Question: How should real firms make real strategic decisions? You will explore this through the entire module, and in this assignment. There are three parts, two or three pages each, but will be read and graded as one paper, not three.

Part 1: Make one or more suggestion to the CEO or Board of Directors of Company X using one, or possibly two, of the models and frameworks studied in this course to analyse one of our 8 companies.

The models and frameworks include: SWOT, STEEP, RBV, Porter's Five Forces, cost/differentiation, vision and mission, boards of directors, strategic group map, value chain analysis, Ansoff growth matrix, BCG matrix, international: why and how.

The companies are Alibaba, Lululemon Athletica, IKEA in India, W.L. Gore, Tesla, Hyflux, Bluebird Taxi, and HTC. You will not need to do any web research.

Your text, plus the case from the slide book, will give you plenty to think about. So you will NOT need any list of references, nor any footnotes. But if you do go to the web or any other source, be sure to cite sources. It is very important that you tell the reader where you took ideas. And of course, any quote must be cited and exact source shown. Any time you cut and paste 7 or more words from the web, expect SafeAssign in BlackBoard to zap you. Include one or more recommendations to that firm as it looks long range, strategically. Specific recommendations will be more helpful.

THEN Part 2: use one, or possibly two, different frameworks or models to advise the CEO or Board of Directors of a different company chosen from our list of 8 cases. Again, two or three pages, so you will have to write carefully, concisely, being sure to give good analysis and ideas and suggestions.

Part 3: use one, or possibly two, different frameworks or models to advise the CEO or Board of Directors of a different company. Again, two or three pages. BUT this time a bit different. For Part C you may wish to use a firm not from our list of 8. You can analyze ANY firm as long as it has its headquarters in ASIA.

Result About 9 pages, never ever more than 10, giving advice to three companies, using three or more different frameworks. This will help you learn how strategic decisions are really made!