Capilano university north american business management

Briefing Report 1 – Strategic Context Name of the case: Using the template provided, complete a Strategic Context briefing. Suggestion: use the pink sheet to address each section. You can delete the questions from the template. You can use point form for your answers. Introduction A brief overview of the company, e.g. what it does, where is it located, key stakeholders, etc. Strategic Context – External Environment Answer the following questions using information from the case to support your answers: • What, if any, issues or factors is the firm facing in the broad environment? • What is the product or service? What function does it serve? What are the channels of distribution? • What is the industry size in units and dollars? How fast is it growing? Are products differentiated? Are there high exit barriers? Are there high fixed costs? These are some of the forces that determine the strength of competition among existing competitors. • Who are the major competitors? What are their market shares? In other words, is the industry consolidated or fragmented? • What are the basic strategies of competitors? How successful are they? Are competitors likely to retaliate to competitive moves or countermoves? How rapidly do they respond? • Who are the major customers of the industry? Are they powerful? What gives them power? • Who are the major suppliers to the industry? Are they powerful? What gives them power? • Do significant entry barriers exist? What are they? Are they effective in protecting existing competitors, thus enhancing profits? • Are there any close substitutes for industry products and services? Do they provide pressure on prices charged in this industry? Strategic Context – Internal Environment Answer the following questions using information from the case to support your answers: • What is the firm’s business model? • Who are the firm’s stakeholders? • What is the firm’s ownership structure? • What is the firm’s strategic direction – vision, mission, values and/or objectives? • What are the operating characteristics of the company, i.e. size of the company in sales, assets, and employees, its age, and its geographic locations (including international operations)? • Is the firm achieving a competitive advantage based on superior resources and capabilities in the areas of (1) superior management, (2) well -trained employees, (3) an excellent board of directors, (4) a high -performance culture, (5) superior financial resources, (6) effective knowledge-generating processes, or (7) the appropriate level and type of international involvement. • Is the firm achieving a competitive advantage from its primary value-chain activities? These activities include its (8) inbound logistics, (9) operations, (10) NABU470: North American Business Policy and Strategy 1 Briefing Report 1 – Strategic Context outbound logistics, (11) marketing and sales, and (12) service, as well as the support activities of (13) procurement, (14) technology development, (15) human resource management, and (16) administration. In addition, an organization may have (17) an excellent reputation, (18) a strong brand name, (19) patents and secrets, (20) excellent locations, (21) outstanding learning capabilities, or (22) strong or valuable ties • Does the firm have any financial strengths and/or weaknesses? Issues A list of the top two to three most relevant problems found in the case from a strategic perspective. APPENDICES NABU470: North American Business Policy and Strategy 2 ...