Essay Instructions: CASE STUDY PROJECT DETAILS
This project will consist of the analysis of ONE Case Study chosen by the student from one of the Case Companies in the course textbook.
The company that I chose is Waterford Wedgwood PLC, Stock Symbol WATFF, and Headquarter in Dublin, Ireland at the time of this printing. It is my understanding that it was to be purchased by KPS Capital Partners, an investment group from the United States. Since the company is experiencing financial problems there should be a great deal of information about the company. Company Website is: www.waterfordwedgwood.com
The work submitted must be done using Microsoft Word
The student will do this assignment by following the guidelines below in completing the project.
Times New Roman, 12 Font, Double spaced, 12 Referenced sources
A. Executive Summary: This will be two to three pages, and do the following:
Summarize your analysis and its results including any recommended changes to the organization’s vision/ mission, objectives, and the strategies that will result in the achievement of the long term objectives. This is where an overview of the details of the report is found. The details are found in section B, Analysis.
B. Analysis: this will be a detailed analysis that supports the conclusions and recommendations contained in the Executive Summary. Each item below, 1-10, must be submitted in a separate section for each, labeled as to the item. For example: "The firms' existing mission, objectives and strategies", EFE Matrix” etc. For each of these items, there must be a brief summary [one to four paragraphs] included to explain the result achieved, such as a new mission statement, including the rationale behind that result. [Also as discussed above submit all of your work in one document, not as many different document attachments].
1. Discuss the firm's existing vision, mission, objectives and strategies. Cite sources.
2. Develop a new vision statement, and mission statement for the organization. [Or, provide a logical analysis as defense as to why either or both should not change].Base the analysis on the criteria found in the course text book. Use the "Mission Statement Components" (see below) to analyze the existing mission statement and to develop a new statement.
Mission Statement components:
Customers – Who are the firm’s customers?
Products or services – What are the firm’s major products or services?
Market – Geographically, where does the firm compete?
Technology – Is the firm technologically current?
Concern for survival, growth and profitability – Is the firm committed to growth and financial soundness?
Philosophy – What are the basic beliefs, values, aspirations, and ethical priorities of the firm?
Self-concept – What is the firm’s distinctive competence or major competitive advantage?
Concern for public image – Is the firm responsive to social, community and environmental concerns?
Concern for employees – Are employees a valuable asset of the firm?
Indicate how each of the nine components is met or not met. For the existing and the newly developed mission statement use an Evaluation Matrix as done in case Exercise 2A on page 66 to illustrate your analysis. The new mission statement MUST MEET the nine components.
(See supplemental submission for Exercise 2A page 66)
3. Construct an EFE Matrix. Identify at least seven of the organization's external opportunities and at least seven of its threats. The analysis of this item is to explain why the factors were chosen and how the weights, ratings and final score were derived. This should be based on the research about the company and the external environment in which they operate. Cite sources.
4. Construct a Competitive Profile Matrix. Identify at least seven critical success factors upon which your comparison of competitors is based. The analysis of this item is to explain why the factors were chosen and how the weights and ratings were derived. Explain the final scores for each company in terms of why one company, particularly your case study company, scored lower or higher than the competitors. This should be based on the research about the company and its primary competitors. Cite sources.
5. Construct an IFE Matrix. Identify at least seven of the organization's internal strengths and at least seven of its weaknesses. The analysis on this item is to explain why the factors were chosen and how the weights, ratings and final score were derived. This should be based on the research about the company and its internal strengths and weaknesses. Cite sources.
6. Develop Long Term Objectives that result from your analysis in items 1-5 above. Number each Objective. Explain how your analyses of the items in 1-5 above relate to each of the objectives chosen. Compare your recommendations to the objectives planned by the company as identified in the textbook’s case study write up or other sources such as Securities and Exchange Commission reports or the company’s web site. Cite Sources.
7. Prepare a SWOT Matrix. Explain briefly why each of the strategies chosen in each of the four cells is considered feasible for future consideration in terms of how each supports the Long Term Objectives you have chosen. For the SWOT Matrix, you must include at least four strategies in each of the strategy cells-SO, ST, WO, and WT.
8. Prepare ONE QSPM Matrix. From the SWOT Matrix chose at least ONE SET of strategies to be evaluated. Each set of strategies being compared must fall in the same strategic category; for example- expansion in Europe versus expansion in Asia. These two alternatives fall into the Market Development category.
The following are the Alternative Strategies Defined and exemplified from textbook:
FORWARD INTEGRATION – Gaining ownership or increased control over distributors or retailers.
BACKWARD INTEGRATION – Seeking ownership or increased control of a firm’s suppliers
HORIZONTAL INTEGRATION – Seeking ownership or increase control over competitors
MARKET PENETRATION – Seeking increased market share for present products or services in present markets through greater marketing efforts
MARKET DEVELOPMENT – Introducing present products or services into new geographic area.
PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT – Seeking increased sales by improving present products or services or developing new ones
RELATED DIVERSIFICATION - Adding new but related products or services
UNRELATED DIVERSIFICATION - Adding new, unrelated products or services
RETRENCHMENT – Regrouping through cost and asset reduction to reverse declining sales and profits.
DIVESTITURE – Selling a division or part of an organization.
LIQUIDATION – Selling all of a company’s assets, in parts, for their tangible worth.
They are competing options for implementing the same strategy-Market Development. If you cannot fit two or more strategies into the same category, then they cannot be included in the same QSPM. Explain how the two or more strategies you have in the QSPM fall into one of the strategic categories (listed above). Lastly, use the QSPM format on page 208 to do the matrix. In the QSPM identify which alternative strategies from the SWOT matrix are being compared. Identify them by the CELL-SO, WO, ST, WT- from which they are drawn. Explain the weights and attractiveness scores assigned so that it is clear why one alternative in the set was chosen over another. The strategy chosen must be based on the QSPM analysis.
(See supplemental submission for QSPM Format page 208)
In this report you are required to discuss a how the strategy chosen supports the achievement of one or more of the Long Term Objectives established in step 6. Ensure that you explain the results of the QSPM in terms of why the strategy chosen scored higher than other comparable ones.
9. Recommend procedures for strategy review and evaluation for the strategy chosen. Base your strategy review procedures on one or several of the tools found in chapter 9: Table 9-1, Table 9-3, Table 9-4 and or Figure 9-2. Explain specifically for the strategy chosen how the chosen strategy review procedure would be applied.
(See supplemental submission for tables and figure)
10. Identify and explain one contingency plan for the strategy recommended. Use the seven-step process outlined below in developing the contingency plan.
1. Identify both beneficial and unfavorable events that could possibly derail the strat¬egy or strategies.
2. Specify trigger points. Calculate about when contingent events are likely to occur. Assess the impact of each contingent event. Estimate the potential benefit or harm of each contingent event.
3. Develop contingency plans. Be sure that contingency plans are compatible with current strategy and are economically feasible.
4. Assess the counter impact of each contingency plan. That is, estimate how much each contingency plan will capitalize on or cancel out its associated contingent event. Doing this will quantify the potential value of each contingency plan.
5. Determine early warning signals for key contingent events. Monitor the early warning signals.
6. For contingent events with reliable early warning signals, develop advance action plans to take advantage of the available lead time.
C. References: In researching the case study reference material used must be properly credited. The American Psychological Association [APA] format style will be used for documenting sources. [The typing will be double spaced, Font 12, Times New Roman]. This includes an APA List of References, and each time a portion of an author[s] work, a direct quote or summary, is used in the body of the report, an in-text citation in the American Psychological Association [APA] format is to be used. See resources about APA Style under Doc Sharing. Make sure that you give full credit to the work of others. This includes material taken from the course text book by David and or the case studies written by other authors.
Doing this improperly can affect your grade. In the worst case, can result in an F for the paper.
NOTE: the web site WIKIPEDIA is not a valid site to use for this paper. Using it as a cited source in the report will result in a loss of points. Each time this site is used in the paper {-10} points will be deducted from the grade for the paper.
In addition to the Textbook, you should use at least 12 other sources to ensure that you have done a complete review of an organization and its competitors.
D. Grading of the Case Analysis Paper: The paper will be graded on grammar and spelling and how well the paper presents a logical analysis that supports reasonable recommendations that are being made. You will use the text book as well as other sources for the research. IMPORTANT: you will have to use sources [see C above] other than the text to ensure that the information is up-to-date. The case analyses in the text book were done in 2007-2008.
(See supplemental submission for Case analysis of Waterford Wedgwood from textbook)
Also ensure, as discussed under item C above, that you are careful in citing data and information taken from OTHER sources. You will lose points if you do not give proper credit through FOOTNOTES. You must meet all of the requirements as outlined above in order to receive the maximum credit possible.
It is requested that you read pages 320-331 for information that will be helpful to you in doing this project.
(See supplemental submission for textbook copy of pages 320-331)
Also, in the "Doc Sharing" portion of the course web site, there are some samples of Case Analysis Project work done by students for this assignment. Since these come from the work of different students this does not represent a complete project but is only meant to assist in understanding the level of analysis required.
(See supplemental submission for sample Case Analysis Project)
There are faxes for this order.
