Assignment: Yahoo and Amazon: Building a Competitive Advantage

Review Case "How Amazon.com became the leading online retailer by 2011", and Case "Is Yahoo!'s business model working in 2011?"

Write a six to eight (6-8) page paper in which you:

1. Describe, in brief, the histories of both of Amazon and Yahoo, and determine the core business of each.

2. Determine the key strategic differences that have impacted the relative success of both Amazon.com and Yahoo.com. Provide two (2) specific examples of such strategic differences to support the response.

3. Compare and contrast the approach to strategic planning that each company has pursued in order to achieve a competitive advantage. Focus specifically on both intended and emergent strategies.

4. Analyze the manner in which each company's distinctive competencies help to shape the strategies that each company pursues. Provide a rationale to support the response.

5. Recommend one (1) functional level strategy for each company which prescribes the essential ways in which each may achieve superior efficiency, quality, innovation, and customer responsiveness. Provide a rationale to support the response.

6. Use at least three (3) quality references. Note: Wikipedia and other Websites do not qualify as academic resources.