Stand Alone Project

Under Armour Paper

Book: Wheelen, T. L., & Hunger, J. D. (2008). Strategic Management and Business Policy (11th ed.). NJ:
Prentice Hall.
Stand-Alone Project: Industry Analysis (300 points)
Each assignment in this course focuses on a different portion of an industry analysis. The activities and
discussion questions serve as an introduction to the process of critically evaluating a corporation, one of its
direct competitors, and the industry as a whole which constitute a thorough and complete industry analysis.
Your MB609 Capstone Project will be a complete industry analysis including a publicly traded company, its
industry, and two of its competitors. (Be sure that you keep your textbook from this course as well as all of
the projects you write.)
This Industry Analysis project (MB601) is an introductory project to prepare you for the Capstone Project
(MB609). At this time you will only analyze a publicly traded company and its industry (none of its
competitors will be analyzed). To begin this project, select a publicly traded corporation to study. In other
words, you should be able to purchase stock in the corporation you select. The corporation must be large
enough for the business and trade press to have written about it, but not so large that the amount of
available information is overwhelming making your ability to suggest innovative recommendations for the
corporations survival and success. Consequently, make sure that you do not choose one in which any and
all potential strategies and recommendations have been discussed at length in the press. A table of contents
and a bibliography listing only those works that you cited in your analysis is required. Your Stand-Alone
Project responses should be both grammatically and mechanically correct, and formatted in the same
fashion as the project itself. If there is a Part A, your response should identify a Part A, etc. In addition, you
must appropriately cite all resources used in your response and document in a bibliography using APA style.
(300 points) (A 20-page response is required for the combination of Parts A through H.)
First, collect the following documents and information.
1.
The corporations annual report
2.
At least 15 business or trade articles concerning the current status of your corporation and
predictions of its future success
3.
Information on your corporations CEO and Board of Directors
4.
Information about the industry in general, including major players, consumers, trends, etc.
Next, thoroughly read the information and documents you collected on your company and its industry. As
you read, make notes on the topics listed below, synthesize the information, and analyze the current state
of the corporation and its industry. This synthesis and analysis process is essential to build your conceptual
skills which are to be further developed as you proceed through the MBA Program. It is the goal of an MBA
program to build your conceptual skills which are required for management positions which oversee a
variety of departments, specialists, and projects.
Following the outline below, write your analysis of your corporation and its industry.
Part A CEO Profile and Assessment of Effectiveness (30 points)
1.
Profile your CEOs qualifications (experience, education, etc.) as well as why this person was
selected and the circumstances that created the CEO vacancy.
2.
Relate your response to the requirements discussed on pages 49-50 of your text.
3.
Discuss the impact that the CEO has made on the organization thus far and why.

Part B Board of Directors Profile and Analysis: This section includes a wealth of information regarding the
role that the Board of Directors plays in your organization. (40 points)
1.
You should discuss the manner in which the Board of Directors is nominated and selected, the way

in which the Board is organized and why, and the way in which the Board utilizes or matches the trends in
corporate governance that are listed in the text.
2.
You should also evaluate and identify the strengths and weakness of the Board of Directors
composition with respect to their affiliation (who they really work for and that companys relationship to
your corporation), diversity, experience in the industry and the company, insiders/outsiders, etc.
3.
Also, evaluate the changes in members to the Board in the last five years. If there have been
changes, do those changes (new board members with different attributes and affiliations) suggest a change
in your corporations strategy, target markets, etc? Are these changes in any way indicative of a new
strategic move?
Part C Industry Assessment (30 points)
1.
Evaluate your corporations competitive position within its industry using Porters model: threat of
new entrants, suppliers, buyers, rivalry, substitutes, and other stakeholders.
2.
You should include a discussion of the other factors considered crucial to the industrys survival.
Suggestions include industry dynamics, industry structure, life cycle, strategic groups, and other elements
as necessary.
Part D Direct and Indirect Competition: Using the information provided in your text (beginning on page 81)
related to competitive intensity and the types of competitor information available, identify the competition
with respect to your corporation. Identify the nature of their competitive relationship similarity in
products, strategy, etc. At least two (2) competitors for each category should be discussed. (40 points)
Part E Internal Strengths and Weakness: Evaluate your corporation using the VRIO on page 106 of your
text. (40 points)
Part F External Opportunities and Threats: Evaluate your corporations competitive environment for
opportunities and threats using the TOWS matrix beginning on page 144. (40 points)
Part G Overall Competitive Position: Briefly evaluate the state of your corporations competitive position
within its industry. (40 points)
Part H Recommendations (40 points)
1.
Make two (2) recommendations for increasing your corporations shareholder wealth in the future.
This includes ensuring long term survival as well as meeting and exceeding your shareholders expectations
for the generation of their wealth in the short term and the long term.
2.
Your two (2) recommendations should be well supported by information contained in your written
analysis and your supporting information should be specifically identified in this section to justify your
recommendations.
3.
Your two (2) recommendations should be accompanied by your expectations for your corporation
and its industry if your recommendations were adopted. Your expectations should include the impact to the
industry structure, the likely response of competitors, and both positive and negative consequence should
be identified.

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