Assignment: Reflection Paper 2

Reflection Paper 2

This assignment covers chapter one, Strategic Leadership: Managing the Strategy-Making Process for Competitive Advantage, and two, External analysis: The Identification of Opportunities and Threats.  Write 3-4 pages in response to the questions below, including the questions that refer to Case # 14 in the back of your textbook.  Please include the questions in your paper. Then 

Chapter 1 Questions:

1. What is competitive advantage, and how does it relate to a company’s business model?
2. Describe the strategic planning model, and who is involved in the strategy-making process
3. Describe the SWOT analysis, its components, and how it aids a company in making strategic decisions. Provide examples of each component in the SWOT analysis.
4. What are the various levels of management, and how do they participate in the process of strategic decision making?

 Chapter 2 Questions:

1. Define “Industry”, “Business” and “Sector”. How are these related?
2. How can Porter’s five-forces model aid in strategic decision making?
3. Describe how “Risk of Entry”, “Bargaining Power of Buyers”, “Bargaining Power of Suppliers”, and industry competition (“Threat of Substitutes”) affect the external threats a company faces. Provide examples of each.
4. Describe the industry life cycle, what strategic groups are, and what mobility barriers are.

Read Case # 14 Given

Discussion Questions for the Case “Given”

1. Analyze the gastrointestinal endoscopy industry and identify where the key opportunities and challenges are for Given.

2. What are some of Given’s advantages and weaknesses in this market?