Directions: Please use references for each question. Also discussion must be 250 words per questions.
Week 1
"Strategy Foundations"
- Read the article titled “What Is Strategy?” located at https://hbr.org/1996/11/what-is-strategy. Read the article titled “Eight Maxims of Strategy”, located at http://www.nickols.us/maxims.pdf. From the two articles, specify the main differences between strategy and tactics. Provide support your response.
- Compare and contrast the main characterization of strategy that both Porter and Sir Liddell-Hart present in their respective articles. Next, from Sir Liddell-Hart’s article, select one (1) of the eight (8) maxims of strategy and provide a real business world example which reflects the maxim you selected. Provide support your response.
Week 2
"Strategic Value Analysis"
- Read the article titled “Strategic Value Analysis for Competitive Advantage: An Illustration from the Petroleum Industry” located at http://www.strategy-business.com/article/9797?gko=83012. Next, argue for or against this statement: A company should determine its goals and values before performing an industry analysis”. Provide a rationale and / or a real-world example to support your response.
- Examine the main different types of values that a company could seek to maximize. Give your opinion as to whether or not a company should maximize its profits or social good, when these two are in conflict. Provide a rationale and / or a real-world example to support your response.
Week 3
"Game Theory and Segmentation"
- Read the article titled “Game Theory” at http://www.econlib.org/library/Enc1/GameTheory.html. In the article, the authors discussed a classic case of game theory (zero-sum games) of the Prisoner’s Dilemma (PD). There are many variations of this game in use. Suggest the manner in which organizations could apply PD to their business’ strategy formulation. Provide support for your response.
- Refer to “Case 5 Ford and the World Automobile Industry in 2012” located in the “Excess Capacity” section, page 497 in your textbook, or use the Internet to research two to three (2-3) articles on the North American automobile and its market segments. Next, analyze the key ways that segmentation provides a competitive advantage or disadvantage to the North American automobile. Provide a rationale for your response.
Field of study:
