Assignment overview

Case study: Samsung glamour days over as it fights to save mobile market share.

Available at

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/08/04/us-samsung-elec-smartphones-idUSKCN0Q906L20150804

Report format -50% of module marks

•2,500 words excluding tables, charts, diagrams, and bibliography
•Good report writing style with analysis
•Follow the assessment brief
•Research reliable information sources

-BBC, Financial Times, Economist, Google Books, Industry reports, journal papers
-Analyze the current picture and evaluate options

Tasks to be completed:

1. Analyze the current position of the organization in relation to its competitors using the five forces framework

2. Evaluate the strategic options now available to the organization using relevant concepts and frameworks

3. Recommend the strategic route forward and the methods for implementation of your chosen options.

Assessment Structure

Three tasks that is interrelated

•Follow the tasks to structure the report
•Task 1 then task 2 and task 3
•Investigate a given organization -Samsung to analyze its current position, evaluate the strategic options available, and recommend the strategic route for its mobile business.
•Analyze, evaluate and recommend.

Some analytical considerations

Apply the framework to Samsung's situation

•For example, what Five forces, or VRIO issues are relevant for Samsung and how?

-Which strategic resources should be most important for Samsung in the next few years and why?
-What sort of competitive advantage this firm has?
-What sort of competitive advantage should this firm seek? Same or different?
-Which strategies are currently used and should the firm continue or change in some way vis-à-vis competitors in different markets?

Task 1- Analyze the current position of the organization in relation to its competitors using the five forces framework

-Five forces

•Understand the framework
•Collect relevant data for different forces -be specific
•Write the five forces analysis
•Identify the threats and any opportunities based on your analysis
•Important to consider few products and some key markets -US, UK, Europe, Far East Asia,

Task 2 -Evaluate the strategic options now available to the organization.

-Assess the resource position of the firm

•Threshold resources & capabilities
•Distinctive resources & capabilities
•Analyze the distinctive resources & capabilities for their VRIO potential
•Assess if some individual resources can provide sustained competitive advantage or some resources combined will result in sustained advantage?

-Assess the change readiness of the firm

•Forces pushing for change vs. forces pushing against change

Compare different strategic options for each of the following and discuss their advantages or disadvantages for Samsung

-Corporate strategic directions -should the firm continue with same or new products? In same markets? Or firm should diversify in other business areas?

-Business strategies for existing and new product lines

•How to best utilize strategic resources and market position
•Innovation -how and which product areas?

-Internationalization approach

•International strategy -Which countries currently? Which additional countries to explore? What products can be more suitable for different countries?

-Analyze how much successful against competitors with existing strategies
-Analyze which strategic options are needed to be successful in medium and longer time frame to sustain or achieve competitive advantage?
-Compare strategy options for their advantages and limitations
-Use evaluation techniques to compare options

Task 3- Recommend the strategic route forward and the methods for implementation of your chosen options.

-Based on your evaluation of strategic routes in task 2, recommend the strategic route best suited to provide Samsung with best competitive performance in terms of corporate direction, business strategy and internationalization.

-Also recommend clearly how to implement the strategic route in short and medium term time frames- organization all structure and related actions.

Task: Investigate the given organization to analyze its current position, evaluate the strategic options available, and recommend the strategic route.