2. Assign each person a separate task. One task might be to find the latest financial statements. Another would be to learn as much as possible about its top management and board of directors. Yet another might be to identify its business model, or its key competitors. Conduct research on the company using the Internet only.

a. Apply the resource-based view of the firm to determine core and distinctive competencies of your selected company.

b. Use the VRIO framework and the value chain to assess the company’s competitive advantage, and how it can be sustained.

c. Understand the company’s business model, and how it could be imitated.

d. Assess the company’s corporate culture, and how it might affect a proposed strategy.

e. Scan functional resources to determine their fit with the company strategy.

f. What is your prediction about the future of this firm if it continues on its current path?