Business Policy and Strategy (BBA 4951) Columbia Southern University

Unit Assignments

Unit I Journal

Some who study business may not become chief executive officers (CEOs) or work in upper management, so it is important to understand why strategic management matters to all members and layers of an organization. Considering this, why might strategic management be important to your field of study or chosen profession?

Your journal entry must be at least 200 words. No references or citations are necessary.

Unit II Journal

Does the current company you work for have a mission statement? If you do not currently work for a company, consider the last company you worked for. If there is a mission statement, do you think it is effective? If there is no mission statement, how would your company benefit from developing one?

Your journal entry must be at least 200 words. No references or citations are necessary.

Unit II Essay

Over the course of this unit, we have discussed the importance of mission and vision statements. As a part of that discussion, we analyzed mission and vision statements for their effectiveness. For the Unit II Essay, you will expand on this topic.

Using your favorite search engine, research the mission and vision statements of different fortune 500 companies. Then, you will write an essay in which you compare and contrast the mission statements of two companies and the vision statements of two companies. You may use the same companies for both the mission and vision comparisons or separate companies. Within your essay, include the information below.

·         Explain the principle value of two vision statements.

·         Explain the principle value of two mission statements.

·         Compare and contrast vision statements of each organization in terms of composition and importance.

·         Compare and contrast mission statements of each organization in terms of composition and importance.

·         Do you think organizations that have comprehensive mission statements tend to be high performers?

·         How do mission and vision statements assist in selecting an industry-specific strategy?

·         Explain why a mission statement should not include monetary amounts, numbers, percentages, ratios, goals, or objectives.

Unit III Journal

The influence of social media is huge. In your own experience, how have you seen social media represent a major threat or opportunity for a company? What advice could you offer a company to overcome these threats or to take advantage of the opportunities presented by social media?

Your journal entry must be at least 200 words. No references or citations are necessary.

Unit III Case Study

Read “Exemplary Company Showcased: Netflix, Inc. (NFLX)” on page 90 of your course textbook. As you read, pay close attention to Netflix’s strategy, and write a case study describing the points listed below.

·         What are Netflix’s internal strengths and weaknesses?

·         Who are Netflix’s competitors?

·         Do you see Netflix’s strategy as effective or ineffective? Why?

Your case study must be at least one page in length, not counting a title page and reference page. Outside sources are not a requirement for this case study, but if you choose to use them, they must be cited and referenced according to APA standards.

Unit IV Journal

Imagine you are working for a company that has $1 million to spend on a new strategy and is considering market development versus product development. In this case, what determining factors would be most important to consider? What recommendations would you make to the CEO?

Your journal entry must be at least 200 words. No references or citations are necessary.

Unit IV Case Study

Implementation Plan: Part 1

During Unit IV, VI, and VIII, you will be working on an implementation plan for a business. The components within these three units combined will create this plan.

Please take a look at the 30 case studies located in your textbook on pages 370–625. There are multiple corporations that provide a large array of services and products. Please select one of these 30 organizations that interests you. You will use this company for the Unit VI and Unit VIII assignments, as well.

For Part 1, describe the company that you selected, the products/services they offer, and the history of the company. Next, analyze the company’s strategy, mission, and organizational structure. In your analysis, include the information below.

·         What does the strategy, mission, and organizational structure say about the company?

·         What are the positive aspects of the strategy, mission, and organizational structure?

·         What are the company’s short-term and long-term goals?

·         What are ways to improve the strategy, mission, and organizational structure?  

Much of the information you will need to complete this segment can be found in the case study in the textbook. However, you are welcome to conduct further outside research as needed. Some details, such as the short-term and long-term goals, may not be explicitly stated. Please use your best judgement and analytical skills to determine that information.

Your project must be a minimum of two full pages in length, not counting the title and reference pages. Include an introduction paragraph.

Unit V Journal

In this unit, we discussed the concept of market segmentation, which is defined as product positioning that subdivides the market to target specific customers. Identify a product that you have seen with either effective or ineffective market segmentation. Explain what makes the market segmentation effective or ineffective.

Your journal entry must be at least 200 words. No references or citations are necessary.

Unit VI Journal

Suppose you are a leader responsible for an organization’s vision/mission statements. How often do you think they should be changed? What are some reasons you might consider changing them?

Your journal entry must be at least 200 words. No references or citations are necessary.

Unit VI Project

Implementation Plan: Part 2

In Unit IV, you started to create an implementation plan. You selected a company and analyzed their strategy and mission. In Unit VI, we will continue your work with this company and develop a SWOT analysis.

Remember that a SWOT analysis identifies strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of an organization. This is an important analysis for any organization as it can be used for strategic planning. Your SWOT analysis must be a minimum of two pages in length. Once you have completed your SWOT analysis, write a minimum of one page, explaining how this information could be used by the company.

Please use the template below to complete the SWOT analysis and explanation. Save the template using your last name and student ID. For example, John Smith whose student ID is 12345 would save his assignment as Smith12345. The information you need to complete this analysis can be found in the case studies located in your textbook on pages 370-625. Outside research is not a requirement.

Click here to access the Unit VI Project Template.

Much of the information you will need to complete this segment can be found in the case study in the textbook. However, you are welcome to conduct further research as needed.

Unit VII Journal

You are opening your own small business and want to establish a culture of ethical behavior. What are some procedures you should implement to support an ethics culture?

Your journal entry must be at least 200 words. No references or citations are necessary.

Unit VIII Journal

Identify a strategic management skill that you learned or acquired in this course, and explain how you would apply it to improve success in your career in a real-world scenario.

Your journal entry must be at least 200 words. No references or citations are necessary.

Unit VIII Project

Implementation Plan: Part 3

For the final assignment of this course, you will continue your work with the company you used in Unit IV and Unit VI. For the Unit VIII Project, you will complete the final components of your implementation plan.

For Part 3, you will focus on the following points:

·         internal and external issues,

·         competition,

·         future outlook for the organization, and

·         implementation of tools for measuring business success

Much of the information you will need to complete this segment can be found in the case study in the textbook. However, you are welcome to conduct further research as needed. For the future of the organization, you may be creative and add your own insight on where you see the company going.

Your project must be a minimum of three full pages in length, not counting the title and reference pages. Make certain to include an introductory paragraph.