Situational Analysis Technology Company Discussion

Review the following:

Read “Apple (in 2013): How to Sustain a Competitive Advantage?” Keep detailed notes. You can, and should, scan it multiple times.
All relevant readings from the “Walden MBA Capstone Bibliography.”

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Utilize information in the case study and other basic industry research data you can find in the Walden Library as needed. (Hoover’s database would be a good place to start, as would Business Source Complete.)

Write a polished analysis that responds to the prompts below.

Provide a detailed explanation of the critical competitive forces (and their underlying dynamics) in the smartphone industry that may threaten Apple, Inc., based on a very thorough, detailed and relevant 5-Forces analysis and other concepts you’ve learned from your MBA program. Be sure to explain how and why you’ve focused on the critical forces that you’ve identified.
Include a detailed explanation of the potential for new entry and/or effective substitute competition, based on a relevant Blue Ocean Strategy analysis and other concepts you’ve learned from your MBA program. Be sure to explain how and why you’ve focused on particular new entry or substitute threats to Apple, Inc.
Explain the strategic implications of the competitive forces you identified above—what are the opportunities and threats to Apple, Incorporated’s position in the ecosystem of the smartphone industry that it must factor into its strategy for the future, based on your analysis, and why? Provide evidence from the case and any other research you might do, and support your reasoning with references to appropriate academic readings and from prior MBA program content.

Your response to these prompts should be polished, researched and well documented, and should be approximately 800 words in length.

Be sure to integrate concepts and quotes from appropriate academic frameworks and best practices in strategic management. To obtain an exemplary assessment, you must also integrate at least two resources from the “Walden MBA Capstone Bibliography,” as well.

PART VI: INTEGRATED SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS OF “TRADER JOE’S”

Review the following:

Reread “Trader Joe’s,” and keep detailed notes. You can, and should, scan it multiple times.
Your original research on the company and industry.
All relevant readings from the Walden MBA Capstone Program Bibliography.

Conduct additional research on the U.S. food retailing industry to obtain some insights about future threats and opportunities in the industry. (Hoover’s database would be a good place to start, as would Business Source Complete.)

Note: You will have to search for information on the most relevant of Trader Joe’s competitors, as well as Trader Joe’s to be able to make an appropriate relative ranking of resources.

Write a polished analysis that responds to the prompts below.

Based on your projecting out the implications of FUTURE 5-forces of competition, P.E.S.T. (general environment), and stakeholder support (or stakeholder challenges), what essential skills, competencies and capabilities will be critical in order for Trader Joe’s to survive or thrive in the future? Why? Support your analysis with evidence and reasoning linked to appropriate knowledge.Note: These critical areas may be the same as in the past, but they may not. Think this through carefully and use your innovative and economic thinking skills from prior courses. You must become futurists to be good strategists, which means there is some ambiguity about the bets you will be making (that’s one of the responsibilities of senior leadership).
Identify critical gaps in the skills, competencies and capabilities that Trader Joe’s currently has versus what you think they will need in the future. Think about how Trader Joe’s can bridge that gap. If Trader Joe’s were to hire you as consultant to provide strategic direction in what specific skills, competencies, and capabilities the company should invest in or acquire (and how), which would you emphasize as critical and why?

Be sure to integrate concepts and quotes from appropriate academic references and prior MBA program content. To obtain an exemplary assessment, you must also integrate at least two resources from the “Walden MBA Capstone Bibliography,” as well.

Your overall response should be approximately 500 words total, single spaced.

PART VII: EVALUATION SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS OF “THE WEATHER COMPANY”

Review the following:

“The Weather Company” and keep detailed notes. You can, and should, scan it multiple times.
All relevant readings from the Walden MBA Capstone Program Bibliography.

Write a polished analysis that responds to the prompt below.

If you were on the board of directors at The Weather Company in 2013, would you approve the proposed strategy? Why, or why not?

Be specific, and be sure to support your response with evidence from the case. Use appropriate concepts from the course and MBA program to make the strongest case you can. Your response should be approximately 500 words.

You may want to consider the questions and analysis elements below to help you craft your response. Note: Do not, however, respond to these questions in a “checklist” format as your original response. Your response should be a single, persuasive narrative argument that is polished and could serve as the basis for a speech you might make to the board of directors—to either support or question the proposed strategy.

Hint: The following are strategy evaluation elements that you should formally consider:

Strategy Evaluation: Clarity of the Strategy
- Does the strategy and associated initiatives have a “name” that evokes the strategy?
- Is it easy to communicate what the strategy is and why it can work?
- Is it likely that people inside the organization will understand and commit to the strategy?
Strategy Evaluation: Consistency of Purpose (Context Level of Analysis)
- Based on your reading of the case, is The Weather Company’s proposed 2013 strategy consistent with its soulful purpose and its mission, vision, and values? How?
Strategy Evaluation: Feasibility and Alignment (Activities and Relationships Level of Analysis)
- What are the primary key success factors that The Weather Company needs to excel at in the future?
- Do they have the internal skills, competencies, and capabilities to execute their strategy? (If not, does the plan do a good job of saying how they will acquire these?)
- Are the basic elements of the proposed strategy feasible from a:
  - Teamwork and healthy organization standpoint?
  - Financial standpoint?
  - Measurement/metrics standpoint?
- Does the strategy appear to be internally aligned?
- Do the specification plan steps support each other? How and why?
Strategy Evaluation: External Consonance and Potential Competitive Advantage
- Is the proposed strategy consonant with the current and future needs of the external ecosystem and stakeholder needs? How and why?
- Does the strategy indicate any long-term strategic intent?
- Does the proposed strategy position the company to perform activities differently than rivals do? How and why?
- Does the proposed strategy lead to incremental change within the industry, or more fundamental change within the industry, or does it establish new positions outside the industry or in blue ocean spaces? How and why is the scope of the strategy appropriate?
- Do you think the proposed strategy can create or preserve any advantages it may confer on the company? Which advantages, and how and why?

Be sure to integrate concepts and quotes from appropriate academic references and prior MBA program content. You must also integrate at least two resources from the “Walden MBA Capstone Bibliography.”

Your overall response should be approximately 500 words total, single spaced.

Situational Analysis Technology Company Discussion

PART VIII: IMPLEMENTATION SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS OF “PEOPLE OPERATIONS AT MOZILLA CORPORATION: SCALING A PEER-TO-PEER GLOBAL COMMUNITY”

Review the following:

“People Operations at Mozilla Corporation: Scaling a Peer-to-Peer Global Community.”
All relevant readings from the Walden MBA Capstone Program Bibliography.

Write a polished analysis that responds to the prompts below.

Part-A: Execution of Strategy at Mozilla

How would you describe Mozilla’s cultural and organizational DNA? What, specifically, about the way Mozilla enacts strategy and executes its business plan provides it with such depth?
What do you think are the lessons from Mozilla for other knowledge-based organizations, especially in terms of strategy execution and the involvement of people throughout the organization?
What are the critical challenges that Debbie Cohen faces as Chief of People at Mozilla, specifically in terms of strategy execution and alignment? What should she do to meet these challenges, and why?

Your response for each prompt that you address in Part-A should be approximately 175–200 words.

Part-B: Getting Everyone to Participate in Strategic Thinking and Execution

Based both on the Mozilla case study and on your general thoughts from this course, explain how the knowledge and effective practice of cross-functional strategic thinking can help individual stakeholders (people at all levels of the organization and others outside the organization) participate more fully in organizational efforts to improve long-term performance and overall stakeholder engagement.

Your response to Part-B should be approximately 200 words.

Be sure to integrate concepts and quotes from this week’ readings. You must also integrate at least two resources from the “Walden MBA Capstone Bibliography.”

Your overall response should be approximately 500 words total, single spaced.

Situational Analysis Technology Company Discussion