BA 799 - Strategic Management & Policy
Individual Assignment: Weekly Case Analysis1878

Objective:
A key skillset we utilize in this class is strategic analysis - your ability to take and find information on a given situation, identifying strategic problems and applying concepts from class. Also the ability to write clearly and concisely, filtering out extraneous information and providing a hard-hitting compelling persuasive argument is important.
Content:
Each analysis will answer a set of 3 specific questions about the assigned case:
1. Framed in strategic terms, what is the essence of the firm/industry problem(s)?
2. What is (was, should be) the firm/industry's (sustainable) competitive advantage?
3. What is the solution to the problem(s)? What should the firm/industry do now?
In answering each question - Explain and defend your positions clearly! This means use relevant examples and evidence and apply concepts from the textbook readings, class lectures and discussions, and outside sources where appropriate.
The best case analyses do not try to create endless lists of problem after problem. The strongest analyses focus on one or two specific problems and fully develop and explain them in detail. The same goes for the other two sections of the analysis. Depth is valued over breadth. Your analysis should be clear and concise, well-written with well-constructed arguments. Ideally your problem will flow to your discussion of the nature of the associated competitive advantage which should then flow to your solution ideas.
Format:
The formatting of this assignment is very specific. Each case analysis will consist of three paragraphs, one paragraph answering each of the three questions above. Each paragraph should begin with-a bolded topic sentence. This-means that the first sentence
summarizes your answer and is to be literally printed in bold font. You do not need to repeat the question - you need to start with your answer to each question.
• Your total analysis cannot be more than 3 double-spaced pages!
• Heading info (single-spaced) in upper left-hand corner: Your name, Case # and name, Date.
• Please use in-text citations and attach a References page for all sources that you use.
• Plagiarism of any sort earns an automatic zero.
Evaluation Rubric:
Strategic problem 25% Competitive advantage 25%
Solutions 25%
Overall writing/format 25%
BA 799
Rev. 9/20/2013 Page 1
Case Studies
Case Study # 1 Rite Aid
Healthcare and companies providing healthcare services are currently in the news as the implementation of the Affordable Care Act continues. Pharmaceutical services are among those impacted and Rite Aid is a key player. Be sure to look for resources that will provide you with updated information so your case study has data that is more current that the data provided in the textbook.
Submit your case study for Rite Aid to this link by the end of the week.
You read information in the textbook last week about writing case studies and a Brenau document this week with tips for writing case studies. Those documents were to give you ideas and help you in preparing for writing case studies. The document below contains the format to be used for your case studies in this class.
Prepare the report in a Word file and submit to this Case Study assignment link by the end of week 2.
Please respect the request to properly identify your work in all assignments that require the uploading of written reports and utilize the above format as a minimum of ID. Title pages are an appreciated add on, but individual page ID using the footer/header ensures that no work goes missing and improperly graded.
Case Study # 2- Zipcar
Zipcar is part of the growing number of car-sharing services changing the traditional landscape of the car rental market. This week we will use Zipcar for the case study.
Please follow the same format guidelines for a case study you used last week to develop a case study for Zipcar and post by the end of the week.
Case Study # 3 - Google
Google seems to be everywhere. Google is the most popular search engine and is used so much the name has become a verb. When was the last time you googled something? Google's mapping programs are used by many applications and their innovations such as Google glass are frequently in the news. It's a great company for our case study this week. Be sure you are considering what Google is currently doing to stay competitive and the company's position in the global market.
As a reminder, use the same case study format as before.
Case Study - # 4 Dr Pepper Snapple Group
The soft drink and juice beverage industry is very competitive with more companies entering the market each year. This week our case study is the Dr Pepper Snapple Group, a major player in the industry.
Be sure you consider how acquisitions have impacted this company and discuss the corporate strategy for overseeing this portfolio of businesses.
Case Study # 5 Porsche pursing
Porsche is a global company with a highly differentiated product that has produced record sales in the past few years. It is a great company for our last case study because it covers so many areas we have studied. If you feel you need to make your case study longer than 3 pages to cover all of the information, that is fine but don't go over 5 pages (that is not counting cover page and reference page).
Please note that this case study is being graded with a different rubric. This will be used for the Brenau assessment that is required for every student. Below are the criteria and weight of each to be used for grading the assignment.
Issues Identification 20%
External/lnternal Analysis 20%
Integration of Information 20%
Strategic Alternatives 10%