Individual Written Case Analysis (Strategic Audit) Outline –
Develop a case about, analyze, and make recommendations about Ford (Ford Motor Company).
Introduction to the Organization – History of the Company & Current Status — A. When was the organization founded, why and by whom? Discuss unusual history associated with the organization. B. Is it privately or publicly held? C. Who are its top executives in terms of experience, academic credentials, diversity, etc.? D. Discuss the organization’s Business Model? E. What is the impact of globalization on this organization? F. Other information?
- Identification of the Industry and the Competitors— Industry definition is necessary so that competitors can be identified; macro-environmental forces that affect the organization and its industry can be assessed, and the organization’s relative strengths and weaknesses can be compared to other organizations within the industry.
- Analysis of the Industry (Include global considerations)
- Strategic Group(s) in which the company exists and competitors in it/them.
- Intensity of rivalry among existing competitors. Use Porters 5 Forces for B, C, D, E, and F. (C). Threat of new competitors entering the industry; (D) Threat of substitute products or services; (E) Bargaining power of buyers and (F) Bargaining power of suppliers
- Potential Profitability of the Industry – What organizations have succeeded and failed in the industry and why?
- What are the Critical Success Factors for the industry?
- Analysis of the Macro-Environment (Includes identification & analysis of global factors & application of analysis to business situation)
- What political/legal forces affect the industry?
- What economic forces affect the industry?
- What social forces affect the industry?
- What technological forces affect the industry?
- What are the threats and opportunities facing the organization?
- What is the organization’s measurement and control system? (Include Global Considerations.)
- Current financial position – Is the organization financially sound?
- Compare with competitors and standards.
- Use financial analysis tools.
- What are the organization’s Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s)?
- Analysis of the Organization (Mission, Vision, Core Values, Operating Guidelines, Core Competencies, Goals)
- What is the mission of the organization? Has the mission changed over time?
- What is the vision of the organization? Has the vision changed over time?
- What are the organization’s core values and operating guidelines? Analyze current problems that conflict with the organization’s core values and operating guidelines.
- What are the organization’s core competencies? How are they unique?
- What are the organization’s broad and specific goals?
- Analysis of the Organization – Organization-Level and Business Unit Strategies (Identify Organizational Strategies (including Global Strategies) and Evaluate Their Application to the Organization.)
- What are the current organization-level strategies? Business unit strategies?
- To what extent is the organizational structure compatible with the organization’s strategies?
- How are the strategies aligned with the goals?
- Compare this organization’s strategies with those of competitors.
- Use SWOT analysis and Gap analysis to suggest strategies.
- Evaluate Strategy Application (advantages & disadvantages of each strategy).
- Key performance indicators (KPI’s)
- Analysis of the Organization – Functional Strategies. Articulate ways to coordinate use of financial & human resources and other functional areas to meet organizational goals & objectives.
- Marketing – Finance – Operations – Purchasing – Human Resources – Information Systems
- How well are the functional strategies aligned?
- Analyze organization’s improvement/change initiatives(e.g., Six Sigma, SQM, TQM, Lean Manufacturing, JIT, Process Re engineering, High Performance Work Teams, Assessment using Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award Criteria, ISO 9000, ISO 14000, Bench marking, Balanced Scorecard, etc.)
- Previous & current impact/success of improvement initiatives.
- Alignment of improvement initiatives and integration into strategic management of the organization.
- Comparison of improvement initiatives with other organizations within and outside the industry.
- Conclusion and Future of Organization – Comment about the organization’s profile for future competitiveness and success. What does the organization have to do right to succeed (organization’s Critical Success Factors)? What are the expected results in terms of short-and long-term profitability and survival?
| RUBRIC | Exceeds Minimum Standards |
| Introduction to the Organization (I) – 6 points. History. Current Status. Impact of Globalization. Executives. Business Model. | Includes essential material in this section. Any additional material is in an appendix. (Also PP slides) 5-6 points |
| Identification of Industry & competitors (II)(2 points) | Lists and briefly discusses industry(ies) in which organization competes & its competitors – 2 points |
| Analysis of the Industry (III)
Strategic group, Porter’s 5 Forces, Industry CSF’s, Successful & Failed Organizations.Include global considerations – 10 points |
Analyzes organization’s strategic group(s), critical success factors for industry, & lists successful & failed organizations. Discusses Porter’s 5 Forces & provides an in-depth analysis for industry & organization-9-10 pts |
| Analysis of Macro-Environment (IV)(Political, Economic, Social, and Technological forces; Global Factors; Threats & Opportunities facing the organization) – 12 points | Demonstrates knowledge of, & capability to apply, theories and tools in the analysis of Macro-Environment (e.g., Political, Economic, Social, and Technological forces). Also identifies the threats and opportunities facing the organization. 10-12 points |
| Analysis of Organization – Measurement and control system (V) – Current financial position; Use financial analysis tools – Compare with competitors and standards. Include global considerations. List KPI’s (Key Performance Indicators). 15 points. | Applies financial analysis theories and tools to determine organization’s current financial position & compares it with competitors and standards. Discusses its measurement and control system & KPI’s – 13-15 points. |
| Analysis of Organization (VI) – Mission, Vision, Core Values, Operating Guidelines, Core Competencies, Goals; Current problems that conflict with organization’s core values/operating guidelines. 10 pts. | Demonstrates knowledge and capability to apply theories and tools in the analysis of the organization in terms of its mission, vision, core values, operating guidelines, and core competencies – 9-10 points. |
| Analysis of Organization (VII) – Current Strategies, Alignment with goals. Compare with competition. SWOT & Gap analyses. Suggest & evaluate strategies. (Identify global and other strategies, and evaluate application to organization.) –20 points | Demonstrates knowledge of, and capability to apply, theories/tools in analysis of organization (current strategies, alignment of strategies with goals, competition). Uses SWOT & Gap analyses. Suggests new strategies. Evaluates advantages/disadvantages of each.18-20 points. |
| Analysis of Organization (VIII) – Functional Strategies (10 pts). Articulate ways to coordinate use of financial & human resources and other functional areas to meet organizational goals & objectives. | Demonstrates knowledge of Marketing, Finance, Operations, Purchasing, Human Resources, & Information Systems Strategies and their alignment with emphasis on meeting organizational goals & objectives – 9-10 pts |
| Analysis of organization’s improvement initiatives & standards (IX) – 10 points | Analyzes current & previous improvement initiatives & standards & impact – 9-10 pts. |
| Conclusion and Future of Organization (X) – 5 points | Addresses expected results & organization’s potential for future success – 5 points |
