The SWOT analysis is often used to help managers understand the competitive advantage of their organization. It can also help them to make decisions to support the organizations

(Discussion Unit 2) 300-500 words

Within the Discussion Board area, write 300–500 words that respond to the following questions with your thoughts, ideas, and comments. This will be the foundation for future discussions by your classmates. Be substantive and clear, and use examples to reinforce your ideas.

For this Discussion Board, please complete the following:

The SWOT analysis is often used to help managers understand the competitive advantage of their organization. It can also help them to make decisions to support the organization’s mission and vision in an ethical manner and help with strategic planning.

Watch the video: Putting Your SWOT to Use which will provide you with what you need to know about SWOT and making it work for your organization’s strategic planning.

Review the abbreviated version of the Starbucks 2020 SWOT Analysis.

Considering the video and the Starbucks 2020 SWOT Analysis, answer the following questions:

• Opportunities are to be prioritized in your strategic plan. How would you recommend that Starbucks prioritize Ready to Drink (RTD) coffee products in the U.S.?
• Weaknesses are important and need to be acted on quickly. What would be your first step to act on Starbucks expanding outside the U.S.? Why do you think this would work?
• Threats need to be watched and monitored. Explain how you would plan to monitor weather disasters that could drive up the price of coffee beans?

(Unit 3 discussion)

Within the Discussion Board area, write 300–500 words that respond to the following questions with your thoughts, ideas, and comments. This will be the foundation for future discussions by your classmates. Be substantive and clear, and use examples to reinforce your ideas.

For this Discussion Board, please complete the following:

Strategic evaluation of a company requires managers to consider the reasons why one company has a competitive advantage over another. When managers make decisions to compete, they also need to reflect on ethical implications. Competitive advantage can be created when information technology is used to collect and interpret data.

Read the following article:

• Digital Transformation – How to Differentiate and Create Competitive Advantage in the Digital Era

Please answer the following questions:

• Explain what a company’s highest priority should be when creating a competitive advantage?
• What is an example of a competitive advantage that is created by using information technology?
• In your opinion, what are the ethical considerations when using information technology to create a competitive advantage?

(Unit 4 discussion)

Within the Discussion Board area, write 300–500 words that respond to the following questions with your thoughts, ideas, and comments. This will be the foundation for future discussions by your classmates. Be substantive and clear, and use examples to reinforce your ideas.

For this Discussion Board, please complete the following:

An external analysis of a company is another indicator for making strategic decisions. External factors are the general environment of an industry that strategic leaders most likely will not be able to influence. There are six external factors for a PESTEL analysis that influence all firms in a given industry. The PESTEL model groups these segments as: political, economic, sociocultural, technological, ecological and legal.

Review the following article:

• Scanning the Environment: PESTEL Analysis

Explore the six PESTEL external factors: political, economic, sociocultural, technological, ecological, and legal.

Choose one industry (automotive, hospitality, manufacturing, high tech, etc.) and discuss the following with your peers:

• Examine one of the six PESTEL factors in relation to your chosen industry. In your opinion, why do you believe this PESTEL factor is the most important to your chosen industry?
• Describe one advantage and disadvantage of the PESTEL analysis for strategic planning.
• If you were a manager in a global organization, how would you use the technological factor of innovation to gain a competitive advantage?

(Unit 5 discussion)

Within the Discussion Board area, write 300–500 words that respond to the following questions with your thoughts, ideas, and comments. This will be the foundation for future discussions by your classmates. Be substantive and clear, and use examples to reinforce your ideas.

For this Discussion Board, please complete the following:

Review and reflect on the knowledge you have gained from this course. Based on your review and reflection, address the following:

• What were the most compelling topics learned in this course?
• How did the discussion debates help you advance your considerations of the topics within this course?
• What approaches could have yielded additional valuable information?

(Unit 5 Project)

3-5 pages (not including cover page and resource page)

Your company has determined that the time is right to expand globally. As a corporate manager within the organization, you have been assigned to identify and select a team of five to ten members from within the organization to explore and identify two to three managerial challenges associated with global expansion. You have been given three months to assemble your team and create a PowerPoint presentation outlining your findings to the leadership team.

As the team leader, you realize you will need to identify how to successfully complete the assignment. Assuming you have completed the process of selecting your team, what are your next steps? Include in your strategy the following:

1. Analyze two to three team performance challenges that may arise and what corrective action you may employ to keep the project on track.
2. Discuss two advantages and two disadvantages of expanding globally from a leadership perspective.
3. Examine two management theories and discuss how each theory impacts managerial decisions from a global perspective.