MGMT615

Instructions: A written research paper in APA format, a minimum of 6-10 pages will be submitted during week 8. Be certain in writing that you adhere to APA citation guidelines (in text and Reference). Make sure to proofread carefully. Grammar and spelling errors will impact the grading. Minimum of 5 scholarly peer reviewed journal articles must be included (I expect an extensive reference list of at least 10 references (books, journals, interviews, etc.) to be included). The paper is a Strategic Plan of your organization. The paper will be worth 30% of your grade. Please read the following for the design and requirements of the Strategic Plan:
The Strategic Plan of your organization should contain the following:
ORGANIZATIONAL ANALYSIS
This section will present your identification of the firm’s strengths and weaknesses, which emanate from your value chain and functional analyses. There is a maximum of five strengths and five weaknesses and your presentation of them should be prioritized. Exhibits are effective tools to provide strong support for each strength and weakness. Please be as specific as possible and quantify your analysis where appropriate. This section will provide the first part of the foundation for your identification of strategic issues and related recommendations through your analysis of the organization’s core competencies, competitive advantages and organizational weaknesses.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS
This section will present your identification of the major external threats and opportunities currently facing the organization. These will be generated from your analysis of the industry and general environmental factors in light of the organization’s strengths and weaknesses. A maximum of five threats and five opportunities should be identified and should be presented in a prioritized order. Use power point exhibits to support your analysis, be specific and quantify your analysis where possible. This section will provide the second part of the foundation for your identification of a strategic issue and the formulation of related recommendations through your analysis of driving forces, key success factors and industry attractiveness.
STRATEGIC ISSUES AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Identify and fully support and discuss the most important strategic issue facing your organization. It is extremely important that you clearly integrate the strategic issue with your analysis to the organization’s SWOT. There often interrelationships between particular weaknesses and threats or missed opportunities, which should be recognized. It’s possible that 2 different weaknesses, 1 threat and 1 opportunity could be combined, due to their relatedness, to form one strategic issue.
Similarly, your recommendations should attempt to capitalize and build upon strengths, competitive advantages and opportunities that you identified. The point is to clearly ground your issue and recommendations with the internal and external analyses.