JWI 540: Strategy
Assignment 1
Assignment 1: Where to Play: Playing Field, Competition & Your Organization
Due Week 4, Sunday, midnight of your time zone (Weight: 25%)
Introduction
“Find out everything that you can about the playing field.
You should know what your competitors’ salespeople eat for breakfast.”
– Jack Welch –
As the Chief Strategy Officer of your company, you have been commissioned to recommend a game-winning
move that will allow your company to achieve strong revenue and profit growth and to create a sustainable
competitive advantage. Although your game-winning move will not be presented to the CEO until Week 10, you
have been asked to provide written executive briefs on your progress in Weeks 4 and 8.
You want to impress the CEO and your colleagues with your insights and recommendations! You know that the
best way to do this is to follow Jack’s logical 5-slide approach to strategy. Since there will be two interim
updates, you have decided to focus your Week 4 executive brief on the Playing Field, the Competition, and Your
Organization. You will focus your Week 8 executive brief on What’s Around the Corner? and your GameWinning Move. You will then synthesize your findings and recommendation into five PowerPoint slides for your
presentation in Week 10. At the culmination of this three-part strategy assignment, you will have a clearly
articulated and persuasive game plan to win!
Instructions for Assignment 1
Using the Assignment 1 Template, address the following:
1. Introduction and Playing Field Description: Provide an opening paragraph that explains the purpose
of your brief, then detail the specific target segment of the market where you are choosing to compete.
You should ensure the target segment is sufficiently large to achieve your company’s sales and profit
growth objectives, but sufficiently focused so that your company can intimately understand market
characteristics and compete effectively. The template provided for this assignment guides you on how
to organize relevant information, including:
a. Your company
b. The industry for your organization of choice
c. The market size of this industry
d. Specific description of the segment of this industry in which you will compete (the Playing Field)
e. Brief explanation of why you selected this segment.
© Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University confidential and proprietary information and may not be
copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed, in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of Strayer University. This document
is subject to change based on the needs of the class.
JWI 540 – Assignment 1 (1214)
Page 1 of 5
JWI 540: Strategy
Assignment 1
2. Competitive Analysis: In this section you will identify the two most formidable competitors in your
playing field and address the following for each:
a. How big is each competitor in this target segment?
b. What is their most significant strength and their most significant weakness?
c. Briefly explain how this strength and this weakness impact their ability to compete effectively.
d. Does their recent performance indicate they are generally winning or losing in this playing field?
Support your conclusions with data.
e. Has anyone (including new market entrants) introduced any game-changing new
products/technology/capabilities? Have they developed (or lost) a key competitive advantage?
3. Organizational Assessment; In this section you will “turn the mirror around” and look inward to assess
the capabilities and competencies of your chosen organization. Briefly address the following:
a. How big are we in this target segment?
b. What is our most significant strength and our most significant weakness?
c. Briefly explain how this strength and this weakness impact our ability to compete effectively.
d. Do our recent results indicate we are generally winning or losing in this playing field? Support
your conclusions with data.
e. Have we introduced game-changing new products/technology/capabilities? Have we developed
(or lost) a key competitive advantage?
4. Key Conclusions: Provide a succinct conclusion that captures your critical insights about the target
segment and the relative competitive balance of the three companies you analyzed.
5. References: Include in-text citations for all data, assertions, and facts, and a corresponding reference
list. Appendices are allowable if additional supplemental information is needed for the brief.
Formatting and Submission Requirements
• Use the Assignment 1 Template to complete this assignment. Ensure you address each element of the
template.
• The submitted template should be 2 to 3 pages (not including the cover page or appendixes/references
page).
• Typed, single-spaced, professional font (size 10 – 12) with one-inch margins on all sides.
• Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, your name, professor’s name, and the course
title and date.
• Use and reference at least 3 external sources to support your brief. Include a references page at the
end documenting sources and citations.
• You may use additional headings within the template to identify subtopics if this will improve the clarity of
your template.
• You are welcome to include charts, tables, and graphs in-text or in an appendix.
• Develop and support your research with facts and in-text citations, appendixes, and references.
© Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University confidential and proprietary information and may not be
copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed, in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of Strayer University. This document
is subject to change based on the needs of the class.
JWI 540 – Assignment 1 (1214)
Page 2 of 5
JWI 540: Strategy
Assignment 1
RUBRIC: Assignment 1
Criteria
Unsatisfactory
1. Complete the
Playing Field
section of the
template to
identify and
explain the size
of, and rationale
for, the target
segment where
you will
compete
The Playing Field
portion of the
template is missing
or is unsatisfactorily
populated; contains
inaccurate or
incomplete
information in two or
more sections.
Weight: 20%
Rationale for
playing field
selection does not
provide satisfactory
explanation to
support the position.
Low Pass
The Playing Field
portion of the
template meets
minimal
requirements but is
missing key in
segmentation of the
market.
lacks a complete
definition of the
playing field
or
includes only basic
information on
market size and
segmentation
Rationale does not
provide satisfactory
explanation to
support the position.
The Competitor
section of the
template is missing
or is unsatisfactorily
populated.
Contains irrelevant of
unclear content.
Weight: 30%
The Playing Field
portion of the
template is
satisfactorily
populated with no
more than one
incomplete
component.
or
Fails to explain
conformance to the
company’s current
competencies and
operations.
2. Complete the
Competitor
sections of the
template to
demonstrate
your knowledge
of each
competitor and
their position in
the Playing Field.
Pass
Recommended
Playing Field
definition
demonstrates basic
ability to segment
the market.
Recommendation of
Playing Field
selection is
appropriately sized
and conforms to the
company’s current
competencies and
operations.
Rationale is logical
and is clear but may
be lack conciseness
or persuasiveness.
High Pass
The Playing Field
portion of the
template is
completely
populated.
The Playing Field
portion of the
template is
completely
populated.
Recommended
Playing Field
definition
demonstrates a
strong
understanding of
the segmentation of
the market.
Recommended
Playing Field
definition
demonstrates
exceptional
understanding of
the segmentation of
the market
Recommendation
presents an
appropriately sized
segment and
conforms to the
company’s current
competencies and
operations.
Recommendation
presents an
appropriately sized
Playing Field that
strongly conforms to
the company’s
current
competencies and
operations.
Rationale is clear,
concise, logical, and
persuasive.
At least 6 of the 10
Competitor fields are
satisfactorily
populated.
At least 8 of the 10
Competitor fields are
satisfactorily
populated.
All 10 Competitor
fields of the template
are satisfactorily
populated
The size of one or
more of the
Competitors is
missing and/or
partially described or
does not include a
recognized measure
of organizational
size.
The size of each
Competitor is
satisfactorily
described and uses a
recognized measure
of organizational
size.
Size of each
Competitor is well
described with at
least one relevant
measure of
organizational size.
Strengths and
weaknesses, recent
performance, or
major developments
are missing or do not
demonstrate an
understanding of how
these elements affect
their ability to
compete.
Strengths and
weaknesses, recent
performance, and
major developments
for each competitor is
present but may lack
insights regarding
how these elements
affect their ability to
compete.
Honors
Strengths,
weaknesses, recent
performance, and
major developments
for each selected
Competitor provide
good insights into
how these elements
affect their ability to
effectively compete.
Rationale is
extremely clear,
concise, logical, and
persuasive.
All 10 Competitor
fields of the template
are completely
populated.
Size of each
Competitor is
exceptionally well
described and may
include more than
one relevant
measure of
organizational size
that can be
compared against the
organization and both
Competitors included
in the briefing.
Demonstrates
exceptional insight
into the relative
strengths,
weaknesses,
performance, and
major developments
of selected
Competitors and how
these elements affect
their ability to
compete.
© Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University confidential and proprietary information and may not be
copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed, in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of Strayer University. This document
is subject to change based on the needs of the class.
JWI 540 – Assignment 1 (1214)
Page 3 of 5
JWI 540: Strategy
Assignment 1
Criteria
3. Complete the
Our Organization
section of the
template.
Demonstrate
knowledge of the
company and its
competitiveness
in the Playing
Field.
Unsatisfactory
Low Pass
This section of the
template is missing
or is unsatisfactorily
populated. Contains
irrelevant or unclear
content.
At least 3 of the 5
fields are
satisfactorily
populated.
At least 4 of the 5
fields are
satisfactorily
populated.
All fields of the
template are
satisfactorily
populated.
The size of the
Organization is
missing and/or
partially described or
does not include a
recognized measure
of organizational
size.
Organizational size is
satisfactorily
described and uses a
recognized measure
of organizational
size.
Organizational size is
well described with at
least one relevant
measure of
organizational size.
Weight: 20%
Strengths and
weaknesses, recent
performance, or
major developments
are missing or do not
demonstrate an
understanding of how
these elements affect
the organization’s
ability to compete.
4. Provide an
effective and
persuasive
conclusion that
is “fit for use” for
a CEO.
Weight: 15%
The conclusion is
missing or is an
unsatisfactory
distillation of the
template that does
not provide a
sufficient level of
strategic insights and
conclusions.
The conclusion is a
partial distillation of
the template with
some important and
relevant strategic
insights and
conclusions.
Pass
Strengths and
weaknesses, recent
performance, and
major developments
for the company is
present but may lack
insights regarding
how these elements
affect their ability to
compete.
The conclusion is a
satisfactory
distillation of the
template with
important and
relevant strategic
insights and
conclusions.
The assertions may
lack some clarity or
conciseness and/or
may not be highly
persuasive.
High Pass
Strengths,
weaknesses, recent
performance, and
major developments
of the company
provide good insights
into how these
elements affect its
ability to effectively
compete.
.
Honors
All fields of the
template are
completely
satisfactorily
populated.
Organizational size is
exceptionally well
described and may
include more than
one relevant
measure of
organizational size
that can be
compared to the size
of the competitors
included in the
briefing.
Demonstrates
exceptional insight
into the relative
strengths,
weaknesses,
performance, and
major developments
of the company and
how these elements
affect its ability to
compete.
The conclusion is a
very good distillation
of the template with
important and
relevant strategic
insights and
conclusions and is
presented succinctly
and persuasively to
the CEO.
The conclusion is an
excellent distillation
of the template with
important and
relevant strategic
insights and
conclusions and is
presented succinctly
and persuasively to
the CEO.
The conclusion does
not include
extraneous data that
would not be relevant
or important to the
CEO.
The conclusion does
not include
extraneous data that
would not be relevant
or important to the
CEO.
© Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University confidential and proprietary information and may not be
copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed, in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of Strayer University. This document
is subject to change based on the needs of the class.
JWI 540 – Assignment 1 (1214)
Page 4 of 5
JWI 540: Strategy
Assignment 1
Criteria
5. Present
information
professionally
within the threepage limit, and
support
recommendations,
assertions, and
facts with in-text
citations,
appendixes, and
references.
Weight: 15%
Unsatisfactory
Executive Brief lacks
a professional
appearance and/or
contains multiple
spelling or
grammatical and
mechanical usage
errors.
Most
recommendations,
assertions, and facts
are not supported
with in-text citations,
appendixes, and
references.
Low Pass
Executive Brief is
satisfactory in
appearance.
Has a few
grammatical and
mechanical usage
errors that make
parts of the text
difficult for the reader
to understand.
Some
recommendations,
assertions, and facts
are supported with intext citations,
appendixes, and
references.
Pass
Executive Brief is
well-written and
generally
professional in
appearance.
May contain minor
grammatical and
mechanical usage
errors, but these do
not have a major
impact on the flow or
clarity.
Most
recommendations,
assertions, and facts
are supported with intext citations,
appendixes, and
references.
High Pass
Honors
Executive Brief is
succinct and wellwritten and within the
three-page limit
(excluding cover,
references, and
appendices) and
professional in
appearance.
Executive Brief is
succinct and wellwritten and within the
three-page limit
(excluding cover,
references, and
appendices) and very
professional in
appearance.
Grammatical and
mechanical usage
errors, if any, are
minor and have no
impact on the flow.
There are no
grammatical or
mechanical usage
errors.
Nearly all of
recommendations,
assertions, and facts
are supported with intext citations,
appendixes, and
references.
All recommendations,
assertions, and facts
are exemplarily
supported with in-text
citations, appendixes,
and references.
© Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University confidential and proprietary information and may not be
copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed, in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of Strayer University. This document
is subject to change based on the needs of the class.
JWI 540 – Assignment 1 (1214)
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