Overview Of Assignments In This Course Are Framed Around A
Overview the Assignments In This Course Are Framed Around A Scenario In
The assignments in this course are framed around a scenario in which you are hired by a company as a consultant to provide a recommendation on solving a challenge or capitalizing on an opportunity. You will draw upon your knowledge and skills around operations, finance, marketing, leadership, etc., for each assignment. The assignments will be completed in a PowerPoint presentation template and combined into a final pitch deck to add to your portfolio. In Week 3, you shared data and insights about your company, and in this assignment, you will analyze that data to create a recommendation for the company to address a problem or seize an opportunity.
The task involves creating an eight-slide presentation within the provided PowerPoint template, which will be a part of a pitch deck for the company. Each slide should include 1-2 paragraphs of speaker notes explaining the content to the company's leadership during your presentation. The presentation should include the following:
- Slide 1: Title slide with the company's name, your name, and the date.
- Slide 2: Identify one challenge or opportunity the company faces, with speaker notes explaining the rationale for this focus.
- Slides 3-4: Analyze how two competitors have approached a similar challenge or opportunity, supported by detailed, relevant information connecting their approaches to your recommended solution (speaker notes needed).
- Slides 5-6: Recommend an approach to address the challenge or opportunity, detailing the specific areas within the company that will be the focus (speaker notes needed).
- Slide 7: Sources—list at least three credible, relevant sources supporting your analysis and recommendations, citing each at least once in your presentation.
Ensure that speaker notes are comprehensive as they will be used to guide your oral presentation to company leadership. The assignment emphasizes clarity, organization, proper grammar, mechanics, and adherence to Strayer Writing Standards (SWS). The research process utilizes credible sources such as the Strayer Library databases, government data, and reputable internet resources. Your completed PowerPoint file should be uploaded as specified.
Paper For Above instruction
In the realm of strategic consulting, developing a targeted and well-supported recommendation for a company facing specific challenges or opportunities is crucial. This assignment simulates a real-world scenario where a consultant analyzes internal data, competitive landscapes, and industry best practices to provide actionable advice. The process involves meticulous research, critical analysis, and effective communication, culminating in a professional presentation that persuades leadership to implement proposed solutions.
The initial step in this project entails identifying a significant challenge or opportunity based on the data shared during Week 3. Selecting this focus requires a thorough understanding of the company's current situation, industry trends, and internal capabilities. The rationale behind this selection should be compelling, illustrating how addressing this issue or leveraging this opportunity can lead to strategic advantage or operational improvement. For example, if the company's sales are declining, the recommendation might target innovative marketing strategies or product diversification; if an expansion opportunity is present, the focus might lie in capacity building or market entry strategies.
Subsequently, analyzing competitors’ approaches offers invaluable insights into industry standards, successful tactics, and potential pitfalls. An in-depth comparison of two competitors' solutions reveals how similar challenges are managed successfully, providing a benchmark for the recommended approach. For instance, if one competitor invested heavily in digital marketing platforms, the analysis will detail how this contributed to their market share growth, and how the company can adapt or improve upon this strategy within its context.
The core of the assignment is to craft a strategic recommendation aligned with the company's specific challenge or opportunity. This involves pinpointing areas such as marketing, operations, finance, human resources, or management, and proposing targeted initiatives. If the focus is on expanding a product line, recommendations may involve resource allocation, process optimization, or new technology adoption. The presentation must clearly articulate why these areas are critical and how they will support the overall strategic goal.
The presentation should be supported by at least three credible sources to enhance its robustness. Sources may include scholarly articles, industry reports, government data, or reputable financial news outlets. Proper citation and integration of these references bolster credibility and demonstrate thorough research. The final PowerPoint should be clear, concise, visually engaging, and adhere to professional standards in content and styling, ensuring an impactful communication to company leadership.
Overall, this assignment encapsulates the essence of strategic consultancy—comprehensive evaluation, insightful analysis, and persuasive communication—designed to guide a company towards informed and effective decision-making.
References
- Brynjolfsson, E., & McAfee, A. (2014). The second machine age: Work, progress, and prosperity in a time of brilliant technologies. W. W. Norton & Company.
- Porter, M. E. (2008). The five competitive forces that shape strategy. Harvard Business Review, 86(1), 78-93.
- Kim, W. C., & Mauborgne, R. (2015). Blue ocean strategy: How to create uncontested market space and make the competition irrelevant. Harvard Business Review Press.
- Ghemawat, P. (2017). Redefining global strategy: Crossing borders in a networked world. Harvard Business School Publishing.
- Hitt, M. A., Ireland, R. D., & Hoskisson, R. E. (2020). Strategic management: Concepts and cases: Competitiveness and globalization. Cengage Learning.
- Huang, G. (2019). Digital transformation strategies in competitive industries. Journal of Business Strategy, 40(3), 24-33.
- U.S. Census Bureau. (2022). Industry statistics by NAICS code. https://www.census.gov/
- U.S. Small Business Administration. (2023). Small Business Trends. https://www.sba.gov
- Statista. (2023). Industry and Market Data. https://www.statista.com
- Harvard Business Review. (2021). How to analyze competitors effectively. https://hbr.org