STRATEGIC CASE ANALYSIS:Walmart Case Analysis

MGMT 4860: Walmart Case Analysis

STRATEGIC CASE ANALYSIS:

You will complete a written analysis of a case provided to you.  The objective of this assignment is to assess your ability to apply the course concepts to a real company.  The project is worth 100 points – 80 points for content graded by your professor and 20 points for the writing labs graded and awarded by the lab instructors.  As part of the assignment, you must meet with the business writing lab on 2 different occasions to review your writing prior to submitting your final copy.  Your analysis will be a maximum of three pages.  You will be provided a business case as the basis of your analysis. This is a case analysis, not a research paper. All of the information you need to complete the assignment can be found in the case. Put any tables, charts, or figures you wish to include in an appendix at the end of the paper. The appendix is not counted as part of the 3 page limit.  Your analysis must be double-spaced with proper headings, one-inch margins, and 12-point Times New Roman font.  Use quoted material sparingly and cite using APA format.  You will be penalized 5 points for each line that exceeds the maximum page limit, 20 points for not double-spacing, and 10 points for excessive use of quotes.  These rigid limits are to help you learn brevity and clarity—a skill your bosses/clients will prize.  Submit a stapled copy of your analysis in class on the due date indicated in the syllabus.  Use the Strategic Case Analysis Grade Rubric (rubric is included in the appendix) to understand how you will be evaluated and as your coversheet.

In your write-up, please address the following areas:

• Conduct and internal and external analysis of the business (SWOT) to identify the major issues outlined in the case. Include the identification of any distinctive competencies as well as a quantitative assessment in your internal analysis.
• Provide your recommendation for future action.  Is their strategy working?  If your answer is no, what should the company do to fix the situation?  If your answer is yes, what problems / issues will the company need to deal with sometime in the future?

This is an individual writing assignment.  Please resist the temptation to collaborate with or use someone else’s work and/or ideas.  Failure to cite the work and ideas of others—quoted or paraphrased—constitutes plagiarism and will be dealt with as such.  When citing, do not assume that any idea is “common knowledge.”  Your analysis will be thoroughly examined for originality using all available tools and resources.

WRITING, GRAMMAR, AND COMPLIANCE CRITERIA

Number of lines exceeding page limit (minus 5 points per line):                    _______________________________________

 

Excessive use of quotes (minus 10 points):                                                    _______________________________________

 

Not double-spaced (minus 20 points):                                                            _______________________________________

 

 

Content Score from Above (out of 75 Points):                                           _______________________________________

 

Writing, Grammar, and Compliance Score (out of 5 Points):                  _______________________________________

The writing, grammar, and compliance score will be based on your evaluation from the writing lab based on preparation using the business writing lab standards listed in the WSB Writing Rubric document.  If you miss one or both writing lab sessions, you automatically lose the points allocated the session missed.

Additional Comments:

Although not a requirement, the following format outline will allow the project to flow smoothly:

1. Cover Page
2. Introduction (a few sentences)
3. SWOT
   1. Strengths (paragraph form)
   2. Weaknesses (paragraph form)
   3. Opportunities (paragraph form)
   4. Threats (paragraph form)
4. Case analysis (Consider the elements of the SWOT as a whole and it’s bearing on the case.
5. Conclusions/Recommendations