1: Environment Analysis (Week4) Purpose: This assignment is the first of three assignments. Students will use the tools and apply concepts learned in this and previous business courses to demonstrate an understanding of how organizations develop and manage strategies to establish, safeguard and sustain its position in a competitive market. Monitoring competitors' performance is a key aspect of performing an external environment analysis. This assignment provides students the opportunity to evaluate the competitive position of one of the organizations listed below and integrate that information in an External Factor Evaluation (EFE) matrix and Competitive Profile Matrices (CPM). Students also have the opportunity to review an organization's objectives and goals and the key functional areas within the organization. Performing an internal environment analysis helps assess a firm's internal resources and capabilities and plays a critical role in formulating strategy by identifying a firm's strengths to overcome weaknesses. In completing the internal environmental analysis students will construct an Internal Factor Evaluation (IFE) matrix and calculate financial ratios. Instructions: Part I Students will perform an external analysis on a company from the list below or from a list of companies provided by the instructor. Priceline Group Domino Pizza Spirit Airlines In completing the assignment, students will perform research on the company provided, answer the questions below in narrative form and follow the steps below: Step 1: Create a double-spaced, 12-point font Word or Rich Text Format (RTF) document. The final product will be between 5-6 pages in length excluding the title page, exhibits and reference page. Step 2: Review assignment grading rubric. Step 3: Follow this format: Title page with assignment title, your name, the course, the instructor's name; Introduction; Comprehensive Written Analysis: o External Environmental Analysis o Internal Environmental Analysis Step 4: In writing the analysis, the writing is in the third person. What this means is that there are no words such as \"I, me, my, we, or us\" (first person writing), nor is there use of \"you or your\" (second person writing). If uncertain how to write in the third person, view this link: http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/first-second-and-third-person Step 5: In writing this assignment, students are required to support the reasoning using in-text citations and a reference list. A reference within a reference list cannot exist without an associated in-text citation and vice versa. View the sample APA paper under Week 1 content. Step 6: In writing this assignment, students are expected to paraphrase and not use direct quotes unless citing a company's mission statement and vision statement. Learn to paraphrase by reviewing this link: https://writing.wisc.edu/Handbook/QPA_paraphrase2.html Step 7: Read all course material for weeks 1 - 3 and perform independent research to provide a comprehensive external and internal environmental analysis. Step 8: Jot down or highlight key facts from the scenario. Consider making an outline to capture key points. Step 9: In your paper, respond to the following: Part 1: External Environmental Analysis Use tools, concepts and information from your own research, perform an external analysis of the company's environment. 1) an industry analysis and 2) a competitive analysis. Use the top two competitors plus the company selected from the list above or the list provided by the instructor; Analyze the market environment and identify opportunities and threats that challenge the organization; Construct an EFE for selected company, Develop a CPM for selected company; Evaluate trends significant to the industry and company. Discuss key areas of uncertainty related to trends or events that potentially could impact the company's strategy. Part 2 Internal Environmental Analysis Identify the company's mission, vision and objectives; Provide a company background; Perform an internal analysis: Corporate Level Strategy Business Unit Level Strategy Functional Level Strategy Assess the company's interactions with its stakeholders, the organizational structure, the organizational culture, and communication/decision making among managers within human resources, marketing production, operations, finance and accounting, R&D, and computer information systems, which can be accomplished by viewing the company's website, interviews, and surveys. o o o o Identify company strengths and weaknesses. What must the company do to perform successfully in the industry? Construct an IFE Matrix for selected company; Perform a financial analysis for the last reported fiscal year: o Use the company's income statement and balance sheet and calculate key (emphasis added), but no less than 10 key financial ratios to the business; o Research the industry average financial ratios for the same ratios above and record in a second column; o In the third column, indicate whether the company's ratio is a strength, a weakness or a neutral factor. Discuss what strategies would allow the company to capitalize on its major strengths; Discuss strategies that would allow the company to improve upon its major weaknesses. Step 10: Create an introductory paragraph. The Introduction should clearly and concisely convey the main points of the assignment's requirements. Review the following website to learn how to write an introductory paragraph: http://www.writing.ucsb.edu/faculty/donelan/intro.html Step 11: Using the grading rubric as a comparison, read through the paper to ensure all required elements are presented. Step 12: Proofread the paper for spelling and grammatical issues, and third person writing. Use the spell and grammar check in Word as a first measure; Have someone who has excellent English skills to proof the paper; Consider submitting the paper to the Effective Writing Center (EWC). The EWC will provide 4-6 areas that may need improvement. Step 13: Submit the paper in the Assignment Folder. Due Date Feb 7, 2016 11:59 PM Hide Rubrics Rubric Name: Assignment #1 Criteria Outstanding Superior 1.0625 points 0.9375 points 1.25 points Content: Industry Analysis Good Industry analysis was Industry analysis performed su Industry analysis was fficiently but is performed but needs was performed not completely more clarification on accurately and comprehensively. accurate or some aspects. comprehensiv (1.125 - 1.25) e. (0.875 - 0.99) Substandard 0.8125 points Attempted to an industry analysis but key points were missing or superficially presented. (0.75 - 0.874) (1 - 1.124) Content: 1.25 points 1.0625 points 0.9375 points 0.8125 points Competitive Analysis Competitive analy Competitive a Competitive analysis Attempted to nalysis was performed su was performed sis was performed fficiently but is but needs more not completely accurately and clarification on some comprehensively. accurate or aspects. comprehensiv (1.125 - 1.25) e. (0.875 - 0.99) a competitive but key points were missing or superficially presented. (0.75 - 0.874) (1 - 1.124) 1.25 points 1.0625 points 0.9375 points Content: Market Analysis Market Market environment environment analyzed and thoroughly opportunities and analyzed and threats that opportunities and challenge the threats that organization challenge the identified sufficie organization ntly but is not identified accurate completely ly and accurate or comprehensively. comprehensive. (1.125 - 1.25) 1 point Tools Content: were accurately External and Environment comprehensively - Tools used. (0.9 - 1.0) Content: Trends Market environment thoroughly analyzed and opportunities and threats that challenge the organization identified but needs more clarification on some aspects. (0.875 - 0.99) 0.8125 points Market environment analysis enwas attempted opportunities and threats that challenge the organization identified but key points were missing or superficially presented. (0.75 - 0.874) (1 - 1.124) 0.85 points 0.75 points Tools were used sufficiently but are not completely accurate or comprehensive. 0.65 points Use of tools Use of tools was presented was attempted but needs superficially or key elements more clarification on some were missing. aspects. (0.7 - 0.79) (0.6 - 0.69) (0.8 - 0.89) 0.75 points 0.6375 points 0.5625 points 0.4875 points Significant trends to the Significant trends to the Evaluation of significant trends to Significant trends to the industry and industry and industry and company company evaluated but evaluated acc are not urately and completely comprehensiv accurate or ely used. comprehensiv e. (0.675 - 0.75) (0.6 - 0.674) 0.5 points Presented mission, vision Content: and objectives Mission, of the Vision and company accu Objectives rately and comprehensiv ely used. (0.45 - 0.5) 0.5 points Presented company Content: background ac Company curately and Background comprehensiv ely used. (0.45 - 0.5) Content: Levels of Strategy 0.425 points the industry and company were company was attemp addressed but key ted but needs more aspects were missing clarification on some or superficially aspects. presented. (0.525 - 0.59) (0.45 - 0.524) 0.375 points 0.325 points Presented mission, Presented mission, vision and vision and objectives objectives of the of the company company was attempted but n sufficiently but is eeds more not completely clarification on some accurate or aspects. comprehensive. (0.4 - 0.44) 0.425 points (0.35 - 0.39) 0.375 points Presented Company company background background suffici was attempted but n ently but is not eeds more completely clarification on some accurate or aspects. comprehensive. (0.4 - 0.44) (0.35 - 0.39) Presented mission, vision and objectives of the company addressed but key aspects were missing or superficially presented. (0.3 - 0.349) 0.325 points Company background was discussed aspects were missing or superficially presented. (0.3 - 0.349) 1 point 0.85 points 0.75 points 0.65 points The levels of strategy were accurately and The levels of strategy were sufficiently but are not The levels of strategy The levels of strategy were attempted but needs were discussed more clarification on some or key elements were aspects. completely comprehensively accurate or used. comprehensive. (0.9 - 1.0) 1 point missing. (0.7 - 0.79) 0.85 points 0.75 points Company's Company's interactions interactions with its with its Assessment of stakeholders, stakeholders, company's the the interactions with its organizational organizational stakeholders, the structure, the structure, the organizational organizational organizational structure, the Content: culture, and culture, and organizational Company's communicatio communicatio culture, and interaction n/decision n/decision communication/decis with making among making among ion making among stakeholders, managers managers etc. managers within within within functional functional functional areas were attempte areas areas were su d but needs more assessed fficiently but is clarification on some not completely aspects. accurately and accurate or comprehensiv comprehensiv (0.7 - 0.79) ely used. e. (0.9 - 1.0) (0.6 - 0.69) (0.8 - 0.89) 0.65 points Company's interactions with its stakeholders, the organizational structure, the organizational culture, and communication/decisio n making among managers within functional areas were discussed cially or key elements were missing. (0.6 - 0.69) (0.8 - 0.89) Content: 1 point 0.85 points 0.75 points Company's strengths and Company's Discussion of weaknesses Company's strengths and strengths and company's strengths weaknesses weaknesses and weaknesses identified and identified and identified and what what must the what must the must the company company do to company do to do to perform perform perform successfully in the successfully in successfully in industry the industry 0.65 points Company's strengths and weaknesses not completely identified and what must the company do to perform successfully in the industry were d superficially or key the industry discussed were sufficient ly but is not accurately and completely comprehensiv accurate or ely used comprehensiv e. (0.9 - 1.0) were attempted but needs more elements were clarification on some missing. aspects. (0.6 - 0.69) (0.7 - 0.79) (0.8 - 0.89) 1 point Tools Content: were accurately Internal and Environment comprehensively - Tools used. (0.9 - 1.0) 0.85 points 0.75 points Tools were used sufficiently but is not completely accurate or comprehensive. 0.65 points Use of tools Use of tools was presented was attempted but needs superficially or key elements more clarification on some were missing. aspects. (0.7 - 0.79) (0.6 - 0.69) (0.8 - 0.89) 1.0625 points 0.9375 points 1.25 points Content: Financial Analysis Financial analy sis was Financial analysis Financial analysis performed su was performed fficiently but is was performed but needs more not completely accurately and clarification on some comprehensively. accurate or aspects. comprehensiv (1.125 - 1.25) e. (0.875 - 0.99) 0.8125 points Attempted to a financial analysis but key points were missing or superficially presented. (0.75 - 0.874) (1 - 1.124) Content: 0.75 points 0.6375 points 0.5625 points Uncertainty related to Uncertainty Uncertainty Uncertainty related trends related to related to to trends was trends was trends was discussed but needs discussed discussed but more clarification on accurately and not completely 0.4875 points Uncertainty related to trends was discussed but key aspects were missing or superficially accurate or comprehensiv comprehensiv some aspects. ely. e. (0.525 - 0.59) (0.675 - 749) (0.6 - 0.674) 3.75 points Concepts and ideas are fully developed. Thinking is consistent in accurately interpreting questions and material/provi Critical des solid Thinking/Rea assumptions, soning reasoning and evaluation with sound conclusions. Reader can easily follow the author's logic and reasoning. presented. (0.45 - 0.524) 3.1875 points Concepts and 2.6 points 2.8125 points ideas are developed. Thi nking is mostly Concepts and ideas are Concepts and ideas consistent in not cohesive. are mostly developed accurately Misinterprets questions but may need interpreting or material; ignores or clarification on some questions and superficially evaluates, aspects of thinking, material/ justifies little and reasoning or provides good seldom explains evaluation. assumptions, reasoning; draws Conclusions are reasoning and unwarranted drawn. Reader evaluation conclusions. follows the author's with sound the reader must logic but occasionally conclusions. R attempt to determine there are areas that eader can the author's train of are unclear. easily follow thought. the author's (2.625 - 2.99) logic and (2.25 - 2.624) reasoning. (3.375 - 3.75) (3 - 3.374) Application of 3.75 points Resources 3.1875 points Arguments or Arguments or positions are positions are well-supported mostly with evidence supported by from the evidence from readings/exper the readings ience; ideas go and course beyond the content; ideas course presented 2.81225 points 2.4375 points Arguments are more often based on opinion or unclear views than on position grounded in the readings of material or external sources of material. Arguments are frequently illogical and unsubstantiated; Limited use of facts in case study and essential information presented in resources; May resort to ad hominem attacks on material and recognize demonstrate implications understanding and extensions of the material (2.625 - 2.99) of the material and concepts. and concepts. (3 - 3.374) (3.375 - 3.75) 1.25 points demonstrated full understanding Attention to of Instructions requirements responded to each aspect of assignment (1.125 - 1.25) 2.5 points Strictly adheres to standard usage rules of written English, Writing including but Mechanics not limited to capitalization, punctuation, and spelling. No errors found. No jargon used. (2.25 - 2.5) APA Style 1.25 points 1.0625 points demonstrated understanding of requirements; missed one minor aspect of assignment (1.0 - 1.124) 0.9375 points the author instead of making meaningful application of the material. (2.25 - 2.624) 0.8125 points demonstrated some failed to show a firm understanding of understanding of requirements; missed requirements; missed a key element or two two key elements or minor aspects of several minor aspects assignment of assignment (0.875 - 0.99) (0.75 - 0.874) 1.875 points 1.625 points Minimally adheres to standard usage rules of mechanics: conventions of English, including capitalization, punctuation, and spelling. Four to 10 errors found. Does not adhere to standard usage rules of mechanics: conventions of written English, including capitalization, punctuation, and spelling. More than 10 errors found. (1.75 - 1.99) (1.5 - 1.749) 0.9375 points 0.8125 points 2.125 points Adheres to standard usage of mechanics: conventions of written English, including capitalization, punctuation, and spelling. One to three errors found. (2.0 - 2.249) 1.0625 points (6th ed.) No APA style errors; Proper citation of source material is used throughout paper. Reference titles follow APA with only the first word, the first word after a colon and proper nouns capitalized. Attempts in-text citations and Attempts inreference lists; APA text citations style errors are and reference noted; list but one or inconsistencies in two APA style citation usage are errors noted. noted throughout document. (1.0 - 1.124) Attempts either in-text citations or reference list but omits the other. (0.75 - 0.874) (0.875 - 0.99) (1.125 - 1.25) Overall Score Outstanding 22.5 or more Submit Files Superior 20 or more Good 17.5 or more Substandard 15 or more