Cappella University Health Care Organizations Strategies Analysis Essay
The most widely used tool in conducting this evaluation is a TOWS
matrix. A well-executed TOWS analysis provides the basis for crafting
the organization's strategic plan. A key difference needs to be
addressed here. SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats)
analysis has been a popular way to display pertinent external issues
and internal strengths and weaknesses. This type of analysis involves
listing the organization's strengths and weaknesses and perceived
external opportunities and threats. SWOT, however, does not provide much
insight into what strategy decisions might result from the list of
strengths and weaknesses and opportunities and threats. As a result, the
TOWS matrix (threats, opportunities, weaknesses, and strengths) was
developed to provide a better way to develop and evaluate specific
adaptive strategic alternatives. This assignment provides an opportunity for you to complete a TOWS
matrix and corresponding analysis, as well as draft a high-level
strategic plan based on your TOWS matrix. By successfully completing this assignment, you will demonstrate
your proficiency in the following course competencies and assignment
criteria: Competency 1: Analyze organizational structure, design, culture, and climate in relation to environmental forces.
Incorporate methodologies from the knowledge-economy management approach in a strategic plan.Integrate recent strategy management research findings into a strategic plan. Competency 2: Develop a strategic organizational plan that
provides human and financial resources to support targeted
organizational outcomes.
Synthesize operational and financial components into a strategic planning process. Competency 3: Recommend an organizational structure and design to optimize a strategic plan.
Determine the organizational structure that best facilitates a chosen strategy. Competency 4: Communicate in a manner that is scholarly
professional, and consistent with expectations for professionals in
health care administration.
Create a clear, concise, well-organized, and professional TOWS matrix analysis and strategic plan draft.Apply proper APA formatting and style guidelines to citations and references. Scenario Your boss congratulates you on a fantastic job on the environmental
analysis. She now needs your help with the next step in developing a
strategic plan for the CEO—completing a TOWS matrix and accompanying
analysis. After completing the TOWS matrix and your analysis, your boss
also wants you to prepare a high-level, draft strategic plan for the
organization. You know that a TOWS matrix is a decision-making tool for
developing strategic alternatives. You also know that you will be better
able to develop a more effective strategic plan based on an in-depth
analysis and understanding of the current environment. Instructions Note: For this assignment, you will continue to work with the organization you selected in Unit 2. Complete this assignment in two parts: Part 1: TOWS Matrix and Analysis Complete a TOWS matrix and accompanying analysis. Download the TOWS
Analysis Worksheet, linked in the resources, and complete it for your
selected health care organization. Incorporate your findings from the current environmental analysis
you completed in Unit 3. Be sure to include a minimum of 3–5 items in
each quadrant of your matrix, which will give you a total of 15–20
identified and categorized items. After completing your matrix, summarize the findings from your
analysis of each of the four quadrants and develop a high-level, draft
strategic plan containing alternative strategies. Part 2: Draft Strategic Plan Prepare a high-level, draft strategic plan for your selected organization. The focus of this assignment is on applying the insights you have
gained from your TOWS matrix and the environmental analysis you
completed in Unit 3 to the strategic plan. The information from the four
quadrants of your matrix will serve as foundational criteria for
developing your draft plan. You must be able to look at your TOWS matrix results and then
formulate four overarching strategies with at least one operational goal
to support each strategy. Whether your strategies are to enhance the
strengths you have identified or to improve weaknesses, your draft
strategic plan must align with your organization's mission, vision, and
values. As you prepare your plan, it may be helpful to review common
strategies and goals many health care organizations develop and monitor.
Use the following document, linked in the Resources, to guide your
analysis of the TOWS results for your selected health care organization: Common Strategies and Goals Health Care Organizations Develop and Monitor. Include, with each of your strategies, the core assumptions
regarding environmental opportunities and threats, organizational
strengths and weaknesses, and organizational behavioral dynamics that
are foundational to the strategy. For example, consider: Service/product life cycle.Product development.Organizational culture.Available funding to execute strategies. Strategic Plan Requirements The requirements, outlined below, correspond to the grading
criteria in the TOWS Matrix Analysis and Strategic Plan Scoring Guide,
so be sure to address each point. Read the performance-level
descriptions for each criterion to see how your work will be assessed. Incorporate methodologies from the knowledge-economy management approach in a strategic plan appropriate for your organization.Integrate recent strategy management research findings into your strategic plan.Synthesize operational and financial components into your strategic planning process.Include your determination of the organizational structure
(functional, divisional, or matrix) that best facilitates your
strategies.Create a clear, concise, well-organized, and professional TOWS matrix analysis and strategic plan draft.Apply proper APA formatting and style guidelines to citations and references. Document Formats Prepare your TOWS matrix analysis and draft strategic plan using a
familiar and appropriate document format used by health care
organizations, such as a memo, business report, or white paper. Page Length Requirements Your TOWS matrix should be 1–2 pages in length.Your TOWS matrix analysis should be 4–5 pages in length (roughly one page per quadrant).Your draft strategic plan should be 1–2 pages in length. Supporting Evidence Health care is an evidence-based field. Consequently, readers of
these documents will want to know the sources of your information, so be
sure to include applicable, APA-formatted source citations and
references. Submission Requirements Submit all three documents for this assignment: 1) TOWS matrix, 2)
TOWS matrix analysis, and 3) draft strategic plan. Remember: you do not
need to submit your practice matrix from Unit 4. Proofread each document to minimize errors that could distract
readers and make it more difficult for them to focus on the substance of
your work. Portfolio Prompt: You may choose to save your TOWS matrix analysis to your ePortfolio.