Consider a company(WAL-MART) with which you are familiar. Discuss what might be in the organization's external, general, or industry environment that would influence strategic planning for that company.

What types of competitive strategies are the most effective? Will the same strategy work in most venues? Why or why not?

Why do we want to create measurement devices early in the strategy process? How do metrics allow us to track the strategy process once it is implemented? How is environmental scanning helpful in choosing the appropriate metric guidelines to use?

What is the role of strategic planning in creating value for the organization? Provide an example of how a company uses strategic planning to create value for the organization. How do competitive strategies create value?

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