Business-Level and Corporate-Level Strategies Overview In this assignment, you are to use the same corporation you selected for the assignments in Weeks 3 and 6. You will examine business
Business-Level and Corporate-Level Strategies
Overview
In this assignment, you are to use the same corporation you selected for the assignments in Weeks 3 and 6. You will examine business and corporate-level strategies and their impact on corporate success comparable to the competitive environment. Use any or all of the following resources to conduct research on the corporation:
- The corporation’s website.
- Public filings from the Securities and Exchange Commission's Filings & Forms page.
- Strayer University's online databases.
- The Nexis Uni database.
- Other credible sources. (The corporation's annual report will often provide insights that other resources may not include.)
(Note: It is expected that you will also use your course textbook to complete the assignment.)
Instructions:
Refer to the following documents for this assignment:
- Assignment Formatting and Tips [PDF]
- The attached template is REQUIRED for this assignment. (Refer back to it if needed as guidance for later assignments).
- Please review the attached "How to Earn Full Credit on Assignment 3" video.
Refer back to the Week 1 and 2 assignment templates as a sample if needed. Write a 4-6 page academic research paper in which you include the following: * Note: The title page and source list are in addition to the 4-6 page requirement
- Assess the business-level strategies you believe to be most appropriate for the corporation's long-term success. Support your position with specific evidence.
- Assess the corporate-level strategies you believe to be most appropriate for the corporation's long-term success. Support your position with specific evidence.
- Analyze the competitive environment to determine the corporation's most significant competitor. Be sure to include a comparison of the business-level and corporate-level strategies for both corporations.
- Based on your analysis, conclude which corporation is most likely to be successful in the long term. Support your determination with at least three pieces of evidence.
- Determine whether your corporation, or its most significant competitor, would differ in slow-cycle and fast-cycle markets. Support your position with specific evidence.
- Use three or more quality sources, including your textbook, to support your writing. Choose sources that are credible, relevant, and appropriate. Cite each source listed on your source page at least one time within your assignment. (Note: Wikipedia and similar websites do not qualify as academic resources)
- For help with research, writing, and citation, access the library or review library guides.
- Produce writing that is clear and well organized and applies appropriate Strayer Writing Standards (SWS) style. Writing contains accurate grammar, mechanics, and spelling.
This course requires the use of Strayer Writing Standards. For assistance and information, please refer to the Strayer Writing Standards link in the left-hand menu of your course. Check with your professor for any additional instructions. The specific course learning outcome associated with this assignment is as follows:
Week 8 – Business-Level and Corporate-Level Strategies
Student's Full Name
BUS499 Business Administration Capstone
Professor's Name
Date
Template Instructions (delete this page before submitting)
HOW TO USE THIS TEMPLATE
· Read the explanations provided in the template for each section of your paper.
· The explanations are in blue font on the pages that follow.
· You should have already read the assignment instructions in Blackboard.
· Type your response to each assignment requirement within the designated sections.
· Each assignment requirement is identified using a section heading that is in bold and black font.
· DO NOT add extra spaces between sections.
· DO NOT change the margins.
· You are required to have a heading for each section in your paper.
· The required headings have been provided for you (in bold and black font).
· DO NOT delete, alter, or add anything to the section headings.
· DO NOT type the assignment instructions into the sections.
· After typing your responses, change the font color from blue to black and ensure your content is not in bold.
· Be sure to change the font color from blue to black on the title page after typing your name, professor's name, and date.
· Everything in blue font on the following pages should be deleted and replaced with your responses in black.
· DELETE this entire page before you submit your assignment to avoid losing points.
REMINDERS
· The assignment is due in week 8.
· Use the same public corporation you used for assignments 1 and 2.
· Do not copy content from previous assignments in this class or others.
· Include at least six (6) full and complete academically written pages that address the requirements. The title page, this instruction page, and the source page do not count.
· Use at least three (3) quality sources, one of which MUST be the course textbook.
· Strayer uses SafeAssign – an automated plagiarism checker. You must use your own words and external resources (with in-text citations) to support what you have written in your own words.
Week 8 – Business-Level and Corporate-Level Strategies
Write your introduction here. Include one (1) paragraph ( not more than six [6] lines of text) that explains what your paper will discuss. Most of your introduction may be taken from the assignment instructions (in your own words). Read all assignment resources to understand what should be included in your paper. Review the assignment instructions in Blackboard, the grading rubric, and the recorded writing workshop to understand the requirements. Do not exceed six (6) lines of text in this introduction. There should be no direct quotes in this section. After reading these instructions, replace this blue text with your introduction and change the font color to black.
Business-Level Strategies
Analyze the business-level strategies for the corporation you chose to determine the business-level strategy you think is most important to the firm's long-term success. You will also need to determine whether or not you judge this to be a good choice (Note: in this step, you need to choose and write about only one (1) business-level strategy from the textbook (not Google). Hint: See Figure 4.1 in the textbook. Include a thorough justification for your choice backed by facts and sound judgment. For background, be sure to research and explain the industry in which your selected corporation operates. You could also briefly (in 1 – 2 sentences) define the business-level strategy (cite your sources) you are writing about using chapter 4 in the textbook and" Learn" as an introduction to your analysis. Read chapter 4 in the course textbook. Review the Week 4 Readings under "Learn" in Blackboard for supporting content. Your response here should demonstrate that you understand the key concepts regarding the selected business-level strategy and can apply them to a real-world corporation. Keep in mind that this is a 6-page paper; your analysis should thoroughly address the concepts discussed in the course. Avoid unsubstantiated statements, extended introductory commentary, direct quotes, and unrelated content. Strive for about 1 ½ – 2 pages of well-constructed, in-depth analysis in this section.
In this section, you could research and identify the core competencies your chosen firm uses to implement its business-level strategies and discuss their effectiveness. You could also demonstrate from your research how the firm uses its core competencies to create and sell its products or services in the marketplace. Consider the actions & choices your firm has made to compete in individual product markets. Review Chapters 4-9 for specifics on business-level strategies. Your response should clearly identify the one business-level strategy from the textbook that you think is most important to the corporation's long-term success. Your response must also include a clearly stated and justified judgment on whether that strategy is a good choice. Include enough content and depth to demonstrate a thorough analysis of your selected corporation's business-level strategy. Remember that this is a 6-page paper, so you will need to dig deep. After reading these instructions, replace this blue text with your analysis and change the font color to black.
Corporate-Level Strategies
Analyze the corporate-level strategies for the corporation you chose to determine the one you think is most important to the firm's long-term success. You will also need to decide whether or not you judge this to be a good choice. (Note: in this step, you need to choose and write about only one (1) corporate-level strategy from the textbook (not Google). Hint: See chapter 6 in the textbook. Include a thorough justification for your choice backed by facts and sound judgment. You could also briefly (in 1 – 2 sentences) define the corporate-level strategy (cite your sources) you are writing about using the textbook. Review the Week 5 Readings under "Learn" in Blackboard for supporting content. Your response here should demonstrate that you understand the key concepts regarding the selected corporate-level strategy and can apply them to a real-world corporation. Keep in mind that this is a 6-page paper; your analysis should thoroughly address the concepts discussed in the course. Avoid unsubstantiated statements, extended introductory commentary, direct quotes, and unrelated content. Strive for about 1 ½ – 2 pages of well-constructed, in-depth analysis in this section.
Your response should clearly identify the one corporate-level strategy from the textbook that you think is most important to the corporation's long-term success. Your response must also include a clearly stated and justified judgment on whether that strategy is a good choice. Include enough content and depth to demonstrate a thorough analysis of your selected corporation's corporate-level strategy. Remember that this is a 6-page paper, so you will need to dig deep. After reading these instructions, replace this blue text with your analysis and change the font color to black.
Competitive Environment Analysis
Analyze the competitive environment to determine the corporation's most significant competitor (this will require research outside the course material). Compare their strategies at the business and corporate levels. Hint: read chapters 1 – 10 in the course textbook, as they provide a solid background for this section. Review the Week 1 – 8 Readings under "Learn" in Blackboard for supporting content. Remember that this is a 6-page paper and requires a thorough competitive analysis. Strive for about 1 ½ – 2 pages of well-constructed, in-depth analysis in this section. Cite your sources and avoid the use of direct quotes. After reading these instructions, replace this blue text with your analysis and change the font color to black.
Competitive Environment Conclusion
Based on your analysis, conclude which corporation is most likely to be successful in the long term and support your conclusion with at least three pieces of specific evidence. Be sure to consider the business-level and corporate-level strategies for both corporations. Remember that this is a 6-page paper and requires a thorough competitive analysis. Strive for about 1 ½ – 2 pages of well-constructed, in-depth analysis in this section. Use the textbook and other credible resources. Cite your sources and avoid the use of direct quotes. After reading these instructions, replace this blue text with your conclusion and change the font color to black.
Market Cycles
Determine whether your choice from Requirement 4 (Competitive Environment Conclusion, above) would differ in slow-cycle and fast-cycle markets. Support your position with specific evidence. It would be a good idea to briefly explain the slow-cycle and fast-cycle markets from the textbook (cite your sources) as a short introduction to your determination. Hint: read Chapter 5 in the course textbook. Remember that this is a 6-page paper; therefore, each section requires a thorough response demonstrating your understanding of the course's key concepts and your ability to apply them to a real-world corporation. Cite your sources and avoid the use of direct quotes. After reading these instructions, replace this blue text with your response and change the font color to black.
Sources
1. Michael A. Hitt. 2020. Strategic Management: Concepts and Cases: Competitiveness and Globalization. 13th ed. Cengage Learning.
2. Author. Publication Date. Title. Page # (written as p. #). How to Find (e.g., web address)
3. Author. Publication Date. Title. Page # (written as p. #). How to Find (e.g., web address)
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Feedback: Thank you for your Assignment 1 submission. I have graded your submission and developed feedback for you to review. As shared in the announcements and our bi-weekly calls, please carefully review my feedback to ensure you have an improvement strategy for the next assignment. Unfortunately, on this first writing assignment, you earned a grade of D (69%). I would like to see you earn an A on all of your assignments and it is my goal to help you improve. While you cannot resubmit your responses to the requirements in this assignment for a better grade, what I encourage you to do is use this feedback and the information shared.
REQUIREMENT #2: Moving on to the second rubric criterion, here, you had an opportunity to apply the I/O model and the resource-based model to determine how your corporation could earn above-average returns. Figures 1.2 and 1.3 in our textbook provide an outline of the models. Understanding a corporation's external and internal factors are critical components in strategy development, compliance, growth, and profitability. Decision makers must consider not only what's going on inside their organization but also the ever-changing environment outside and how the two compliment and compete. The I/O and resource-based models are tools that can be used to conduct these analyses. Remember that in order to earn full credit, your responses must thoroughly address each grading criterion and in the case of these models, a thorough application of the internal and external models was needed.
Unfortunately, your response was an insufficient application of the models. For example, each model provides 5 specific actions a corporation should take to earn above average returns. A thorough application of the model would include clearly addressing each of the actions for your specific corporation.
REQUIREMENT #3: The third rubric criterion gave you an opportunity to assess how your corporation's success is influenced by its vision and mission statements. There are many internal and external influences on business success. Studying an impact created by the business can provide some interesting insight into the corporation's overall strategy and likelihood to succeed.
You provided an insufficient assessment in this grading area. I encourage you to dig deep into each concept. Focus on providing responses to each grading criterion that includes the level of depth and thoroughness needed to fully display your knowledge and readiness to add a higher level of value in business.
Strategic Management and Strategic Competitiveness
Strategic Management and Strategic Competitiveness
FedEx Corporation [NYSE: FDX] is an American multinational conglomerate founded in 1971. The company has its headquarters in Memphis, Tennessee, and provides transportation, e-commerce, and business services in the United States and 219 other countries (Fedex, 1). The paper will delve into how the company operates in a global business environment and the technology they use, examining the external factors that the company has to contend with. The paper will also show how the company's vision and mission statements keep them on track to deliver for its shareholders, employees, and customers.
Globalization
FedEx Corp. has its most considerable presence in the U.S. and has rapidly expanded its presence into newer markets over the last 50 years. They produce a broad range of e-commerce, transportation, and business services under the FedEx brand. They are well known for delivering express small packages and document services through FedEx Express. The company's main competitors are UPS and USPS. They have expanded globally by advocating for international aviation deregulation. They actively played a considerable role in helping link global markets by providing numerous economic benefits for several nations, including lower airfares, expanded air service and choice in Europe, and more investment, trade, and jobs in China (Fedex, 1).
The company ranks 39th on the Fortune 500 index and has a market cap of $52.95 billion as of May 2022. In F.Y. 2021, the company recorded a revenue of 83.959 billion, which marked a 21.3% increase from the previous year (Hughes,2 ). The global transportation and logistics industry is highly competitive, with FedEx, UPS, and DHL being the three biggest players. Even though FedEx has a strong presence in the U.S., Europe, and Asia, UPS is the leader in the market in all of North America. DHL is the market leader in Europe, and they have a large presence in Asia. FedEx has been known to fuel innovation and create and supports local jobs, all while helping lift individuals and their communities in major global markets. FedEx worked with 360,000 suppliers globally, employing more than 16.5 million individuals (Hughes, 2).
Technology
FedEx is a forward-thinking company and is always looking to innovate to save money and provide its customer base with the best service possible. From 2019 to 2022, FedEx worked to develop a prototype of Roxo, the FedEx SameDay Bot (Fedex, 3). It is an autonomous delivery device designed in response to the rapid growth of e-commerce, the complexities and expense of last-mile delivery, and the growing need to develop a lower-emissions transportation technology.
FedEx has also been working in conjunction with Peloton Technology on developing "vehicle platooning." The technology involves electronically linking trucks into small groups called "platoons." They would use wireless vehicle-to-vehicle communication (Fedex, 3). The company's driver would be in the truck to operate the front controls, which are the acceleration and brakes of the trucks behind them. The technology might be released by the end of the year and was designed to reduce wind resistance and save fuel.
Industrial Organization Model
FedEx is the largest freight airline in the world (Doran, 5). It has to follow the rules and regulations set by the Federal Aviation Administration under PART 121 requires it to have an FAA-approved hazardous materials program. Air carriers who elect to accept, handle, and transport dangerous goods in air commerce must develop a complete and detailed hazardous materials program covering all aspects of the acceptance and transportation process and training for all employees (FAA, 6).
Resource-Based Model
FedEx is always looking to innovate and protect the environment. The company uses the latest tracking system to scan packages and let customers know where their package is from pick up to delivery. They have invested in newer technology and replaced older vehicles to help reduce emissions. The company has a goal to have all-electric vehicles by 2040. To assist with this, they have designated more than $2 billion of the initial investment in three key areas: vehicle electrification, sustainable energy, and carbon sequestration (FedEx, 7).
Vision
FedEx promises to “be a dynamic and progressive courier services firm that leverages technology and impacts the lives of all people.” (FedEx, 8). The company plans to ensure that each division will be run efficiently to produce added value for its customers and employees. While continuing to use the latest technology that can allow the business to run as efficiently as possible
Mission
FedEx Corporation will produce superior financial returns for its shareowners by providing high value-added logistics, transportation and related business services through focused operating companies (FedEx, 8). The company wants its shareholders to know they plan to continue to innovate o keep the company on the cutting edge of technology which will increase productivity and profits.
Stakeholders
FedEx (NYSE: FDX) is owned by 74.26% institutional shareholders, 8.83% Fedex insiders, and 16.92% retail investors. Frederick W. Smith is the largest FedEx shareholder, holding 20.05M shares representing 7.94% of the company (Wall Street, 9). The institutional shareholders have the largest share of the company and show that the company is stable and credible within the investment community. The downside of institutional shareholders holding such a large stake is that they can spark doubt among investors by selling their shares, causing the stocks to drop dramatically. For that reason, the company must operate with that in mind.
Insider ownership in the company is the board of directors, and the company's management must report to the board and get direction from the board about the company's direction. Retail investors have invested through a brokerage firm, and investing is not their specialty. Lastly is Fred Smith, who started the company and he has the most significant shares for an individual.
Sources
1.FedEx Newsroom. (2022, November 3). New global report demonstrates fedex economic impact. FedEx Newsroom. Retrieved January 16, 2023, from https://newsroom.fedex.com/newsroom/asia-english/new-global-report-demonstrates-fedex-economic-impact
2.Hughes, J. (2022, July 10). Fedex competitors analysis. Business Chronicler. Retrieved January 16, 2023, from https://businesschronicler.com/competitors/fedex-competitors-analysis/
3. FedEx. (n.d.). Retrieved January 17, 2023, from http://www.fedex.com/gb/enews/2018/february/logistics-tech-trends.html
4.Summary of hours of service regulations. FMCSA. (n.d.). Retrieved January 18, 2023, from https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/regulations/hours-service/summary-hours-service-regulations
5.Doran, M. (2022, August 19). Fedex TOPS IATA World Cargo Carrier Rankings in 2021. Simple Flying. Retrieved January 18, 2023, from https://simpleflying.com/fedex-tops-world-cargo-rankings-2021/
6.Regularly scheduled air carriers (part 121). Regularly Scheduled Air Carriers (Part 121) | Federal Aviation Administration. (n.d.). Retrieved January 19, 2023, from https://www.faa.gov/hazmat/air_carriers/operations/part_121
7.FedEx Newsroom. (2022, June 24). Fedex commits to carbon-neutral operations by 2040. FedEx Newsroom. Retrieved January 20, 2023, from https://newsroom.fedex.com/newsroom/asia-english/sustainability2021
8.Home > company overview > mission & goals. FedEx. (n.d.). Retrieved January 20, 2023, from https://investors.fedex.com/company-overview/mission-and-goals/default.aspx
9.Who owns fedex? WallStreetZen. (2023, January 21). Retrieved January 22, 2023, from https://www.wallstreetzen.com/stocks/us/nyse/fdx/ownership
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