Please READ and review the details of the ENTIRE assignment. The assignment must be written professionally, scholarly, paraphrased, cited and with completed reference, APA format, and MUST include every detail the assignment asks to be completed.

Attached are the…The Assignment’s Rubric…and the Case Study Documentation to READ and COMPLETE the assignment…PLEASE RESEARCH THE DOCUMENTS….THEY PROVIDE INFORMATION NEEDED TO COMPLETE THIS ASSIGNMENT CORRECTLY AND PROPERLY

**Please do not rush on the assignment….THERE IS plenty of time to Research, and properly complete the assignment** Please do not repeat the same wording just to meet the word count….***

***Assignment Details***

Previously, you employed academic writing to describe business decisions made related to the next segment of a multi-year integrated case study, and you suggested research needs that result from your interaction with the case. In this assignment, you will use concise business writing to create a presentation of your decisions and rationale for delivery to a C-suite executive in a corporation.

General Requirements:

Use the following information to ensure successful completion of the assignment:

• Refer to the paper you wrote in the Topic 5 assignment as well as related instructed feedback.
• Instructors will be using a grading rubric to grade the assignments. It is recommended that learners review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment in order to become familiar with the assignment criteria and expectations for successful completion of the assignment.
• APA style is not required for this assignment, but correct and appropriate business writing is expected.

Directions:

Using the case study paper your wrote in Topic 5, create an executive summary presentation of the paper (5-7 slides, exclusive of the title and reference slides) with appropriate Speaker notes that could be delivered to a C-suite executive in a corporation in less than four minutes. Consider the feedback from your instructor on the case study paper you completed in Topic 5. Include the following in your presentation:

1. A summary of the business issue emphasizing the sustainability concerns.
2. An overview of at least two viable potential resolutions and the supporting research.
3. An overview of the ethical implications of each option and the extent to which these ethical implications are influenced by the mission, vision, and core values of Purple Cloud.
4. An overview of and rationale for your proposed resolution and its impact on the profit/loss statement and/or other financial criteria and statements as well as the overall sustainability of the company.College of Doctoral Studies

    

   DBA-835 Integrated Case Study

   In this course, you will interact with Part III of a multi-year, integrated case study experience. This part of the case study focuses on economic issues and related ethical decisions.

   The Case

   Purple Cloud was founded 15 years ago and has grown from a start-up security company to a small, but well-respected competitor in the rapidly growing security sector. The founder, A. Nathan Tecnoti, is a visionary leader who forecasted the need to develop robust software products that protected both individuals and companies. As the Internet grew, so did Tecnoti’s business. He innovated rapidly, but Tecnoti could not keep up with the ever-changing technologies and was often outmaneuvered by larger companies who had larger and more proficient technical staffs and marketing budgets. Tecnoti began seeking a way to accelerate product development so he could increase market share and take advantage of new market opportunities. It is for this reason that Tecnoti developed an acquisition strategy to rapidly acquire companies that offered promising security technologies.

   Invoking that strategy, Purple Cloud acquired ABCTech during a positive economic outlook. Video press coverage of this event can be viewed at https://lc.gcumedia.com/mgt805/business-acquisition-press-release-video/v1.1/. The ABCTech product acquired by Purple Cloud was completely different than any other software security application offered in the market. The product offered an elegant solution implemented with a single update to the user’s computer operating system thereby bypassing the need to distribute daily updates to address new security threats. The simplicity of the solution circumvented both the necessity to acquire capital to build or acquire extensive infrastructure and the requisite addition of high-priced support staff. Nonetheless, the company now has approximately 200 employees, about 40% of which are full-time.

   Purple Cloud has survived the economic downturn of a few years ago and, in fact, experienced a resurgence on the cybersecurity front since many people feared the vulnerability of personal information located online. Despite transforming this $40 million company into a $100 million organization with a current stock price of 71, the executives still feel it is necessary to safeguard their long-term investment as they look toward a more sustainable future. The uncertainty surrounding how Purple Cloud will approach sustainability has led Chris Christianson, one of the co-founders of ABCTech, to have his company shares bought out stating that he is uncomfortable with the current forecasting. When asked about his departure, Christianson said,

   It has been a long time coming. I was new to running a business, and as long as I was able to see where the company was going and growing, I was willing to stay. Recently, it just was not fun for me anymore. So, I am stepping down to allow the Purple Cloud leadership to replace me with someone who can help take them to the next level.

   Tecnoti, the CEO of Purple Cloud, and Thunder Thompson, co-founder of ABCTech and newly appointed chief information officer (CIO), released this joint statement:

   We are saddened by the loss of our colleague, though we know he is going to move on and do what he loves to do. We know he will still be watching as we work on a more sustainable future.

   In its quest for sustainability, Purple Cloud is interested in expanding its operations. It currently is doing well in both domestic and international sales. In essence, it is acting like an international organization, exporting its product solely via computer downloads. However, customer service costs are rising in the United States as the increased need for 24/7/365 support is needed to serve its global clientele. The addition of the second and third shifts is impacting profits.

   Concerns exist in the cybersecurity market as well. First, there is increased speculation that a company has developed toys with embedded learning software that can be used as spying devices for companies to gain a competitive advantage. However, given Purple Cloud’s acquisition strategy, this may provide an opportunity for Purple Cloud to acquire a cyber security software and then use its existing technologies necessary to implant the software. This would allow them to become the leader of cyber security products that detect this type of spying and ultimately put the world at ease from cyber spying while remaining true to its strategy and using its existing technology.

   The second concern is the current flux of United States international policies. For decades, the United States has played the role of world police force, but there is a current trend to focus more on national versus international concerns. Trade agreements such as NAFTA which have been in place for decades are being questioned, and higher tariffs may be on the horizon in order to bring manufacturing jobs back to the United States from countries such as China and India.

   However, corporate tax rates in the United States are currently in flux and could turn favorably for Purple Cloud. Thus, Purple Cloud’s leaders are considering whether this is enough to support the desired growth rate or whether going international is the right option.

   With the desire for continued growth, Purple Cloud needs to review its options, and the executives have hired a global consultant to provide them with potential global growth scenarios. Purple Cloud is advised it first needs to determine whether to remain just an exporter or to explore other international modes. The consultant, utilizing the work of Hitt, Ireland, & Hoskisson (2013), is providing the following modes of entry as a reference:

   · Licensing – An agreement is formed that allows a foreign company to purchase the right to manufacture and sell a firm’s products within a host country’s market or a set of host countries’ markets.

   · Strategic Alliance – A firm collaborating with another company in a different setting in order to enter one or more international markets.

   · Cross-Border Acquisition – A firm from one country acquires a stake in or purchases all of a firm located in another country. A related strategy, domestic acquisition, was used earlier in Purple Cloud’s development.

   · Greenfield Venture – A firm invests directly in another country or market by establishing a new wholly owned subsidiary, which is 100% owned by the parent company.

   Second, the consultant worked drew on the work of Iwan (2007) and advised Purple Cloud executives of three possible types of global organizations Purple Cloud could become including the following:

   · Multinational companies have investments in other countries but do not have coordinated product offerings in each country. These companies tend to be focused on adapting their products and service to each individual local market.

   · Global companies have invested in and are present in many countries. They market their products through the use of the same coordinated image/brand in all markets. Generally, one corporate office is responsible for designing and implementing a global strategy that tends to emphasize volume, cost management, and efficiency.

   · Transnational companies are much more complex organizations. They have invested in foreign operations and have a central corporate facility, but they delegate decision-making, research and development, and marketing powers to each individual foreign market.

   Given the goals of Purple Cloud, the consultant has presented the following three expansion countries for the executives to review further:

   · China – China is an autocratic regime following export oriented growth strategy. China has the biggest military budget in the world. Together with India, China did $73 billion in trade last year. China has become known as a leader in manufacturing, and pride itself on quality at a good price.

    

   · India – India is a democracy following inclusive growth strategy. India is nonaligned and is a self-reliant nation. No third country, directions, or orders influence India’s behavior. They have been known previously for customer service contracts and software development.

    

   · Mexico – Mexico is up-and-coming. They have signed 44 free trade agreements, more than any other country in the world. This is more than twice as many free trade agreements as China and 4 times more than Brazil. Mexico has increased the number of engineers and skilled laborers graduating from its schools. Today, Mexico is exporting more manufactured products then the rest of Latin America combined. For example, Mexico is a base to supply some Fiat 500s to the Chinese market. There are also several technology start-ups emerging up in Mexico. As the population continues to shift, language needs are also shifting.

   As a tool for researching, the consultant has recommended that Purple Cloud executives access globalEdge at https://globaledge.msu.edu/. This is a free database of international business information, and the consultant has indicated that this is an excellent resource for executives considering the types of decisions currently faced by Purple Cloud.

   The consultant has also mentioned the need for Purple Cloud to explore its current corporate social responsibility policy and consider a change of philosophy to more closely align with the notion of conscious capitalism.

   References

   Hitt, M. A., Ireland, R. D., & Hoskisson, R. E. (2013). Strategic management: Competitiveness & globalization (10th edition). Mason, OH: South-Western.

   Iwan, L. (2007, June 18). Differences between a global, transnational, international, and multinational company [Web log comment]. Retrieved from https://leeiwan.wordpress.com/2007/06/18/difference-between-a-global-transnational-international-and-multinational-company/

    

   Questions to Consider