Before you begin your assignment for this unit, review the previous activities you completed in this course:
In Unit I you selected and discussed a firm with global operations. You provided a corporate profile and perceptions of the firm and examined its global strategy.
In Unit III you conducted an environmental scan of that same global firm. You applied a SWOT, PESTEL, or Five Forces Model to analyze that firm.
In Unit IV you reviewed innovation and the role of leadership as it relates to innovation. You may have used your global firm’s strategy as an example of innovation.
For this assignment, you will refer to that same organization you have been examining during this entire course.
Compile a strategic case analysis that addresses the following items. You may reuse prior submitted material from previous units.
Be sure to use headings and subheadings to organize your paper:
- Background: Write a background of the firm, including its public perceptions. What are its products or services? Who is its customer base? Explain the purpose of the firm and key factors of its global operations. How is it unique? What is its mission? How has it set ethical parameters internally or externally?
- Environment: Describe the internal and external elements of the firm. What is the internal structure of the firm? Who is the competition? What are the current external trends?
- Partnerships: Discuss any partnerships, mergers, or acquisitions. How have these entities contributed to the company’s market share of revenue?
- SWOT analysis: Discuss the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of the firm. What opportunities are there for growth? How might it impact the company’s market share and revenue? What might the risks be from a global perspective? Who are its competitors?
- Global strategies: Give two examples of global strategies used by this firm. Discuss how technology may have or may not have changed its global strategies.
- Sustainability: Explain how the global firm incorporates sustainability into its operations and business strategy.
- Structure: Discuss the structure of the firm. Discuss the role of leaders as it relates to establishing an organizational culture. How does the structure impact the organizational culture? How may culture serve as part of the competitive advantage? Evaluate different types of corporate diversification.
- Leadership: Discuss examples from press releases, news articles, and/or research of how leaders support innovation. Discuss its transparency and continuous improvement initiatives. What are its leaders’ values and goals? What ethical parameters are mentioned?
- Recommendations and conclusion: Conclude with at least two recommended actions to increase revenue for this firm with scholarly support. Explain the rationale for your recommendations.
Your paper should be 7 pages in length, not counting the title or reference pages. Use at least five sources to support your assignment. At least one source must be from the CSU Online Library. You may use the organization’s annual report as a reference. Use APA Style for this assignment.
The following databases may prove to be helpful for completing this assignment:
IBISWorld provides in-depth industry research.
Mergent Online is an excellent source for specific company information, including financials, history, subsidiaries and more.
Apple, Inc.
