Cases and strategy report assignments help you understand the material presented in the chapters.   Each strategy report requires that you  demonstrate that you understand how to apply particular frameworks and analytical tools. 

There is absolutely no credit given for summarizing the case.  Restating the case is not a college-level analytical skill (it might be great for high school and sometimes in the first year of college, but it doesn't earn points at the 400 level in college).  Your assignments in the Mgmt 485 class require analytical thinking!  Think carefully about the assignment and reread the appropriate chapter before you begin to write.  Look over your lecture notes, too.

These suggestions will probably help you succeed in your strategy report assignments:

1. Skim the case to get an overall impression of the company and the situation.

2. Read the schedule in the syllabus so you are sure you understand the assignment.

3.  Reread the case slowly, taking notes as you read.   Make a note of the issues/facts/opinions that are directly relevant to the assignment.  Also note the major issues/facts/opinions that are affecting the company's performance.   Always (ALWAYS) look at the financial statements so you understand the company's financial situation.

4.  A time line can help you keep issues/events/facts in chronological order.   Case writers frequently skip from the past to the present and then back to the past.  This can make it difficult to keep track of "what is happening and when it happened."  A time line can keep events organized.  Take a blank sheet of paper and draw a horizontal line across it.   Start on the left from the earliest year the company is mentioned in the case.  As you move to the right along the line, jot dates and events that are mentioned in the case.

A sample of a time line is available at this location (click on link). 

5. Create an outline before you begin to write.  (There's a reason that writing courses recommend outlines.  Outlines help to keep your writing focused and organized).

6.  Write the paper according to the outline.   You will also need to write a brief introduction and conclusion (a sentence or two is usually sufficient).  

  Each paragraph should start with a topic sentence.  Additional sentences in the paragraph should support the first (topic) sentence.    

7. Proofread.   Be sure you have corrected grammatical and spelling errors.     Proofread again.

If you are asked to write a general external environment section: consider each segment of the external environment separately.   Use headings for each section.  Stay focused on the idea that this is an analysis of the external environment.  That means that in this section of the paper, everything you mention is outside of the firm and outside of the industry.  Be sure to read the  section on the general external environment in the text carefully before you begin to write.

If you are asked to write about Porter's five forces, or analyze the industry environment, or prepare a competitive analysis:    You need to be sure you understand the Porter's five forces presented in chapter 3 of our text and the lectured material on this important framework.    First, identify the precise industry (product/market) of the analysis.  Some companies operate in several product/markets.  Which product/market or industry will your paper analyze and what is the logic for your choice?    The first paragraph in the industry analysis should identify the industry and the strategic group that you will be analyzing.

The industry analysis will require that you have headings for each competitive element.  Use logic and fact for each segment of the analysis.   Think about each competitive force and the many different factors that can affect profitability.   You will also need to summarize the overall impact of these forces on the industry.  If you need help as to what issues to consider in your analysis, reread the section on industry analysis in your text (the Porter's model). 

If the assignment requires an internal environment analysis, an analysis of strengths and weaknesses, you are being asked to write a resource based view analysis.  This requires that you understand both the resource based view, the firm's resources and the value chain.  Take each of the firm's capabilities or resources (one at a time) and evaluate if it is a competitive advantage.  Look at chapter four and the coursepack carefully for information on the RBV (resource based view).   Does the firm really have a distinctive competency? Defend your answer with logic and fact. The resource based view is presented in our text and in lecture.

If the assignment requires a financial analysis, you are being asked to use material you learned in your finance course and accounting (accounting is a prerequisite for finance.)   The main issues you need to know involve financial statements (primarily the income statement and balance sheet) and financial ratio analysis.

If you need a short refresher/reminder of the financial analysis tools, you may find it helpful to read the appendix in the text (Appendix II includes financial ratios).   There are two ways to analyze financial ratios: 1) look at historical trends; 2) compare to other firms in the industry.

Any significant deviations (great increases or decreases in profits, revenues) need to be explained.   If you see a sudden change in profits, debt, assets, think about the information provided in the case that might explain that change.   Calculate the ratios - what seems to be happening financially?  Focus on the profitability, debt, liquidity ratios.   Think about the answers to questions such as:   Is the firm growing?  Is it a steady increase?  Is operating income significantly different from net income, if so, why?  Has the percentage of debt changed? Why? 

Any tables and/or graphs that you prepare must be in an appendix to the paper.    In the body of the paper, you need to discuss the financial situation of the firm and the key ratios that you have calculated.   Analyze the financial statements.   Do NOT merely 'lift' the financial information from a few sentences that the case writer includes: This section is your financial analysis, not merely an opportunity to quote someone else.

If you are asked to determine the firm's business level strategy:   You need to understand the material presented in chapter 5.   You will have to identify the firm's business level strategy and defend your answer with logic and fact.  

You may also be asked to explain how the firm's business level strategy fits the firm's internal strengths/weaknesses.   This will require that you (a) can correctly identify the firm's business level strategy, (b) can provide logic and reasoning based on factual evidence for your choice and, (c) can explain how the firm's capabilities support (or do not support) the business level strategy.  This typically requires that you use the resource based view to identify capabilities that can be used as a competitive advantage.

Generally, assignments based on chapters 6 through 10 require that you have a solid understanding of the chapters 1 - 5.    For example, before you can begin to think about a firm's corporate level strategy, you'll need to understand if the firm has a competitive advantage at the business level and how the firm uses its resources and capabilities.

If you are asked to identify the firm's corporate level strategy and/or corporate structure:   Use the information presented in chapter 6.    Is the firm a single business firm? Or a multiproduct firm? Diversified? Highly related? Not related?   If the firm seems to be operating in several product/markets, are there common skills, technologies, customer groups across the segments?  This might indicate the firm is highly related diversified.   Can you identify synergies within the firm?   If the firm is a group of related businesses, what activities are probably shared?   Always defend your answer with logic and factual information.

Case questions on the wisdom of a corporate strategy will require that you evaluate if/how the firm's corporate strategy creates value (see chapter 6 - text and lecture).  Defend your answer with logic and fact. Be aware that it is possible that a firm could have a corporate level strategy that does NOT create value.

If you are asked to analyze an acquisition or a merger, you will have to be sure you understand chapter 7 (text and lecture) before you begin to write.    Think about the reasons that a firm might have to acquire another business unit.  (There are good reasons, not-so-good reasons, and bad reasons).  What do you find in the case?  Defend your answer with logic and fact.

Assignments based on international strategies, international motivations, international structures require an understanding of chapter 8 (text and lecture)   If you are asked to determine the firm's motivations for international expansion,  think about the firm's domestic business: the  business line, the corporate level strategy, competitive issues.  

If the assignment requires an analysis of an alliance, you will need to be sure that you understand the chapter and lecture material on strategic alliances.  (I recommend that you check the coursepack and read the clarification page on alliances)