Paper Format

Correctly produced APA parenthetical citations and reference list. You must have a minimum of three external research sources, in addition to the Robbins and Coulter text.

Spelling, grammar, organization

You need to write a minimum of one paragraph for each sub-section of the outline. You must use this document to organize your paper.

You do need to use all the numbering system, lettering, and headers/sub-headers from the outline to organize the entire paper. Copy and paste the framework, then write your content in paragraph form in each section, citing your sources.

Section 1

Write a brief company history, including a mission statement.

Describe a strategic direction that the company is pursuing.

Explain how the organization's mission statement reflects their strategic direction

Section 2

Thoroughly research and analyze two opportunities and two threats that this organization is facing. Each of these opportunities and threats must come from a force or forces occurring within a dimension or dimensions of the general environment within the organization's external environment (Keep in mind an opportunity or threat can stem from more than one dimension within the general environment.). Be sure to include in your discussion the relevant dimensions of the general environment from which each of these forces is derived that are creating the specific opportunity or threat for the organization.

Section 3

Prepare the SWOT Chart

Thoroughly explain at least two major strengths and two major weaknesses (review Chapter 9) of the organization culture.

For each strength, discuss why this strength can be considered a distinctive competence for the organization

Include in your analysis an explanation of how each of the opportunities and threats will likely impact the company and why. Include other companies/industries on which this may also have an effect. You should have a minimum of a full paragraph for each discussion of each opportunity and threat.

You should have a minimum of a full paragraph for each discussion of each strength and weakness.

Section 4

For each strength, discuss how the company could do to leverage that strength.

For each weakness, discuss what the organization could do to minimize that weakness.

Discuss how the organization can capitalize on the opportunities that are occurring from the dimensions from within the general environment and how the organization can neutralize the threats that are occurring from the dimensions from within the general environment.

Note: Bullet points are not acceptable.

Examples of Strengths:

Strong brand name or company reputation

Cost advantages over rivals

Product innovation capabilities

Good customer service capabilities

Examples of Weaknesses:

The organization has outdated product features.

Poor supplier relationships, an understaffed marketing department

High employee turnover

Low R & D expenditures compared to industry averages

Examples of Opportunities:

Expanding into new geographic markets (either national or international expansion)

This opportunity would stem from forces from within the economic and international dimensions.

Falling trade barriers in attractive foreign markets

This opportunity would stem from forces within the political/legal and international dimensions.

Advances in technological know-how to create new product lines

This opportunity would stem from a force within the technological dimension.

Changing an existing product or service or creating a new product or service to meet a broader range of consumer needs

This opportunity would stem from forces within the sociocultural dimension.

Examples of Threats:

A slowdown in the market growth within the market in which the organization competes within

This threat would stem from a force from within the economic dimension.

A shift in the consumers’ tastes and preferences away from the product or service being offered in the industry

This threat would stem from a force from within the sociocultural dimension.

A foreign government creating restrictive trade policies

This threat would stem from forces from within the political/legal and international dimensions.

A competitor has created a new cheaper, better technological advance that enables them to sell a similar product at a lower cost

This threat would stem from a force from within the technological dimension.