1. Research the assigned company's competitive environment over the course of its history since 1990 using scholarly and professional journals and other authoritative works of experts in the field.

What do you consider the major competitive challenges for the company during this period? Why?

2. This unit and the next two units may require analysis of multiple research sources, their synthesis, and reasoned conclusions, given available information. Building on the research in Unit 2, analyze the company's competitive forces and its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats at the point of each milestone you identify, as of the conclusion in Unit 2, using scholarly and professional journals, and other authoritative sources. If there is more than one milestone identified in a given calendar year, those milestones may be analyzed as one milestone.

What are your findings? What do they indicate about the company's competitive potential as of each milestone?

3. Building on the research in Unit 2 and Unit 3, evaluate the effectiveness of the company's competitive and supplemental strategies at the point of each milestone you identify since 1990 using scholarly and professional journals, and other authoritative sources. What are your findings?

What do they indicate about the company's strategic health as of each milestone?

4. Corporate Sustainability - Research the concepts of the triple bottom line and conscious capitalism. Evaluate how the company has performed since 1990 or since its inception, if after 1990, from an economic, social responsibility, and environmental sustainability perspective. Note that all three perspectives may be reflected through the internal and/or external policies and actions of the company. How has corporate sustainability been incorporated in the company's competitive and supplemental strategies?

What is the strategic value of the company's corporate sustainability efforts?

Please note that substantial scholarly and professional research is required. The use of scholarly and professional journals, other scholarly and professional resources, and other authoritative, credible, and relevant literature (e.g. biographical and other books about the company, key individuals, and the industry) is required.

Magazines, newspapers, encyclopedias, or general informational Websites do not meet this requirement, though business news sources may be used to substantiate facts, if necessary.