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5 pages/≈1375 words
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6 Sources
Style:
APA
Subject:
Business & Marketing
Type:
Term Paper
Language:
English (U.S.)
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$ 29.16
Topic:

Whole Foods Market

Term Paper Instructions:

Module 3 - Case
Case: Inputs Diagnosis, SLP: Time Warp 2
Assignment Overview
XCG
The Excellent Consulting Group
Communication from Art:
I reviewed your report regarding Organizational Diagnosis, and I thought you did a nice job. I presented your recommendation to ABC Company and Whole Foods Market, and had several discussions with them.
They've finally decided that they want to use the Nadler-Tushman Congruence Model to analyze the overall congruence in the company – they like the Input and Output analysis that this model provides.
First, the company's executives are interested in the Inputs, including the strategy. They are interested in getting an objective opinion of what their critical inputs are and how they align with their strategy. So I suggest that you very quickly brush up more on the Congruence model, particularly for this assignment on inputs.
REQUIRED READING:
Nadler, D. A. & Tushman, M. L. (1980) A Model for Diagnosing Organizational Behavior. Organizational Dynamics, 9 (2), 35-51. Retrieved on November 7, 2012 from EBSCO.
Case Assignment
Using the Nadler-Tushman Congruence Model, conduct an analysis of Whole Foods Market's inputs and how they align with the strategy.
For the analysis, I suggest that you start with strategy, since you have already done some work on this aspect in your first report. Review Whole Foods Market’s strategy and then determine which one of Porter’s competitive strategies fits with this strategy. Then review the company’s inputs and determine one or two specific critical inputs from each input category: environment, resources, and history.
Ultimately, I want you to determine how aligned the critical inputs are with the strategy. Is there high congruence (alignment), some congruence, or little to no congruence? I expect you to support your claim with a good, logical argument using the information you have collected.
In order to make this case, you first need to review the strategy and then classify it as one of Porter’s competitive strategies. Then identify the Key Input factors in the first three categories. Explain why these are the critical input factors. Then determine how congruent the three input factors are with the strategy.
Be sure to include references. Turn in the 4- to 6-page paper by the end of the module.
KEYS TO THE ASSIGNMENT:
1.Discuss the organization’s strategy and classify it according to Porter’s three generic competitive strategies. 
2.Identify the most critical inputs in each of the first three categories and justify why they are critical. Also explain what effect the inputs from one category have on inputs from the other categories. How well does the strategy fit with the environmental, resource and historical inputs you identified?
3.Make a Case for your proposition as to how the Key Inputs support (are congruent with) the Strategy. Specifically make a claim: “The inputs at Whole Foods Market consisting of Organizational Environment factors, Internal Resource factors, and Historical Tradition factors are [highly, partially, or minimally] congruent with the company’s strategy.”
4.Support your analysis with objective evidence. Sources of information for the entire project may include interviews, organizational documents and reports, articles in newspapers, and trade publications. Be sure to cite your sources and provide a list of references.
Write up your report in a 4- to 6-page paper and submit it by the end of the module.
Assignment Expectations
Your paper will be evaluated on the following seven points:
•Precision - Does the paper address the question(s) or task(s)?
•Breadth - Is the full breadth of the subject, that is, the Keys to the Assignment, addressed?
•Depth - Does the paper address the topic in sufficient depth and include the background readings and other background resources as references?
•Critical thinking - Is the subject thought about critically, that is, accurately, logically, relevantly, and precisely?
•Clarity - Is the writing clear and are the concepts articulated properly? Are paraphrasing and synthesis of concepts the primary means of responding to the questions or are points conveyed through excessive use of quotations?
•Organization - Is the paper well written? Are the grammar, spelling, and vocabulary appropriate for graduate-level work? Are headings included in all papers longer than two pages?
•Referencing (citations and references) - Does the paper include citations and quotation marks where appropriate? Are the references from the background readings and assignment present and properly cited? Are all the references listed in the bibliography present and referred to via citation?
TIPS AND SUGGESTIONS
•You may use a simple diagram to highlight important factors. However, do not use the diagram in lieu of valuable analysis (or to take up valuable writing space) - it should be in addition to your paper of 4-6 pages of analysis.
•Just because you have written the minimum four pages does not mean that you have adequately covered the topic. Err on the side of writing more rather than less.
•Choose the data you use carefully. Is it relevant and important?
•Include a cover page and reference page, in addition to the 4-6 pages of analysis described above.
•Include headings within the paper.
•Cite and reference all sources that you use in your work, including those that you paraphrase. This means include citations and quotation marks for direct quotes of more than five words, and citations for that information which you have "borrowed" or paraphrased from other sources.
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Term Paper Sample Content Preview:

Whole Foods Market
Name:
Institution:
Whole Foods Market is the world’s leading single retailer of organic and natural foods. It sells a wide variety of foods ranging from greens, cereals, meat, seafood, to poultry, and so on. Since its inception in 1980, the company has positioned itself as the strictest adherent to quality standards of the food industry while at the same promotes sustainable agriculture. The company’s core values are anchored on its mission statement of; "Whole Foods, Whole People, Whole Planet" in which customer satisfaction, employee motivation, and care for the environment are the main determinants of the company’s strategic goals and objectives. Whole Foods Market prides itself as the first company in the food industry to show unweaving dedication towards promoting organic farming and supporting food banks worldwide by coming up with its platform known as the Whole Planet Foundation (Cochran, 2011). It one of the few food companies that donate more that 5% of its net profits annually to community development programs.
Whole Foods Market’s Organizational Strategy
Since its establishment, the company has consolidated its market share by fully focusing on the organic and natural foods while at the same time aligning its operating practices to environmental sustainability. Thus, it became distinguished from the ordinary retailers. The company strengthened this strategy through rapidly expanding its operations in every corner of the world. For instance, in the past two decades alone, Whole Foods Market expanded immensely through several acquisitions. Some of the companies it has acquired include; Bread & Circus of Massachusetts, Fresh Fields Markets of Los Angeles, Wellspring Grocery of North Carolina, Florida Bread life Stores, Nature’s Heartland of Boston, among others (Straub, 2010). In the United Kingdom alone, the Whole Foods Market had already acquired seven organic and natural food stores by 2007. Currently, the company has been working with a target of opening more than 25 stores each year. The business-level strategy employed by Whole Foods Market perfectly matches with one of the Porter’s generic strategies; differentiation strategy. Its stores are stocked with unique organic and natural foods, which a particular segment of the market values most (Ormanidhi and Stringa, 2008). This segment comprises of people on a strict diet, high-income earners, health conscious individuals, as well as those who value nature and the environment in general. The company has also pursued the differentiation strategy by ensuring it has an impeccable customer service and procurement activities. It has efficiently utilized the internet through the creation of an interactive website that it can monitor the changing consumer tastes and preferences in real time.
Critical Inputs in the Three Categories
Environment:
One of the critical inputs in this category is the global economic changes. The food industry is directly affected by the changing economic environments in different international markets. Being one of the key players in this industry, Whole Foods Market sales are significantly affected by factors such as inflation, unemployment, ...
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