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Essay Instructions: Conduct a country (PEST) analysis of Australia and Singapore for companies operating in the advertising industry. Based on this country analysis, recommend which of the two countries would have the greatest market potential, and explain why.
Suggest the most effective market entry strategy for companies in this industry to enter that market, and provide supporting rationale.
Use at least 2 data sources to support conclusions.

Essay Instructions: Identify a passage from a literary text (King Pest) that has two entirely coherent but entirely incompatible readings and develop and comment upon those divergent readings. After these incompatible readings are developed, comment on both on the significance of the readings that were described and on the implications of the fact that the text in question may be read, with equal authority, in seemingly antithetical ways. What are we as readers to do with the knowledge that deconstructive criticism offers and how does that knowledge change our understanding of what critical reading does and of why critical reading matters.

No quotes necessary.

Essay Instructions: This will be a case that conducts a strategic analysis of the Coca-Cola Company. First complete the reading,
to include the articles, in the BACKGROUND section. The objective of this case is to complete an external analysis
for The Coca-Cola Company, using Porter's 5-Forces Model and a PEST Analysis. Ultimately, this analysis will lead
to some conclusions about opportunities and threats facing the company (the first part of the SWOT analysis).

BACKGROUND
SWOT Analysis

SWOT is an acronym for: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. The first two variables (Strengths and Weaknesses)
relate to the internal organization. The latter two variables (Opportunities and Threats) relate to the external environment.
The purpose of an external analysis is to scan the outside environment for factors which might open up new opportunities for the
business - or which may present threats to the survival of the organization. Then, company managers and executives can formulate
plans to take advantage of the opportunities and ward off and respond to external threats. Optimally, the organization wishes to
altogether eliminate (and if this is not possible, to ameliorate to the greatest extent possible) those threats that exist within
the external environment.
There are many, many elements external to a company that can have an effect on its sustainability. Customers, competitors, and
suppliers are all pretty obvious entities that can affect profitability and practice. If we think a little more deeply, however,
we can see that current as well as potential customers should be considered in our assessment of opportunities and threats (e.g.,
in terms of changing consumer tastes and preferences). Any such threats or opportunites will in turn affect that strategic choices
that will be made concerning products and services.

What about technology?
Advances in technology can affect all three of our "obvious" external concerns: product features, how products are made and sold,
what services are offered, and how they are delivered, supply chains, inventory controls, and on and on...the failure to monitor
the technological environment can spell obsolescence for a business in no time!

Ease of substitution is something we always think of when considering competitors. How easy would it be to switch flying on one
airline to another, for example? But thinking more creatively about substitution, we can see that teleconferencing and video conferencing
(virtual worlds?) can eliminate the need for much business travel - thus acting as a substitute to airline tickets. Failure to think
broadly enough will cause a planner to completely miss a MAJOR threat just over the horizon. If you need an example, consider the
immeasurable impact that such internet sites like eBay and Amazon.com have had on the sales of "bricks-and-mortar" operations! Or
consider how video demand on-line has adversely influenced traditional movie sales companies (DVD sales rentals) such as BlockBuster, Inc.

The sheer number of possible external influences creating opportunities and threats is quite simply mind-boggling. This is why most
strategic planners use analytic models to structure their thinking and help avoid perceptual biases that might interfere with a clear
and objective identification of opportunities and threats.

We will be using two different models that approach the external environment from two different perspectives:

1. Industry environment - Porter's Five Forces Model

2. Macroenvironment - PEST Analysis

Industry Environment

Porter's Model of Five Forces is one of the most versatile frameworks to analyze the industry (or operating) external environment.
Employed by a variety of academics and business practitioners for over 3 decades, the Five Forces Model has proved its usefulness in a
variety of arenas. The Porter model helps the user get a handle on the competitive and market characteristics of a specific industry.
The factors covered by the Five Forces Model are:

1. Threat of new entrants

2. Bargaining power of suppliers

3. Bargaining power of customers

4. Availability of substitutes

5. Degree of rivalry among competitors

Macro Environment

While the Porter analysis looks at the conditions in a specific industry, the PEST analysis looks at factors that affect the greater
business environment. The sub-environments addressed by this model include:

1. Political (including regulatory)

2. Economic

3. Sociocultural

4. Technical

For a general introduction to the 5-Forces, the following video interview with Michael Porter is very helpful for putting the external analysis into perspective:
The Five Competitive Forces That Shape Strategy. (2008). Harvard Business Publishing. Podcast retrieved on August 15, 2011 from:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYF2_FBCvXw

The following chapter gives a very detailed explanation of how to use the 5-Forces Model, and what data are used in the 5-Forces ? data that are essential in
preparing your SLP and Case. To access this article, you will need to register with this site, but there is no fee involved. The following site is an excellent
introduction to the industry (operating) and remote (macro) environments. This site gives a good overview of Porter's Five Forces and PEST. It will also help you
to complete key parts of the SLP as well.

http://faculty.babson.edu/gwin/indstudy/index.htm

http://cdad.trident.edu/Presentation.aspx?course=95&term=100&presentation=50372

Key forces in the external environment. (2009). Retrieved on August 15, 2011 from: http://www.president.kku.ac.th/petmas/External%20Scan.pdf

PEST analysis. (2009). Retrieved on August 15, 2011 from: http://www.valuebasedmanagement.net/methods_PEST_analysis.html

Porter's Five Forces: A model for industry analysis. (2007). Retrieved on August 15, 2011 from: <>

SWOT analysis: Lesson. (2009). Retrieved on August 15, 2011 from: http://marketingteacher.com/Lessons/lesson_swot.htm

Zahorsky, D. (2009). A business owner's secret weapon: SWOT analysis. Retrieved on August 15, 2011 from: http://sbinformation.about.com/cs/bestpractices/a/swot.htm

Carrying out a PEST analysis. (2005). Retrieved on August 15, 2011 from: http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Carrying+out+a+PEST+analysis-a0141751272

PEST analysis. (2007). Retrieved on August 15, 2011 from: http://www.quickmba.com/strategy/pest/

Porter?s Five Forces. (2009). Retrieved on August 15, 2011 from: http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTMC_08.htm

Porter?s Five Forces (2007). Retrieved on August 15, 2011 from: http://www.themanager.org/Models/p5f.htm

Porter's Five Forces: A model for industry analysis. (2007). Retrieved on August 15, 2011 from: http://www.quickmba.com/strategy/porter.shtml


ASSIGNMENT

An environmental analysis can be a very extensive undertaking, requiring far more time and resources than we have for this course. So you will
want to limit your analysis to the identification and evaluation of one or two key items in each element of the two models, as described in the background readings for
this module.

Keys to the Assignment

- Step One: Determine the scope of your analysis (entire company, selected business division?) and find the appropriate NAICS code for the Coca-Cola Company.
- Step Two: Using the sources you identified in the SLP, collect some data to support an industry analysis of each of the 5-Forces in Porter's Model.
- Step Three: Using the sources you identified in the SLP, collect some data to support an analysis of each of the 4 elements in the PEST analysis. When considering economic
data, use the most current data you can find.
- Step Four: In a 4-5 page paper, write up the results of your external analysis, and be sure to label each of the 5-Forces as high, moderate, or low. Taken together, the
5 Forces analysis and the PEST analysis should lead to conclusions about the opportunities and threats facing The Coca-Cola Company as revealed by your research. The data
you report from the 5-Forces and PEST analysis must be properly cited through in-text citations and a reference list, or footnotes.
- Step Five: Consider the Case as a formal business report that you are developing for the Board of Directors and CEO as Coca-Cola's company consultant. This is a professional
document. Follow the format below:
- Executive summary: a synopsis of the main points, conclusions and recommendations made in the longer report. If you have never written an executive summary before,
or would like a refresher, check this website: http://www.highendfinance.com/CommercialLoans/Docs/07-4%20ES%20Guidelines.doc
- Introduction: State the main purpose of the paper (thesis statement), what you hope to accomplish, and how you will go about doing it.
- Main Body: The "meat" of the paper. Emphasize analysis, not just description. Delineate separate topics or sections with headings.
- Conclusion: Summarize your paper in the light of your thesis statement.

Essay Instructions: External Analysis of the Motorcycle Industry

You are going to cover quite a bit of ground in this case assignment because you are tasked with considering what might be included in a PEST and Porter?s 5 forces analysis of Harley Davidson?s external environment.

Before you start to write (though you might want to take some notes), spend some time considering what might go into such a PEST analysis and also consider what a strategic manager at HD might include in a Porters 5 forces analysis in considering this organization's external environment.

Some of the more interesting things happening in HD?s world right now from a competition perspective includes the introduction/re-introduction of two competing motorcycle companies in past years that can also make the claim of being ?American Made?. These include ?Victory? and ?Indian? motorcycles. In addition, most of the foreign competition has entered into the heavy-weight motorcycle market. There are also some concerns nowadays regarding the world economy, and the heafty price-tag that typically accompanies an HD motorcycle. Though HD tends to rely heavily on a socially based mystique regarding their product line. They have also invested significantly from a technological perspective in relation to logistics and production management efforts. There are also a lot of potential ?substitute? products that one might consider as an alternative to riding a motorcycle (depending on the reason for purchasing the motorcycle be it gas economy, or something exhilarating to do on a warm, sunny weekend).

Based on this information and your background readings, discuss whether you think PEST analysis and Porter?s 5 Forces analysis would be useful tools for HD executives to help them make wise strategic choices. Give examples to support your arguments and above all, demonstrate that you have a strong grasp of how these analytical tools are used and applied in the strategic management process. Your paper should be 4 to 5 pages in length.

Pay special attention to the following case study related to HD's efforts to expand their operations and sales overseas. This effort obviously ties into the discussion on the external environment:

McBee, R. D. (2011). Harley-Davidson's Future (Abroad). International Journal Of Motorcycle Studies, 7(2), 1-8
Case expectations:

Your paper should include an introduction stating the thesis, position, or central theme you plan to take in your paper, a main body focusing on the key assignment specifications, and a conclusion concisely stating the main points of your analysis and the conclusions you reached.

Be sure to document your sources and provide in-text citations whenever you use information you obtained from a background reading or other outside source, as well as a separate reference list at the end of the paper. You may use footnotes instead, if you prefer, but you MUST document where you got the information you are using in your papers!

Required Readings:
Here are some SWOT analyses conducted by third party organizations on HD that may be helpful:
Harley-Davidson, Inc. SWOT Analysis. (2012). Harley-Davidson, Inc. SWOT Analysis, 1-9. (access via Trident?s library through EBSCO database)
DATAMONITOR: Harley-Davidson, Inc. (2011). Harley-Davidson, Inc. SWOT Analysis, 1-9. (access via Trident?s library through EBSCO database)
Here is a document that contains a lot of information on a strategic alliance with Lehman Trikes in 2008. This document provides a thorough strategic analysis of both HD and Lehman, including evaluation of the external enviornment. This will actually be used as a case study in Module 3 but provides some useful information for this module as well.
Looney, D. C., & Ryerson, A. (2011). Lehman Trikes: A story within a story. Journal Of The International Academy For Case Studies, 17(7), 45-58. (Available via the Library by way of the EBSCO database).
Here is a comprehensive competitive analysis of the motorcycle industry and a web-link with comparative sales performance documentation between industry leaders:
Motorcycles Industry Profile: United States. (2010). Motorcycles Industry Profile: United States, 1. (access via Trident?s library through EBSCO database)
Web Bike World, (2012). Motorcycle Sales Statistics, News and Information. Retrieved from: http://www.webbikeworld.com/motorcycle-news/statistics/motorcycle-sales-statistics.htm
Here are a few documents related to PEST and 5 Forces analysis:
Themanager.org(n.d.). Porters 5 forces. Retrieved from: http://www.themanager.org/Models/p5f.htm
QuickMBA. (n.d.). Porter?s 5 Forces. Retrieved from: http://www.quickmba.com/strategy/porter.shtml
NETBMZ. (n.d.). PEST Analysis. Retrieved from: http://www.netmba.com/strategy/pest/
Anonymous, (n.d.). Pest Analysis. Retrieved from: https://depts.washington.edu/oei/resources/toolsTemplates/PEST_analysis.pdf