Questions and Topics We Can Help to Answer Paper Instructions;
Environment Assessment (Ch 4)
1) Choose one of the followings: Six Flags over Georgia, Aflac, Columbus State University, Delta Airline, Ford Automobile Company, American Red Cross. 2) Create an environment assessment for that company. That is, create a list of issues addressing each of the factors discussed in the textbook (social, demographic, economic, legal, competitive factors). 3) For each item on the list, identify how that company will face the challenges posed by each factor of its environment. 4) What if any adjustments to the marketing mix will need to be made?
2. Advertising and Segmenting (Ch 8, 16)
1) Select two magazines: One focusing on general type customers (e.g., TV Guide) and the other on specific target customers (e.g., Snowboarding). 2) Describe the magazine in terms of its target readers. 3) List 5 to 10 advertisements of both magazines and analyze the advertisements of two magazines in terms of segmentation strategy (e.g., why these companies put ads here, which company looks inappropriate, what other companies might consider ads here, etc..).
• SWOT AND TOWS: http://www.volunteerhub.com/blog/the-tows-matrix-putting-a-swot-analysis-into-action/ • Use Tows to Move SWOT to an Action Plan: http://www.driveyoursuccess.com/2011/09/strategic-business-planning-use-tows-to-move-swot-to-an-action-plan.html • SWOT AND TOWS: http://www.mba-tutorials.com/strategy/96-swot-or-tows-analysis-tows-matrix.html/2 • SWOT AND TOWS: https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newSTR_89.htm
Assignment Overview: This week, each individual will use the group's SWOT matrix to generate strategies for overcoming business risks and exploiting business opportunity in Vietnam for Walmart. You have already developed a competitor strategy, so the focus this week is on other business risks and opportunities and how your client might use its strengths and weaknesses to gain strategic advantage
When the SWOT matrix is used for strategy generation, a TOWs matrix is initially generated to organize the SWOT data into an expanded matrix (TOWs matrix) . The TOWs is an organizing tool to ensure that the strategies developed will effectively utilize the client's strengths to mitigate the most critical risks and exploit the most important opportunities. The TOWS matrix is merely an expanded SWOT matrix with quadrants to be used for strategy idea generation, as described in this link: http://www.driveyoursuccess.com/2011/09/strategic-business-planning-use-tows-to-move-swot-to-an-action-plan.html
You can see an example of strategy formulation from TOWS in this link: http://www.volunteerhub.com/blog/the-tows-matrix-putting-a-swot-analysis-into-action/ . Assignment Objectives: The ob objectives to use the SWOT data to propose specific business strategies (TOWS strategies) that will (1) mitigate the identified risks (threats and weaknesses) for your client company’s entry into the selected country; and (2) exploit the identified external opportunities. Step One: Preparation: This is your idea generation step and reflects your primary analysis. Develop the TOWS matrix, specifying the risk mitigating strategies and the opportunity exploiting strategies needed in each of the TOWS quadrants. For example, if your previous analysis identified political ties as necessary to compete in this country (external Threat), but your client does not have those ties (internal Weakness), consider WT mitigation strategies (TOWS quadrant WT). Perhaps a specific type of partner (politically connected/experienced) or some specific activity (like political lobbying) might mitigate this risk for your client. Similarly, for the primary external opportunity support factors for this country, specify a strategy that might leverage your firm’s Strengths (quadrant OS strategies). For example, if your PESTEL analysis found an opportunity support factor in the country's positive attitudes toward U.S. companies, consider how an OS strategy might leverage the U.S. identity of your firm (its Strength) in order to exploit that opportunity (e.g., perhaps by sponsoring an athletic event and/or by using product packaging that highlights U.S. origins or culture) For each of the TOWS quadrants, identify potential strategies that will help your firm to operate successfully in this external environment of specific O’s and T’s. Limit the potential strategies to no more than 3 in each quadrant of the TOWS matrix, focusing on the most important threats to be mitigated and opportunity factors to be realized. This summary matrix should be included as an appendix to the formal paper. Step Two: Write a formal paper explaining your strategy recommendations and referring to the TOWS data on which those recommendations are based. Paper Assignment Requirements/format: 1. Introduction. After the statement of purpose, the Introduction to this paper should be the same as in your team's week 6 paper (updated with any feedback), PLUS a very brief description of the target Buyer and the size and growth of the target market (from your team's week 6 paper). 2. The Body of the paper (10-12 pages) is solely your own writing: • List those external Opportunity and Threat factors that you consider the most important and therefore will address with recommended strategies. • Recommend your strategies, explaining the rationale for each and why you consider the recommended strategies the most critical/important. o The TOWs matrix should be in an appendix, and you can refer to it, but your text should stand alone with sufficient written explanation for your strategy ideas and recommendations. o Propose mitigating strategies for country and industry Threats; o Propose exploiting strategies for Opportunity and Opportunity Support factors. • Write a Conclusion to your analysis that summarizes all the strategic actions you are recommending to mitigate risk and exploit opportunity, including the competitor strategy previously agreed upon by the group (this summary statement of competitive strategy will be the same for all group members, taken from what the group has already developed). 3. Include : • Title page with your name • Approximately a 2 page Executive Summary that summarizes the entire paper (including the introduction materials) • Table of contents • *The body of the paper should have page numbers, starting with page one. • Reference list, including proper APA format for all in-text citations. • The SWOT/Tows matrix as an appendix.
Questions and Topics We Can Help to Answer Paper Instructions;
This order is focused on Market Segmentation and Market sizing.
Your task is to Identify Walmart’s target market in Vietnam and size it in quantifiable Units (Buyers and/or Dollars) and estimate the expected growth rate for this target segment.
o Note that market sizing is as much an art as a science. The assigned readings will guide your thinking, but your specific market sizing estimates will depend upon how effectively you use available data. Youwill have to make assumptions to move from available data to the kind of market size data you need. The assumptions you make and the logic you use will determine the validity of your market size and growth estimations.
o For example, if you selected this country because of large number of passenger car sales and growth projections (good total market for your auto maker client), but your client sells compact cars (or electric cars, or some other specific type), then you need to estimate how much of that total car market is your target market (buyers of compact cars). If you have data that compact car buyers are primarily singles and small families (and/or that your client wants to target those buyers) and you have data from our country that singles/small families represent 25% of the country population, then you might ASSUME that 25% of the new car buyers will be singles/small families (assuming same representation among car buyers as among the general population).
Note: this is the size of your target market, not your share of that market, since there are also competitors targeting that same segment and potential substitute products/services.
Include a positioning focus (the message that will appeal to your client’s targeted buyers), which will become a part of your Marketing Plan
Include Estimated target market size/growth (in Buyer and/or dollar units), with:clear statement of starting data and its relevance to your market; with a detailed explanation of the estimating process for your target market segment (showing all calculations made);
Show statement of all assumptions made in the estimating process; and rationale for all assumptions made (why they are reasonable assumptions to make)
Finally, a Positioning message and how it relates to your client’s competitive advantages and to your buyer segment;
Required Reading Required Resources: same as week 5, Plus • Market segmentation: 1. https://saylordotorg.github.io/text_principles-of-marketing-v2.0/s08-market-segmenting-targeting-an.html 2. http://sk.sagepub.com.ezproxy.umuc.edu/reference/healthcaremanagement/n488.xml
• Market sizing: (note the assumptions being made. Assumptions are always used in estimations and must be clearly stated. The more valid the basis for your assumptions, the more realistic will be your market estimations). 1. Overview (multimedia):https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5eKAmZuQzs 2. One approach to market sizing: http://www.marketingprofs.com/tutorials/marketsize1.asp 3. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-uxyglwDiY 4. A (non-business) example of market sizing (process is independent of discipline): http://www.valueaddedag.org/nichemarkets/02evaluatingmarketsize.pdf
• Data sources for market sizing: http://quickbooks.intuit.com/r/marketing/evaluate-market-size/#sm.01b3rb5a18fsdwm10em26vg2mpixr
Questions and Topics We Can Help to Answer Paper Instructions;
This week's goal is to get your client company into the new country in order to execute the strategies that team members have been developing! Your assignment is to recommend a business structure that will be the most effective form of entry into the new country market you have recommended. Consider different forms of alliances, since some form of alliance is very common in entering new country markets. where the entering company typically has little experience, knowledge, or support networks. If your client company has any of those weaknesses, you may consider various forms of legal structures for such alliances: joint venture, joint marketing contract, agent, distributor or licensing. You may determine that your company does not need an alliance partner (it has no such weaknesses or faces no significant entry barriers or threats in country), in which case you may consider other direct investment structures, like opening a branch office or building a "greenfield" facility in country; or exporting strategies, like sending sales representatives from your home country, or even using a wholly internet based entry without in-country presence of any kind. You will determine the most appropriate entry structure based on what is needed to best implement the strategies you have recommended in weeks 6 and 7. Resources: http://www.quickmba.com/strategy/global/marketentry/ Assignment Overview: In this assignment, you will recommend an entry strategy, consisting of a business structure (entry vehicle) and organizational structure for Walmart to enter Vietnam and operate in Vietnam.
The business and competitive strategies developed in Weeks 6 and 7 are the strategic objectives you will want to accomplish through the entry strategy you develop this week.
You will (a) write a formal paper proposing and comparing two potential entry vehicles (the legal structures) that will allow the client company to accomplish the strategic objectives and (b) design the organizational structure showing who will implement the strategic objectives.
Assignment Objectives (1) You will propose and compare two different business structures and recommend the one that is better able to realize the recommended risk mitigation and opportunity exploitation strategies and is consistent with Walmart’s rationale for expansion (which you identified in your company profile).
(2) For the one recommended business structure, you will create a supporting organizational structure, and will specify the roles and responsibilities that will ensure that the strategic recommendations will be implemented. The organizational chart will show the costs of each person required to implement your proposed strategic activities..
(3) Because most international expansions require some form of alliance with a local organization, any such alliance will be described in both the business structure and the organizational structure.
Note 1: Business structures have inherent advantages and disadvantages; but your responsibility is to assess the advantages and disadvantages of the potential business structures specifically in terms of how effectively they meet Walmart’s strategic objectives. (e.g., an inherent disadvantage of contracted manufacturing as a business structure is that it risks loss of intellectual property; but if your company is manufacturing a commodity item, it has no intellectual property at risk, so that is not a disadvantage for Walmart. Note 2: You will develop a marketing plan next week, but include in your organization structure who will be responsible for marketing and sales. You may modify the organizational chart next week if you determine that your marketing plan will need more or different roles. But you need at least have a functional place holder to start.
Assignment Requirements and Format of the paper: I. The Introduction to this paper should consist of (a) statement of purpose (b) description of the company and its industry, (c) the product/service that will be entered in the new country; (d) description of the target country and why it was recommended as better opportunity than the other country (use the summary information from your week 4 country selection paper); the target Buyer and the size and growth of the target market. II. The body of this paper (approximately 20 pages,double spaced) will: A. Summarize
• Describe the structure of the business (the “ entry vehicle” e.g., joint venture, distributorship, contract, franchise, license, sales agent, branch office, Strategic Business Unit --SBU; or direct export with no in country presence)
• EXPLAIN why each structure is being considered (i.e., each must meet at least one of the most critical strategic objectives or you would have no reason to consider it)
• Specify any alliance partner or relationship with an in- country organization (e.g., distributor, joint manufacturer or marketer) by name if possible or at least by descriptive requirements
• Specify the strategic value of the alliance to your client AND to the alliance partner (the strategic "fit") ; § What the alliance partner will contribute to your client's success; § What the alliance partner will gain (why would it enter such an alliance)
C. Compare the advantages and disadvantages of each business structure, specifically how well each will help to realize the strategic objectives you have identified and recommend one as the better entry vehicle.
D. For the recommended entry vehicle (business structure): • Specify the organizational structure needed for successfully operating the business (who does what, and where they are located) and show on an organizational chart.
o the client company's headcount requirements § Show all people your client company will need to implement this strategy. whether they are to be employees or contracted human resources, or borrowed resources from headquarters.. § Show all contracted human resources by dotted line connection to the management role responsible for managing, evaluating, and contracting for those services. § show the client company's costs for each role in this proposed organization § indicate start up cost and year one of operation, as two numbers: ($ / $ ) § Your organization chart should show who will do marketing and sales. You will develop a marketing plan next week (detailing who will do what and materials/supplies needed) . o the alliance organization's headcount and relationship to the client organization • Describe in text the roles and responsibilities of each headcount in the organization o state salary per employee and number of those employees needed, as represented in each ($/$) box of the organization chart. o for headquarters people, determine how much time each devote to this project and equate that time to dollars to show on your organizational chart. • Specify where the organization will operate and develop the costs of any facilities required for implementing this strategy(e.g, manufacturing or assembly plant, office space, showrooms, equipment needed)
Required Readings and materials: • MBA Reference Guide: Foreign Market Entry Modes • Corporate level entry modes: http://web.archive.org/web/http://2012books.lardbucket.org/books/challenges-and-opportunities-in-international-business/s12-03-international-expansion-entry-.html • Corporate level strategy: https://saylordotorg.github.io/text_mastering-strategic-management/s12-selecting-corporate-level-stra.html • Strategic business unit: https://www.boundless.com/marketing/textbooks/boundless-marketing-textbook/marketing-strategies-and-planning-2/the-strategic-planning-process-24/strategic-business-units-138-1053/ • Target markets and modes of entry: https://saylordotorg.github.io/text_fundamentals-of-global-strategy/s07-target-markets-and-modes-of-en.html • Distributors and dealers: http://ezproxy.umuc.edu/login?url=http://go.galegroup.com.ezproxy.umuc.edu/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CCX2687200186&v=2.1&u=umd_umuc&it=r&p=GVRL&sw=w&asid=9fa142455e18a4a30c609e33f882b754 • Franchising and licensing: http://sk.sagepub.com.ezproxy.umuc.edu/reference/hdbk_intlmarket/n9.xml • Direct export: http://sk.sagepub.com.ezproxy.umuc.edu/reference/businesstoday/n299.xml • Blue Ocean Strategy:http://web.b.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.umuc.edu/ehost/detail/detail?sid=267cfdc7-77d2-4871-abfb-2230dbc436cb@sessionmgr107&vid=0&hid=107&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#AN=17070054&db= • Foreign direct investment, horizontal and vertical: http://sk.sagepub.com.ezproxy.umuc.edu/reference/businesstoday/n402.xml • Joint ventures:https://www.boundless.com/business/textbooks/boundless-business-textbook/international-business-4/types-of-international-business-41/joint-ventures-212-5291/ • Executing Strategy Through Organizational Design: https://saylordotorg.github.io/text_mastering-strategic-management/s13-executing-strategy-through-org.html
Questions and Topics We Can Help to Answer Instructions:
Business Process Management In this writing assignment, you will explore how organizations use business process management (BPM). Write a one page (250-word) paper explaining how organizations use business process management (BPM). Be sure to use at least one specific example from the CSU Online Library, and address the following in your paper:
· What is business process management (BPM)? · Why do processes need management? · What are BPM activities?
APA rules for formatting, quoting, paraphrasing, citing, and listing of sources are to be followed.
Questions and Topics We Can Help to Answer Instructions:
Select a publicly traded company to research and evaluate its Human Resource (HR) and business strategy, HR department job positions, and ways it markets its company regarding human capital. Some company Websites that provide this information are listed below: • Marriott: http://www.arubamarriottcareers.com/JobDescriptions.html • Allstate: http://www.jigsaw.com/id209321_d40/allstate_insurance_human_resources_business_contacts.xhtml • State Farm: http://www.statefarm.com/about/retirees/news_articles/hr_serv_assist.asp • Ford Motor Company: http://corporate.ford.com/careers/career-paths/human-resources?&ccode=US
Write a two to three (2-3) page paper in which you: 1. Propose how you would ensure the HR strategy is in alignment with the business strategy. 2. Describe the HR job positions and the responsibilities listed for that HR department. 3. Determine which HR job positions you would prefer and explain why. 4. Analyze how the selected company can establish HRM strategies to improve competitive advantages. 5. Propose three (3) ways that the company can increase diversity. 6. Use at least four (4) quality academic resources in this assignment. Note: Wikipedia and other Websites do not qualify as academic resources. 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: • Examine the role of human resource management (HRM) in organizations and how it supports the organization’s business strategy. • Evaluate human resource strategies and how these strategies align with business strategies. • Create a competitive advantage in the marketplace. • Formulate HRM strategies and policies to recruit, select, place, and retain the most efficient and effective workforce. • Use technology and information resources to research issues in strategic human resource development. • Write clearly and concisely about strategic human resource development using proper writing mechanics.
Questions and Topics We Can Help to Answer Instructions:
Team Conflict
Conflict exists in nature and, by extension, in all human relationships. Conflict can be something to avoid or embrace, or a more neutral approach can be taken. You will lead a group discussion on the subject among your peers. You decide that to generate a lively discussion, it is important to create a level of understanding of the role of conflict in groups and how conflict can be used to move a group forward.
Primary Task Response: Within the Discussion Board area, write 400–600 words that respond to the following questions with your thoughts, ideas, and comments. This will be the foundation for future discussions by your classmates. Be substantive and clear, and use examples to reinforce your ideas: •After doing some research on the topic of conflict, propose to your peers a position, and discuss the concept of conflict in teams. •Is conflict something to avoid or embrace? •Use examples from either your personal experience or from the literature that would support your position.
Questions and Topics We Can Help to Answer Instructions:
As teams progress, they pass through stages of development. You understand that being prepared with tools and techniques at each stage is important. There is a team forming that will take on a production line. You want to be ready to provide training and development resources for this team as soon as they start working together.
You research various team-development models and pick one model that you will use to determine team-building activities before the team members start working together. Develop a plan that addresses the following: •What will you do to prepare the team for working together before they start? •Discuss the training and development activities that you will use to build trust and productivity in the group once they start working together. •How will you measure whether trust exists within the team? •How will you measure the effectiveness of this new team in each of the early stages of 3, 6, and 9 months of them working together?
You must include a minimum of 2 scholarly references.
Please submit your assignment.
For assistance with your assignment, please use your text, Web resources, and all course materials.
Questions and Topics We Can Help to Answer Instructions:
Primary Task Response: Within the Discussion Board area, write 400–600 words that respond to the following questions with your thoughts, ideas, and comments. This will be the foundation for future discussions by your classmates. Be substantive and clear, and use examples to reinforce your ideas. •What are the historical foundations of the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA)? •What is the role of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB)? •Under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), provide a real world example of how the act guides the activities of unions and employers. •How would someone go about filing a claim with the National Labor Relations Board?
This website is owned and operated by PFS Limited.
Company Registration office is at:
2875 NE 194st St 404, Miami, FL 33180
Edudorm.com provides writing and research services for limited use only. All the materials from our website should be used with proper references and in accordance with Terms & Conditions
