Soft Drink Assignment

NOTE:  This assignment will result in a document that includes ONLY what you turned in for Writing Assignment #3, plus Table 4, which is followed by pages of information that cover some managerial analyses (see below). Additional references are merged into the references section, of course.

Correct all of the issues noted in Writing Assignments #1, #2, and #3, then append the following to the end:

1. Outline and discuss the specific actions needed for the implementation of your chosen strategy. This should include the following:

1. Specify the overall financial results expected (i.e., the overall objectives you expect to achieve. This is typically some measurable that was reported in the “Financial Analysis Table” earlier). The logic here is simple. If your suggested action doesn’t change some bottom-line numbers, then why are you recommending it?

Note:  Again, this should be some kind of objective bottom-line measure; a number on one of the financial reports, a ratio, etc.

Note:  As a general rule, most strategic initiatives are planned at least 4-6 years out. If you plan a strategic change that will take only 3 years or less, it WILL NOT be correct.

• List at least one objective for each major business function that supports the overall objective above (i.e., HR/Staffing, Production/Operations, Accounting/Finance, Sales/Marketing, R&D, etc.). Each objective must clearly be in support of the change you are recommending, be measurable, and include a reasonable and appropriate time frame for implementation. In addition, each objective must meet the following criteria:
  • State a measure (net income, number of people, total sales in a market, etc.)
  • A direction of change (i.e., “+” or “-“)
  • An amount of expected change (a number, a %, a $, etc.)
  • A period of time you expect the change to occur in (months or years).

Note: Pay attention to the time frame you require for each item. You can’t expect something to be done in 3 months if you give accounting/finance 3 months to raise the money to do it with. Some items may depend on the completion of other items before they can even begin.

Note:  Also, you don’t want the overall objective to take less time than the sub-objectives. The sub-objectives must be accomplished no later than the end of the time set for completion of the overall objective.

• Prepare Table 4 (“Objectives of Major Business Functions”) similar to the following:

Note: If one function has multiple objectives, add rows as required rather than putting multiple objectives on the same row.). Please pay attention to this. Some students insist on putting multiple objectives in a single row.

(Function) – Objective	Measure	Amount of Change	Time frame
(Overall) – State overall objective	What should change? (the number am I watching)	By how much? +/- % or +/- value	In X amount of time or by a certain date
(HR) – State Sub-objective	What should change? (the number am I watching)	By how much? +/- % or +/- value	In X amount of time or by a certain date
(Prod/Ops) – State Sub-objective	What should change? (the number am I watching)	By how much? +/- % or +/- value	In X amount of time or by a certain date
(Act/Fin) – State Sub-objective	What should change? (the number am I watching)	By how much? +/- % or +/- value	In X amount of time or by a certain date
(Sales/Mkt) – State Sub-objective	What should change? (the number am I watching)	By how much? +/- % or +/- value	In X amount of time or by a certain date
(R&D) – State Sub-objective (Note: Only include R&D if applicable)	What should change? (the number am I watching)	By how much? +/- % or +/- value	In X amount of time or by a certain date

Note: Do NOT list what is to be done in the measure column. This column is for name of the number that will change. For example, if the thing to be done is to “increase Total Revenue by 10%”, put that under the Objective column. In the Measure column, simply put “Total Revenue”. In the “Amount of Change” column, list “+10%”.  Don’t forget to include currency markers if change is measured in a currency.

• Discuss which stakeholders would be most directly affected (negatively) by your recommendations and why (Hint: Go back and look at your notes from your other courses! Shoot for at least 1 solid page of material here).

• Outline and discuss any ethical issues that you think your recommendations might create, and how might they be addressed (Hint: Go back and look at your notes from your other courses – especially MGT-6615. Shoot for at least 1 solid page of material here.  It would be good to cite and source major works from that class as well.).

• Outline and discuss the major challenges that leaders attempting to make this change must deal with. (Hint: Go back and review your notes from previous courses – especially MGT-6681. Shoot for at least 1 solid page of material here  It would be good to cite and source major works from that class as well.).

• Outline what can be done to make this change easier (again, go back and review your notes from MGT-6681 and other courses. Shoot for 1 solid page of material here.  It would be good to cite and source major works from that class as well.).

• Next, make sure all issues have been corrected per the instructor’s comments on your previous submissions. DO THIS CAREFULLY!

• Next, review the instructor’s list of grading comments in the Writing Assignment module and make sure that you don’t have any of those issues present in your work. This document should be 100% free from errors.

• Make sure that one should not be able to look at the submission and tell that it was originally just a series of questions. The strategic planning process should be clearly identifiable. Your logic should be clear and sound.

• Submit your assignment accordingly in Canvas (NOTE: No resubmissions are permitted in #2, #3, and #4).