Select an organization you are familiar with or have worked for. Analyze the organization both internally and externally using some of the tools and frameworks you have learned in this course. Recommend changes to the organization’s strategy and structure, in addition to considering associated ethical implications.

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Touchstone 4: Organization Analysis & Strategic Recommendations

SCENARIO:

Select an organization you are familiar with or have worked for (currently or in the past). You are tasked with analyzing the organization both internally and externally using some of the tools and frameworks you have learned in this course. You are also tasked with recommending changes to the organization’s strategy and structure, in addition to considering associated ethical implications. This assignment requires you to apply SWOT analysis, PESTEL analysis, Porter’s Five Forces of Industry Analysis, Porter’s Generic Strategies, and organization design concepts related to strategy-structure fit. You will prepare a slide deck containing your analysis and recommendations that could be presented to the organization’s Board.

ASSIGNMENT:

Your presentation will be 11-14 slides long, not including the title and references slides. It must include the following slides:

  • Title
  • Executive Summary
  • Organization Background
  • Internal Strengths
  • Internal Weaknesses
  • External Opportunities
  • External Threats
  • Macro Environment Analysis: PESTEL
  • Micro Industry Analysis: Porter’s Five Forces
  • Generic Strategy Recommendations
  • Organization Design Recommendations
  • Ethical Considerations
  • References

If you’ve never used a presentation tool like PowerPoint or Google Slides before, don’t worry! The assignment template below will help you create slides for a basic slide presentation. Then you’ll be able to practice using the presentation technology as you put the finishing touches on your presentation.

Touchstone 4 Template
Touchstone 4 Sample

Before you get started, let’s look at how you’ll be building the presentation, step by step.

A. Directions
Step 1: Choose an Organization
Select an organization (for-profit or non-profit) that you are familiar with. It is especially important that you understand some of the inner workings of the organization; hence, you may find it easier to select a current or former employer.

Step 2: Create Presentation Slides
Use a presentation tool like PowerPoint or Google Slides to outline and organize your presentation. Your presentation must include the following:

Slide Component
Title Slide Your title slide will be the first slide and should include your name, the date, and the name of the organization you selected.
Executive Summary An executive summary should include the main points of your presentation in 1-2 slides (no more than 2). It should also include your recommendations in 1-3 bullet points. As a general rule, it is usually best (and easiest) to write the executive summary last—after the rest of your presentation is completed.
Organization Background The organization background should be brief—no more than 1-2 slides. It should include a brief history of the organization, in addition to the major products or services offered and the markets that are served. Other possible categories include the founding date, mission statement, annual profits, sales regions, etc.
Internal Strengths Using what you have learned about SWOT analysis, identify 4-6 strengths internally within the organization. You may have to make some inferences based on what you know or perceive about the organization.
Internal Weaknesses Using what you have learned about SWOT analysis, identify 4-6 weaknesses internally within the organization. You may have to make some inferences based on what you know or perceive about the organization.
External Opportunities Using what you have learned about SWOT analysis, list 4-6 opportunities facing the organization externally. Opportunities and threats are generally easier to identify than internal strengths and weaknesses, and are typically shared across the same industry.
External Threats Using what you have learned about SWOT analysis, list 4-6 threats facing the organization externally. Opportunities and threats are generally easier to identify than internal strengths and weaknesses, and are typically shared across the same industry.
Macro Environment Analysis: PESTEL Applying the PESTEL framework to the organization, identify 1-3 factors for each of the following: Political Factors, Economic Factors, Sociocultural Factors,

Technological Factors, Environmental Factors, Legal Factors.
Micro Industry Analysis: Porter’s Five Forces Analyze the industry the organization competes in by applying what you have learned about Porter’s Five Forces of industry analysis. You should list 2-3 observations for each of the following factors: Threat of New Entrants, Threat of Substitutes, Supplier Power, Buyer Power, and Industry Rivalry.
Generic Strategy Recommendations Given what you have learned from your internal and external analysis of the organization, are they pursuing the right strategy? If so, why? If not, what might you recommend? Is the recommended (or current) strategy the right “fit” for the environment in which the organization competes? Be sure to select one of Porter’s three generic strategies and provide your rationale: Cost Leadership, Differentiation, or Focus.

Organization Design Recommendations Is the organization optimally designed (structured) for either your recommended or their current strategy? For example, if they are pursuing a Cost Leadership strategy, do they have a low-cost operating model? The objective here is to determine and demonstrate the degree of “fit” between strategy and structure.

Ethical Considerations What are some of the ethical considerations for your recommended (or current) strategy? Is the organization positioned for long-term sustainability? Are there issues which may ultimately affect the organization’s ability to attract and retain talented employees or maintain the credibility of their brand? Are there potential ethical dilemmas in executing any recommended changes? The need to potentially layoff thousands of workers or stop paying for benefits such as healthcare to lower operating expenses, for example?
References This touchstone requires you to use at least four sources, including the course tutorials. Ideas for outside sources include (but are not limited to) organization websites, annual reports, or news articles from reputable magazines or newspapers. Following APA formatting, your sources should appear in alphabetical order.

Step 3: Add Speaker Notes
For this assignment, you are not actually giving a presentation, but rather just preparing a slide deck that summarizes your findings and recommendations.

An important step in the preparation of a speech is writing speaker notes. Speaker notes are notes added to a slide presentation as a reference for the presenter and can be found below each slide. For this touchstone, add your speaker notes to explain your analysis using information from your sources. If you were giving an oral presentation, these notes wouldn’t be visible to your audience when you’re in Presenter View. But you would be able to see them, and they would guide you through your presentation.

Sample Speaker Notes

Your speaker notes will be used to evaluate your project, so make sure you write in complete sentences and pay attention to spelling and grammar. Also, make sure you’re citing the information from your sources using in-text citations in APA style. These citations should include the author’s last name and the year of publication for the source, for example, (Mitchell, 2014).

Most presentation software will automatically display a field for speaker notes. If using Keynote, you can access the speaker notes by clicking on View, then Show Presenter Notes.

Step 4: Submit Presentation
Once you have completed your slides and corresponding speaker notes, it is time to submit your presentation. If you are using PowerPoint, you simply need to save your presentation and upload this file to Sophia. If you are using another slide presentation technology, download the slide deck as a Microsoft PowerPoint (.pptx) and upload this version to Sophia

Select an organization you are familiar with or have worked for. Analyze the organization both internally and externally using some of the tools and frameworks you have learned in this course.

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Organization analysis

SCENARIO:

Select an organization you are familiar with or have worked for (currently or in the past). You are tasked with analyzing the organization both internally and externally using some of the tools and frameworks you have learned in this course. You are also tasked with recommending changes to the organization’s strategy and structure, in addition to considering associated ethical implications. This assignment requires you to apply SWOT analysis, PESTEL analysis, Porter’s Five Forces of Industry Analysis, Porter’s Generic Strategies, and organization design concepts related to strategy-structure fit. You will prepare a slide deck containing your analysis and recommendations that could be presented to the organization’s Board.

Select two similar products/services. Justify your choice on sustainability grounds. For this re-assessment, you cannot choose the same products/services you examined in your first attempt. Compare and contrast the life cycle impacts of your two products/services. What are the environmental ‘hotspots’? Focus on one of the two products/services. Analyse how innovation can improve sustainability performance of the product/service, and discuss which actor(s) can best drive innovation?

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Contemporary Challenges

Questions

1. Select two similar products/services. Justify your choice on sustainability grounds. For this re-assessment, you cannot choose the same products/services you examined in your first attempt.
2. Compare and contrast the life cycle impacts of your two products/services. What are the environmental ‘hotspots’?
3. Focus on one of the two products/services. Analyse how innovation can improve sustainability performance of the product/service, and discuss which actor(s) can best drive innovation?

What are some of the ethical considerations for your recommended (or current) strategy? Is the organization positioned for long-term sustainability? Are there issues which may ultimately affect the organization’s ability to attract and retain talented employees or maintain the credibility of their brand? Are there potential ethical dilemmas in executing any recommended changes? The need to potentially layoff thousands of workers or stop paying for benefits such as healthcare to lower operating expenses, for example?

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Touchstone 4: Organization Analysis & Strategic Recommendations

SCENARIO: Select an organization you are familiar with or have worked for (currently or in the past). You are tasked with analyzing the organization both internally and externally using some of the tools and frameworks you have learned in this course. You are also tasked with recommending changes to the organization’s strategy and structure, in addition to considering associated ethical implications. This assignment requires you to apply SWOT analysis, PESTEL analysis, Porter’s Five Forces of Industry Analysis, Porter’s Generic Strategies, and organization design concepts related to strategy-structure fit. You will prepare a slide deck containing your analysis and recommendations that could be presented to the organization’s Board.

ASSIGNMENT: Your presentation will be 11-14 slides long, not including the title and references slides. It must include the following slides:

  • Title
  • Executive Summary
  • Organization Background
  • Internal Strengths
  • Internal Weaknesses
  • External Opportunities
  • External Threats
  • Macro Environment Analysis: PESTEL
  • Micro Industry Analysis: Porter’s Five Forces
  • Generic Strategy Recommendations
  • Organization Design Recommendations
  • Ethical Considerations

References
If you’ve never used a presentation tool like PowerPoint or Google Slides before, don’t worry! The assignment template below will help you create slides for a basic slide presentation. Then you’ll be able to practice using the presentation technology as you put the finishing touches on your presentation.

Touchstone 4 Template
Touchstone 4 Sample

Before you get started, let’s look at how you’ll be building the presentation, step by step.

A. Directions

Step 1: Choose an Organization
Select an organization (for-profit or non-profit) that you are familiar with. It is especially important that you understand some of the inner workings of the organization; hence, you may find it easier to select a current or former employer.

Step 2: Create Presentation Slides
Use a presentation tool like PowerPoint or Google Slides to outline and organize your presentation. Your presentation must include the following:

Slide Component
Title Slide Your title slide will be the first slide and should include your name, the date, and the name of the organization you selected.
Executive Summary An executive summary should include the main points of your presentation in 1-2 slides (no more than 2). It should also include your recommendations in 1-3 bullet points. As a general rule, it is usually best (and easiest) to write the executive summary last—after the rest of your presentation is completed.

Organization Background The organization background should be brief—no more than 1-2 slides. It should include a brief history of the organization, in addition to the major products or services offered and the markets that are served. Other possible categories include the founding date, mission statement, annual profits, sales regions, etc.

Internal Strengths Using what you have learned about SWOT analysis, identify 4-6 strengths internally within the organization. You may have to make some inferences based on what you know or perceive about the organization.

Internal Weaknesses Using what you have learned about SWOT analysis, identify 4-6 weaknesses internally within the organization. You may have to make some inferences based on what you know or perceive about the organization.

External Opportunities Using what you have learned about SWOT analysis, list 4-6 opportunities facing the organization externally. Opportunities and threats are generally easier to identify than internal strengths and weaknesses, and are typically shared across the same industry.

External Threats Using what you have learned about SWOT analysis, list 4-6 threats facing the organization externally. Opportunities and threats are generally easier to identify than internal strengths and weaknesses, and are typically shared across the same industry.

Macro Environment Analysis: PESTEL Applying the PESTEL framework to the organization, identify 1-3 factors for each of the following: Political Factors, Economic Factors, Sociocultural Factors, Technological Factors, Environmental Factors, Legal Factors.

Micro Industry Analysis: Porter’s Five Forces Analyze the industry the organization competes in by applying what you have learned about Porter’s Five Forces of industry analysis. You should list 2-3 observations for each of the following factors: Threat of New Entrants, Threat of Substitutes, Supplier Power, Buyer Power, and Industry Rivalry.
Generic Strategy Recommendations Given what you have learned from your internal and external analysis of the organization, are they pursuing the right strategy? If so, why? If not, what might you recommend? Is the recommended (or current) strategy the right “fit” for the environment in which the organization competes? Be sure to select one of Porter’s three generic strategies and provide your rationale: Cost Leadership, Differentiation, or Focus.

Organization Design Recommendations Is the organization optimally designed (structured) for either your recommended or their current strategy? For example, if they are pursuing a Cost Leadership strategy, do they have a low-cost operating model? The objective here is to determine and demonstrate the degree of “fit” between strategy and structure.

Ethical Considerations What are some of the ethical considerations for your recommended (or current) strategy? Is the organization positioned for long-term sustainability? Are there issues which may ultimately affect the organization’s ability to attract and retain talented employees or maintain the credibility of their brand? Are there potential ethical dilemmas in executing any recommended changes? The need to potentially layoff thousands of workers or stop paying for benefits such as healthcare to lower operating expenses, for example?

References This touchstone requires you to use at least four sources, including the course tutorials. Ideas for outside sources include (but are not limited to) organization websites, annual reports, or news articles from reputable magazines or newspapers. Following APA formatting, your sources should appear in alphabetical order.

Step 3: Add Speaker Notes
For this assignment, you are not actually giving a presentation, but rather just preparing a slide deck that summarizes your findings and recommendations.

An important step in the preparation of a speech is writing speaker notes. Speaker notes are notes added to a slide presentation as a reference for the presenter and can be found below each slide. For this touchstone, add your speaker notes to explain your analysis using information from your sources. If you were giving an oral presentation, these notes wouldn’t be visible to your audience when you’re in Presenter View. But you would be able to see them, and they would guide you through your presentation.

Sample Speaker Notes

Your speaker notes will be used to evaluate your project, so make sure you write in complete sentences and pay attention to spelling and grammar. Also, make sure you’re citing the information from your sources using in-text citations in APA style. These citations should include the author’s last name and the year of publication for the source, for example, (Mitchell, 2014).

Most presentation software will automatically display a field for speaker notes. If using Keynote, you can access the speaker notes by clicking on View, then Show Presenter Notes.

Step 4: Submit Presentation
Once you have completed your slides and corresponding speaker notes, it is time to submit your presentation. If you are using PowerPoint, you simply need to save your presentation and upload this file to Sophia. If you are using another slide presentation technology, download the slide deck as a Microsoft PowerPoint (.pptx) and upload this version to Sophia.

Evaluate human relations including diversity, attitudes, self-esteem, and interpersonal skills to promote career success. Identify the causes and effects of stress in the workplace. Identify individual and group communication and decision-making skills. Analyze how theories of motivation and human behavior impact strategies of change management.

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Final Exam (Report)

This is your feedback, reflection and relatability of what you learned through the course chapter reading, assignments, exercises, and videos as it addresses the four Course Student Learning Outcomes (CSLO) found on page 5 of the syllabus.

Evaluate human relations including diversity, attitudes, self-esteem, and interpersonal skills to promote career success.
Identify the causes and effects of stress in the workplace.
Identify individual and group communication and decision-making skills.
Analyze how theories of motivation and human behavior impact strategies of change management.

The report must be detailed, more than two pages, typed single spaced, 1-inch margins, Times New Roman, 12-font, and taken from the course textbook. Take one CSLO at a time and write about it. Conclude the Report with

  1. What didn’t you know before or
  2. You knew it before but understand better
  3. agree or disagree with something you read
  4. How can you apply and relate to current, local, national or global business news. Give examples. Pay special attention to spelling, grammar, sentence, and paragraph structure. Include terminology from what you read as you write your report.

Analyze the information in the case study or your work project. Define the scope of the risk plan and determine the risk management plan components. Determine who will be responsible for the development of the risk management plan, and who will monitor the progress.

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Assessment 2: Demand Management Plan

Complete the first part of Section 2 – Risk Scope, Components, and Value, of the risk management plan by determining the scope of the risk plan, the risk management plan components, and the responsibilities for the development of the plan for your chosen case study or work project. Analyze the dollar cost of potential risk if there is no risk management plan.

A project manager must define and determine the scope for evaluating risks. The scope establishes the best methods for analyzing and applying risk management techniques. To determine the scope objectives for a company, you can use a framework evaluation process. It is important to identify a framework for the organization and then to use this framework to help develop and implement the risk management plan. A project manager should understand the steps that would ensure that each aspect of the framework is incorporated into the risk management plan. This requires careful planning. The framework should be evaluated to make sure that the assessment criteria are realistic and relevant to the overall assessment of the risk management process. Determining the steps involved will help you evaluate a project and narrow the focus of its scope and the risks.

Examine methods for evaluating risks, as well as the charter, scope, plan, and WBS (work breakdown structure). These documents help to identify areas of concern for the project and evaluate how risks may be identified. Develop a good understanding of the aforementioned documents, so that you will be able to apply the relevant risks in the risk management plan.

There are also tools for risk management, such as: the risk matrix, time-based network diagram, Gantt chart, network diagram, SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis, and decision trees. Each one is considered a useful risk management tool. Develop an overall understanding of the various types of risk management tools, so that you can determine which one can best help in the evaluation and assessment of risks for your company or project.

Consider the diff€erences between quantitative and qualitative project risks, and practice analyzing and evaluating risks based on each. Practice determining which type of risk, quantitative or qualitative, is easier to analyze and which type is easier to manage. It is important to be able to determine whether there is a way to evaluate risks based on the amount and time of their occurrence, or on their environment.

Introduction

This assessment includes developing the risk scope, components, and value for a risk management plan. Review the Risk Management Plan Template before beginning this assessment. It is important to be able to determine whether there is a way to evaluate risks—based on the amount and time of their occurrence—or whether they may be environmental issues. Use the case study you selected in the first assessment to complete this work.

Note: Developing a risk management plan for a project requires specific steps in sequence. Complete the assessments in this course in the order in which they are presented.

Analyze the information in the case study or your work project to complete this assessment:

  • Define the scope of the risk plan and determine the risk management plan components.
  • Determine who will be responsible for the development of the risk management plan, and who will monitor the progress.
  • Use expected monetary value analysis to explain the cost of not managing risk in this organization.

Note that monetary value analysis requires an estimated dollar amount.

Explain the pre-planning stage of the project management lifecycle. Explain project management terms, tools, and techniques that are applicable to the pre-planning/project selection stage. Describe the elements of the project selection form. Provide an example of a project selection form. Explain the purpose of a project selection form. Explain the elements of the project selection form and their importance.

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Project Management Importance

Introduction
Explain what a project is and how project management can contribute to an organization’s success.
Briefly outline the five process groups in the project management life cycle.

Initiating
Explain the pre-planning stage of the project management lifecycle.
Explain project management terms, tools, and techniques that are applicable to the pre-planning/project selection stage.
Describe the elements of the project selection form.
Provide an example of a project selection form.
Explain the purpose of a project selection form.
Explain the elements of the project selection form and their importance.

Planning
Explain the planning process of the project management lifecycle.
Explain project management terms, tools, and techniques that are applicable to the planning stage.
Explain the purpose of the project scope statement and all the terms used in the project scope template.
Project Basics:

  • Project Name
  • Project Sponsor
  • Project Scope Statement

Project Scope:

  • Assumptions
  • Milestones
  • Out of Scope (Exclusions)

Project Execution:

  • Stakeholders
  • Time estimate
  • Cost estimate
  • Project Acceptance Criteria
  • Insert a corrected

Explain the work breakdown structure (WBS), project milestones, and the critical path.

Executing
Explain the executing process group of the project management lifecycle.
Explain project management terms, tools, and techniques that are applicable to executing the project.
Explain the change control process.

Monitoring and Controlling
Explain the monitoring and controlling within the project management lifecycle.
Explain project management terms, tools, and techniques that are applicable to monitoring and controlling the project.

Closing
Explain the closing process within the project management lifecycle.
Explain project management terms, tools, and techniques that are applicable to closing a project or phase.
Explain what a “Lessons Learned” report is and highlight its importance for future projects within the organization.

Conclusion
Conclude the paper by reiterating how project management improves an organization’s success and highlighting the importance of using the five process groups for accomplishing a project’s objectives.

Summarize the five habits presented in the Effective Executive video. Relate a minimum of two of the five habits presented in the video to a minimum of two concepts described in the Williams text, MGMT. Which 1-2 habits, if applied, would enhance your current or future managerial skills? How? Which 1 habit can you apply immediately? What results would you expect?

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Case Analysis: Effective Executive (Drucker)

Watch the video first, then connect the analysis to the reading.

1. Summarize the five habits presented in the Effective Executive video (one separate paragraph for each habit). Students may use sources outside the video to expand his or her knowledge on the habits presented in the Effective Executive.

2. Relate a minimum of two of the five habits presented in the video to a minimum of two concepts described in the Williams text, MGMT. Concepts from the Williams text, MGMT, must be cited using APA formatted in-text citations.

(Williams, C. (2022). MGMT12: Principles of management (12th ed.). Cengage.)

3. Which 1-2 habits, if applied, would enhance your current (Finance Manager of a Multicultural Ad Agency) or future managerial skills? How?

4. Which 1 habit can you apply immediately? What results would you expect?

In your view, what are some of the more difficult conflicts? What is it about the public sector that makes these conflicts so sharp and difficult? Is there any hope some of these longstanding tensions can be resolved?

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Management of government is a source of conflict

Management of government is a source of conflict. You have read about disagreements over taxing and spending policy and the role of public sector workers. In your view, what are some of the more difficult conflicts? What is it about the public sector that makes these conflicts so sharp and difficult? Is there any hope some of these longstanding tensions can be resolved?

File Greenhouse_Wisconsin_Legacy_NYT_2014.pdf (150.953 KB)
File 5th_risk_4_topic_4_2.pdf (68.513 MB

1. Johnson, Cha. 9 and 10 (https://usa1lib.org/book/5005042/32e600)
2. Lewis, The Fifth Risk, 159 – 188 & 199 – 219
3. Steven Greenhouse, “The Wisconsin Legacy,” New York Times, February 22, 2014, Available at: https://nyti.ms/1myxIub (also available as a PDF under Topic 4).

Watch

Bryan Craig, “Reagan Vs. Air Traffic Controllers,” Miller Center, University of Virginia, < https://millercenter.org/reagan-vs-air-traffic-controllers >
Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, “Where Do Our Federal Tax Dollars Go?” < https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZdHsA6hEP-U > (about 5 minutes)

Calculate the defined process metrics including variation and process capability. Develop and display a control chart for the process. Evaluate the control chart and process metrics using Statistical Process Control (SPC) methods. Determine whether the process could benefit from the use of Six Sigma, Lean, or other tools. (

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Creating Value Through Operations 1 Assessment

Assignment Directions

Step 1: Process Evaluation
Create a new Word doc for the elements of this assignment.
Evaluate your process using 1 of the following:
• Use the lean concept to find ways to eliminate waste and improve the process.
• Use SPC or Six Sigma to reduce defects or variances in the process.

Add your evaluation to your Word doc with the header “Process Evaluation.”

Step 2: Evaluation of Control Chart and Process Metrics
Complete the following in Excel:
• Calculate the defined process metrics including variation and process capability.
• Develop and display a control chart for the process.
• Evaluate the control chart and process metrics using Statistical Process Control (SPC) methods. Determine whether the process could benefit from the use of Six Sigma, Lean, or other tools. (Include all calculation and charts.)

Write your evaluation in your assignment Word doc under the header “Evaluation of Control Chart and Process Metrics.”

Step 3: Executive Summary
Write a 700-word executive summary that includes the following:
• A summary of the Process Evaluation (using either Lean or SPC or Six Sigma)
• A summary of the Evaluation of Control Chart and Process metrics based on SPC methods
• A summary of your evaluation of whether the process would benefit from the use of Six Sigma, Lean, or other tools
• A description of the SPC project and recommendations for improvements

Add your summary to your Word doc with the header, “Executive Summary.”