CSU MBA5101 FULL COURSE [ ALL DISCUSSIONS ALL ASSESMENT AND ALL ASSIGNMENT ]

MBA5101 all discussionWeek 2 DiscussionWho should and should not serve on a Board of Directors (BOD)? Do you think that women should be equally represented? Should a BOD strive for diversity in its members? Should the CEO or other insiders be allowed to serve on the BOD? Is industry experience vital for a successful Board member? Explain and justify your response.Please include the name of the person or question to which you are replying in the subject line. For example, “Tom’s response to Susan’s comment.”Week 3 DiscussionVisit Ben & Jerry’s Homemade Ice Cream.benjerry.com/”>website. After studying the information contained within this website, assess Ben & Jerry’s record on meeting social responsibility goals? How does this company meet its discretionary responsibilities? Give examples of social responsibility actions taken by Ben & Jerry’s, and outline them in a brief synopsis. Do you think that more businesses should adopt their strategy? Why, or why not?Please include the name of the person or question to which you are replying in the subject line. For example, “Tom’s response to Susan’s comment.”Week 4 DiscussionAccording to Porter’s discussion of industry analysis, is Pepsi Cola a substitute for Coca Cola? Why, or why not? If you worked for another soft drink company, what strategies could you and your new soft drink company use to impact the dominance of Pepsi and Coke in the global marketplace? Why?Week 5 DiscussionWhat are the advantages and disadvantages of being the first mover in an industry? Are buyer-switching costs the most important factor to becoming the first mover? Give some examples of first and late mover firms. Which were the most successful? Why?Week 6 DiscussionRead “Multiple Headquarters: A Sixth Stage of International Development” on page 294 in our textbook, and also read the article “Borders are So 20th Century” from Business Week Magazine:.businessweek.com/magazine/content/03_38/b3850063_mz063.htm”>http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/03_38/b3850063_mz063.htmWhat are the advantages and disadvantages of dispersing corporate functions globally? Is there a need for a corporate headquarters in one specific location in our virtual business climate? Please justify your response by including concepts and examples from our readings and from outside sources.Week 7DiscussionDo you think benchmarking is just another fad or is it really useful for all firms? Why, or why not? How could benchmarking be used in your place of employment? Does it rate as a viable tool for future development?Week 8 DiscussionDid this course meet your expectations? What did you like the best about this course? What suggestions can you offer to improve this course?ALL ASSIGNMENT
Unit
Assignments

Unit
II Assignment

SWOT
Analysis

Based
on your unit reading, create a SWOT analysis for the company you chose to
research. Your analysis should be between one to two pages and identify the
company’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Use Microsoft

Word
and create four sections to your paper using the SWOT categories as your
headings. Each category should have approximately 200-300 words describing the
issues that fall under that area. The opportunities and threats should have at
least ten items identified for each. Format your SWOT Analysis using APA Style.
Use your own words, and include citations and references as needed to avoid
plagiarism.

Unit
III Assignment

PowerPoint
Presentation

Review
both Milton Friedman’s “Traditional View of Business Responsibility” (p. 72)
and Archie Carroll’s “Four Responsibilities of Business” (p. 72-73) in the
textbook, and develop an understanding of their ethical principles. You are
also welcome and encouraged to research them using outside sources. You are to
compare the two theories and create a PowerPoint presentation on your
comparative study. Your PowerPoint presentation should include the following
elements:

·
Slide 1: Title page
·
Slides 2-3: A summary of
Milton Friedman’s main points
·
Slides 4-5: A summary of
Archie Carroll’s main points

·
Slide 6: Which principles
would you like implemented at your current place of work (or where you wish to
work in the future), and why?

·
Slides 7-8: Provide two
detailed examples of organizations where you believe that Friedman’s theories
are applied.
·
Slides 9-10: Provide two
detailed examples of organizations where you believe that Carroll’s theories
are applied.
·
Slide 11: List of sources
using APA guidelines

Unit
IV Assignment

Using
the information gathered from your SWOT analysis conducted in Unit II, create
an EFAS table for the company you researched. Use Microsoft word to create your
table. It should have five columns. The first column heading should be entitled
External Factors, the second column should be titled Weight, the third column
should be titled Rating, the fourth column should be titled Weighted Score, and
the fifth column should be titled Comments. (Refer to pages 126-127 in your
textbook for an example.)

1. In
the External Factors column, list at least six opportunities you saw in the
company you researched. Underneath the opportunities, list at least six threats
you saw in the company you researched.

2. In
the Weight column, assign an importance factor to each of these issues from
0.0-1.0 (1.0 is most important; 0.0 is least important). These ratings are
based on the probable impact on a particular company’s current strategic
position. The higher the weight, the more important the factor to the current
and future success of the company. You may not be privy to the exact
information for this company, so in some cases you will need to use your best
judgment. (You will justify your weighting in column five.)

MBA 5101, Strategic Management and Business
Policy

2

3. In
the Rating column assign a rating factor from 5.0-1.0 (5.0 is Outstanding; 1.0
is poor). These ratings are based on the company’s response to that particular
factor. It is a judgment call on how the company is currently dealing with each
specific factor. Once again, you may need to make an estimate in this area if
you are not privy to all of the information. (You will justify your weighting
in column five.) 4. In
the Weighted Score column, multiply the weight from column 2 by the rating in
column 3 to get the factor’s weighted score. 5. In
the Comments column explain why a particular factor was selected and how its
weight and rating were estimated. 6.
At the bottom of column 4 add
the weighted scores for the external factors. Is the company doing better or
worse than others in the same industry? Complete this answer underneath your
table. Format
your assignment using APA Style. Use your own words, and include citations and
references as needed to avoid plagiarism.Unit
VII AssignmentPowerPoint Presentation Review
the portion of Web Chapter A concerning new product innovation. You can access
Web Chapter A at this web address: http://www.pearsonhighered.com/wheelen/cases.html.
Then select a new product that you have been introduced to in the past 12
months. You are also welcome and encouraged to research this new product using
outside sources. You are to create a PowerPoint presentation about the
marketing strategy for this relatively new product. Your PowerPoint
presentation should include the following elements:· Slide 1: Title page·
Slide 2:Description of the new
product·
Slide 3:Explain which category
of innovation is emphasized.·
Slide 4:List what
differentiates the product from the competition.·
Slide 5: Describe the
product’s target market and its demographics.·
Slide 6: Describe the market
size and potential product demand.·
Slide 7: Explain in which
stage of the product life cycle is the product.·
Slide 8:Predict product demand
in five years.·
Slide 9: List of sources
using APA guidelinesUnit
VIII Case StudyRead
the Internet Mini Case #6 on Williams-Sonoma, and answer the written response
questions in order to complete this assignment.Internet
Mini Case #6 on Williams-Sonoma can be found on the Pearson Higher Education
web site at this address: http://www.pearsonhighered.com/wheelen/cases.html. A PDF file containing Mini Case #6 can be found in
Unit VIII.There are four written response questions
below worth 25 points each. Your answers should include information from your
course materials and/or from outside research but should be primarily in your
own words. If you paraphrase or quote words or ideas from your course textbook
or other resources, you should cite your sources using APA guidelines. Each of
your responses to each of the four questions should be spell and grammar
checked and should be 200-300 words in length to be considered a “complete”
answer to a written response question. Please contact your instructor if you
have any questions.1.
If the Williams-Sonoma
continues with its present strategies and objectives, where will it be in five
years? 2.
If you were the CEO of
William-Sonoma, what strategies would you recommend, and why? 3. Describe
the competitive strategies used by each of Williams-Sonoma’s competitors. Which
of these strategies are the most effective? Support your answer.
4. How
is Williams-Sonoma using the Internet as a distribution channel now, and how
would you recommend that they use the Internet in the future?ALL ASSESMENT• Question 14 out of 4 pointsThe integrated internationalization of markets and corporations is called:Answer• Question 24 out of 4 pointsAs defined in this course, a policy is:Answer• Question 34 out of 4 pointsThe process by which strategies and policies are put into action through the development of programs, budgets, and procedures is:Answer• Question 44 out of 4 pointsThe Strategic Management Model presents the following process of strategy formulation:Answer• Question 54 out of 4 pointsAccording to the text, most publicly owned large corporations today tend to have boards with what degree of involvement in the strategic management process?Answer• Question 64 out of 4 pointsA highly involved board does all of the following EXCEPT:Answer• Question 74 out of 4 pointsThe Sarbanes-Oxley Act was designed to protect:Answer• Question 84 out of 4 pointsThe vast majority of inside directors are from all of the following EXCEPT:Answerlower-level operating employee.• Question 94 out of 4 pointsThe function of a nominating committee is to:Answer• Question 104 out of 4 pointsThe U.S. Clayton Act and Banking Act of 1933:Answer• Question 1130 out of 30 pointsExplain the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and its impact on corporate governance. How has it changed the way we do business in the United States? Please include an example to support your viewpoint.Answer• Question 1230 out of 30 pointsWhat are the responsibilities of the board of directors? Please provide an example of a board of directors that did not meet its responsibilities.UN IT 2• Question 150 out of 50 pointsPick a company or organization, preferably the organization or company for which you work. (If you choose to write about a company other than your employer, please make sure it is one that has easily accessible information.) In your opinion, how well is the company or organization?s present strategy working? What are the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) of the organization? Please include at least two points per each SWOT category. How strong, if applicable, is the company?s competitive position? What strategic issues does this organization/company face in the next year? Next five years?• Question 250 out of 50 pointsPick a company or organization, preferably the organization or company for which you work. (If you choose to write about a company other than your employer, please make sure it is one that has easily accessible information.) What is the organization? What is its primary business or services? Tell us about the industry and its competition. What is the organizational mission or purpose of the organization that you selected? How would you characterize the organizational culture? What are the primary strategic objectives or long range plans for the organization?UNIT 4• Question 10 out of 4 pointsWhich of the following statements is TRUE concerning a corporate reputation?• Question 24 out of 4 pointsWhen the value chains of two separate products or services share activities, such as the same marketing channels, in order to reduce costs, this is an example of:• Question 34 out of 4 pointsWhich of the following terms refers to a formal program of gathering information on a company’s competitors?• Question 44 out of 4 pointsAccording to the textbook, which of the following is NOT descriptive of a corporation’s culture?• Question 54 out of 4 pointsWhich societal force includes demographic trends?• Question 64 out of 4 pointsWhich of the following is NOT descriptive of the “threat of new entrants?”• Question 74 out of 4 pointsWhat allowed Intel the ability to gain a significant cost advantage over its competitors in the production and sale of microprocessors?• Question 84 out of 4 pointsAccording to Porter, the corporation is most concerned with:• Question 94 out of 4 pointsThrough market research, corporations can target their various products or services so that management can discover what niches to seek or develop, and how to minimize competitive pressure. Which of the following terms does this statement describe?• Question 104 out of 4 pointsWhich business model is used by IBM to make money not by selling IBM products but by selling its expertise to improve their customers operations?• Question 1130 out of 30 pointsDistinguish between a fragmented and consolidated industry, and describe examples of each.• Question 1230 out of 30 pointsList and explain four current sociocultural trends in the U.S. that are transforming North America and the world.UNIT 5.8181819915771px;”=””>• Question 14 out of 4 pointsWhich of the following BEST describes a popular financial strategy in which a company is acquired in a transaction financed largely by debt • eventually paid off with money generated from the acquired company’s operations or by sale of its assets?• Question 24 out of 4 pointsWhat is a corporate strategy that cuts across divisional boundaries to build synergy across business units to improve the competitive position of one or more business units?• Question 34 out of 4 pointsWhat is the first company to manufacture and sell a new product or service?• Question 44 out of 4 pointsWhen Dell Computer’s customers use the Internet to design their own computers, this demonstrates which manufacturing strategy?• Question 54 out of 4 pointsWhich strategy has been used successfully by Yum! Brands to establish KFC and Pizza Hut restaurants across the globe?• Question 64 out of 4 pointsWhich external growth strategy was demonstrated when Procter & Gamble completely absorbed Gillette?• Question 74 out of 4 pointsWhich strategy did Delta choose when it acquired Northwest Airlines to obtain access to Northwest’s Asian markets?• Question 84 out of 4 pointsWhen Smith & Wesson puts its name on others’ products like men’s cologne, it is using which marketing strategy?• Question 94 out of 4 pointsWhen a firm internally makes 100% of its key supplies and completely controls its distributors, this is known as:• Question 104 out of 4 pointsWal-Mart, McDonald’s, and Alamo are all examples of companies following which of Porter’s competitive strategies?• Question 1130 out of 30 pointsWhat are the tradeoffs (pros and cons) between an internal and an external growth strategy? Which approach is best as an international strategy? Why?• Question 1230 out of 30 pointsWhat is outsourcing? WhatUNIT 6• Question 14 out of 4 pointsFor each $1 spent on training, Motorola estimates it receives __________ in productivity gains within three years.• Question 24 out of 4 pointsAll of the following are changing structural characteristics found in the modern organization design EXCEPT:• Question 34 out of 4 pointsWhat is the percentage of U.S.-based expatriate managers who fail to adjust to a host country’s social and business environment?• Question 44 out of 4 pointsSuccessful defender firms tend to be headed by CEOs with backgrounds in the areas of:• Question 54 out of 4 pointsWhich type of chief executive officer who is highly knowledgeable in other industries and can manage diverse product lines would be appropriate for a corporation following a diversification strategy?• Question 64 out of 4 pointsAccording to Hofstede’s cultural dimensions, which country scored lowest on uncertainty avoidance?• Question 74 out of 4 pointsWhich technique do many corporations use to move people from one job to another in order to ensure employees are gaining the appropriate mix of experience to prepare employees for future responsibilities?• Question 84 out of 4 pointsWhich type of structure was used by Nestle` to tailor products to regional differences and to achieve regional coordination?• Question 94 out of 4 pointsWhich of the following corporation types is a highly developed international company with a deep involvement throughout the world, plus a worldwide perspective in its management and decision making?• Question 104 out of 4 pointsWhen the return on investment for each division of a corporation is greater than what the return would be if each division were an independent business, that corporation is said to have achieved:• Question 1130 out of 30 pointsThe textbook points out the importance of assessing the strategy-culture compatibility when implementing a new strategy. Do you feel that culture follows strategy, or does strategy follow culture? Justify your answer.• Question 1230 out of 30 pointsWhat is executive succession? Discuss the hiring of insiders versus outsiders, and provide examples of each.