Discuss how a SWOT analysis would greatly contribute to an organization’s strategic planning process.        

/in /by

Theories of Strategic Management In this fast moving world, today’s managers are faced with many challenges and opportunities. Therefore, they must do more than set long-term strategies and hope for the best. Managers must go beyond what some have called “incremental management,” whereby they view their job as making a series of small, minor changes to improve the efficiency of their firms. The development of the field of strategic management within the last two decades has been dramatic. While its roots have been in a more applied area, often referred to as business policy, the current field of strategic management is strongly theory-based with substantial empirical studies.           Strategic management is a process that evolves managers from all parts of the organization in the formulation and the implementation of strategies and strategic goals.           Required Reading: Please refer to the Activity Resource section of each activity for the required readings and external sources. Assignment 6 Use of a SWOT Analysis A SWOT analysis is a widely used tool in strategic management. The SWOT examines an organization’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats to evaluate the strategic viability programs and services. Strengths and weaknesses in an organization are internal factors. Opportunities and threats/trends are external factors. Evaluations are often organized in a four-quadrant format so that comparisons and contrasts can be quickly organized and identified. Activity           Resources:                       • Miika, K., Pekka, L., Mikko, K., & Jyrki, K. (2012)               Main Task: Appraise the Use of SWOT Analysis A strategic plan assesses the situation, essentially making sure that everyone is aware of the strengths and weaknesses of the organization’s performance. The most common way of obtaining this information is by doing a SWOT analysis of the organization. Your assignment is to: Discuss how a SWOT analysis would greatly contribute to an organization’s strategic planning process.           Length: 5-7 pages not including title and reference pages Your paper should demonstrate thoughtful consideration of the ideas and concepts presented in the course and provide new thoughts and insights relating directly to this topic. Your response should reflect scholarly writing and current APA standards.

Ecological Interactions.

/in /by

This contains 100% correct material for UMUC Biology 103 LAB07: Ecological Interactions. However, this is an Answer Key, which means, you should put it in your own words. Here are the questions that will be answered. Attached is the lab that is fully completed. Enjoy!   Pre-Lab Questions Would you expect endangered species to be more frequently generalists or specialists? Explain your answer.   How does temperature affect water availability in an ecosystem?   Choose a species and describe some adaptations that species developed that allow them to survive in their native habitat.   Experiment 1: Effects of pH on Radish Seed Germination Data Tables and Post-Lab Assessment Table 1: pH and Radish Seed Germination Stage/Day Observations       Initial pH       1 (0400hrs)       2 (0400hrs)       3 (0400hrs)       4 (0400hrs)       5 (0400hrs)       6 (0400hrs)       7 (0400hrs)               Post-Lab Questions Compare and construct a line graph based on the data from Table 1 in the space below. Place the day on the x axis, and the number of seeds germinated on the y axis. Be sure to include a title, label the x and y axes, and provide a legend describing which line corresponds to each plate (e.g., blue = acetic acid, green = sodium bicarbonate, etc…).     Was there any noticeable effect on the germination rate of the radish seeds as a result of the pH? Compare and contrast the growth rate for the control with the alkaline and acidic solutions.   According to your results would you say that the radish has a broad pH tolerance? Why or why not? Use your data to support your answer.     Knowing that acid rain has a pH of 2 – 3 would you conclude that crop species with a narrow soil pH range are in trouble? Explain why, or why not, using scientific reasoning. Is acid rain a problem for plant species and crops?               Research and briefly describe a real world example about how acid rain affect plants. Be sure to demonstrate how pH contributes to the outcome, and proposed solutions (if any). Descriptions should be approximately 2 – 3 paragraphs. Include at least three citations (use APA formatting).

What items would you evaluate to select companies for investment?  Also, what responses would you consider acceptable and not acceptable?

/in /by

The purpose of this assignment is to analyze venture capital and private equity.   You are the manager of CBPM Fund I.  This is a investment fund that specializes in companies that are in difficulty.  The goal of the fund is to finance turnaround situations and then cash out when the companies are profitable.   Prepare a list of questions and responses to evaluate a company for funding.  What items would you evaluate to select companies for investment?  Also, what responses would you consider acceptable and not acceptable?   Here are some examples.   Form of organization – Is the company a C corp., S corp., or LLC? Response – C corp. or LLC is easier to structure financing.  S corp. limits shareholders and cannot go public.   State of Incorporation – Is the company in good legal standing? Response – Review articles of incorporation. Is the state pro- or anti-business?   submissions will not be accepted without prior permission.  The assignment is worth 45 points.  The assignment is to be 1-3 pages, typed and single spaced.  Grammar, spelling, and punctuation will be graded along with the content of the assignment.   The responses are to be sent in a plain, simple, easy-to-read Word and Excel file.  Include your name at the top of each document.   There is to be no discussion of the assignment or cooperation with others, individually or jointly as in study groups.  If such discussions or consultations occur, all involved students may get as low as ZERO for the assignment or an “F” for the course.   The assignments are to be submitted using SafeAssign in Blackboard.   Go to Assignment 1 in the Content section. Click on View/Complete. Upload your assignment in section 2. Click on Global Reference Database in section 3. Click on Submit.

Identify various levels and types of strategy in a firm.

/in /by

Students, please view the “Submit a Clickable Rubric Assignment” in the Student Center. Instructors, training on how to grade is within the Instructor Center. Assignment 4: Merger, Acquisition, and International Strategies  Due Week 8 and worth 300 points Choose two (2) public corporations in an industry with which you are familiar – one (1) that has acquired another company and operates internationally and one (1) that does not have a history of mergers and acquisitions and operates solely within the U.S. Research each company on its own Website, the public filings on the Securities and Exchange Commission EDGAR database (http://www.sec.gov/edgar.shtml), in the University’s online databases, and any other sources you can find. The annual report will often provide insights that can help address some of these questions. Write a six to eight (6-8) page paper in which you: For the corporation that has acquired another company, merged with another company, or been acquired by another company, evaluate the strategy that led to the merger or acquisition to determine whether or not this merger or acquisition was a wise choice. Justify your opinion. For the corporation that has not been involved in any mergers or acquisitions, identify one (1) company that would be a profitable candidate for the corporation to acquire or merge with and explain why this company would be a profitable target. For the corporation that operates internationally, briefly evaluate its international business-level strategy and international corporate-level strategy and make recommendations for improvement. For the corporation that does not operate internationally, propose one business-level strategy and one corporate-level strategy that you would suggest the corporation consider. Justify your proposals. Use at least three (3) quality references. Note: Wikipedia and other Websites do not quality as academic resources. Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements: Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; references must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions. Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required page length. The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are: Identify various levels and types of strategy in a firm. Use technology and information resources to research issues in business administration. Write clearly and concisely about business administration using proper writing mechanics.