Strategic action plan: Management Essay

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The project has 2 parts, Part1-need to before Part2. Be sure check on rubrics to pass essay.
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Prerequisites: Before beginning this Competency, you must complete the following Competency: • SF005: Strategic Situation Analysis Assessment Type: Work Product Competency Description: Being able to apply lessons from strategic situational analysis tools as well as other knowledge from your MBA program, towards the general diagnosis and analysis of cross-disciplinary organizational problems and opportunities, is an important competency. The ability to develop and write a strategic-thinkingoriented action plan requires you to apply a wide set of analytical, consultant-style skills. Even if you are not a senior leader, these skills will help you because you will have demonstrated the ability to think across functional boundaries and you will be able to communicate more clearly about complex ideas, thus making you more valuable in your current and future roles. For this Work Product Assessment, you will complete a Capstone “Strategy Playbook for Exceptional Results,” where you select a publicly traded company (with more than 100 employees), and where you will apply knowledge learned from your situational analyses from SF005 and from knowledge and tools learned throughout the CMBA program, to create a focused strategy playbook that highlights the skills and knowledge you gained and that make you a valued asset to your organization. You will write the playbook from the perspective of a consultant and, as you look at your selected company and its values, mission, stakeholders, internal skills and capabilities, and its general competitive environment, you will improve your integrative analysis and communication skills. Think of yourself as a paid consultant who has been hired to: diagnose long-term and/or cross-functional problems in organizational performance, identify long-term opportunities, and recommend solutions and strategic pathways to improve long-term organizational health. The final compilation of your “Strategy Playbook for Exceptional Results” will be tangible evidence of how you can put your MBA education to use and provide you a template for how you can help your current organization, or one you hope to work with in the future, achieve exceptional results. • Part 1: The first step in creating your strategy playbook is to select an appropriate company or organization for your study. You must select a publicly traded company that has more than 100 employees. Ideally, you should select an organization that you are very familiar with and/or very passionate about. Walden University Competency Description - Brief 12/28/2016 2 of 2 • Part 2: You will create six detailed entries for your “Strategy Playbook for Extraordinary Results.” Each entry will be a situation analysis, similar to the situation analyses you completed in your SF005 Assessment. Assessment Submission Length: Approximately 8-10 pages (single-spaced) Sub-Competencies: o Develop an original strategy playbook/scorecard that outlines original and relevant strategic initiatives and metrics, and that provides appropriate conceptual justification for the initiative and metric recommendations. Professional Skills o Professional Skill 1: Written Communication Demonstrate graduate-level writing skills. o Professional Skill 5: Critical Thinking and Problem Solving Use critical-thinking and problem-solving skills to analyze professional issues and inform best.
Overview
In this Work Product Assessment, you will choose a company and follow the prompts to complete a “Strategy Playbook for Exceptional Results.”
Professional Skills: Written Communication and Critical Thinking and Problem Solving are assessed in this Competency. You are strongly encouraged to use the Academic Writing Expectations Checklist when completing this Assessment.
Access the following to complete this Assessment:
• Capstone Strategy Playbook for Exceptional Results: Description of the Playbook
• Strategy Playbook Organizational Selection Process Flowchart
• Walden MBA Capstone Bibliography
• Case: James Houghton and Signature Theatre
• Case (Secondary Source): Trader Joe's
• Case: Tesla Motors (in 2013): Will Sparks Fly in the Automobile Industry?
• Case: Apple (in 2013): How to Sustain a Competitive Advantage?
• Case (Field): The Weather Company
• A Playbook for Strategy: The Five Essential Questions at the Heart of Any Winning Strategy
• Mapping, Measurement, and Alignment of Strategy Using the Balanced Scorecard: The Tata Steel Case
• Supplemental Reading Notes to Prepare for Effective Strategic Thinking
• Academic Writing Expectations Checklist
Your response to this Assessment should:
• Reflect the criteria provided in the Rubric. Note: This Rubric will be used to assess each of the six analysis entries of the Strategy Playbook separately but will use the same analytic evaluation logic.
• Adhere to the required assignment length.
• Conform to APA style guidelines. You may use Walden Writing Center’s APA Course Paper Template.
This Assessment requires submission of one (1) file. Save this file as SF006_first initial_lastname (for example, SF006_ J_Smith).
When you are ready to upload your completed Assessment, use the Assessment tab on the top navigation menu.
Instructions
Before submitting your Assessment, carefully review the rubric. This is the same rubric the assessor will use to evaluate your submission and it provides detailed criteria describing how to achieve or master the Competency. Many students find that understanding the requirements of the Assessment and the rubric criteria help them direct their focus and use their time most productively.
Rubric
Think of yourself as a paid consultant who has been hired to: diagnose long-term and/or cross-functional problems in organizational performance, identify long-term opportunities, and recommend solutions and strategic pathways to improve long-term organizational health.
Keep in mind that as a consultant your opinion doesn’t matter. Your fee is based on an integrated, documented, and strong analysis that offers recommendations based on the application of relevant information.
It is important that you put together a cogent, clear analysis that can help you explain the root causes of the problems and propose solutions, using concepts from the documents provided and other relevant concepts based on the knowledge you reference to support your arguments.
Follow the steps below to create your “Strategy Playbook for Exceptional Results.”
This assessment has two parts. Click each of the items below to complete this assessment.
Part I: Company Selection and Approval
The first step in creating your strategy playbook is to select an appropriate company or organization for your study. You must select a publicly traded company that has more than 100 employees. Ideally, you should select an organization that you are very familiar with and/or very passionate about.
• Review the “Capstone Strategy Playbook for Exceptional Results: Description” and “Strategy Playbook Organizational Selection Process Flowchart” documents. These documents present a general description of the strategy playbook and review the process and limitations for selecting a company or organization to analyze for you strategy playbook.
• Consider the following suggestions when selecting the company:
o You may want to study your current organization if it is publicly traded. (All names of people would be disguised.)
o You may want to study a direct competitor of your current company that is publicly traded, and apply lessons learned as appropriate.
o You may want to study an exemplary company where you could use your analysis to model a new business start-up you are considering.
o You may want to study a failing company, and analyze what you think are the root causes of the failure and offer strategies for an effective turn-around.
• Be sure to choose an organization/industry that you are genuinely interested in and will commit to studying. Remember, it is likely that no one company or organization will be a perfect selection. So, log into the Walden Library and explore what information is available about your target company. (Note: You have done work finding and analyzing annual reports earlier in the program, so you can start there if you are planning to study a publicly traded company.)
• There are a variety of databases and resources available that can help you with your research. Explore them to find the most effective ones. Since you are working with a public company, the Hoovers database is a good place to start. Remember that research and information literacy are two important MBA program level skills that you are expected to demonstrate.
Write a summary of your selection as follows:
• Identify the company that you will study and explain how it meets the criteria provided above, and why you think you will learn the most from it, and have the most fun analyzing it.
• Confirm that you have access to annual reports and other information about the company at the Hoover’s, Business Source Complete, or other relevant source within the Walden Library.
Your summary should be approximately 200 words in length.
Note: You must submit Part I to your SME
Part II: Playbook Entries
You will create six detailed entries for your “Strategy Playbook for Extraordinary Results.” Each entry will be a situation analysis, similar to the situation analyses you completed in your SF005 Assessment.
Note: For each entry, be sure to review the analyses and responses you completed for the CMBA SF005 Assessment. You are expected to apply lessons from the case studies, reference appropriate and relevant readings you identify from the “Walden MBA Capstone Bibliography,” and from other appropriate frameworks and analytic tools into your playbook entry.
Playbook Entry 1: Evaluation of Mission, Vision, & Values—The Soulful Purpose in Action
In your first analysis entry for your strategy playbook for your chosen Capstone organization, evaluate what Wolfe calls the “Context Field”, or level of analysis, for the company you selected. As Wolfe explains (2011, pp. 81–84):
“Within organizations, the Context field is often incorrectly referred to as the culture of the organization. It is this but is also much more. Culture is part of Context but not all of it.
Context is certainly much more than the “do’s and don’ts” associated with the word culture in our society. It’s even more than the mores and shared values we spend so much time dissecting and diagramming. It’s the sum total of all our shared stories, the mythology we make up to explain our world to ourselves and to others.
As such, it is not something that can be easily observed or measured, but it literally defines “how we do things around here.” An organization and the individuals within it cannot behave or operate in ways that are contrary to the Context framework defining the organization. . .
The Context Field contains energy associated with meaning and purpose. It is the energy that drives what is known in today’s business environment as engagement.”
In traditional strategy terms, evaluating the “Context Field” of an organization is related to the evaluation of the organization’s stated, and lived, mission, vision, and values (if they have them stated). The analysis of the Context Field derives from developing answers to a probing set of questions that are intended to help you better understand the goals, ambitions, value, and long-term soulful purpose of the organization. Understanding these issues sets the context and lens from which to better understand how to shape your strategy playbook. It also affords you the opportunity to recommend ways in which these important context elements (mission, vision, and values) could be improved. This entry’s focus question for your strategy playbook is: What is your winning aspiration? (What do you stand for and believe deeply in?)
Reference: Wolfe, N. (2011). The living organization: Transforming business to create extraordinary results. Irvine, CA: Quantum Leaders Publishing.
To prepare for this playbook entry:
• Review “James Houghton and Signature Theater,” and any notes you prepared for your Assessment of that case in your SF005 Assessment responses. With this information in mind, consider what you learned that you can apply to your chosen organization.
• Identify and review relevant readings from the “Walden MBA Capstone Bibliography,” as well as other relevant readings you deem relevant.
• Locate and maintain access to publicly available information about the organization’s mission, vision, and values. This information should be available in the organization’s annual reports and official website.
• Analyze the company’s mission, vision, and values by considering the following:
o What is the fundamental purpose of the organization (beyond “making money”), why does it exist, and what problems does it solve in the world? (See Wolfe, 2009, pp. 121–128.)
o Would the world be a better place if this organization no longer existed? Why, or why not? (See Wolfe, 2009, pp. 121–128.)
o Has the company been consistent and true towards achieving its purpose and vision over the years? Is it still consistent now? How? What could it do better?
o Are organization-wide goals stated merely in terms of market growth or financial outcomes for a year or two? Are there any more broad, stakeholder related goals or “balanced scorecard” goals? How should they improve in this area (what goals should they have and why)?
o Do the stated mission and/or vision statements address all of the fundamental stakeholders explicitly? (At an absolute minimum, this should include employees, customers, and shareholders.)
o Are the organization’s fundamental (soulful) purpose, mission, vision, and values aligned explicitly with one another—and with the actions of the organization?
Write Playbook Entry 1
Write a polished and synthesized evaluation of your chosen organization’s stated mission, vision, and values statements and include it as Entry 1 in your strategy playbook document. In writing your evaluation, be sure to address the following:
1. Do the stated mission, vision, and values provide a strong foundation from which to clearly understand the organization’s soulful purpose? How, and why?
2. What are the strengths and weaknesses of the stated mission, vision, and values? Why?
3. What revisions would you make to strengthen them (if necessary), and why? If you do not have recommendations, explain why you think the current stated mission, vision, and values are appropriate without revision and what criteria you suggest that organization use to evaluate those periodically so it can ensure that they remain relevant.
4. Be sure to back your evaluation with evidence and references to best practices from the case study, required readings, and relevant readings from the “Walden MBA Capstone Bibliography.”
5. Title this entry “Mission, Vision, and Values Analysis for [Insert Organization Name].”
This entry should be approximately 700 words, single spaced, excluding a title page and references.
Notes:
• If the organization you are studying does not have formal statements on the items listed above, create them based on the application of your research. Then, explain why your version makes sense.
• As a best practice, you should plan to review and revise your playbook throughout this Assessment as you continue to build your components. You may find that you have new ideas and items that could further improve your work, and you should revise earlier sections (apply iterative writing).
Playbook Entry 2: Core Skills, Competencies, and Capabilities
For your second entry into your playbook, you will apply lessons learned from your Trader Joe’s case analysis and discussion about internal resource assessment, appropriate and relevant readings you identify from the “Walden MBA Capstone Bibliography,” and other appropriate frameworks and analytic tools into your playbook entry. The critical question in this section’s analysis is: Which capabilities must be in place (for my capstone organization to win)?
To prepare for this entry:
• Review the “Trader Joe’s” document, and the analysis you prepared for this case in your SF005 Assessment.
• Identify and review relevant readings from the “Walden MBA Capstone Bibliography,” as well as from other relevant readings that you identify.
• Locate and maintain access to publicly available information about your organization.
Write Playbook Entry 2
Write a polished and synthesized analysis of the company’s resources and include it as Entry 2 in your strategy playbook. Be sure to address the following:
1. What did you learn from the Trader Joe’s case analysis and from other relevant resources?
2. What context differences are important between the case example and your organization? What assumptions do you need to make in order to use the concepts appropriately?
3. Given your chosen organization, what concepts, tools, and readings from the “Walden MBA Capstone Bibliography” and other self-selected resources are most relevant to helping guide how you might recommend improving the company? Why and how are they relevant?
4. Based on the case analysis and other resources you have reviewed, what are some specific organizational actions, metrics, and general recommendations that you would add to, or make for your strategy playbook?
5. Title this section: Internal Resource Analysis for [Insert Organization Name].
Entry 2 should be approximately 700 words, single spaced, excluding a title page and references.
Note: As a best practice, you should plan to review and revise your playbook throughout this Assessment, as you continue to build your components. You may find that you have new ideas and items that could further improve your work, and you should revise earlier sections (apply iterative writing).
Playbook Entry 3: Stakeholder and General Force Analysis
For your third entry into your playbook, you will apply lessons learned from your Tesla Motors analysis and discussion about stakeholder assessment and its relationship to P.E.S.T. analysis; appropriate and relevant readings you identify from the “Walden MBA Capstone Bibliography;” and other appropriate frameworks and analytic tools into your playbook entry. The critical question in this section’s analysis is: Where will you play? (Who will you serve, and who will either help or compete against you?)
To Prepare for this Entry:
• Review the “Tesla Motors” document and your analysis of that case in the SF005 Assessment.
• Identify and review relevant readings from the “Walden MBA Capstone Bibliography,” as well as other relevant readings that you identify.
• Locate and maintain access to publicly available information about your organization.
Write Playbook Entry 3
Write a polished and synthesized analysis of the stakeholders and general force, related to your selected company, and include it as Entry 3 in your strategy playbook. Be sure to address the following:
1. What did you learn from your Tesla Motors case analyses that you can apply to your strategy playbook for your chosen organization?
2. What context differences are important between the case example and your organization? What assumptions do you need to make in order to use the concepts appropriately?
3. Given your chosen organization, what concepts, tools, and readings from the “Walden MBA Capstone Bibliography” and from other self-selected resources are most relevant to helping guide how you might recommend improving the company? Why and how are they relevant?
4. Based on the case analysis and other resources that you have reviewed, what are some specific organizational actions, metrics, and general recommendations that you would add to or make for your strategy playbook?
5. Title this section “Stakeholder Analyses for [Insert Organization Name].”
Entry 3 should be approximately 700 words, single spaced, excluding a title page and references.
Note: As a best practice you should plan to review and revise your playbook throughout this Assessment, as you continue to build your components. You may find that you have new ideas and items that could further improve your work, and you should revise earlier sections (apply iterative writing).
Strategy Playbook Entry 4: Five-Forces and Blue Ocean Strategy Analysis
For your fourth entry into your playbook, you will apply lessons learned from your Apple, Inc. case analysis (about competitive force assessment), appropriate and relevant readings you identify from the “Walden MBA Capstone Bibliography,” and other appropriate frameworks and analytic tools into your Playbook entry. The critical question in this section’s analysis is: How will you win? (How will you create unique value?).
To prepare for this entry:
• Review the “Apple, Inc.” document and any notes you prepared for your analysis of that case in your SF005 Assessment.
• Identify and review relevant readings from the “Walden MBA Capstone Bibliography,” as well as from other relevant readings that you identify.
• Locate and maintain access to publicly available information about your organization.
Write Playbook Entry 4
Write a polished and synthesized analysis of your selected company based on the Five-Forces and Blue Ocean Strategy. Include this as Entry 4 of your Strategy Playbook. Be sure to address the following:
1. What did you learn from your Apple, Inc. (in 2013) case analysis that you can apply to your strategy playbook for your chosen organization.
2. What context differences are important between the case example and your organization; what assumptions do you need to make in order to use the concepts appropriately?
3. Given your chosen organization, what concepts, tools, and readings from the “Walden MBA Capstone Bibliography” and other relevant resources are most relevant to helping guide how you might recommend improving the company? Why and how are they relevant?
4. Based on the case analysis and other resources you have reviewed, what are some specific organizational actions, metrics, and general recommendations that you would add to or make for your strategy playbook?
5. Title this section “Competitive Force Analysis for [Insert Organization Name].”
This portion of your strategy playbook should be approximately 700 words, single spaced, excluding a title page and references.
Note: As a best practice you should plan to review and revise your playbook throughout this Assessment, as you continue to build your components. You may find that you have new ideas and items that could further improve your work, and you should revise earlier sections (apply iterative writing).
Strategy Playbook Entry 5: KSF Analysis & Potential Strategic Pathways
For your fifth entry into your playbook, you will apply lessons learned from your second key success factor (KSF) analysis of Trader Joe’s, that focused on key success factors; and you will apply lessons from appropriate and relevant readings you identify from the “Walden MBA Capstone Bibliography,” and other appropriate frameworks and analytic tools, and will add to your playbook. The critical questions in this section’s analysis are: How will you win? (How will you create unique value now and in the future?) Which capabilities must be in place (to win in the future)? What skills, competencies, and capabilities do you need now and in the future?
To prepare for this entry:
• Review again the “Trader Joe’s” document and your analysis of that case from your SF005 Assessment.
• Identify and review relevant readings from the “Walden MBA Capstone Bibliography,” as well as from other relevant readings that you identify.
• Locate and maintain access to publicly available information about your organization.
Write Playbook Entry 5
Write a polished and synthesized entry into your “Strategy Playbook for Extraordinary Results.” Be sure to address the following:
1. What did you learn from this week’s resources, and the “Trader Joe’s” (revisited) and the “U.S. Food Retailing” case analyses that you can apply to your strategy playbook for your chosen organization?
2. What context differences are important between the case example and your organization; what assumptions do you need to make in order to use the concepts appropriately?
3. Given your chosen organization, what concepts, tools, and readings from the “Walden MBA Capstone Bibliography” and self-identified resources are most relevant to helping guide how you might recommend improving the company? Why and how are they relevant?
4. Based on the case analysis, and other resources you have reviewed, what are some specific organizational actions, metrics, and general recommendations that you would add to, or make for your strategy playbook?
5. Title this section “Key Success Factor Analysis for [Insert Organization Name].”
Playbook Entry 5 should be approximately 700 words, single spaced, excluding a title page and references.
Note: As a best practice, you should plan to review and revise your playbook throughout this Assessment as you continue to build your components. You may find that you have new ideas and items that could further improve your work, and you should revise earlier sections (apply iterative writing).
Strategy Playbook Entry 6: What is the Strategy that Your Playbook is Designed to Support?
For your sixth entry into your playbook, you will apply lessons learned from you’re “The Weather Company” case analysis (about strategy evaluation), appropriate and relevant readings you identify from the “Walden MBA Capstone Bibliography,” and other appropriate frameworks and analytic tools and will add to your strategy playbook. The critical question in this section’s analysis is: Which capabilities must be in place (for my capstone organization to win)?
To prepare for this entry:
• Review “The Weather Company” document and any notes you prepared for your analysis of that case in your SF005 Assessment responses.
• Identify and review relevant readings from the “Walden MBA Capstone Bibliography.”
Write Playbook Entry 6
Write a polished and synthesized entry into your “Strategy Playbook for Extraordinary Results.” At minimum you should address:
1. What did you learn from this week’s resources, and The Weather Company case analysis that you can apply to your strategy playbook for your chosen organization?
2. What context differences are important between the case example and your organization; what assumptions do you need to make in order to use the concepts appropriately?
3. Given your chosen organization, what concepts, tools, and readings from the “Walden MBA Capstone Bibliography” and self-selected resources are most relevant to helping guide how you might recommend improving the company? How and why are these resources relevant?
4. Based on the case analysis and other resources you have reviewed, what are some specific organizational actions, metrics, and general recommendations that you would add to, or make for your strategy playbook?
5. Title this section “Strategy Evaluation Analysis for [Insert Organization Name].”
This portion of your Strategy Playbook should be approximately 700 words, single spaced, excluding a title page and references.
Note: As a best practice you should plan to review your playbook one last time.
Final Entry: Completing Your Strategy Playbook & Summary Diagram
You are now ready to finalize a polished and synthesized “Strategy Playbook for Extraordinary Results.” It represents what can be thought of as a form of "Due Diligence Analysis"—where you are trying to step into the role of either a consultant to a senior leadership team or are a member of that team—and where you are preparing a "forward-looking," "crisp," "impactful" analysis about where you think the company ought to be going for the next 5 years or so, and how it might get there.
Elements of the Completed Playbook
The full playbook will be composed of three elements:
• Written Executive Summary (that provides key highlights of your playbook)
• Strategy Map (or other playbook summary diagram)
• Appendix (containing the synthesized, integrated compilation of your six analysis playbook entries—with complete references and citations included for the entire work)
General Format
All sections should be single spaced. Start with a cover page, then start page numbering with the Executive Summary, continue it through the very end (appendix included). References should be included after the appendix and follow APA 6th edition format.
Note: Your playbook should have a cover page with a title for the recommended strategy that describes the strategy, like "Maru-C" ("Encircle Caterpillar"), which was a large scale strategy that Komatsu strove for in the 1980s.
Prepare your Final Draft
• Review “Capstone Strategy Playbook for Exceptional Results” for details on how to complete each element and review the Assessment Rubric for additional details. Also, review “A Playbook for Strategy: The Five Essential Questions at the Heart of Any Winning Strategy” and “Mapping, Measurement and Alignment of Strategy Using the Balanced Scorecard: The Tata Steel Case.” Then, complete all sections, edit, and review the entire paper. Finally, submit for assessment.