Strategy and Alignment

Unsatisfactory

70 – 77%

(C- to C)

Emerging

78 – 82%

(C+ to B-)

Proficient

83 – 89%

(B to B+)

Exemplary

90 – 100 %

(A- to A)

Score

To calculate score:

(% / 100) x max pts.

e.g.

(80% / 100) x 12 = 9.6

Summarize the significant findings of your analyses. A concise and insightful summary of the significant findings of your analysis findings and the recommendations you have for your executive team.

(Course Objective [CO] 1, 3)

Executive summary is unclear or incomplete throughout. The overview only addresses some of the findings from the analyses, or the findings discussed are inaccurate.

Executive summary is somewhat unclear or is slightly incomplete. It provides a broad overview of the findings from the analyses.

Executive summary is clear, complete, and provides an accurate overview of the most significant findings from all the analyses.

Executive summary is clear, thorough, and concise. It provides an insightful overview of all significant, both apparent and subtle, findings from all the analyses.

/ 52 pts

Identify the most important Strategic Issues facing your business unit.

CO 1,3

Too many apparent Strategic Issues are missing, or issues identified are inappropriate to the business or too vague.

Examples, evidence, and information gathered in previous assignments are present, but they do not clearly support issues identified and/or they are inappropriate in relation to Strategic Issues.

Most of the apparent Strategic Issues are identified, but some are missing. Many are specific, but some are slightly vague.

Examples, evidence, and information gathered in previous assignments are used, but how they support issues identified and/or their explanation must be inferred.

The most apparent Strategic Issues are identified. They are specific and detailed in a brief explanation.

Specific examples, evidence, and information gathered in previous assignments are appropriately used to support issues identified and/or their explanation.

The most important, but apparent and subtle, Strategic Issues are identified. They are insightful, focused, and detailed in a brief explanation.

Specific examples, evidence, and information gathered in both the previous assignments and in external research are used to illustrate or support issues identified and/or their explanation.

/ 60 pts

Represent all misalignments found in the following categories: Product portfolio, Structure, Organizational culture/behavior, Value chain actions, Performance measures

CO 1,4

Identifies a few strategic misalignments appropriately, but many are either missing or inaccurate. It describes elements of the organization that do not align with the strategy, but some are inaccurate or severely incomplete. Too many misalignments are missing relevant facts or findings from the research; its impact on organizational performance is stated but inaccurate or unreasonable.

Collectively, the misalignments address many of the following categories, but they do not represent an appropriate or complete review: product portfolio, structure, organization culture/behavior, value chain actions, and performance measures.

Examples, evidence, and information gathered in previous assignments are present, but they do not clearly support misalignment diagnosis and analysis and/or they are inappropriate.

Identifies most strategic misalignments appropriately and describes elements of the organization that do not align with the strategy, but more specificity is needed. Most misalignments are diagnosed using relevant facts and findings from the research, and its impact on organizational performance is stated, but is unclear or incomplete.

Collectively, the misalignments represent a broad review of the following categories, but more specificity is needed in a few: product portfolio, structure, organization culture/behavior, value chain actions, and performance measures.

Examples, evidence, and information gathered in previous assignments are used, but how they support misalignment diagnosis and analysis must be inferred.

Identifies strategic misalignments and describes elements of the organization that do not align with the strategy. Each misalignment is diagnosed using relevant facts and findings from the research and previous assignments, and its impact on organizational performance is clearly stated.

Collectively, the misalignments represent a complete review of the following categories: product portfolio, structure, organization culture/behavior, value chain actions, and performance measures.

Specific examples, evidence, and information gathered in previous assignments are appropriately used to support misalignment diagnosis and analysis.

Identifies strategic misalignments describes elements of the organization that do not align with the strategy. Each misalignment is diagnosed using relevant facts and findings from previous assignments or external research, and its impact on organizational performance is clearly stated.

Collectively, the misalignments represent a critical review of the following categories: product portfolio, structure, organization culture/behavior, value chain actions, and performance measures.

Analysis demonstrates strong systems thinking that sees organizational performance as the result of group behavior that is shaped by the work setting and the elements that create it.

Specific examples, evidence, and information gathered in the previous assignments, the course material, and in external research are used to support misalignment diagnosis and analysis.

Provide recommendations for Strategic Issue and explain how it will resolve the issue.

CO 2, 3

Recommendations for each Strategic Issue are present, but too many are unclear in their explanation. Many recommendations are inappropriate for either the issue or the business at hand.

Explanation of how the recommendation will resolve the issue is present, but unreasonable or severely incomplete.

Examples, evidence, and information gathered in previous assignments are present, but they do not clearly support recommendations and their effect and/or they are inappropriate.

Recommendations for each Strategic Issue are present, but some are either too vague or not clearly explained. Most recommendations are appropriate for both the issue and the business at hand.

Explanation of how the recommendation will resolve the issue is present and reasonable, but is unclear or somewhat incomplete.

Examples, evidence, and information gathered in previous assignments are used, but how they support recommendations and their effect must be inferred.

Recommendations for each Strategic Issue are specific, focused, and clearly explained. Each is appropriate for both the issue and the business at hand.

Explanation of how the recommendation will resolve the issue is clear, complete, and reasonable.

Specific examples, evidence, and information gathered in previous assignments are appropriately used to support recommendations and their effect.

Recommendations for each Strategic Issue are specific, insightful, thoughtful, and clearly explained. Each is appropriate for both the issue and the business at hand.

Explanation of how the recommendation will resolve the issue is clear, thoughtful, and reasonable.

Specific examples, evidence, and information gathered in previous assignments, in external research, and material gathered in class, are used to illustrate or support recommendations and their effect.

Executive Summary and Recommendations Synthesis and Presentation:

CO 1,2,3

Arguments and supporting facts are not clearly linked nor presented in a logical sequence.

Arguments not supported by relevant data. Contradictions in argument and data appear.

Most material is properly referenced and cited according to APA standards. Errors are infrequent, isolated, and minor.

Arguments not fully supported by relevant data, or contain broad assumptions not supported by facts.

Executive Summary exceeds prescribed page length.

Arguments and supporting facts are not always clearly linked and presented in a logical sequence, leading to confusion.

Most material is properly referenced and cited according to APA standards. Errors are infrequent, isolated, and minor.

Arguments and supporting facts are presented logically and in a natural sequence.

Summary presents and follows a consistent theme and style

Writing style is concise, fact-based and eliminates clutter such as jargon, overly descriptive adjectives and dramatic phrases.

All material is properly referenced and cited according to APA standards.

Presentation includes simple tables, graphs, or other visuals that simplify complex or large amounts of information.

All material is properly referenced and cited according to APA standards.

/ 48 pts

Academic Writing

Writing is unclear and disorganized and rereading to solidify understanding is frequently necessary. Although an attempt at ethical scholarship is attempted, it is sloppy or incomplete throughout.  Spelling, grammar, or punctuation errors severely interfere with readers’ comprehension.

Writing is somewhat clear and is somewhat organized, although rereading to solidify understanding is occasionally necessary.  It demonstrates an attempt at ethical scholarship in accurate representation and attribution of sources, but errors are occasional or minor. Writing has good spelling, grammar, and punctuation, but errors somewhat interfere with readers’ comprehension.

Writing is clear, concise, and in an organized manner; demonstrates ethical scholarship in accurate representation and attribution of sources; and displays accurate spelling, grammar, and punctuation.

Writing is clear, concise, and in an organized manner; demonstrates ethical scholarship in accurate representation and attribution of sources; and displays accurate spelling, grammar, and punctuation.

/ 36 pts

PowerPoint Presentation

PowerPoint presentation is unclear or incomplete throughout. Only addresses some of the findings and recommendations or those addressed are inaccurate.

Does not include all of the required elements: Title, Agenda, Summary of Audit, Recommendations, Key Measurements, Risks and Benefits, Call to Action, Next Steps.

PowerPoint presentation is somewhat unclear or is slightly incomplete. It provides a broad overview of the findings and recommendations.

Includes most of the required elements: Title, Agenda, Summary of Audit, Recommendations, Key Measurements, Risks and Benefits, Call to Action, Next Steps.

PowerPoint presentation is clear, complete, and provides an accurate summary of the audit and recommendations of the most significant findings from all the analyses.

Includes all of the required elements: Title, Agenda, Summary of Audit, Recommendations, Key Measurements, Risks and Benefits, Call to Action, Next Steps.

Power Point Presentation summarizes the audit and recommendations in a compelling manner that persuades senior management to explore and possibly implement recommendations.

Includes all of the required elements: Title, Agenda, Summary of Audit, Recommendations, Key Measurements, Risks and Benefits, Call to Action, Next Steps.

/44 pts

Total

/ 360 pts

This module is designed to help you explore strategic literacy. You will explore and analyze the criticality of alignment around the plan, the people or employees, demand from the marketplace, and economic indicators.

Key concepts in this Module

· Strategic Alignment—Involves ensuring the company has the right resources, market, and goals to achieve its vision through operational performance. It is not limited to but should include marketing, branding, alliances, mergers or acquisitions, integration, product development, diversification or divestiture, and globalization.

· Organization Structure—This is often dictated by the size, roles, etc. Most often the structure is a hierarchy that arranges authority outlining or determining responsibilities, duties, and rights based on position. Structure also influences how information is shared, processes are managed, and decisions are made. Structure heavily influences how an organization operates and delivers its services and goods.

· RAEW analysis—A responsibility, authority, expertise, and work analysis is the process that helps identify structural misalignments that may impede strategy execution. These include not moving fast enough with decisions, bad processes or having responsibility for something but not the right skill set to execute, lack of expertise. The most common issues include the following:

· Authority with no responsibility

· Responsibility with no authority

· Responsibility with no expertise

Using the navigation on the left, please proceed to the next page.

· Synthesize a wide variety of economic, financial, and qualitative data to draw actionable managerial conclusions that convince others of your position and analytical conclusions.

· Identify actions that effectively integrate the primary business disciplines cross functionally to move the organization toward its mission and strategic goals, while being consistent with professional standards, social norms, and corporate ethics.

· Analyze a business situation as a team member or leader, assess the optimal leadership style, and communicate its organizational impact.

· Analyze the complexity of ethical situations and corporate social responsibility and their impact on decision-making in business.

· Analyze and apply practical strategic business principles, models, and theories to diverse and complex organizational situations.

Strategic Literacy and Performance

Strategic literacy refers to the ability of the people or employees within an organization to be able to understand and execute to the company’s business goals (Tailwind, 2011). It is critical that everyone, no matter at what level in the organization, is literate about the company goals and how their job relates back to impacting the goals and the overall performance of the organization.

As you have learned throughout this course, an understanding of internal and external factors and alignment around a right-fit strategy is critical. All too often companies are aligned around the mission and values, but not necessarily the long-term strategy. Problems arise when companies are not aligned with the critical strategic imperatives needed to achieve the vision. Often executives and managers might agree on the “What” but not on the “How.”

The vision for any business needs to be translated into a workable framework that everyone can understand and ultimately execute. 
Senior leaders often struggle with getting everyone on the same page so that they are engaged and fully aligned. Enabling your team to collaborate around a single strategy involves a lot of moving parts.

Strategic Performance

Strategic performance is what occurs between your intent—what you want to do—and its execution by your people. The translation process is essential and constantly has to be managed to ensure total organizational alignment. Without a managed process that gets regular attention, there are too many opportunities for misinterpretation. This results in misalignment and fake work where employees do work that is not related to the goals and strategic direction of the company.

Tailwind Consulting. (2011). Introducing strategic literacy. Retrieved from

Using the navigation on the left, please proceed to the next page.

Your Strategic Audit

A strategy audit involves assessing the actual direction of a business and comparing that course to the direction required to succeed in a changing environment. A company’s actual direction is the sum of what it does and does not do, how well the organization is internally aligned to support the strategy, and how viable the strategy is when compared to the external market, competitors, and financial realities. These two categories, the internal assessment and the external or environmental assessment, make up the major elements of a strategy audit.

In this module, you will deliver your strategic audit LASA 2 assignment. This is considered some of the most important work in your MBA program. The ability to conduct a strategic audit further positions you, as the learner, as not just being able to understand but to take the knowledge and execute into action. This is where theory and concept make meaning as they are translated into actionable results. In the marketplace, knowledge and understanding are critical, but even more so is the ability to apply and “do” something that enables the organization to assess, realign, and take action to thrive and grow.

The strategy audit is a comprehensive analysis of the company’s business strategy and operating performance. It culminates in a series of recommendations for improving a company’s performance based on the findings and conclusions of a thorough analysis. Whether you are an experienced or developing business professional, by completing this important project, you have added to your portfolio of critical business skills.

Using the navi

gation on the left
, please proceed to the next page.

How to write a strategic plan (very helpful

for LASA 2!)
 

http://www.cwc.org/market/mkt4.htm
 
and
 
http://managementhelp.org/strategicplanning/writing-plan.htm
 
 

How to write report findings

http://www.ehow.com/how_8018125_write-report-findings-recommendations.html
 

Business report writing

http://www.jamesabela.co.uk/bus/reportwriting.html
 

How to write recommendations

http://www.ehow.com/how_5847636_write-recommendations-report.html
 
and
 
http://www.iupui.edu/~cyber231/W231_student/Recommendation%20Report.html
 

How to write action plans

http://www.brighthub.com/office/project-management/articles/109598.aspx

  Finds and Action Plans

Deborah Shearer

6/16/2013 12:00 AM

You can use this type of table to link your findings, recommendations, and action plans together.

Findings

Recommendations
 
The findings have led to these recommendations based on the strategic audit

Action Plans
 
Based on analysis, the following plans are provided to address the findings and recommendations of this audit.
 

Finding 1
 
The following finding is based on…. :
 
 
Say what you are basing the finding on (such as a threat in the SWOT, your external environment research, etc.)
 
 
State the finding
 

Finding 2
 
 

  Module 7: Paper Organization

6/15/2013 12:00 AM

I have been getting questions on the last paper. Here are some tips (also review the LASA 2 announcements):

Executive Summary

Have an executive summary

Introduction

Have an introduction explaining the strategic audit and the types of analysis you completed.

Explain the organization of this paper

Body

Summarize the information from the previous modules to set a context.

Add analysis information in appendix material.

· Strategic Issues and Recommendations (5 pages): Identify 5–7 most important strategic issues facing your business unit. Strategic issues arise from a mismatch between internal capabilities and external trends such that important opportunities are not being pursued or significant external threats are not being addressed under the current strategy

Appendix Material (summarize in the body of your paper)

· SWOT Analysis (2 pages—completed in Module 6): SWOT matrix illustrating strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.

· Balanced Scorecard / Strategy Scorecard (4 pages—completed in Module 6): Develop a Balanced Scorecard for your business unit that reflects the key drivers for your business strategy.

· Organizational Assessment (3 pages—completed in Module 5)

· External Environmental Scan and Five Forces Analysis (3 pages—completed in Module 3)

· Market Position Analysis (3 pages—completed in Module 2)

Conclusion

Summarize your findings  and provide a review of your recommendations

  Module 7: Strategy Maps

Strategy Maps: http://mcknightkaney.com/Strategy_Maps_Primer.html

Strategy Maps: http://www.12manage.com/methods_strategy_maps_strategic_communication.html

  Strategic Audit

6/13/2013 12:00 AM

Nice summary and helpful questions to address in the final paper:

http://www.improvementandinnovation.com/features/article/why-your-business-needs-strategy-audit-and-how-do-it/

And

http://knoji.com/business-strategy-how-to-conduct-a-comprehensive-business-strategy-review/