Organizational Operations and Strategies

Organizational Operations and Strategies Current Company Operations Financial Aspects (choose at least five of the following issues) Organizational Hierarchy and Structure Human Resources Labor Relations Legal Aspects (or Ethical Aspects) Technology and Information Systems Marketing Issues Industry Environment Strategic Planning (or Short-term Planning) Corporate and Business Strategies (choose at least five of the following issues) Mission and Goals Corporate Strategy Lines of business. Acquisitions. Relation of Business Lines Diversification Strategy Over Time Strategy Implementation Competitive Strategies Investment Strategies Functional Strategies Impacts on Strategy Formulation Production. Marketing. hjmn Research and development. Structure and Control Vertical Differentiated Horizontal Differentiated Compensation and Rewards Summary Chapter 3: Organizational Operations and Strategies Overview: You introduced the organization in Chapter 1, provided some historical highlights, and described its current functions. This chapter offers a more in-depth look into the organization’s operations and business strategies with a focus on problems, issues, weaknesses, or threats described in Chapter 2. You will build upon these problems in Chapter 4 as you conduct a SWOT analysis. Details: This chapter includes two major sections that offer a thorough discussion of the organization under review. Discussion in this chapter should include insight from the literature search you performed in Chapter 2 as well as support for your research question and hypothesis. Details for preparing each section are as indicated below. Section I: Current Company Operations In this section you will provide subheadings and explore the bulleted subjects listed at the end of this paragraph to help in identifying one or more areas exhibiting weakness or threats for further analysis (consistent with the research question and hypothesis in Chapter 1). Each item includes a reference to one or more BAS courses so that you can incorporate a discussion of theories or concepts introduced in the program. You should also refer to “A SWOT Checklist” (Table 1 in Appendix pp.C4-C5, of Hill & Jones textbook) to help in defining possible concerns you intend to explore later. Also, refer to the resource guide entitled Theories & Concepts Associated with Learning Outcomes (provided with this course) for assistance in recalling or categorizing this information. Provide subdivision headings to discuss the financial aspects (the first item below) and at least five other issues listed below: • Briefly cover recent historical and current financial aspects of the organization; important note: if you are researching a publicly held company, include financial information from a recent Income Statement and Balance Sheet. You will need this information if your thesis addresses financial issues such as profitability, for example. You should also include a financial data comparison to your organization’s competitors in the industry. • Organizational hierarchy and structure as well as a preliminary summary of management and leadership styles in the organization • Human resource aspects of the organization including a review of benefits and pay scales relative to the market (Is the compensation appropriate? Are the rewards adequate?) • Labor relations issues • Specific legal or ethical issues relevant during the organization’s recent history • A summary of technology and information systems employed by the organization • Marketing issues • Operations decisions or operations procedures such as quality manufacturing programs other concentration courses or electives as appropriate) • Industry environment factors that could threaten the organization’s future competitive success • Strategic planning or short-term planning issues pertinent to the study In Section II: Corporate & Business Strategies you will outline some of the company’s strategies. Provide subdivision headings to discuss at least five of the following issues: • Define the company’s mission & goals, either from official statements or from the analysis so far • Define corporate strategy by describing lines of business and acquisitions • Determine if the business lines are related or just a portfolio of investments • Define the company’s strategy such as related or unrelated diversification • Determine if the strategy changed over time • Discuss the implementation of the strategy to date and explain why it was or was not successful • Identify the generic competitive strategies such as differentiation, low-cost, focus, etc. • Identify the investment strategies based on competition & life cycle stages • Mention any functional strategies that help it achieve competitive advantage such as efficiency, quality, innovation, customer responsiveness, etc. • Investigate the impact of production, marketing, and research & development on strategy formulation • Do the company’s structure & control systems support its corporate/business strategies? • Does it have the right levels of hierarchy & decentralization if vertically differentiated? • Does it employ a functional structure when a product structure is more appropriate if horizontally differentiated? • Are controls in place to ensure adequate compensation and reward systems? Section III: Chapter Summary. Briefly summarize chapter 3. Chapter 3 Checklist The following Checklist exercise will help you identify any problems in your chapter prior to submitting. If you complete this checklist (assuming you have answered “Yes” to each item) and you still need personal feedback, contact your professor for further instructions (see Chapter 2 Checklist, below). Chapter 3 Checklist Before submitting, self-assess your completed chapter by completing this checklist Item to Check Explanation Yes No Does the chapter meet SAFE ASSIGN Matching Index rules? Safe Assign Matching Index Score 15% or less for this course Have you provided 2 main Section Subheadings as required in the outline? Did you list headings for Section I: Current Company Operations & Section II: Corporate & Business Strategies? Suggestion: After finishing your paper print it and use a pen to label or circle the required elements and/or subheadings on the corresponding section of your paper. This will help to make sure you (and your instructor) can identify the required elements For Section I- Have you provided a heading for financials plus 5 other subdivision headings to address the required items? Did you include financial information from Income Statements and Balance Sheets? Did you provide information on at least five other bulleted subjects listed in the section to help in identifying one or more areas exhibiting weakness or threats? For Section II-Have you provided at least 5 subdivision headings and addressed the required items? Provide subdivision headings and discuss at least five of the issues surrounding the company’s strategies. Include subheadings and a discussion of issues such as mission & goals, corporate strategy, lines of business and acquisitions, related or portfolio investments Have you prepared and submitted an accurately formatted cumulative reference list for your in-text citations? Your instructor expects you to check this before submitting the chapter. Your professor will not provide detailed feedback for improperly formatted reference lists but grades are reduced accordingly. Suggestions: Refer to page 24 of this document to view accurate examples. Is your APA style accurate for your in-text citations Your instructor expects you to check these before submitting the chapter. Your professor will not provide detailed feedback for improperly formatted in-text citations but grades are reduced accordingly. Suggestions: Refer to page 23 of this document to view accurate examples. Chapter 3 Grading Feedback Table Before submitting, self-assess your completed chapter by completing the Chapter 3 checklist 90-100 80-89 70-79 60-69 0-59 Safe Assign Matching Index Score 15% or less for this course OK OK OK OK Not acceptable Must be 15% or below Note: Due to plagiarism rules, instructor will not review remaining items if this percentage is exceeded Grammar/Spelling/ Punctuation at College Grad Level OK OK OK Needs Improvement Not Reviewed Content/Length OK & Follows Research Paper’s Requirements For example, you must provide subheadings for Sections I & II and include a total of 5 subheadings each to discuss details about the company as related to the theories introduced in the program, the company’s Corporate-level Strategy, mission & goals, etc. OK OK Needs Improvement Needs Improvement Not Reviewed APA Style Reflects Scholarly Effort OK Needs Improvement Needs Improvement Needs Improvement Not Reviewed Objectives and Expectations You will demonstrate the ability to apply the terminology, concepts, and basic management theories presented in the BAS program. The first of two primary learning outcomes to demonstrate in this chapter is LO-1: the ability to “apply skills acquired in management, international business, marketing, business law, accounting, finance, economics, and management information systems to different business environments.” The second outcome to demonstrate is LO-2 (Comprehend and apply ethical practices in professional activities). Length: Research Paper Chapter 3 is 5 or 6 pages