The foundations of strategic planning include a diverse group of theories, models, and real-world application opportunities. One of the most crucial skills for a strategic planning professional is knowing not only how to implement a plan, but why it is necessary. Part of this skill can also involve business professionals taking into account potential strategic planning considerations like benefits, challenges, and possible reasons not to use it at all. To prepare for this Assignment, consider the need for and importance of strategic planning in an organization. Further, consider any potential ramifications of strategic planning, including both minor and major organizational changes. Be sure to consider your experience as a business practitioner and independent scholar in developing your perspective.Submit a 3- to 5-page evaluation of the benefits and challenges of implementing strategic planning within an organization. Your evaluation should include the following:What are the steps of the strategic planning cycle? Be sure to include a condensed description of the value of each step to a professional organization.What are the long-term business benefits of strategic planning?What are the unique hurdles that companies need to be aware of when implementing the foundations of strategic planning? Explain with specific examples from scholarly sources.Based on your research and/or personal experience, would there ever be a reason why an organization would benefit from not utilizing strategic planning? Provide a rationale for your answer with specific examples from scholarly sources.Note: Be sure to use the APA Course Paper Template (6th ed.), found in this week’s Learning Resources, to complete this Assignment. Also, refer to the Week 1 Assignment Rubric for specific grading elements and criteria. Your Instructor will use this rubric to assess your work. Please Note: For each page of your paper, you must include a minimum of two APA-formatted scholarly citations.Required ReadingsDyer, J. H., Godfrey, P., Jensen, R., & Bryce, D. (2016). Strategic management: Concepts and tools for creating real world strategy. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.Chapter 1: “What Is Business Strategy?” (pp. 2–19)Chapter 2: “Analysis of the External Environment: Opportunities and Threats” (pp. 20–45)Case 01: “Walmart Stores: Gaining and Sustaining Competitive Advantage” (pp. C-2–C-11)Ali Mahdi, H. A., Abbas, M., Mazar, T. I., & George, S. (2015). A comparative analysis of strategies and business models of Nike, Inc. and Adidas Group with special reference to competitive advantage in the context of a dynamic and competitive environment. International Journal of Business Management & Economic Research, 6(3), 167–177. Retrieved from http://www.ijbmer.com/Note: Retrieved from the Walden Library databases. Bereznoi, A. (2014). Business model innovation in corporate competitive strategy. Problems of Economic Transition, 57(8), 14–33. doi:10.1080/10611991.2014.1042313Note: Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.Walden University. (2015). APA course paper template (6th ed.). Retrieved from http://academicguides.waldenu.edu/ld.php?content_i... Required MediaOlsen, E. [virtualstrategist]. (2012, September 5). Overview of the strategic planning process [Video file]. Retrieved from Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 5 minutes. Sull, D. (2012, August 14). Simplify your strategy [Video file]. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2012/08/simplify-your-strategy.htm...Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 3 minutes. Optional ResourcesOlsen, E. [virtualstrategist]. (2012, April 9). What is strategic planning, really? [Video file]. Retrieved from Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 4 minutes.

Mergers and AcquisitionsGrading for this assignment will be based on answer quality, logic / organization of the paper, and language and writing skills, using the following rubric.Use the Internet to research a publicly traded company in the United States that has undergone a merger or acquisition within the last three (3) years. Take note of the circumstances surrounding the merger or acquisition. Write a four to six (4-6) page paper in which you:Examine the circumstances that resulted in the merger or acquisition for the selected company. Speculate on two (2) reasons why the resulting decision to merge or to acquire / be acquired was made.Assess the significant positive (or negative) effects of the merger or acquisition. Provide at least two (2) examples of those effects now that the merger or acquisition has been completed.Examine the organizational structure that has resulted from the merger or acquisition. Analyze the major differences between the resulting company and the original two (2) organizations.Determine whether or not the human resources management practices of the company were modified to reflect the outcome of the merger or acquisition. If no changes were necessary, speculate on the reasons why they were not. Provide a rationale for your response.Use at least four (4) academic quality resources in this assignment. Note: Wikipedia does not qualify as an academic resource. Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required assignment page length. The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are:Evaluate the different forms of business ownership to determine the optimal structure in different scenarios and the process for a business start-up.Integrate the core human resource management functions and considerations into viable recommendations to meet the organization’s operating requirements.Use technology and information resources to research issues in contemporary business.Write clearly and concisely about contemporary business using proper writing mechanics.Grading for this assignment will be based on answer quality, logic / organization of the paper, and language and writing skills, using the following rubric foundGrading for this assignment will be based on answer quality, logic / organization of the paper, and language and writing skills, using the following rubric.Points: 200Assignment 2: Mergers and AcquisitionsCriteriaUnacceptableBelow 70% FFair70-79% CProficient80-89% BExemplary90-100% A1. Examine the circumstances that resulted in the merger or acquisition for the selected company. Speculate on two (2) reasons why the resulting decision to merge or to acquire / be acquired was made.Weight: 20%Did not submit or incompletely examined the circumstances that resulted in the merger or acquisition for the selected company. Did not submit or incompletely speculated on two (2) reasons why the resulting decision to merge or to acquire / be acquired was made.Partially examined the circumstances that resulted in the merger or acquisition for the selected company. Partially speculated on two (2) reasons why the resulting decision to merge or to acquire / be acquired was made.Satisfactorily examined the circumstances that resulted in the merger or acquisition for the selected company. Satisfactorily speculated on two (2) reasons why the resulting decision to merge or to acquire / be acquired was made.Thoroughly examined the circumstances that resulted in the merger or acquisition for the selected company. Thoroughly speculated on two (2) reasons why the resulting decision to merge or to acquire / be acquired was made.2. Assess the significant positive (or negative) effects of the merger or acquisition. Provide at least two (2) examples of those effects now that the merger or acquisition has been completed.Weight: 15%Did not submit or incompletely assessed the significant positive (or negative) effects of the merger or acquisition. Did not submit or incompletely provided at least two (2) examples of those effects now that the merger or acquisition has been completed.Partially assessed the significant positive (or negative) effects of the merger or acquisition. Partially provided at least two (2) examples of those effects now that the merger or acquisition has been completed.Satisfactorily assessed the significant positive (or negative) effects of the merger or acquisition. Satisfactorily provided at least two (2) examples of those effects now that the merger or acquisition has been completed.Thoroughly assessed the significant positive (or negative) effects of the merger or acquisition. Thoroughly provided at least two (2) examples of those effects now that the merger or acquisition has been completed.3. Examine the organizational structure that has resulted from the merger or acquisition. Analyze the major differences between the resulting company and the original two (2) organizations.Weight: 20%Did not submit or incompletely examined the organizational structure that has resulted from the merger or acquisition. Did not submit or incompletely analyzed the major differences between the resulting company and the original two (2) organizations.Partially examined the organizational structure that has resulted from the merger or acquisition. Partially analyzed the major differences between the resulting company and the original two (2) organizations.Satisfactorily examined the organizational structure that has resulted from the merger or acquisition. Satisfactorily analyzed the major differences between the resulting company and the original two (2) organizations.Thoroughly examined the organizational structure that has resulted from the merger or acquisition. Thoroughly analyzed the major differences between the resulting company and the original two (2) organizations.4. Determine whether or not the human resources management practices of the company were modified to reflect the outcome of the merger or acquisition. If no changes were necessary, speculate on the reasons why they were not. Provide a rationale for your response.Weight: 20%Did not submit or incompletely determined whether or not the human resources management practices of the company were modified to reflect the outcome of the merger or acquisition. Did not submit or incompletely speculated on the reasons no changes were necessary, if that was the case. Did not submit or incompletely provided a rationale for your response.Partially determined whether or not the human resources management practices of the company were modified to reflect the outcome of the merger or acquisition. Partially speculated on the reasons no changes were necessary, if that was the case. Partially provided a rationale for your response.Satisfactorily determined whether or not the human resources management practices of the company were modified to reflect the outcome of the merger or acquisition. Satisfactorily speculated on the reasons no changes were necessary, if that was the case. Satisfactorily provided a rationale for your response.Thoroughly determined whether or not the human resources management practices of the company were modified to reflect the outcome of the merger or acquisition. Thoroughly speculated on the reasons no changes were necessary, if that was the case. Thoroughly provided a rationale for your response.5. 4 referencesWeight: 5%No references providedDoes not meet the required number of references; some or all references poor quality choices.Meets number of required references; all references high quality choices.Exceeds number of required references; all references high quality choices.6. Writing Mechanics, Grammar, and FormattingWeight: 5%Serious and persistent errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation, or formatting.Partially free of errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation, or formatting.Mostly free of errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation, or formatting.Error free or almost error free grammar, spelling, punctuation, or formatting.7. Appropriate use of APA in-text citations and  reference sectionWeight: 5%Lack of in-text citations and / or lack of reference section.In-text citations and references are provided, but they are only partially formatted correctly in APA style.Most in-text citations and references are provided, and they are generally formatted correctly in APA style.In-text citations and references are error free or almost error free and consistently formatted correctly in APA style.8. Information Literacy/Integration of SourcesWeight: 5%Serious errors in the integration of sources, such as intentional or accidental plagiarism, or failure to use in-text citations.Sources are partially integrated using effective techniques of quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing.Sources are mostly integrated using effective techniques of quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing.Sources are consistently integrated using effective techniques of quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing.9. Clarity and Coherence of WritingWeight: 5%Information is confusing to the reader and fails to include reasons and evidence that logically support ideas.Information is partially clear with minimal reasons and evidence that logically support ideas.Information is mostly clear and generally supported with reasons and evidence that logically support ideas.Information is provided in a clear, coherent, and consistent manner with reasons and evidence that logically support ideas.