analysis undertaken
??details of the conclusions, recommendations and any action plans
This executive summary should only be written after the dissertation is completed.
It is often very difficult to write an effective summary as it should contain a
complete overview of the whole dissertation. It needs to provide an informative
outline of contents, conclusions and recommendations of the dissertation. There
should also be some indications of the methods used. It must be presented in a
coherent form ??" not as a list of headings or topics.
Introduction
The introduction is essential in order to tell the reader what the dissertation is
intended to provide ??" it is more than just the first section of the dissertation. It
should include a statement of the purpose or objectives of the inquiry, the terms of
reference, the sources of information on which the dissertation is based and how it
was collected.
The introduction sets the scene and puts the whole inquiry into its proper context. It
should explain why the research was carried out and outline the significance of
related work on the topic. The introduction may provide necessary background, but
only if it is relevant and brief. It may also inform the reader how the subject will be
developed.
It is likely that the main body of the dissertation will contain several
chapters/sections and sub?sections. All such divisions should be identified using a
decimal notation system whereby major sections are given single numbers 1, 2, 3
and so on in sequence. The first level of sub?section will follow a decimal point, for
example 1.1 and the first sub?section under this sub?section will repeat the process,
that is 1.1.1 and so on. Be careful to avoid too many sub?sections as this will simply
lead to confusion and reading difficulties.
Literature Review
The research question must be seen to relate and informed by the literature. You are
encouraged to use the various electronic search facilities, journal articles and texts
to identify and understand both well?established and more recent thinking in the
area pertinent to your topic. It is important that your literature review is both
comprehensive and up?to?date. There is a wide range of potential sources which you
can use to put together your literature review. The most recognized in academic
terms are monographs (books reporting original research) or journal articles, but
you can also use:
??textbooks
??reports (e.g., from Mintel or national government)
??conference papers
??newspapers
??radio programs
??television programs.
A critical evaluation of the literature in your chosen field of study is required to
produce clear and logical arguments that inform and reflect on your research
questions and objectives. During this process you will need to identify the
appropriate theories, models and conceptual ideas. A literature review does not
simply relate relevant concepts, but provides some form of critical judgment of
these concepts/perspectives in deciding how they will inform the research to be
conducted. This research might then not only say something empirically, but also
about the literature that underpinned it. As a broad guide, the typical literature
review will be between 3,000??"5,000 words in length.
Methodology
The methodology should provide a justified and informed account of how you
approached the research. It should provide detail of epistemological and ontological
issues relevant to your study. The methodology should also explain the role of
primary and secondary data in addressing the research questions and detail how
data was collected and analyzed. This will include discussion of instruments used
and sampling strategies employed. Students are expected to reflect upon the ethical
issues within the research design and conduct of the research. As a broad guide, the
typical methodology will be between 2,000??"3,000 words in length.
Data Analysis
This chapter analyses and evaluates your findings and is often combined with the
actual description of the results. You should position your own results against the
background of previous research covered in the literature review, and against your
original research questions. The final paragraph of this section should point to the
conclusions section. As a broad guide, the typical data analysis will be between
3,000??"5,000 words in length.
Conclusions
The conclusions must be drawn from the body of evidence presented in the main
sections of the dissertation. Each separate conclusion should be acknowledged ??"
possibly by numerical sub?sections. Theconclusion should be seen to flow clearly
from the proceeding analysis and should also indicate any problems that had been
identified and which will be the subject of recommended solutions.
Recommendations
This section will suggest ways of solving the problems, how the recommended
courses of action will help to achieve the aims of the dissertation, the benefits and
cost of implementing the recommendations, the program of work that is
required, the timescale involved and the resource implications. Recommendations
should flow logically from the conclusions of the research indeed they are
sometimes combined under a joint heading.
Reflections
This section will contain an analysis and evaluation of the research process ??"
particularly an assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of the dissertation, any
problems or constraints encountered during the dissertation and how these
difficulties were resolved. In addition, an evaluation of the effectiveness of the
chosen methodology can be expected together with an assessment of how individual
management competencies have been developed. The following questions may be
useful in providing a framework for this section:
??were the dissertation objectives well defined and fulfilled?
??how did the outcomes compare with initial expectations?
??was the research well planned and executed?
??what went well and what would have been done differently?
??how sensitive was the researcher to the abilities and contributions of others?
??what was learnt in terms of management experience and the development of
specific management competencies?
??what would be your recommendations for improving the dissertation in the
light of your experiences?
References
References serve two purposes. They enable the reader to check information from
external sources and to follow up those sources if further information is required.
References also acknowledge the debt of the reader to other writers whose work
has been used. References include all sources which have actually been referred to
in the body of the dissertation. References do not include peripheral readings. In
order to clearly and accurately identify a particular source it is necessary to have
certain minimal information. This information primarily consists of the name of the
author, the year of publication, the title of the publication, the place of publication
and the name of the publisher.
Further specific information is dependent upon the nature of the publication being
referred to. There are a number of ways in which bibliographical data can be
presented. It is important, however, that consistency in referencing is maintained by
keeping to a single system.

5 pages for: (sources as many as needed)
* Perform a PESTEL analysis of the Social Networking Industry
* Than Apply the Five Forces - Plus Complementors - Analysis of the Social Networking Industry.
* Here is the suggested format for your paper:

1. Cover Page (remember to use APA formatting for your paper)
2. Introduction: Explain the Online Social Networking Industry and its importance in today's economy. (Here is one place to start - there is much information available:
Social Network Usage Research http://compass.socialware.com/social-media-stats.html
3. PESTEL Analysis: Devote at least one paragraph to each element in the PESTEL framework, and then add your own summary.
4. Five Forces plus Complementors: Devote at least one paragraph to each element in this framework, and add your own summary. Be sure to include the complementors and then in your summary, discuss which of the forces are the ones that need special attention; the ones that pose the biggest threats/ challenges.
5. Include a references section and be sure to cite all the resources that you have used, both within the text of the paper and at the end in the reference section. (Per APA format)

around 1 page for:

Is a "Low-Cost" strategy the same as a "Low-Price" strategy? State your opinion and give actual examples from companies to back up your position. DO NOT use the same examples that are cited in discussion threads before your posting.

PLEASE MAKE IT CUSTOM
Analyze a (global) FORTUNE 500 company (other than Nestle, Proctor & Gamble, Levi Strauss, Starbucks, Merck, Kraft, Apple, or Dell)
I. Current Situation
A. Current Performance
How did the corporation perform the past year overall in terms of return on investment,
market share and profitability?
B. Strategic Posture
What are the corporations current mission, objectives, strategies and policies?
1. Are they clearly stated or are they merely implied from performance ?
2. Mission: What business(es) is the corporation in? Why?
3. Objectives: What are the corporate, business, and functional objectives?
Are they consistent with each other, with the mission and with the internal and
external environments?
4. Strategies: What strategy or mix of strategies is the corporation following?
Are they consistent with each other, with the mission, objectives, and
strategies, and with the internal and external environments?
5. Policies: What are they? Are they consistent with each other, with the
mission, objectives and strategies and with the internal and external
environments?
6. Do the current mission, objectives, strategies and policies reflect the
corporations international operations, whether global or multidomestic?
II. Corporate Governance
A. Board of Directors
1. Who are they? Are they internal or external?
2. Do they own significant shares of stock?
3. Is the stock privately held or publicly traded? Are there different classes of
stock with different voting rights?
4. What do they contribute to the corporation in terms of knowledge, skills,
background, and connections? If the corporation has international operations,
do board members have international experience?
5. How long have they served on the board?
6. What is their level of involvement in strategic management? Do they merely
rubberstamp top managements proposals or do they actively participate and
suggest future directions?
1. Source: Essentials of Strategic Management Thomas L. Wheelen and J. David Hunger
Prentice Hall
B. Top Management
1. What person or group constitutes top management?
2. What are top managements chief characteristics in terms of knowledge, skills,
background and style? If the corporation has international operations, does top
management have international experience? Are executives from acquired
companies considered part of the top management team?
3. Has top management been responsible for the corporations performance over
the past few years? How many managers have been on their current position
for less than three years? Were they internal promotions or external hires?
4. Has it established a systematic approach to strategic management?
5. What is its level of involvement in the strategic management process?
6. How well does top management interact with lower-level managers and with
the board of directors?
7. Are strategic decisions made ethically in a socially responsible manner?
8. What role so stock options play in executive compensation?
9. Is top management sufficiently skilled to cope with likely future challenges?
III. External Environment: Opportunities and Threats
(SWOTs)
A. Societal Environment
1. What general environment forces are currently affecting both the corporation
and the industries in which it competes? Which present current or future threats?
Opportunities?
a. Economic
b. Technological
c. Political-legal
d. Sociocultural
2. Are these forces different in other regions of the world?
B. Task Environment
1. What forces drive industry competition? Are these forces the same globally or
do they vary from country to country?
a. Threat of new entrants
b. Bargaining power of buyers
c. Threat of substitutes products or services
d. Bargaining power of suppliers
e. Rivalry among competing firms
f. Relative power of unions, governments, special interest groups, etc.
2. What key factors in the immediate environment (that is, customers,
competitors, suppliers, creditors, labor unions, governments, trade associations,
interest groups, local communities, and shareholders) are currently affecting the
corporation? Which are current or future threats? Opportunities?
C. Summary of External Factors (List in EFAS Table)
Which of these forces and factors are the most important to the corporation and to the
industries in which it competes at the present time? Which will be important in the
future?
IV. Internal Environment: Strengths and Weaknesses
(SWOTs)
A. Corporate Structure
1. How is the corporation structured at present?
a. Is the decision-making authority centralized around one group or
decentralized to many units?
b. Is it organized on the basis of functions, projects, geography, or some
combination of these?
2. Is the structure clearly understood by everyone in the corporation?
3. Is the present structure consistent with current corporate objectives, strategies,
policies, and programs, as well as with the firms international operations?
4. In what ways does this structure compare with those of similar corporations?
B. Corporate Culture
1. Is there a well-defined or emerging culture composed of shared beliefs,
expectations, and values?
2. Is the culture consistent with the current objectives, strategies, policies, and
programs?
3. What is the cultures position on important issues facing the corporation (that
is, on productivity, quality of performance, adaptability to changing
conditions, and internationalization)?
4. Is the culture compatible with the employees diversity and backgrounds?
5. Does the company take into consideration the values of each nations culture in
which the firm operates?
C. Corporate Resouces
1. Marketing
a. What are the corporations current marketing objectives, strategies,
policies, and programs?
i. Are they clearly stated, or merely implied from performance
and/or budgets?
ii. Are they consistent with the corporations mission, objectives,
strategies, policies and with internal and external environments>
b. How well is the corporation performing in terms of analysis of market
position and marketing mix (that is, product, price, place and
promotion) in both domestic and international markets? What
percentage of sales comes from foreign operations? Where are current
products in product life cycle?
i. What trends emerge from this analysis?
ii. What impact have these trends had on past performances and
how might these trends affect future performance?
iii. Does this analysis support the corporations past and pending
strategic decisions?
iv. Does marketing provide the company with a competitive
advantage?
c. How well does this corporations marketing performance compare with
that of similar corporations?
d. Are marketing managers using accepted marketing concepts and
techniques to evaluate and improve product performance? (Consider
product life cycle, market segmentation, market research, and product
portfolios.)
e. Does marketing adjust to the conditions in each country in which it
operates?
f. What is the role of the marketing manager in the strategic management
process?
2. Finance
a. What are the corporations current financial objectives, strategies,
policies, and programs?
i. Are they clearly stated or merely implied from performance
and/or budgets?
ii. Are they consistent with the corporations mission, objectives,
strategies, policies and with internal and external environments?
b. How well is the corporation performing in terms of financial analysis?
(Consider ratios, common-size statements, and capitalization structure.)
How balanced in terms of cash flow is the companys portfolio of
products and businesses?
i. What trends emerge from this analysis?
ii. Are there any significant differences when statements are
calculated in constant versus reported dollars?
iii. What impact have these trends had on past performance and
how might these trends affect future performance?
iv. Does this analysis support the corporations past and pending
strategic decisions?
v. Does finance provide the company a competitive advantage?
c. Howwell does this corporations financial performance compare with
that of similar corporations?
d. Are financial managers using accepted financial concepts and
techniques to evaluate and improve current corporate and divisional
performance? (Consider financial leverage, capital budgeting, ratio
analysis, and managing foreign currencies.)
e. Does finance adjust to the conditions in each country in which the
company operates?
f. What is the financial managers role in the strategic management
process?
3. Research and Development (R&D)
a. What are the corporations current R&D objectives, strategies, policies
and programs?
i. Are they clearly stated, or merely implied from performance or
budgets?
ii. Are they consistent with the corporations mission, objectives,
strategies, policies and with internal and external environments?
iii. What is the role of technology in corporate performance?
iv. Is the mix of basic, applied and engineering research
appropriate given the corporate mission and strategies?
v. Does R&D provide the company with a competitive advantage?
b. What return is the corporation receiving from its investment in R&D?
c. Is the corporation competent in technology transfer? Does it use
concurrent engineering and cross-functional work teams in product and
process design?
d. What role does technological discontinuity play in the companys
products?
e. How well does the corporations investment in R&D compare with the
investments of similar corporations?
f. Does R&D adjust to the conditions in each country in which the
company operates?
g. What is the role of the R&D manager in the strategic management
process?
4. Operations and Logistics
a. What are the corporations current manufacturing/service objectives,
strategies, policies and programs?
i. Are they clearly stated, or merely implied from performance or
budgets?
ii. Are they consistent with the corporations mission, objectives,
strategies, policies and with internal and external environments?
b. What is the type and extent of operations capabilities of the
corporation? How much is done domestically versus internationally?
Is the amount of outsourcing appropriate to be competitive? Is
purchasing being handled appropriately?
i. If the corporation is product-oriented, consider plant facilities,
type of manufacturing system (continuous mass production
intermittent job shop, or flexible manufacturing), age and type
of equipment, degree and role of automation and/or robots, plant
capacities and utilization, productivity ratings, availability and
type of transportation.
ii. If the corporation is service-oriented, consider service facilities
(hospital, theater, or school buildings), type of operations
systems (continuous service over time to same clientele or
intermittent service over time to varied clientele), age and type
of supporting equipment, degree and role of automation and use
of mass communication devices (diagnostic machinery,
videotape machines), facility capacities and utilization rates,
efficiency ratings of professional and service personnel and
availability and type of transportation to bring service staff and
clientele together.
c. Are manufacturing or service facilities vulnerable to natural disasters, local or
national strikes, reduction or limitation of resources from suppliers, substantial
cost increases of materials, or nationalization by governments?
d. Is there an appropriate mix of people and machines, in manufacturing firms, or
of support staff to professionals (in service firms)?
e. How well does the corporation perform relative to the competition? Is it
balancing inventory costs (warehousing) with logistical costs (just-in-time)?
Consider costs per unit of labor, material, and overhead; downtime; inventory
control management and scheduling of service staff; production ratings; facility
utilization percentages; and number of clients successfully treated by category
(if service firm) or percentage of orders shipped on time (if product firm).
i. What trends emerge from this analysis?
ii. What impact have these trends had on past performance and how might
these trends affect future performance?
iii. Does this analysis support the corporations past and pending strategic
decisions?
iv. Does operations provide the company with a competitive advantage?
f. Are operations managers using appropriate concepts and techniques to evaluate
and improve current performance? Consider cost systems, quality control and
reliability systems, inventory control management, personnel scheduling,
TQM, learning curves, safety programs, and engineering programs that can
improve efficiency of manufacturing or of service.
g. Does operations adjust to the conditions in each country in which it has
facilities?
6. Information Systems (IS)
a. What are the corporations current IS objectives, strategies, policies and
programs?
i. Are they clearly stated, or merely implied from performance and/or
budgets?
ii. Are they consistent with the corporations mission, objectives,
strategies, policies, and with internal and external environments?
b. How well is the corporations IS performing in terms of providing a useful
database, automating routine clerical operations, assisting managers in making
routine decisions, and providing information necessary for strategic decisions?
i. What trends emerge from this analysis?
ii. What impact have these trends had on past performance and how might
these trends affect future performances?
iii. Does this analysis support the corporations past and pending strategic
decisions?
iv. Does IS provide the companu with a competitive advantage?
c. How does this corporations IS performance and state of development compare
with that of similar corporations Is it appropriately isomg the Internet,
intranet and extranets?
d. Are IS managers using appropriate concepts and techniques to evaluate and
improve corporate performance? Do they know how to build and manage a
complex database, establish Web sites with firewalls, conduct system analyses,
and implement interactive decision-support systems?
e. Does the company have a global IS and Internet presence? Does it have
difficulty moving data across national boundaries?
f. What is the role of the IS manager in the strategic management process?
D. Summary of Internal Factors (List in IFAS Table)
Which of these factors are core competencies?
Which, if any, are distinctive competencies?
Which of these factors are the most important to the corporation and to the industries in
which it competes at the present time? Which might be important in the future?
V. Analysis of Strategic Factors (SWOT)
A. Situational Analysis (List in SFAS Table)
What are the most important internal and external factors (Strengths, Weaknesses,
Opportunities, Threats) that strongly affect the corporations present and future
performance? List eight to ten strategic factors.
B. Review of Mission and Objectives
1. Are the current mission and objectives appropriate in light of the key strategic
factors and problems?
2. Should the mission and objectives be changed? If so, how?
3. If changed, what will be the effect on the firm?
VI. Strategic alternatives and Recommended Strategy
A. Strategic Alternatives (See Towns Matrix)
1. Can the current or revised objectives be met by the simple, more careful
implementing of current strategies? (for example, fine-tuning them?)
2. What are the major feasible alternative strategies available to this corporation?
What are the pros and cons of each? Can corporate scenarios be developed
and agreed upon? (Alternatives must fit societal environment, industry and
company for next 3 to 5 years,)
a. Consider stability, growth, and retrenchment as corporate strategies.
b. Consider cost leadership and differentiation as business strategies.
c. Consider any functional strategic alternatives that might be needed to
reinforce an important corporate or business strategic alternative.
B. Recommended Strategy
1. Specify which of the strategic alternatives you recommend fo the corporate,
business and functional levels of the corporation. Do you recommend
different business or functional strategies for different units of the corporation?
2. Justify your recommendation in terms of its ability to resolve both long- and
short-term problems and effectively deal with the strategic factors.
3. What policies should be developed/ revised to guide effective implementation?
4. What is the impact of your recommended strategy on the companys core and
distinctive competencies?
VII. Implementation
A. What kinds of programs and action plans (for example, restructuring the corporation
or instituting TQM) should be developed to implement the recommended strategy?
1. Who should develop these programs?
2. Who should be in charge of these programs?
B. Are the programs financially feasible? Can pro forma budgets be developed and
agreed upon? Are priorities and timetables appropriate to individual programs?
C. Will new standard operating procedures need to be developed?
VII. Evaluation and Control
A. Is the current information system capable of providing sufficient feedback on
implementation activities and performance? Can it measure strategic factors?
1. Can performance results be pinpointed by area, unit, project, or function?
2. Is the information timely?
B. Are adequate control measures in place enable the recommended strategic plan?
1. Are appropriate standards and measures being used?
2. Are reward systems capable or recognizing and rewarding good performance?

You are required to perform an in-depth, longitudinal analysis of The Ford Motor Group and the industry in which it operates and submit one report.

-The report should be type written, double-spaced, using 12-point size font, and should not exceed 25 pages (excluding cover page, tables, figures, appendices, references, and endnotes).

-The report should contain the following sections:
(1) A cover page
(2) Table of contents;
(3) Executive Summary of project;
(4) Company Background/History;
(5) Analysis section (including Environmental/Industry analysis, Competitor analysis, Company SWOT analysis, and Tracking/Discussion of company performance over time; at least 5 years);
(6) Important issues and problems faced by the company and reasonable solutions to these issues/problems; (including social responsibility)
(8) List of references;
(9) Exhibits (Tables and charts).


ITEMS TO BE INCLUDED IN THE ANALYSIS PART (SECTION 5):

The Industry Environment
-A brief history of the industry (development stages)
Global/local market position (e.g., size of major markets, products, customers and end users, pricing structure). This is an introduction to the industry.

The company's external environment
-Identify and profile the major strategic groups (You may use size, market share, and other critical and relevant variables to identify viable strategic groups in the industry).
-Key success factors (What does it take to succeed in this industry, or in each strategic group? What can a company do to gain a competitive advantage? What does it take just to survive in this industry?).
-Identify and compare key strategies pursued by major players in the industry. You are also expected to discuss which strategy seems to be most successful in the industry, and why.

The Macro Environment
-Special strategic issues facing the industry (such as changes in governmental policies,
changes in demographics, globalization, etc.).

Competitor analysis- What are other companies currently doing
Company SWOT analysis- This table should be included as well as a written explanation
Tracking/Discussion of company performance over time; at least 5 years- financial outlook- also in include stock analysis if applicable


Company Analysis (Section 6):

Key Strategic Issue
-From your industry analysis and your competitive advantage analysis of the firm, 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).

Alternatives
-Develop, in detail, two or three viable strategic alternatives. In each alternative you should:
show how it addresses the key strategic issue.
show the ability of the company to successfully pursue each alternative (from competitive advantage analysis, and financial analysis).
discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each alternative.

Make sure you completely discuss all of the above for the first alternative, and then do the same for the second alternative. Do not jump back and forth between discussing each alternative.

Recommended Course of Action
-Select one alternative and discuss why this alternative was chosen over the other.

Implementation
-Discuss how the recommended course of action can be implemented and how the
disadvantages and risks of the chosen alternative can be minimized or handled

Company's Social Responsibility
-Explain the company's current position on being ethical and moral.



There are faxes for this order.

Please write a thorough and exhaustive description of the ideal industry environment within which you believe a firm would have the best change of earning above average, supernormal, or excess profits. That is , talk about how the industry forces would be configured to ensure maximum profitability for organizations within that industry ( Example: Very high entry barriers, such as required governmental approval, substantial capital outlay, substantially long product development cycles, etc. would discourage new entrants, etc.) Address all possible descriptions and explanations of an industry environment that would be most conducive to high profitability for industry participants.

Michael Porter wrote a book and a series of articles on the competitive advantage of nations. He theorizes that competitive advantage is not inherited by geography or resources but rather, that it is created.
For your course project, you will choose a particular foreign country or region and write a scholarly paper focusing on how that country or region is creating its own competitive advantage within the globalized world. (selected region is the Middle East)
You should consider a variety of issues in global economy, such as:
The political, cultural, legal, and economic factors in the growth of international business.
The development of global strategy by international businesses.
The nature and methods of competitive advantage.
The ethical dimensions of international business operations.
Project Objectives
To successfully complete this project, you will be expected to:
1. Describe and critique the country's strategy for growth.
2. Describe its sources of comparative advantage.
3. Explain how culture and politics have influenced or improved its competitive advantage.
4. Describe its trade policies.
5. Describe how this country has worked with large players (such as the United States) and with smaller, developing countries.
6. Analyze whether its strategy is sustainable.
To achieve a successful project experience and outcome, you are expected to meet the following requirements.
The length of your paper should be 16 pages, not including the title page, table of contents, and bibliography.
Your paper should include a minimum of 15 scholarly references.
Your course paper should conform to APA guidelines.

Abstract
Microsofts (MS) domination in computer operation system, and occupying part of the video console market at first try has triggered our interest in investigating MS's potential in the rising popularity of multimedia cell phone market. In terms of Microsoft, there is a great potential for attending in the cell phone market, thus, the main issue for MS is how to obtain high share of the market smoothly.
By using lots of analyzing tools that we learned from the class, we will use external and internal analysis to judge the possibility for MS to manufacture new multimedia cell phone, and recommend effective strategic managements such as sales and technology. The result is apparent that with Microsofts asset and experience, it will certainly have a share in the multimedia cell phone market. This paper will lead us to understand that if a firm decides to enter a growing market, appropriate strategic managements, resourced technology assets, and right opportunity are very critical.

REQUIRED
This term paper is about STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT OF TECHNOLOGY and might be presented to Microsoft, so please write it in a professional and business manner.

Research shall be done on Microsofts core competences which can help it to develop competitive cell phones. Collaboration with other firms will also be welcome if needed.

Also researches shall be focused on the current cell phone market, and which technology is worth investing and developing (such as camera, video recording, WiFi, web browsing, touch screen, gaming, and any other new technology) and how to implement these in a STRATEGIC manner to excel in the cell phone market. Brief comparison between the other cell phone makers should be addressed. What impacts will the cell phone bring to Microsoft in the future? And most important is that value proposition must be learned, presented and explained in this researched paper

Several analytical tools should be used and discussed such as technology S-curve, Porters 5 force analysis, core competency, technology roadmap for future product, stage-gate processes for improving new product, patents that need to be registered or buy from other firms, and others.

Further supplementary resources and materials will be sent later by email.

There are faxes for this order.

The paper should give the strategic plan/analysis of "The new york times company"
The paper should include a set of references, with citations to each of these in the text book
"Robert W. Keidel, The Geometry of Strategy (Routledge, 2010)"

Please follow the outline below, using its headings and subheads.

1. Analysis (of the present)
a. Organizations value chain & design
b. Institutional, corporate, & business (competitive) strategies
c. Competitive context (5-force analysis, technology & product life cycles)
d. Financial position of organization
2. Planning (for the future??"using a time frame of your choice)
a. Three plausible strategic directions (with positives, negatives, & uncertainties
of each)
b. Recommended strategic direction (what), and rationale (why)
c. Organizational/implementation concerns & recommendations (how)

The First part already submitted is as under with the remarks of the instructor
The organization in the strategic context week 4 mp1:
INTRODUCTION :
Strategic decisions often face controversial public reputation which impacts the entire organization. The effect of globalization, technological advancement and increased role of media has required strategic managers an increased sensitivity to the public appearances. Since companies are operating in the international business structure, their strength of making a choice from the available suppliers on the international board, the capacity of the business to satisfy their international customer needs and operation of business all are now given the increasing importance to be taken under ethical consideration. Therefore, in today?s business environment the firm?s actions are evaluated from its strategic decisions that require a firm to have strong analytical strategy formulation processes, resource-focused approaches to sufficiently consider the importance of working capital (Holt and McNulty, 2008). During this process of strategic decision making and strategy formulation phases, the firm?s establishes a sense of responsibility and credibility to all stakeholder that are considered on ethical grounds.
The increased focus of consumer needs and public awareness has emerged the conceptual framework of ?risk society?. The concept of risk society has given rise to a completely new horizon of the dialogue between the individual, institutions, social and political levels. The ethical framework has strong tangled the risk society creating ?ground rules? of communication between firm and public (Jones, 2002). In view of the changing business environment and the emergence of risk society, the communication mechanism in the strategic decision making process is focused more and is given more importance from organizational members. It actually establishes the basis upon which the strategy implication can be evaluated and carried forward for future sustainability of the organization.
The case of BP deep water horizon oil spill, portrays one such example of corporate strategic decision making under risk society at international front.
STRATEGIC IMPLICATION OF SHELL OIL SPILL : THIS WAS WRONG AS THE ARTICLE WAS ALL ON BP
The strategic parameter for oil & gas companies in general is to make sure how safe their companies are in general? And how much are they prepared to respond such crisis? These two questions that are core to the strategic management process of companies like oil & gas whose business are at risk under the consideration of Health and Safety Executive committee. The challenging position for BP in the case under review was that in the post inquiry inspection the Health and Safety Executive committee have found a number of fragile points regarding the failure on the Deepwater Horizon were uncovered among which the most prominent ones were the dead batteries in the operation process and devices of weak and non technical nature were found that was insufficient to control the oil spill in the event of explosion (O?Murchu, 2010).
Further to this comment made by Health and Safety Executive committee also retrieved from the article of O?Murchu (2010) the two main sources of company?s risk position inspected during some of the critical scenarios that the company has gone through. These were highlighted as:
a) The company had lacked clear chain of command. The chain of command describes who reports to whom and makes every person within the chain accountable of their duties and reporting authorities. In the case when there is perplexed chain of command, the workers are unaware of the reporting line and are not sure who to report under the situation of crisis. Companies when undergoing sensitive operation like deepwater drilling in it a slightest mistake or even a slight manhandling of the instrument can result in massive disaster that not only effects the environmental elements of the society, the resources of the affected bodies and the financial loss of the company but it is a major risk to the company reputation as well. Therefore, it is critically important for a company to have clear spam of control, line of instruction and well defined roles and responsibility of each worker in case of emergency.
b) The Health and Safety Executive committee has pointed out another area that had exhibited weak position during the time of emergency was the lack of communication system. It was reported that the communication devices like satellite phone and handheld radio were not remitting and receiving signals, thus not operative at the time of emergency. This has let the company in the sensitive position to support themselves in defense of their accusation. It is the primary responsibility of the company to foresee that all the communication system is in proper working conditions before any accidental situation arises. The company despite having a contingency plan were not even prepare for the emergency situation.

REGULATORY FRAMEWORK OF STRATEGIC RISK ASSESSMENT :
The Social Amplification of Risk Framework has formulated the risk communication system that is based on the ?risk signals? which has taken the form of risk images, risk signs and risk symbols. These risk signals interplay their part in the whole communication process of risk assessment through their interaction with social, cultural, institutional and psychological processes of the business to communicate the presence of risk in the process flow and possible mitigation and management procedures (Kasperson, 2003). The risk is communicated in three possible potential risk signals which can be termed as: The toxic risk signal, Shell as a polluting agent risk signal and the moral purity of the deep ocean risk signal.
BP in response to the lawsuits that were assumed to cover-up the economic losses suffered by gulf fishermen, hotels, seafood processors, restaurants and other associated businesses have been filed impulsively in response to the breach of the 1990 Oil Pollution Act without any descriptive proof for the looses being incurred. In response to these lawsuits company has asked for the detail of claims which will initially be presented to the special BP-financed fund manager. BP has decided the time space of 90 days before any claims would be lodged from court. This action of BP was well supported by many academic leaders in the field of law. They are in support of the BP?s action and argue that the company has right to get time and debatable points of law in their support to amend the charges made against them. However in doing so the company might have to face certain social, political and media restriction and opposition which can bring bad name to the company (Peel, 2010).
In the formulation of best strategic framework for the company, there are certain management issues that intervene in the process. The management issues not only contributes to setting of the internal process system to its right order after the solution has attained but also is responsible for managing the external environment of the company (David, 2000). Some of the major management issues are listed below:
a) Matching organization structure to the strategy
b) Linking performance and pay to the strategy
c) creating organization climate conducive to change
d) managing political relations
e) creating a strategy supportive culture
f) adapting production/operation processes
g) managing human resource
h) establishing annual objectives
i) devising policies
j) Allocating resources.

In addition to the points identified by David (2000) in strategic development and strategy implementation, organizations must empower their team to operate under risky situations. The success of Greenpeace over Shell in North Sea, June 1995 was the example of organizations slow with respect to modernity in their operation. In the well developed, highly advanced and technically sound economies risk consideration is as important as any other wealth and financial resource. In the societies inherited with risk ?symbolic power? is as important as any other economic, social or public power that adds value to the resources and public image of the organization (Tsoukas, 1999). The companies like Shell in such an environment are not only competing with the market competition but are also experiencing challenges. However, in response to these challenges they conducted public discussions and arguments to make the point clear. The strategic development team of Shell thinks that these public discussions and arguments are equally important as producing a quality product that creates competitive advantage.
The strategy adopted by BP in respond to the litigation was defensive strategy, where the company was aggressively using measure to defend their point of weak strategic decision making process and technical insufficiency that resulted in the company?s bad image and ruined financial position among the share holder.
NEW OUTLOOK OF STRATEGY IN BP CASE :
Michael Porter (1996) has defined strategy in terms of competitive strategy, which can be based on the argument for the company, creating its competitive position during the time of risk. According to him a company can outperform its competitor only if:
a) A company can have long term sustainability and can beat its rival provided it can create a clear difference that it can conserve.
b) Strategic position can be achieved through customer needs, customer?s convenience and a wide range of product or services being offered.
c) Competitive value of individual duties cannot be segregated from the whole unit.
d) Strategic positions are long term not limited to a single process flow or product or service cycle.
e) Management?s role is to define strategy, make trade-offs and finding the best fit among business functions.
Many organizations in response to the global competitive environment are finding it difficult to differentiate between operational effectiveness and strategy. Technological innovation and advance level of learning and training in the field have made it possible for firms to introduce new operating procedures, quality control measures and time and resource management tools for increasing the profitability of the company. But these firms have failed to understand what drives these forces. It is actually the corporate strategy that molds these operational procedures and gives it a shape of long term sustainability and profitability. Within this strategic process is the company?s ability to respond under emergency or crisis situation. Organizations role in risk management process is idealistically of preemptive in nature, capturing the risk signals, understanding those signals and taking measures to mitigate and manage the causes of these signals. When establishing a risk symbol strategic framework in an organization the following points needs to be taken into consideration:
a) Defining Roles and responsibilities of each work team: This phase is part of the risk assessment in which company is responsible to define the roles and responsibility of each individual, in the normal course of business and under the emergency situation as well. For the purpose of clarity and standardization, these duties and roles are laid out in the human resource instrument of the job description and job specification duly signed by the employee and supervisor.
b) Spam of control and chain of command: Employees are being aware of the reporting line and supervisory control. In case of work groups functioning in the form of teams, team leader is responsible to play the necessary role.
c) Health, Safety and Security sensitive workplace: When the company is operating in the business which is sensitive to the health and security of the staff then measures to be adopted by the company not only to safeguard the heath and security issues of its employees but also of the surrounding bodies being affected through business operation. This should be held as an important element in the standard operating procedure guidelines of the business and should also be legally bound on the part of the employer.
d) Setting up benchmarks: Besides setting financial goals for the company, benchmark on the risk measurement and control mechanisms should also be set. Risk sensitive areas to be evaluated against non risk sensitive areas and risk gap should be assessed to have control of the company business operations.

CONCLUSION:
BP has undergone a strategic change in their management practice due to the issue of underwater oil spill. This case is an example for many of the companies either operating in similar industry or in diversified business. Strategic development of the company not only limits itself to concentrate on the corporate goals and missions subjected to financial benefits of the company but also view its importance on the risk requirement framework that sees the sustainability of the business from multiple dimensions.
In this regard, the role of management in the strategy formulation and process flow have been dynamic and widened. All the business functions are interlinked to its operation. Communication lapse in any of the area can break this network and bring the company in great loss. The loss under such circumstances is also not limited to the financial loss but it unfolds the company?s responsibility towards the stakeholders and the general public which can be distorted through bad public image portrayed in media. Therefore, the ability of the company to create its sound strategic image in the media and the general public is also important integral part of strategic management process that ensures the perseverance of company?s policy and sustainability long term. Every function of the business is equally held responsible in the process flow.


References
David, R. F., (2000) Strategic management concepts & cases. Prentice hall publications, upper
saddle river, New Jersey 07458
Holt, R. & McNulty, T. (2008) ?Securing the license to act: a foundational capability?, Journal of
Strategy and Management, 1 (1): 72-92.
Jones, R. (2002) Challenges to the notion of publics in public relations: implications of the risk
society for the discipline. Journal of Public Relations Review, Vol-28, issue Feb. 2002.
pp. 49-62
Kasperson, J. X., Kasperson, R. E., Pidgeon, N. and Slovic, P. (2003) The social amplification of
risk: assessing fifteen years of research and theory, The Social Amplification of Risk,
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
O?Murchu, C. (2010) BP?s failures are symptomatic of wider problems. Retrieved on 2 August 2011 through: http://blogs.ft.com/energy-source/2010/09/15/bps-failures-are-symptomatic-of-a-wider-problem/#axzz1TqXNBcwO
Peel, M. (2010) Opposition grows to BP?s legal strategy. Retrieved on 2nd August 2011 through:
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/caabc8d6-c0f7-11df-99c4-00144feab49a.html
Porter, M. (1996) what is strategy? Breakthrough Ideas, Harvard Business Review, issue Nov-Dec 1996
Tsoukas, H. (1999) ?David and Goliath in the risk society: making sense of the conflict between

Shell and Greenpeace in the North Sea?, Organization, 6 (3): 499-528.


THE INSTRUCTOR?S REMARKS

Your MP1 was good. It was the right length, and had references at the end. RE: "STRATEGIC IMPLICATION OF SHELL OIL SPILL :" - the assignment is about BP, not about Shell. I wasn't really happy about the coherence and logic of the writing, but you did raise a lot of good issues. The second half of your paper was forward looking (i.e. recommendations) and so would have fitted better in the Week 7 MP2. (the second part which you are going to write now)

Over the past three weeks you have developed most of the components of a marketing program for Tide laundry detergent. Now it is time to add the last few sections. The final plan should include:
? Definition of marketing (U1 DB)
This week the discussion board assignment was to research the definition of marketing. The sources that I used to help me understand the definition were Collins Dictionary of Business (2006), Dictionary of Business (2006), Dictionary of Economics (2009), and my text book Marketing (2010). I was able to gain a better understanding as to how important it is for people in businesses and in corporations to have the knowledge to make use of the four ?P?s? in marketing which are product, price, promotion, and place. The four ?P?s? can make or break a business or corporation.
After researching the sites listed above, I was able to form my own interpretation of marketing. My understanding is that businesses and corporations look for and research what consumers want or need. They then need to get the attention of the consumers by investing in advertisement. They do this by television ads, newspapers, internet, and etc.. By putting the product or service out to the consumers with eye catching ads will increase sales and help with the success of the company.
? Introduction of Tide laundry detergent (U1 DB)
See above DB
? Situation Analysis - marketing environment forces impacting Tide laundry detergent (U1 IP)
Principles of Marketing
One of the primary issues that the soap and laundry detergent is the issue of pollution in the manufacture of the product. Whether from a desire to avoid running afoul of government fines and regulation, to avoid litigation from issues related to pollution or to avoid bad public relations or ?ecotage? (actual sabotage by environmental radicals) this issue is probably the number one issue that the industry has to deal with. A case study in illustrates this well. In 1960's and 1970's, environmentalist activist Jim Phillips (the ?Fox) engaged in what would now be considered eco-terrorism when he limed over sewage pipes of the Aurora, Illinois Armour-Dial soap factory operation there when it dumped raw sewage into the local Fox River. His 7 year battle against the soap and meat packing plant brought enough heat and publicity to cause the state of Illinois to sue Armour-Dial in 1975 for violation of Illinois anti-pollution laws. The plant then starting treating the raw sewage and stopped its dumping (Hoekstra, 2001).
The 1970s marked the beginning of this type of environmental sensitivity (and sensitivity to public opinion on the issue). The Proceedings of the 4th World Conference on Detergents in 1999 noted with relief that the 1992 Rio de Janeiro United Nations Conference on Environment and Development acknowledged that chemicals had improved living standards (Sedlak, 1999, 80). What the industry was opposed to in 1999 and what is very important for today is to combat the difference between consumer goods and bulk chemicals. The difference between the two would determine how governments would apply environmental laws and regulations to the soap industry. By extension, the need to make this distinction and to promote knowledge of the industry's role in environmental responsibility and the positive impact it has on the marketing of the product (ibid, 82). Obviously, this industry's companies that are perceived as responsible have a marketing edge over those who do not. Marketing strategies must emphasize this responsibility and separate responsible companies from polluters.
Interestingly, public sensitivity to the issue of allergens in detergents and soaps also began in the 1960's as well and regarding the immediate effects of the manufacturing process. The first adverse affects were reported in the professional literature in 1969 when reports of a 1967 respiratory allergy outbreak among 28 workers in an epidemic in a detergent plant. Tests indicated that the cause of the allergic reactions was due to the inhalation of enzyme powder. This particular cause of allergic reactions from soap materials is now unusual (Kanerva, 2000).
Much more common are dry skin reactions to soap and this can be differentiated by marketing distinctions as well. In such situations, it can be beneficial to discourage purchases of perfumed soap and the use of neutral brands such as Dove, Basis, Aveeno or Neutrogena dry skin soaps (. To avoid classification with such allergens, as well, many things can be done to avoid or deal with soaps to prevent allergic reaction. Such alternatives can be emphasized so that a positive market image of soap or detergent, since allergies are complex and not always the cause of one irritant, whether chemical or otherwise. Also, one can direct attention to non-irritant products that the particular soap and detergent company produces that can also do the job ("Skin reactions," 2005).
While it is necessary to mollify public opinion and government regulation and law, one must know the problems that one has ownership over and make sure that the finger is getting pointed in the right direction for the right reason. In this way, we can use our knowledge of the physiological and psychological needs of customers to market and portray the product in a correct way and in the proper perspective.
Finally, there is the issue of product changes dictated by various changes in washing machines. These changes have been dictated by energy and water conservation issues that have altered the design of the machines. In the early 1990s, washing machines began incorporated micro controllers for the timing process to improve water and energy usage. These had proven reliable, so a lot of cheaper machines now incorporated these micro controllers, rather than the old mechanical timers ("Washing machine," 2011).
In this way, the washing models were Energy Star certified is an international standard for energy efficient consumer products that ranges over most Western countries, including the EU. Devices carrying the Energy Star logo, usually use 20%?30% less energy than required by federal standards ("Energy star," 2010). To give some example of the way that the technology is developing, the University of Leeds made a concept washing machine that uses only about a cup (less than 300ml) of water to do a full wash. This machine leaves clothes virtually dry, using less than 2% of the water and energy otherwise used by conventional machines. The technological importance requires 20 kilos of re-usable plastic chips for each load. In addition to saving water, it could make laundry detergent obsolete (Poulter, 2008).
A washing machine that functioned without laundry detergent would make the product obsolete. For now, this is not a reality, but with reduced amounts of detergent being needed, other strategies will be needed to market the detergents, including niche markets, marketing to customers with older machines or to foreign markets might be necessary to retain market share or reorganize a company to transfer reliance on to its other soap products to keep the company up and running.
Marketing challenges are not just due to competition. Rather, the process is very dynamic, including psychological, physiological, technological and other challenges that have made the market highly centralized, capital intensive and competitive among a few large companies for the majority of the market share. Innovative strategies will be needed to remake the product for a new century when people have new needs and new technologies to accomplish the age-old job of keeping oneself and their personal environment clean.
? Marketing Strategy - target market(s) and positioning (U2 DB & U2 IP)
See above IP
For week two discussion board we are instructed to describe the model of consumer buyer behavior for the product that we chose in week one and explain how the process works in the real world. I chose laundry detergent using Tide as the product
When purchasing a product there several processes, which consumers must go through. The first of these steps is ?need?. Laundry detergent is a necessity in most homes. Being able to wear clean, fresh smelling, and stain free clothes is what the consumers want and need.
The second step would be information search. This is where the consumer will ask themselves which brand to buy. Should they stay with their usual brand or try something new. Making a decision may come from getting information about the product that you have in mind from family, friends, or neighbors who might have used it themselves.
The third step will be evaluation of different purchase options. Consumers usually have a brand preference that they have had a good history with, a particular brand, or their friends may have had a reliable history with one. I was always a user of Tide. While working for Proctor and Gamble, I was able to learn more about the product and passed that information on to family and friends, giving them the opportunity to switch over.
Step four will be purchase decision. After going through the evaluation process consumers will be able to reach their final decision. Some ways of saving money after making that decision is to check different stores for better costs and check online for saver coupons.
The last step would be post purchase behavior. Manufacturers want consumers to be fully satisfied with the purchase of their product, it is just as important for manufacturers to advertise so consumers feel comfortable that they own a product from a strong and reputable organization. The consumer will be reassured that they have the latest advertised product.
Culture influence in laundry detergent such as Tide is through advertising, word of mouth, and customer satisfaction. Proctor and Gamble are constantly working on new products that will draw the attention of current customers and new ones who may choose their products over the competitors. Like clothing fads, laundry detergents need to keep up with consumers wants and needs, this year?s laundry detergent may not be what the consumers want next year.
? Tide?s overview and strategies to consider (U3 DB)
In marketing there are four categories that a product or service can fit into. These categories are convenience, shopping. specialty, or unsought. Convenience products are purchased by consumers on a regular basis, items used in their everyday lives, such as food, personal care and household cleaning products. Because these items have a high purchase volume, they are sold at lower prices. Shopping products are purchased and consumed less frequently than convenience products. Usually the consumer will shop around to find the better buy because these items are more expensive. Specialty products have a much higher price tag so consumers are more selective. Consumers usually know what they want, what product in particular they are looking for and where they need to go to purchase it. Unsought products are unplanned purchases that occur as a result of a marketer?s action. These actions could be promotional, persuasion, or special discounts.
The product that I have chosen is Tide laundry detergent manufactured by Proctor and Gamble. I would classify it as a convenience product because it can be purchased at most grocery or retail stores anytime they need it.
Tide is the world's largest selling detergent brand and will continue to use television ads as a way of getting the attention of current and prospective customers, doing side-by-side stain comparisons. The company will strive to open up, prepare and use the deep connections people have with its products. Tide has products that will suit all customers want and needs. They will continue to add new and more advanced products each year.
Branding is the promise you make to your customers. It lets them know what they can expect from your product, and it differentiates what you are offering from that of your competitors. Tide offers a website and a toll free number so that customers can contact them with any questions or concerns that they may have. Retail stores will authorize Proctor and Gamble to set up displays with promotional pricing to help raise sales and offer savings to the customers. I believe that by continuing with the eye catching television ads and producing top quality products will keep Tide at the top with laundry detergent sales.
? Pricing Strategy (U4 DB) Not written yet
? Distribution Channels (U3 IP)
Tide Detergent Distribution Channels
Tide Distribution Channel Analysis
The reliance on multichannel distribution channels and the marketing systems that support them are critical to the overall Proctor & Gamble supply chain network performance as inventory planning and forecasting are predicated on the requirements of channel partners (de Leeuw, Fransoo, 2009). P&G concentrates on creating a unified network that can quickly take customer demand as forecasted by channel partners, capture it, and create a production plan based on the many inputs from channel partners. This is the essence of their supply chain strategy and one that relies heavily on a highly synchronized multichannel management system as the process-based foundation of company-wide collaboration (de Leeuw, Fransoo, 2009). P&G relies heavily on sales portals to better serve their reseller and channel partners with the latest product, pricing, promotional strategies and delivery plans by product area (Noorani, Setty, 2007). As Tide is the leading brand for P&G in many of its distribution channels, the company must continually refine the core processes that are relied on for serving resellers in order to continually grow the sales of this flagship brand (Wong, 2010). The reliance on sales portals within P&G has continued to be highly effective in attaining the challenging multichannel management goals the company has (Noorani, Setty, 2007).
Customer Needs
The typical Tide customer is female, over 50 years of age, Caucasian, middle income ($30K - $60K) and often have limited college education. All of these factors have been captured from the website Quant cast, which interpolates demographics of websites. The figure to the right shows an analysis of Tide.com.
Source: http://www.quantcast.com/tide.com/demographics

For this segment of consumers, price and availability are the most important key buying factors followed by trusting the retailer they are purchasing the product from (Wong, 2010). For P&G, their multichannel strategy must include in-depth training for each member of their supply chain, from the large-scale distributors and CPG consolidators to the retailers in the indirect area of their multichannel selling strategy framework. The direct accounts including the high volume retailers that span pure transaction-based business models (Wal-Mart) to mid-market selling including Target, P&G needs to create channel strategies that match the needs of these partners and their entire distribution channels accordingly. The distribution of detergent resellers by segment is shown in Figure 1, Sales of Detergent by Distribution Channel. This analysis further underscores the need for having a highly effective multichannel strategy.

Figure 1: Sales of Detergent by Distribution Channel
Source:
IBISWorld Industry Report 32561
Soap & Cleaning Compound Manufacturing
in the US September 2011 Sophia Snyder

In devising how many total channel partners would be needed, the best approach would be to evaluate how many retailers are selling detergent today, and then calculate how many of those would be needed to keep the sales rate of Tide at a competitive level. According to the latest U.S. Census there are 1,051 distributors alone selling detergent in the U.S. to 5,614 retailers across all channel types. For Tide to gain sustain its growth as a brand with industry-leading market share, it needs to be sold in at least 50% of the distribution outlets and at least 70% of retail outlets. P&G Has extensive experience in creating distribution channels that can efficiently serve this many members of a distribution channel (Weitz, Wang, 2004). P&G will also need to unify them and keep them updated on key trends using portal-based Internet technology as well (Noorani, Setty, 2007).
Recommendation for a Channel Organization
Based on this analysis the best possible strategy for P&G to continue taking with Tide is to invest heavily in multichannel selling and multichannel distribution. Only by doing this will the company be able to continually increase its market share and meet the core requirements of its customers, which are to be the leader in price, availability and quality over the long-term.
You will now add the Abstract, Introduction, Conclusion, and the Integrated Marketing Communications Mix, including:
? Overview of integrated marketing communications
? Promotion Mix Strategy - explain if you will use a push or pull strategy or both and why
? Message Strategy - decide what general message will be communicated to your target market across all promotional tools
? Promotion Mix - choose at least three (3) promotional tools (advertising, sales promotion, personal selling, public relations or direct marketing). For each include:
o Why this promotional tool was chosen.
o Which forms of the promotional tool you will use and why (for example, in advertising you can use TV, radio, magazine, etc. and in direct marketing you can use direct mail, telemarketing, catalogs, etc.).
o Discussion of how your message strategy will be implemented using this promotional tool and the execution style

You are required to produce a report based on Samsung Electronics. The purpose of your project is to apply your tools of international strategy analysis to the evaluation, formulation and implementation of the international strategy of an existing company.

Your report should examine the organisations international operations and critically evaluate the issues surrounding its future development. The focus should be on the future development of the organisation and the strategies it may have to adopt to compete successfully in the global arena. You will need to identify the critical issues facing the organisation, to consider options for addressing these issues and make recommendations based on the identified options.

Possible issues to consider and address are:
What is the existing strategy of the company?
What are the globalization drivers in this industry? How strong are they relative to the forces for national differentiation?
What is the basis of the companys competitive advantage? How easy is it for the company to replicate this competitive advantage in overseas markets?
How well suited is the companys organizational structure, capabilities and systems for implementing your recommended strategy?
Your report is to be in the region of 2500 words, plus references and appendices.

Customer is requesting that (amber111 ) completes this order.

Customer is requesting that (amber111 ) completes this order.

This research paper should be constructed into 5 parts. First, there should be an introduction to the nature of the policy issue being discussed and a very CLEAR THESIS position taken (approximately 1-2 pages). Second, the relevant PHILOSOPHICAL-CONSTITUTIONAL ISSUES that surround the issue should be outlined (approximately 2-3 pages). Third, the ECONOMIC LOGIC of your case should be presented concisely (approximately 2-3 pages) Fourth, a LITERATURE REVIEW of the economic studies that relate to your policy issue should be examined for their empirical findings (at least 3-4 studies reviewed, and at least 6-7 pages of analysis). Finally, a CONCLUSION summarizing your suggestions for policy improvement is needed (approximately 1-2 pages).

Please use this following paper for an example/revision:

Capitalism is the economic system that has dominated the United States since the break-up of feudalism. It is the social system based on the recognition of individual rights, including property rights, in which all is privately owned. In capitalism the purpose of government is to protect individual rights, to make sure that no one or group may initiate physical or coercive force upon anybody else. The success of capitalism is individual surplus that has been produced by individuals who decided to use their creative minds and energy to create a product. The private surplus they use to trade in the free market where they compete with other buyers and sellers. Competition is the efforts of two or more parties acting independently to secure the business of a third party by offering the most favorable term. When competition exists in the market place we see rivalry between sellers for the future business of consumers. Competition has improved our economy as a whole and has brought us to a higher standard of living. It has allowed us to learn how to allocate resources more efficiently, engage in innovation, technological advancement, and better response to the consumer. With so many benefits we would fear to risk the destruction of competition.
A monopoly is a threat to competition and in its market structure, it is a single seller of a product that has no substitutes in its entire market. Monopolies in the free market has been banned in the United States because it is believed to deprive consumers from technological innovation and has introduced us to high prices above the market equilibrium. There are different public policies to handle monopolies however, in the past; government has felt that antitrust laws are the best approach. Government has created antitrust laws such as the Sherman Act, the Clayton Act, and the Federal Trade Commission Act, all to prevent monopolies. We have seen through history cases where antitrust has been exercised such as the railroads, the Standard Oil Case, and the Alcoa case. There are those who believe that these antitrust laws have saved competition and that government should continue to intervene in the free market place. Yet there are others who opposed and say that government is the soul source of monopoly power. That these antitrust laws ironically support, create, and protect monopolies instead of preventing or disengaging them. We will review these classical cases to see if antitrust laws were properly executed or if they should not of been prosecuted in the first place. Both sides of the spectrum will be viewed to the best of my abilities. I do not believe that forcing these antitrust laws is the best solution to prevent and control monopolies. I believe that there are other alternatives besides antitrust laws.
Philosophical constitutional issues.
Prior to the Civil War, Americans feared of allowing government a vast amount of arbitrary power. It was viewed that government was the only institution that can compel anyone to obedience and the use of physical force while the businessman had none. This belief of government only having arbitrary power changed immediately after the Civil War during the coming age of the railroad industry. In reality railroads did not have the backing of legal force. However, to the farmers of the West, the railroads appeared to have arbitrary power that was only trusted in government. To the farmers the railroads seemed to tamper the laws of competition. They seem to be able to charge just high enough of a rate to keep farmers in the seed grain. The Western railroads were monopolies however, their arbitrary power arose not from the free market but from governmental subsidies and restrictions. So the farmers protested and took form of the National Grange movement and passed the Interstate Commerce Act of 1887. Soon after that the Sherman Act arose in 1890. It is claimed then and still stands today that firms, if left free, would develop arbitrary power.
These antitrust laws were passed to halt the spread of business monopoly and to restore competition in the market economy. Many supported and many were against antitrust laws. Legislators claim and exercised that they do have power, which is stated in Article one Section eight, ?The Congress shall have the power to . . . regulate commerce with foreign nations and among several states . . ..? (Constitution) We have seen legislative exercised this right in the Munn vs. Illinois case in 1877. Munn and Scott were business partners that privately owned a grain-storage. They argued to the Supreme Court that they do not have the right to force them to make their rates public, get a license through the state, or comply with price limits. The majority of the Supreme Court disagreed and declared that private property, which is involved with the public. Chief Justice Waite explains, ?must submit to be controlled by the public for the common good.? (Armentano) Those who supported antitrust laws believed that if left alone natural monopolies will occur in a free market and slow down the process of innovation. They believe that monopolies would charge high prices, misallocate resources, take away jobs from the people and give them low wages. Hilaire Belloc once said, ?the control of the production of wealth is the control of human life itself.?(Armentano) The Sherman Act of 1890 was the first of the antitrust laws. Its sole philosophical purpose is to prevent monopolies and free up competition.
From a Natural Rights perspective they believe that the antitrust law movements are seen to be more conservative than progressive. They view these antitrust laws as an outrage and that it stripped away private property rights. They hold that individuals have inalienable rights to life, liberty, and property. That anyone can enter into any non-coercive trading agreement on any terms, to produce and trade any good or service that they own. Anybody has the right to use his or her property in any way he or she pleases as long as it does not infringe on anybody else?s property. Adam Smith one of our Founding Fathers wrote the Wealth of Nations, and here he opposed government restrictions on production and trade, because he viewed it to hold down capital gains, and the expansion of national wealth and welfare. Jeremy Bentham and the Philosophic Radicals believed ?that interests reflected in the private, selfish economic activities of individuals were harmonious, and created a stable economic system . . ..? They support the free market capitalism because it served the greatest good to the greatest number.? The Philosophic Radicals rejected government intervention because it has shown through experience that its benefits rarely exceeded its costs.
According to Robert H. Frank in his text book Microeconomics and Behavior 5th Edition there are five sources of monopoly. The first is exclusive control over important inputs or when a seller has complete control over the supply of a product such as deBeers? control over the supply of mined diamonds. Economies of Scale are another source of monopoly. Economies of Scale is when given fixed input prices, the long-run average cost curve is downward sloping. In this case it is always cheaper to serve the market by having one firm producing the product. Patents are issued by governments and its sole purpose is to protect inventions and confers the right to exclusive benefits from all exchange involving the inventions to which it applies. There are both costs and benefits from all exchange involving the inventions to which it applies. There are both costs and benefits to patents. On one side the cost creates a monopoly and usually leads to higher prices for the consumer. However, with out patents we would not see many of the great invention that has occurred through history. Patents increase prices above marginal cost and speeds up the pace of innovation. Protection from competition by patents allows firms to recover costs of research and development of innovation. Network Economies are when a product becomes more valuable as greater number of consumers uses it. One great example is Microsoft?s Windows operating system that has a dominant market position. The last source of monopoly power is government licenses of franchises are when in a market, the law prevents anyone but a government-licensed firm from doing business. Strict regulations and high fee to attain a license accompany government licenses. These high fees and obtaining to strict regulations cost a lot and are usually transferred to the consumer as premium prices.
In a monopoly there is no supply curve because monopolies are the price maker not the price take that are found in a competitive markets. The demand is still downward sloping and the monopoly price is above the equilibrium price. High prices will distract consumers from buying more products. For monopolist to continue to sell larger amount of output they must cut prices back down. Monopolist who continues to sell above the price equilibrium will experience a dead weight loss as well as a loss in potential profit. In the long run if monopolies stay at the same monopoly price they will lose consumer surplus and lose potential revenues. What monopolies would do is use price discrimination. Price discrimination is when monopolists charge different prices to different buyers to maximize profits. Under price discrimination monopolist would be able to go down the demand curve and make profit. However, it is very difficult to practice perfect price discrimination because sellers lack the information to read individuals demand curve. No matter what in the long run monopolies would have a loss in consumer surplus. Prices will eventually go down to market price equilibrium. The difference is that there will be a deadweight loss that is not found in the competitive market.
P P

\ Profit
Profit \
Pm \\ \\ Loss
Pe \\ Dead Weight Loss \\
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Q \\\\ Q
Monopoly Staying at monopoly prices Price Discrimination
The petroleum industry began in 1846 when Dr. Abraham Gener discovered how to distilled oil from coal and that kerosene could be drawn off and used as an illuminant. From the midst of all the entrepreneurs arose John D. Rockefeller who was just twenty-three and already a success. By 1868 Rockefeller?s attention into ?penny-pinching? techniques. Instead of buying oil from jobbers they hired them to get oil for them. They started to build storage facilities, coaxed more kerosene from a barrels of crude than others. They made money out of most of the disposable residue such as lubricating oils and Vaseline. They also invented gasoline, tar and paint. They became more innovative and began to build their own oil tankers that connected to trains to save money from putting them in barrels and then shipping them off in trains. After awhile they decided to dig their own pipeline in order to speed up transportation and cut costs on using trains. By 1870 the company became the biggest refiner in Cleveland. Rockefeller?s share of total refined outputs was no more than four percent, with as many as two hundred fifty other independent refiners and put out an average price to twenty-two cents a gallon. As 1890 approached, the market price of oil per gallon dropped to about eight cents. Independent refiners fell to one hundred four and Rockefellers market share was at eighty-eight percent. During the period of 1880-1895 Standard Oil resurrected an old common law known as the trust. A trust is when individuals pool their property and agree to have a trustee or a trustee group to manage that property in the interest of all owners.
Many grew hatred toward Rockefeller and blamed him for being unfair and driving their firms out of business. Ida Tarbell sister of William Tarbell and Treasurer of Pure Oil Company, theorized that Rockefeller used predatory pricing. Predatory pricing is a technique when a firm deliberately undersells their rival competitors to drive them out the business and then rise prices back to monopoly prices. In 1909 Standard Oil was convicted in violations of the Sherman Act. Judge Hook explained that ?A holding company owning the stocks of other concerns whose commercial activities, if free and independent of common control, would naturally bring them into competition with each other is a form of trust or combination prohibited by section one of the Sherman Act. The Standard Oil Company of New Jersey is such a holding company.? (Armentano) The Standard Oil Company appealed to the Supreme Court. To their disappointment Judge White reaffirmed the lower courts decision. Judge White found them guilty beyond dispute were one ?the creation of the Standard Oil Company of Ohio. Second, ?the organization of the Standard Oil Trust in 1882,? and three ?the increase of the capital of the Standard Oil Company of New Jersey and the acquisition by that company of the shares of the stock of the other corporations in exchange for its certificates.? (Armentano)
Humphrey Davy discovered the element aluminum in 1807. It was Charles Hall discovered and patented the first commercially successful way for making aluminum by using the electrolysis of molten alumina solution dissolved in cyolite. With the help of Captain Alfred E. Hunt and Arthur V. Davis they created the company call Alcoa. At first they were only able to make two thousand pounds a year of aluminum ingot and were sold for between five and eight dollars per pound in 1887. They knew that in order to become commercially successful they must find a cheaper way to obtain the raw material so it could compete with its other substitute materials. Through time Alcoa expanded on innovation and technology which was beginning to drive the prices down for aluminum. By 1889 they were producing fifteen thousand pounds of aluminum a year and by 1897 three million. In 1937, Alcoa was producing about five hundred million pounds a year and selling it for only twenty-two cents per pound. They were able to obtain 99.9% of pure aluminum from low-grade ores using the electrolysis process. Alcoa found ways to strengthen the element and the anti corrosiveness of the metal, and many alloys for several useful purposes.
In 1929 the Federal Trade Commission finally brought Alcoa to court. They found in favor of Alcoa for not being a monopoly in eight counts. Alcoa was innocent from monopolizing the scrap market, on bauxite other ore of aluminum, waterpower, sand casting, and virgin aluminum ingots. They were found not to have control in the policy of Aluminum Goods Manufacturing Co., and the market of foreign aluminum. They were found not to have any arbitrary power on prices and that it was controlled from the economic law of supply and demand. In the district court Judge also found in favor of Alcoa. Judge Caffey concluded: ?In consequence, I concluded that the government has failed to establish the charge of conspiracy between Alcoa and European producers of aluminum.? (Armentano) The losing party filed an appeal and won there. Judge Hand argued instead that Alcoa?s fabrication ?pro tanto reduces the demand for ingot itself? and affects the primary ingot market and ingot price. Judge Hand reduce the relevant market under consideration to virgin ingot aluminum and Alcoa?s market share jumped from ten percent to ninety percent thus making Alcoa a monopoly.
Cigarettes were unpopular in the early 1850?s and all firms were using Turkish tobaccos and were hand-rolling cigarettes making only two thousand a day. By the 1880?s there was a rapid shift in public taste to Virginia tobacco blends. Larger firms began to become more innovative and adopted new technology such as machines and were now able to produce one hundred thousand a day. James B. Duke quickly stood out by posting large newspaper ads and renting billboards. He started placing coupons on cigarette boxes and gave incentives to retailers to sell his products. By January 1890 the five leading cigarette firms merged together to form the American Tobacco Company and placed J.B. Duke as its president. By 1910 there was no doubt that it was the largest firm in the country but there were still at least three hundred independent cigarette firms and twenty thousand independent cigar firms. The company took a bigger step and decided to cut the middleman out and opened its own store to cut costs. The American Tobacco Company was finally charged in violation of the Sherman Act and Justice White lead the hearing. It was found guilty in violation of the Sherman Act because its acts, contracts, and agreements, and combinations were ?unusual and wrongful character as to bring them within the prohibitions of the law.? (Armentano)
In the cases that have been mentioned there were many things that were over looked. For instance the courts did not pay attention to the things that Rockefeller and his company were doing. Standard Oil had the highest paid employees in the industry. Most of the time when Standard Oil bought other firms, he would buy the firm above its value. Rockefeller employed thousands of people and they all praised him. He donated thousands of dollars to charity and built many public libraries. The price drop in refining oil did not just come from Rockefeller?s ?penny-pinching? innovation these drops mostly came from the United States Treasury?s deflationary policies and the declination in general demand and prices that hurt all business due to the post Civil War. Most firms entered the oil refining industry during the Civil War so when the war was over it was only natural to expect a general reduction in the number of refiners.
The predatory pricing theory that Tarbell mentioned would be economically foolish according to John S. McGee. He argued that predatory pricing would be very costly to large firms and would not want to initiate a price war with each other. McGee explained how firms could just simply close down and wait for prices to return to profitable levels; or new owners could purchase bankrupt companies and get them ready to compete again. Finally McGee explained that firms could not initiate predatory pricing practice unless they are already in possession of monopoly power. If they are already a monopoly firms cannot gain initial monopoly position though predatory pricing.
By 1911 firms started to catch on to Rockefeller?s innovation and prices continue to drop to about five cents per gallon, the number of refiners started to increase and went up to one hundred forty-seven, and Rockefeller?s market share dropped to sixty-four percent. Between 1896 and 1911 the petroleum industry began to change and the markets became less and less secured. There was a new substitute that was beginning to arise in the markets and that was the disposable product of oil. Other petroleum products became more important in the form of, lighter fuel oils, lubricating oils, and gasoline. The kerosene age was coming to an end.
Before government intervene with Standard Oil Rockefeller?s market, the share was already dropping. New firms were already beginning to arise and if government would of left Standard Oil alone they would continue to see their market share drop and new firms being built. Standard Oil was not a monopoly but just going through natural stage of advance innovation due to competition. This decision should have not resulted this way because the Sherman Act was founded in 1890 and the Standard Oil Trust was formed in 1882. This means that Judge White used the ex-post facto clause, which is against the Constitution.
Alcoa was yet another company that was not monopolizing but being innovative and economically efficient which was the result of competition. Alcoa could not be a monopoly because it was competing with other substitutes such as scrap metals and plastics. They could have not block entry to the market because there was another firm, Southern Aluminum that tried to enter the market. It was near completion but World War I broke out and they could not secure domestic financing. Alcoa eventually bought them out. This company was started by Lloyd Emory who owed a brewing company and J.B. Duke a multimillionaire tobacco entrepreneur. These two had more than enough finance and knowledge to start the business however, their company just never left the planning stage. No one dared tried to enter the market during this period because they had economies of scale in the aluminum market. In the case of the American Tobacco Company, it should have never been charged in the first place because again it was going through its stage of being efficient and innovative due to competition. There was also hundreds of other independent firms in the market.
The antitrust laws were meant to prevent monopolies however, in the cases that we have discussed it has seemed to stop productive competitive firms. Even if these firms were monopolies, government would leave them alone and see their market share diminish over time. These antitrust laws attempted to prevent monopolies by stopping predatory pricing and buying up the competition. As we have discussed above predatory pricing does not make any economic sense and would instead ruin a firm who attempts to use it instead of giving it an advantage. Buying up the competition would make no difference either because all that is doing is just transferring funds and assets within the company. In Microeconomics and Behavior it mentions other public policy that can be use for natural monopolies one is the state ownership and management. This is when the state takes over the industry and charges price less than the average cost. Private businesses are not able to do this because they are not able to stay in business in the long run and government can soak up costs by raising taxes. However, this would be less beneficial to the private citizen because their taxes are already high as it is. Other alternatives include state regulation of private monopolies or when government steps in and set guidelines or regulations that limit pricing discretion. Some examples of this are electric, water, and telephone services. Exclusive contracting for natural monopolies is a system proposed by economist Harold Demsetz. This works by government allowing a private company to have rights to service the people in a particular industry such as, fire protection, garbage collection, postal delivery, and many others. The last one that would have worked best for these cases has been discussed is the laissez-faire policy toward natural monopolies or leave it alone. This policy is very simple and all that government has to do is nothing. Government would just allow the markets to handle natural monopolies and through time they would go away.

Bibliographies

1. Armentano, Dominick T. ?Antitrust and Monopoly Anatomy of a Policy Failure.? The Independent Institute. Oakland, California ?1990

2. Rand, Ayn. ?Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal.? Signet. ? 1967

3. Robert, Frank H. ?Microeconomics and Behavior.? 5th Edition. McGraw-Hill Irwin. ? 2002

4. Rustici, Thomas C. Lecture Notes. March 2004

5. Constitution of the United States of America, The

Prepare a document that provides advice for a company on transitioning to be able to compete at a ?Globalization 3.0? level ? a concept developed and outlined in Freidman, Thomas L. (2006), The World is Flat, (Newly Abridged and Revised), Penguin Books, Camberwell Victoria.

Your consulting company ?Flat World Solutions? specialises in advising companies on developing capability to become a ?Globalization 3.0? organization. You have a reference list (or set of reference sites) of companies you consulted to that have transitioned to or are transitioning to a ?Globalization 3.0? level ? in particular with marketing programs supporting this objective.

You are requested to use an e-business technology company within your analysis. The company may be small, medium or large and may be a real or hypothetical or real company. If you use a real company you should name and reference it in your analysis.

The word count is exclusive of appendices, but includes references. Papers must be fully referenced using the Journal of Marketing referencing styles only.

The Research Paper should have the following structure and address all questions in each section:

-EXECUTIVE SUMMARY


-INTRODUCTION (Note Introduction, Conclusion and flow required)

Provide a background on your nominated company, its products or service, and its current status of internationalization or globalization.

QUESTION 1:

Define ?Globalization 3.0? and compare with previous forms of Globalization (i.e. Globalization 1.0 and 2.0), plus at least one other approach to globalization or internationalization outside Friedman?s definition of Globalization.

QUESTION 2 :

Identify and briefly define each of the ?Ten forces that flattened the World? and how each those forces have impacted or may be impacting the company you are advising.



QUESTION 3:

Define and discuss the ?Triple Convergence? and how the company you are advising will have to adapt to it.

QUESTION 4:

Developing a creative infrastructure to support ?Globalization 3.0? is essential. Discuss how the company you are advising could become part of a creative infrastructure through being involved ?Brainports? and how they could map their position and contributions using Social Network Analysis or Social Media tools and applications.


QUESTION 5 :

Discuss challenges to developing and implementing ?Globalization 3.0? capability. You may consider counter-forces to ?Globalization 3.0? and approaches to addressing those forces.

QUESTION 6 :

Based on ?Flat Word Solutions? own reference company list (or reference site list ? in this case i.e. case studies from other sources), discuss an example of a marketing program or programs that would be seen as being at a ?Globalization 3.0? level from a ?Globalization 3.0? company.

-CONCLUSION:

Provide a highlighted summary of the main recommendations for the company you are advising to implement to become a ?Globalization 3.0? level organization.

-REFERENCES

-APPENDICES

??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? Dollar General Stores Inc. 1. Identify the company's mission, vision, and primarry stakeholders.?2. Identify the (5) forces of competition and how it impacts the company.?3. Create a SWOT analysis.?4. Based on the SWOT analysis, recommend how the company may capitalize on its strenghts and opportunities, and minimize its weaknesses and threats.?5. Discuss the various levels and types of strategies the firm may use to maximize its competitiveness and profitability. 6.Determine the recent corporate governance issues that are currently affecting the company's decisions and report how the company is or should be handling the issues. 7. Use 4-5 external sources as part of this paper.

. Individual Assignment: Environmental Analysis Paper
? Complete an environmental scan and economic analysis on your selected department,
group, division, function, or organization?for which you create a strategic plan?including the
remote, industry, and operating environments.
? Write a 2,800- to 3,500-word environmental analysis in which you describe your
organization?s situation completely and accurately. You must identify any major changes you
expect to affect your remote, industry, or operating environments in the next 5 to 10 years.
Your analysis must complete the following:
o Refine the analysis of the forces and trends you completed for the Week Two
assignment.
o Utilize a macroeconomic forecast of economic indicators that affect your chosen
organization in the future and must be considered part of strategic planning.
o Analyze the noneconomic factors in the remote environment, including the following:
? Social and cultural
? Political
? Technological
? Demographic
o Complete a competitive analysis of your organization?s position from a microeconomic
perspective based on the pricing of the organization?s primary product or service line, an
assessment of its cost structure, and an assessment of the market in which the
organization competes.
o Develop a summary of the organization?s current situation, including its mission or
business overview, its current competitive position, and the forces and trends in its
industry. Based on this situation, identify three to six current opportunities and issues you
believe must be addressed through the strategic-planning process.

This is a paper based on Dell case study. I need the writer to answer the following questions and depending on the quality of work he/she produces i will request more questions (additional pages). I will upload the case study in the resources and the entire requirements as well.

Please make sure you write atleast 300 words per page. Around 4-5 pages for Question 1 and 2 pages for Question 2. Everything has to be cited in the paper (In-text citation) and all resources to be provided.



The questions to be answered are as follows:



Qualitative Analysis (45 points)


Q1) Specifically, identify the three challenges facing Dell's leadership (15 points).

a) How do these challenges influence the firms strategy (to answer this question, you must first identify the firms strategy)?

b) Why does Michael Dell want to take the firm private?

c) How will the firm benefit?



Q2) Read Dells (most recent) letter to shareholders** , and examine how the firms views its strategic and competitive position (10points)?
***Typically, you can find the letter to the shareholders at an organizations website on the page that lists its communications with its investors. The shareholders letter is found on the first few pages of the organizations financial statements

There are faxes for this order.

Assessment Task:
According to an article in a recent Harvard Business Review (HBR September
2012), companies could adopt one of 'four broad strategic styles each one
particularly suited to a distinctive environment'. These styles have been
researched by the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and are named as classical,
adaptive, shaping and visionary. A survey carried out by BCG showed that most
companies consistently overestimated both their ability to predict and to change
their business environments. For example, the now bankrupt Eastman Kodak
Corporation adopted a classical style when it should have been a shaper.
During the last 20 years, Tesco has successfully developed a visionary strategy
while computer companies which are not adaptive - like Osborne, which crashed
in 1983 - will die.
Please answer the following questions:
(a) You are a strategic planning manager in a large international oil company.
Explain what strategic style you would adopt and why. Cite relevant
examples from any relevant sector. Refer to models learned on the
course such as SWOT analysis, Porter's Five Forces etc. (50 marks)
(b) Johnson, Scholes and Whittington (Exploring Strategy, the key module
text) have developed the "lenses" model of strategic analysis, Compare
and contrast their research with the BCG findings as outlined in the HBR.
Refer to value chain analysis and the development of distinctive core
competences in an organization (50 marks)
(Students are recommended to read the relevant HBR article and the
extensive discussions on the lense model in the course text - recent
editions).
Total 100 marks
Page 2 of 3
INDICATIVE ANSWERS
(a) The HBR approach suggests templates which organisations could adopt in
order to meld in with their environments. The industry structure analyses
advocated by Porter, Rumelt and Baden-Fuller suggest that strategic
plans should be based on an external scanning technique to identify the
more attractive environments.
(b) The lenses approach typifies a resource-based strategy innate in the
adopted positioning of each company based on their culture of experience
modeling, of their innovative characteristics. This internalised process of
audit contrasts strongly with the environmental scanning approach of the
BCG model (see Pratialad and Hamel). More adventurous (nondescriptive)
students are likely to suggest some possibilities of
complementarity between the two approaches and they are likely to score
in the A/B grade categories.

Mochalicious Marketing Plan ??"
Defining Integrated Marketing Communications and Satisfaction Strategies

Introduction
Mochalicious coffee is specifically blended to deliver a rich aroma, deep flavor and make any get together, from the most formal to the most impromptu, pleasurable and fun. The value proposition of Mochalicious coffee is that it delivers a great experience with very cup. The advertising strategy for the coffee must quickly get beyond the features and attributes of the products and discuss how the benefits of excellent coffee compliment a persons experience while drinking it. Fatigue, lack of energy and the continual grind of daily life can drain even the most energetic of people. A Mochalicious coffee is an energetic break from the normal, providing a needed lift to get up and moving, and enjoys life with renewed vigor and vitality. The foundation of all successful branding is the ability to create expectations and continually exceed them over time, building a level of trust and transparency with customers (Cooper, 2013). Marketing must speak in terms of the customer benefit first, not in the feature set, if marketers want their messages to be accepted and acted on by customers (Genestre, Herbig, 1996). Mochalicious coffee must create and exceed the expectation of delivering an energizing, pleasant break from the status quo while also giving the customer an opportunity to catch their breathe and relax (Gurau, 2008). By concentrating on the unique approach to harvesting quality beans, roasting them at just the right temperature, and then packaging or sale will the Mochalicious coffee brand have the opportunity to earn and keep customer trust. Implicit in these factors is also the need to create a foundation of consistency and quality with all customers who purchase the coffee, from the first-time buyers to the most loyal customers over item.
Aligning Mochalicious Coffees Advertising Strategy
And Alignment To Marketing Objectives

The core of the Mochalicious coffee marketing strategy must be clearly and completely define and deliver above the expectations of customers if it is to succeed. Mochalicious needs to rely on representations of customers, or personas, to clearly delineate their needs and requirements. For many, coffee is a symbol of friendship and communication. The Mochalicious brand must continually strive to define these attributes as part of the emotional and intuitive aspects of its brand. The most successfully branding evokes emotion while motivating the customer to initially try the product then eventually make it part of their core or preferred set of purchases on a regular basis (VanAuken, 2013).
As Mochalicious coffee is being marketed primarily with a pull strategy, advertising and marketing that supports a multichannel strategy is critical. The most profitable marketing strategies in multichannel marketing rely on experiential values over just feature-based ones, with the role of customer experience and trust being more important than just discussing features alone(Mihart, 2012). Customer testimonials and other forms of direct feedback about a given product or service infuse any marketing campaign with credibility and authenticity (Hopen, 2003). For Mochalicious Coffee the challenge is to find customers who will be references for them, given how crowded and highly competitive the coffee market is today.
All of these aspects of the marketing strategy must also be well orchestrated across the entire Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) platform, with targeted and highly specific communications platforms, direct and indirect channel strategies all orchestrated to a common branding and sales objective (Gurau, 2008). Implicit in the design of the IMC strategy must also be videos of customer testimonials to bring greater authenticity and trust into the overall strategy (Ladhari, 2009). Empirical studies indicate that making the customer the center of all Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) strategies is critical for immediate resonance and credibility of the message (Owen, Humphrey, 2009).
Measuring Advertising Effectiveness
Mochalicious Coffee is going to be sold using a well-orchestrated IMC strategy that will also orchestrate between online and offline marketing channels, setting specific target goals and objectives for each. Both the online and offline channels will be structured to move prospects quickly from interest to action (Mihart, 2012). The Mochalicious Coffee brands presence on social media will be used for managing upper-funnel activity as all of these activities provide digital data on their effectiveness in real-time (Wolf, Wheelock, 2007). The level of effectiveness for the advertising programs will be defined by the level of awareness, interest and trail as measured through the marketing automation system being used, Eloqua from Oracle. Offline strategies will also be measured using printed items that have a call to action to get online and use the website for additional information. All IMC strategy components must contribute to the progression of the prospective customer from being initially interested in the coffee to trying it either from a store-bought can or in a restaurant or caf. All successful IMC strategies measure in aggregate the total impact of the online and offline marketing strategies, providing a 360 degree view of marketing effectiveness (Mihart, 2012).

Defining and Implementing Mochalicious Coffees Promotional Strategies
All promotional activities will be orientated towards also driving upper funnel traffic over time, specifically looking to drive awareness and interest so that sales cycles can initially get started. The promotional strategies will also concentrate on creating event-based marketing and in-store events where prospective customers can try Mochalicious Coffee for the first time. The inclusion of events into IMC strategies is highly effective when supported by customer testimonials and in-store demo events (Owen, Humphrey, 2009). Promotional strategies are an indispensable aspect of an overall branding strategy, creating the catalyst for prospects to learn more and trust a new brand quickly based on their own experiences (VanAuken, 2013).
Defining A Research Strategy Or Plan For Measuring Customer Satisfaction
There are a myriad of frameworks and methodologies for capturing customer satisfaction data and analyzing it. One of the most valuable from a services standpoint is the services quality level index or, SERVQUAL. What is most valuable about this specific index is that it accurately captures the difference between expectations and experiences, creating a useful metric showing relative value of a brand as well (Genestre, Herbig, 1996). Using SERVQUAL, the levels of coffee quality, both from an actual taste level and also from an experimental one, will be measured. This will ensure a high degree of clarity and accuracy in analyzing how effective the coffee production process is, and how well the IMC strategy successfully differentiates Mochalicious Coffee from its many competitors. The SERVQUAL index can provide valuable insights into IMC strategy execution and performance, in addition to defining how well the coffee is meeting expectations or not. Finally SERVQUAL differences are also very valuable in defining the overall structure of the product and messaging strategy over the long-term as well.
Evaluating Customer Expectations and Experiences:
Measuring & Taking Action On Performance Gaps

The SERVQUAL methodology is exceptionally effective in managing the distance between expectations and experiences. Further, the index can also provide a useful framework for evaluating the performance of brands and their associated products over time, giving a clear definition of how products and their value delivered in the market vary over time (Genestre, Herbig, 1996). SERVQUAL was also designed with a series of 32 different variables that span the customer service and support spectrum of marketing, including public relations, selling nd most importantly top long-term customer loyalty, service. Marketers getting the most from SERVQUAL are building a knowledgebase that can be used for managing the distance between expectation and experience quickly and with minimal impact to ancillary IMC strategies and initiatives (Genestre, Herbig, 1996).


From this,

add the marketing strategies.

Write an executive summary of your marketing plan.
Provide the companys mission statement and company introduction.
Provide the companys branding, pricing, and distribution plan.
Provide the IMC and customer satisfaction plan.
Provide the following information about the marketing strategies:
a. Discuss the companys competitors, and its strengths and weaknesses.
b. Determine the differentiation strategy in relation to the closest competitor.
c. Explain whether the companys intention is to be a leader or follower within the industry.
d. Assess the macro-environmental issues (legal, technological, social, and economic) trends with which the company must operate.
e. Identify the most significant trend to impact the business and discuss how the company intends to minimize or capitalize on this trend.
6. Support your marketing plan with at least ten (10) reference sources that discuss the nature of the assignment.

Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:
Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.
Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the students name, the professors name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required assignment page length.

I need the writer to do me for the current position and isues :
SWOT
PESTEL
PORTER 5 FORCES
then i need the statgic approach to be the
BLUE OCEAN

The future direction i want the
ANSOFF
There are faxes for this order.

Case study : Supply chain Whirl
While the 2001 global overhaul of whirlpool?s supply chain systems remains a work in progress today, managers say its success to date is encouraging the remaining system work.
The supply chain whirlpool in 2000 was broken. Indeed, a manger there at the time quipped that among the four major appliance makers in U.S. , Whirlpool ranked fifth in delivery performance.
??We had too much inventory, too little inventory, wrong inventory, right inventory/wrong place, any combination of those things, ??says J.B. Hoyt who was then the supply chain project director. He says a sales vice president approached him one day and said he?d accept even worse performance from supply systems if they would just be consistent rather then wildly bouncing back and forth between good and poor production and shipping plans.
So in 2001, whirlpool embarked on a multi project global overhaul of its supply chain system. The meta project remains a work in progress today, with a number of systems yet to be rolled out and some major technical issues to be resolved. But managers at whirlpool say its success to date including huge improvements in customer service and reduced supply chain costs is providing the psychological and financial impetus to drive the remaining systems work
Whirlpool CIO Esat Sezer says that by 2000, the company had grown by acquisition and geographic expansion to the point that old systems, stitched together by spread sheets and manual procedures, couldn?t cope with the exploding complexity.? Our supply chain was becoming a competitive disadvantage for us,?? he says. Availability ? the percentage of time a product is in the right place at the right time ? was an unacceptably low 83 percent, even as inventories remained too high overall.
The home grown supply systems were primitive and not well integrated with the company?s SAP ERP system, which had been installed in 1999, or with a legacy production scheduling system, Sezer says. And they weren?t integrated with the system major wholesale customers or suppliers of parts and materials. ??The plans we were creating weren?t linking back into reality,?? he says.
In particular, Sezer says, supply chain systems weren?t fine ?grained enough, nor were they very good at juggling priorities and constraints except through slow and cumbersome manual methods. Often, they would optimize locally ? a single product line at one location, for example ? but not for the supply chain as a whole.
Here?s what Whirlpool was using for its North American supply chain in 2000:
- A home grown production scheduling system, the Whirlpool manufacturing control system (WMCS),which was developed in the mid-1980s and extensively modified over the years.
- SAP?s R/3 ERP system, which was installed in 1999 and used for transaction-processing applications such as accounting and order processing.
- I2 technologies demand planner (now called demand manager), which was installed in 1997 and used for demand forecasting.
- A system for distribution planning that was custom-developed for Whirlpool in the 1980s that used optimization software from ILOG.
Then in 2001, Whirlpool began to implement an advanced planning and scheduling (APS) system. It included a suite of supply chain integration and optimization tools from i2 ? Supply chain planner for the master scheduling, Deployment planning and inventory planning. Those three modules, the heart of Whirlpool?s efforts to fix its supply chain, went live in three phases over 2001 and 2002.
In mid-2002, Whirlpool installed the i2 TradeMatrix collaborative planning, forecasting and replenishment (CPFR) system, a web-based collaboration tool for sharing and combining the sales forecasts of Whirlpool and its major trade partners-- Sears, Roebuck and Co., Lowe?s and best buy Co.
The rollout of the a component for Web-based collaboration with suppliers, based on SAP?s inventory collaboration Hub, is just getting under way. And Whirlpool continues to use the old WMCS for production scheduling but plans to replace that with SAP?s production planning module.
It?s available
By all accounts, the supply chain overhaul was a smashing success for the US$13 billion company. CPFR cut forecasting errors in half. APS boosted availability in North America from 83 percent to 93 percent (it?s at 97 percent today), reduced finished-goods inventories by more than 20 percent and trimmed 5 percent from freight and warehouse costs. Whirlpool declined to discuss the cost of the projects.
Managers at Whirlpool give much of the credit for the success of these projects to a close partnership between the IT department and the business units. Says Hoyt, ``it was one of the first times the IT community didn?t say, ?OK, here?s your tool. ?We said the tool had to do x, y and z. We did the requirements analysis together.??
Whirlpool considered standardizing completely on SAP for all ERP and supply chain systems in North America, but i2 ultimately got the nod for the APS system, the critical part needed to fix the company?s availability and inventory problems. ``There was a lot of back and forth, but after a long harangue and discussion of our business requirements, we settled on the i2 tool set in North America, ``Hoyt says.
But while i2 was seen as being more capable than SAP for handling the fine?grained optimization, constraint-based planning and prioritization that the business units wanted, it was far from ideal from an IT perspective. The APS system would cost IT, whose budget is about US$190 million, more than all-SAP supply chain because there would be less integration, more systems interfaces and more skills to maintain in-house. Plus, IT was worried about i2?s deteriorating financial condition.
Whirlpool had already standardized on IBM AIX application servers and zSeries mainframe database servers for supply chain systems and had put systems for all its global operations in a single data center in Benton harbor. Now it was time to standardize on software.
So in 2001, a mandate came from the CIO, via whirlpool?s executive committee, that supply chain modernizations henceforth would be based entirely on SAP. In particular, new systems planned for Europe for 2003 and Latin America would use SAP?s Advanced planner and Optimizer rather than the more capable but costly i2-based APS system used in North America. And they were to use SAP?s NetWeaver for Web collaboration with suppliers and trade partners rather than North America?s TradeMatrix CPFR.
Vivek Mehta, A lead supply chain analyst at Whirlpool, says SAP may catch up with i2 in its optimization capabilities, but in the meantime, i2?s financial condition is worrisome. ``There were 10 guys at i2 that we interacted with, and some of them are gone now, ``he says. ``There?s lack of continuity??.
``We have this challenge, where the IT organization is pushing for everything to be SAP, but the business, on the other hand, is going fro whatever brings them value, ``Mehta says. ``They are now used to the optimal plan, the high service levels, the lower inventories. So if we bring in something and say their availability will go down by couple of points, no way will they buy that.??
Sezer says Whirlpool will probably replace i2 with SAP ``eventually?? but is in no hurry. ``We?d like to get the return out of that investment before making any platform decisions, ``he says.
Sezer says that in the four years since Whirlpool standardized on IBM and SAP as ``strategic partners,?? revenue has increased on average US$1 billion per year and IT expenses have fallen 6 percent per year.He says there are several joint development projects under way involving all three companies.
But for the time being, the combination of SAP and i2 works well for Whirlpool, far better then the legacy tools of a few years ago. Sezer says the company?s supply chain is now a competitive advantage. ``On a global scale, to be able to manage all your operating platforms, I?m not aware that any of our competitors have that today, ``he says.
Think globally, act locally
When time came for Whirlpool Europe to overhaul its supply chain, the company decided not to go with i2 optimization products, as North America had done, but with SAP?s advanced planner and optimizer (APO) for demand and supply-network planning.
Vivek Mehta, a lead supply chain analyst involved in both projects, says Europe was starting from a more primitive systems base, with even more manual procedures and less-integrated systems than had been the case in North America. So for Europe, ``APO was a huge step forward, ``he says.
The integration of Whirlpool Europe?s supply chain systems around APO, though not quite complete, has already boosted inventory availability from less than 80 percent to more than 90 percent, says Walter Manfredi, supply chain director in Whirlpool?s Comerio, Italy, operations center.
``Today, our supply chain is integrated ? process and systems, ``he says. ``Now, demand from a trade partner or customer is integrated into production planning. We can look into production plans and see if this item for this date in this quantity is for this customer. So we can now give priority depending on the type of demand.??
For example, he says, priority is always given to production orders earmarked for specific customers ? for which availability is now 97 percent-- over orders to simply replenish stock.
Still, improvements need to be made, especially at the level of individual factories, Manfredi says. Some factory managers, in an attempt to tweak system rules and parameters to optimize their operations, make the systems so complex that they become maintenance nightmares. And, he adds, attempts by factories to optimize their own performance can be at odds with optimizing the European supply chain overall.
Finally, Manfredi say, while production can be varied daily by altering system rules and parameters, some production modifications require workforce changes or changes in line and equipment capacities, which can take weeks to accomplish. ``That?s very difficult, he notes.
Required : Write a report that answers the following areas:
1) Critically appraise the supply chain management system used by Whirlpool ? North America and evaluate how it contributed to Whirlpool?s business performance and in gaining competitive advantage.
2) Evaluate how Whirlpool?s production helped in making planning and sourcing decision. What set back did Whirlpool face in making delivery decisions that provoked them to move to an optimal platform of supply chain management.
3) Discuss on the future trends and challenges faced by global makers of home appliances in managing their supply chain.
This coursework aims to achieve the following learning outcomes of the module :
- Critically appraise how supply chain management and supplier development can contribute to business performance and competitive advantage
- Critically evaluate planning and sourcing decisions
- Critically evaluate making and delivery decisions
- Identify and discuss future trends and issues in global supply chain management
Resources
Supply chain case studies / Journals of supply chain management / Harvard business review
Supply chain management review / supply chain digest
1)Submission of the paper should follow the standard format , consisting of
- Table of contents
- Executive summary
- Content page
- Main report
- Conclusion
- References (Harvard)
2) Others points to take note
- Printed using Arial font , size 10 , 1-1/2 line spacing
- Do not use first person in your report (no ??I?? , ??me??, ??us??, ??we?? ) Used third person and passive voice
- Avoid making use of jargon. The report should be written in academic form
- Citation and references should be in Harvard referencing format
MARKS
10 marks ? Executive summary , conclusion and references
10 marks ? Presentation and appearance
80 marks ? Contents , Appraise the supply chain management system used by Whirlpool , evaluate
And discuss future trends and challenges faced by global makers of home applicances in managing their supply chain.

Assignment

Imagine that you work for WebVan at the time of this case, and you have been asked to prepare a marketing plan for top management. This report should evaluate WebVans situation and recommend an appropriate marketing strategy. The case in your coursepack should serve as your primary source of information, but you may do additional research if you like. ( so that means the number of sources are up to you, but the WebVan case is your primary source) The paper should generally follow the structure shown below, but you may deviate from it if you think it will help you clarify your recommendation.

Paper Structure

Executive Summary (at most 1 page, single-spaced)
Situation Analysis
Market Opportunity (unsolved problem, market size)
Industry Profitability (5 Forces, margins for similar firms)
Customer Analysis (needs, typical behaviors)
Competitive Review (operating models, SWOT, comparison grid)
Company Assessment (current setup, past success)
Marketing Strategy
Objectives (market share, operating scale, profitability)
Target Market
Value Proposition
Distinct Competency
Positioning
Marketing Mix (4 Ps)
Financial Plan
Pro-forma Income Statement
Sensitivity Analysis
Challenges / Risks
Additional Research Needed
Formatting Details

Papers should be typed in 11-point Times New Roman font
Text should be double-spaced and should not exceed fifteen (15) pages
Graphics and charts do not count towards the page limit and should be used liberally. They may be hand-drawn if necessary

I have attached a friend's paper for your reference. In Vitro Maturation case marketing plan, the case is different, but the paper structure, template and sections should be similar. (this is a good example)

I also attached a friend's paper for Webvan case from last year. Please only use it for reference like template, structure, but you can't copy anything from this paper. Because the professor has this paper, and you can't copy anything from this paper, only use it when you don't know the section meaning)

The WebVan Case is also attached in seperate file. Please read them carefully.

The paper should include graphs and tables, financials. Please see the first In Vitro Maturation example for the things you need to include.
There are faxes for this order.

Conduct an internal and external environmental analysis for your proposed business.

Create a SWOTT table summarizing your findings. Your environmental analysis should take into account, at a minimum, the following factors. For each factor, identify the one primary strength, weakness, opportunity, threat, and trend, and include it in your table.

External forces and trends considerations:

o Legal and regulatory
o Global
o Economic
o Technological
o Innovation
o Social
o Environmental
o Competitive analysis

Internal forces and trends considerations:

o Strategy
o Structures
o Processes and systems
o Resources
o Goals
o Strategic capabilities
o Culture
o Technologies
o Innovations
o Intellectual property
o Leadership

Write a 1,400 word synopsis in which you analyze at least seven of the forces and trends from the list above. Your analysis must include the following:

Include economic as well as legal and regulatory forces and trends.
Critique how well the organization adapts to change.
Analyze the supply chain operations of the organization.
Identify issues and/or opportunities:

o Identify the major issues and/or opportunities that the company faces based on your analysis above.
o Generate a hypothesis surrounding each issue and research questions to use for conducting analysis.
o Identify the circumstances surrounding each issue; classify the circumstances; attribute the importance of each classification; and test the accuracy of the importance for each classification.

Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines.

Below is my paper that I sumbitted for my Stategic Plan Part I of the plan: Order # A2055793


Conceptualizing a business
Mission statement
The companys mission is to develop a comprehensive portfolio in the timely delivery of products and services in the VoIP world and data wiring in partnership with customers and other industry leaders in order to provide high quality services of installation and repair of phone systems, automated attendants and voice mail systems, voice, data and fiber optical cable installation and networking service assistance to ensure customer satisfaction to help in the continued growth and prosperity of the company and its employees.
Vision
The vision is to become the preferred company in the provision of VoIP and data wiring
Values or guiding principles
Progressing, Skillful, Open, Knowledgeable, Empowering, Networking, Yielding Results, Accountable
How the vision, mission and values guide the organizations strategic direction
The company mission is important because it provides a lighthouse to the company and it reflects on the company culture so that the company can be able to look back and get back on track should it lose direction. When a company has a mission statement, it can refer to it regularly and it helps in ensuring the company is always meeting its set goals and objectives. The mission statement also helps in the formation of goals and objectives both in the long and short run. Companies which have mission statements have been found to perform up to their own set goals and objectives as compared to those which do not have a written mission statement.
From this mission statement, we can see that it embodies the values of the company which are customer service, quality, and partnership. It also has all the services and products that will be rendered by the company and thus the organization will be able to have a basis for evaluation both internally and externally.
According to Peter Senge (1990), the vision of an organization is a force in peoples hearts, a force of impressive power. Senge continued to expound that this force is as a result of the gap that exists between the vision of the organization and the organizations current situation and this is what provokes the creative tension between the people in the organization and is what drives them to the achievement of the goals and objectives of the organization.
By analyzing Senges thoughts on the organizations vision, it can be found that the vision is a strong and steady identity of the company or organization and although it is something that can never be 100% achieved, it provokes the positive progress in the organization. It strives to drive innovation and improvement in the organization in order to move towards the desired future. As per Collins and Porras (2002), the organizations vision encompasses both the core ideology and the future of the organization that is envisioned. The core ideology is the values and purpose of the organization and the envisioned future is the long term goals and descriptions of the organizations future.
The vision of the organization provides two key advantages. The first is that it provides a way which is effective for the organization to frame their action plan. The second advantage is that it promotes integration of the various functions of the organization.
The company values as envisioned by Collins and Porras (2002) is part of the core ideology of an organization. The core values of the organization are somewhat like the character or personality of the organization. They are the aspects of the organization which the company holds despite any changes in the market conditions or demands. Collins and Porras (2002) state that the values of an organization should stand to the question on whether the organization would still be willing to hold on to these values if they were a disadvantage to the organization itself.
Various researches that have been conducted have exemplarily shown that the companies which have succeeded are the ones which are guided by the company values. The core values of an organization reflect the functional ideologies in the company and they should not be alterable in any situation. Whether it is an economic downturn or increased competition (Huizing, Koster, & Bouman, 1997).
Collins and Porras (2002) state that the values are not just important. They are inherent to the overall company success. They are at the core of the company or organization and they help to guide the organization through their business activities. Since the values are meant to withstand changes in the business industry and market, they give a long term direction to the organization that does not change. In this sense, the values bring stability to the organization. They also guide the behavior of employees since they need to act in the correct way to uphold the company values. Lastly, the values provide a standard approach to the organizations activities. This is especially crucial for a multi-national organization or one which has several branches since the values will be similar for all the different stores or branches.
Evaluation of how the organization addresses customer needs and critique of how the company achieves competitive advantage
The company having evaluated the needs of the customers and market in general in terms of VoIP services and data wiring has come up with these innovative products to help it meet the customer needs. First is through the company being knowledgeable in the market which it is entering. This is achieved through the company and its employees being skilled and innovative in the provision, maintenance and installation of VoIP equipment and the various services embodied in the needs that are identified.
Secondly is through the company positioning itself as the premier provider of VoIP and data services. This is achieved through low pricing of the services. This is achieved through having low costs of production and other costs incurred by the organization or company. This will also help the organization to achieve competitive advantage.
The company aims to achieve competitive advantage through various ways. One is by having low costs thus enabling the company to provide their services and products at a low cost to the customer. The second way of achieving competitive advantage is the differentiation of the companys products and services.

References
Collins, J. C., & Porras, J. I. (2002). Built to last: successful habits ofvisionary companies. New York: HarperBusiness Essentials.
Huizing, A., Koster, E., & Bouman, W. (1997). Balance in Business Reengineering: An Empirical Study of Fit and Performance. Journal of Management Information Systems, 14(1), 93-118.
Senge, P. M. (1990). The fifth discipline: the art and practice of the learning organization. New York: Doubleday/Currency.

answer the question for the case write up

1) Evaluate the structure of the global wine industry. Hows it that structure is changing

2) Why are large alcoholic beverage firms such as Diageo, Foster;s and Aliied Domecq entering the premium wine business?
What advantages or disadvantages does Mondavi have relative to this business?

relate te case write up to some of the things i have learn in class (strategic analysis) such as: ONLY IF NECESSARY, DONT NEED TO USE ALL- THE MOST IMPORTANT IS TO ANSWER THE QUESTION
- strategic management process
- 5 porter forces
- Internal Resources (sustained Competitive advantage, SWOT analysis
There are faxes for this order.

Here are a few details that will need to be covered in this paper:

-Fluor and their Competition in the Construction Industry-

? Business Strategy(s) / Strengths of Fluor
? Company Information
? Competitive Tactics / Strategy / Advantage
? Corporate Strategy
? Differentiation Strategy
? Executive Leadership
? Financial Leverage
? Industry / Industry Information
? Market Position / Segmentation
? Strategic Decisions
? Porter?s Five Strategies / Forces
? Union Relations
? Outsourcing

www.fluor.com is their website, and a great place to begin. Fluor and their competition are currently working to rebuild Iraq, as well. Haliburton is an example of their competition.
This paper is for a Business Administration class; therefore, needs to be written with that in mind. My email address you can reach me at quickly is [email protected] for any questions, or call me at 740 646 0830 anytime.
I believe there will need to be appendices / footnotes and a table of contents page. If this is not clear please feel free to email or call. Thank you.