Topic: Case Study(Strategic Management)
Pages: 8, Double spaced
Sources: 4
Order type: Essay
Subject: Management
Style: APA
Language: English (U.S.)
Order Description
Choose one of the following tools and use it to analyse the Walmart case:
1.Five forces analysis
2.Value chain analysis
3.VRIO framework
Write a short evaluation of Walmart’s capacity to succeed, or not, in the future based on your analysis.
Reflect on the shortcomings of your analysis given the use of one particular tool and suggest other tools that could have been used and how they would have complemented your analysis.
The report is an opportunity to analyse a case and to hone your skills in report writing. These sections should be linked together so the report is an integrated and compelling analytical argument that leads to your evaluation and critical reflections.
THE TASK:
Choose one of the following tools and use it to analyse the Walmart case:
1. Five forces analysis
2. Value chain analysis
3. VRIO framework
Write a short evaluation of Walmart’s capacity to succeed, or not, in the future based on your analysis.
Reflect on the shortcomings of your analysis given the use of one particular tool and suggest other tools that could have been used and how they would have complemented your analysis.
The report is an opportunity to analyse a case and to hone your skills in report writing. These sections should be linked together so the report is an integrated and compelling analytical argument that leads to your evaluation and critical reflections.
IMPORTANT INFO:
Length: 2,000 words
Due Date: On-line at 4.30pm on 5th October, 2017
All assessments are compulsory. Late assessments attract penalties – 10% for the first day (including weekend days) and 5% for everyday thereafter.
Assessments will not be accepted beyond the closing date (set out in the UOS outline).
Tips writing your report:
Resources:
You have access to the Harvard Business case study on Walmart and should work from this updating it and providing new key information which can be gathered by:
• Visiting the company website and gathering company’s history, key resources and policies.
• Checking out the firm’s press releases for useful information and data.
• Searching the business and general press for articles on Walmart and their competitors.
Style Guide:
Provide an executive summary of 100-150 words that outlines the key issues of your analysis and summaries your evaluation of Walmart’s future (the report should not read like a mystery story). This should be self-contained and the reader should be able to understand the essence of analysis and your recommendations without reading the body of the report. This will be included in your word count.
Avoid explicitly outlining the model. Rather, demonstrate your understanding by applying it to the case.
You should still provide a brief introduction outlining the report structure and your findings.
You must provide appropriate referencing of any data sources or quotes, using a consistent referencing style throughout the report.
While charts and graphs are important, highly detailed information, multiple charts, graphs and other supporting data of less importance are best place in the Appendices. This material should only be included if it is referred to in the detailed report (i.e., because it is relevant). The Appendices do not count as part of the word limit.
Write in full sentences. Dot points are only for listing issues. You must still explain the issues. Do not exceed the word limit. The top end of the word limit is the UPPER BOUND. Anything beyond that will not be read. Present your ideas convincingly and concisely.
Suggested references
Barney J B (1995) ‘Looking inside for competitive advantage’, The Academy of Management Executive, 9(4) pp 49-61.
Crain, D W and Abraham, S (2008) ‘Using value-chain analysis to discover customers’ strategic needs’, Strategy & Leadership, 36(4), 29-39.
Dodds, M E (2014) “guildines for applying Porter’s five forces framework: a set of industry analysis templates”, Competitiveness Review, 24(1), 32-45.
Hinterhuber, A (2013) ‘Can competitive advantage be predicted?: Towards a predictive definition of competitive advantage in the resource-based view of the firm’, Management Decision, 15(4), 795-812.
Jarzabkowski, P, Giulietti, M, Oliveira, B and Amoo, N (2013) ‘”We Don’t Need No education”- Or Do We? Management Education and Alumni Adoption of Strategy Tools, Journal of Management Inquiry, 22(1), 4-24.
Jarzabowski, P and Kaplan, S (2014) ‘Strategy Tools-in-Use: A Framework for Understanding “Technologies of Rationality” in Practice, Strategic Management Journal.
Levitas, E and Ndofor, H (2006) ‘What to Do with the Resource-based View’, Journal of Management Inquiry, 15(2), 135-144.
Porter, M E (2008) “The Five Competitive Forces that Shape Strategy” in Harvard Business Review, January, pp. 79-93.
Porter (2001) “The Value Chain and Competitive Advantage” in Barnes, David (ed) Understanding Business Process, Open University and Routledge, London, ISBN 41523861-7.
Prahalad, C and Hamel, G (1990) “The Core Competence of the Corporation” Harvard Business Review, 90/3: 79-93.
arking rubric
This is the rubric that will be used to mark your work and provide you with feedback. You will also be provided with an overall comment. Please be aware that these aspects have not been given numerical weightings, but will give you a chance to see how you performed on the various aspects of the task.
*Excellent
*Satisfactory
