Case
STRATEGIC CHOICES
Assignment Overview
The Case in this course is an ongoing exercise, meaning that we will continue to review one company over the course of our four modules. In Module 3, we will be conducting a strategic analysis of the Coca-Cola Company.
Specifically, the Module 3 Case requires that identify the primary business strategy employed by the Coca-Cola Company. You will also be providing a critical, written analysis evaluating that strategy in the context of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats you identified in Module 2.
Required Reading
Refer to the required and optional readings related to strategic choices, the theme of Module 3.
Case Assignment
In a 6- to 8-page paper, respond to the following:
1. Which of the four generic (Porter) strategies does the Coca-Cola Company follow, and how do you know?
2. Integrate the strategy you've identified above with the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats you identified in Module 2 (this exercise should provide you with some specific actions the company should be taking relative to its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. These actions are referred to as "strategic choices"). Do the Coca-Cola Company's strategic choices align with the firm's generic strategy? If not, what are the specific points of disconnect? Think critically about this step, as no company achieves perfect alignment of its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats with its chosen strategy. As the MBA, it is your job to uncover the discrepancies and problems.
3. How can the Coca-Cola Company leverage its strengths and shore up its weaknesses by altering its strategic choices? How can the company take advantage of environmental opportunities and minimize environmental threats by altering its strategic choices? Be specific.
4. Complete the paper by commenting on how your view of the Coca-Cola Company's vision and mission has changed or has been reconfirmed by this process of strategic analysis. Would you make any suggestions to revise the company's vision, mission, or values statements, or to any of its goals/objectives?
5. Consider the Case as a formal business report that you are developing for the Board of Directors and CEO as the Coca-Cola Company's consultant. This is a professional document. Follow the format below:
o Executive summary: This is a synopsis of the main points, conclusions, and recommendations made in the longer report. If you would like a refresher on writing an executive summary, check this website: http://www.csun.edu/~vcecn006/summary.html
o Introduction: State the main purpose of the paper (thesis statement), what you hope to accomplish, and how you will go about doing it.
o Main Body: The "meat" of the paper. Emphasize analysis, not just description. Delineate separate topics or sections with headings.
o Conclusion: Summarize your paper in light of your thesis statement.
Tips and Suggestions
- Business school case-study assignments are meant to offer practice opportunities for future businesspeople who are earning their MBA degrees. Consider yourself a consultant hired by the company to make these critical assessments. There are no right or wrong answers to the Case question, as long as your position is well defended.
- Study the theoretical concepts provided in the Background materials section of the module, and identify main strategy concepts.
- Include a cover page and reference page, in addition to the 6-8 pages of analysis described above.
- Include section headings as appropriate.
- Cite and reference all sources, including those that you paraphrase. This means include citations and quotation marks for direct quotes of more than five words, and citations for information you have "borrowed" or paraphrased from other sources.