Strategy Paper

• Objective: Analyze a business using common strategic development tools
• File Name Format: LastNameFirstName_Strategy Paper
• Font: 12 pt. Times New Roman
• Formatting: APA 7, especially citations, reference list, title page, spacing, and headings.
• Abstract not required.
• Length: Long enough to provide all information required in the instructions.
• References: Seven quality sources, with at least three used in the SWOT Analysis
• section. References from the Environmental Analysis Paper can be used again on this
• paper. See the References section below for required sources to use for this paper, as
• well as those that are recommended and those that must be avoided.
• Other: Writing rule penalties found in the syllabus apply.
• The paper should follow the format below. Please note that the instructions only use bullet
• points for explanatory purposes – do not use bullet points in the submission.

Introduction (this section not labeled in paper) on a new page
Include this information in paragraph form in the introduction section, but not necessarily in this
order. The introduction section should not be longer than half a page.
 Name of business
 Current number of employees
 Current industry(ies) in which the business operates
 Recent (i.e., last five years) business success (Avoid exaggeration)
 Recent (i.e., last five years) business failure (Do not say they have not had any)

Strategic Groups (Use as an APA 7 Level 1 heading in the paper)
This section should include a total of four distinct examples spread evenly throughout the two subsections. Examples from the Competition segment of the Environmental Analysis Paper can be used for this section of the paper.
Please write at least one separate paragraph for each subsection (e.g., one paragraph for core firms, one paragraph for secondary firms); however, a second paragraph (i.e., one paragraph per example) for each section is recommended if doing so is warranted and would enhance readability. Do not define core and secondary firms, instead go straight into the heading and examples for core firms. Please keep the subsections in the same order as below.

Core Firms (Use as an APA 7 Level 2 heading in the paper)
Two distinct examples and accompanying rationale specific to each individual example required. The core firms provided should be the two core firms with the most strategic overlap with the business upon which the paper is based.
 Tip 1: The rationale should be focused on strategy, so for this paper avoid financial comparisons.
 Tip 2: Core firms are competitors, NOT divisions, departments, products, etc. of the business upon which the paper is based.

Secondary Firms (Use as an APA 7 Level 2 heading in the paper)
Two distinct examples and accompanying rationale specific to each individual example required. The secondary firms provided should be the two most threatening secondary firms based on the strategy being pursued by the business upon which the paper is based.
 Tip 1: The rationale should be focused on strategy, so for this paper avoid financial comparisons.
 Tip 2: Core firms are competitors (i.e., external), NOT divisions, departments, products, etc. of the business (i.e., internal).

SWOT Analysis (Use as an APA 7 Level 1 heading in the paper)
This section should include a total of eight distinct examples with accompanying rationale distributed throughout the four subsections as detailed below. Make sure that the examples are truly unique, as opposed to one example explained two different ways. Please keep the subsections in the same order as below. Please write at least one separate paragraph for each subsection (e.g., one paragraph for strengths, one paragraph for weaknesses); however, a second paragraph (i.e., one paragraph per example) for each section is recommended if doing so is warranted and would enhance readability. Do not explain what a SWOT Analysis is, instead go straight into the heading and examples for strengths. Do not try to say that an example can fit into two categories (e.g., “both a strength and weakness” or treating something as both internal and external). Each example must be distinct.

Important Note on SWOT Analysis Sources: This is to be the student’s own SWOT Analysis, not the recap SWOT Analysis from a secondary source(s). The first source to be consulted should be the business’s 10-K, but this source should be combined with at least two other sources to complete the SWOT Analysis, plus the student’s own critical thinking. Thus, at
least three secondary sources must be used in compiling the SWOT Analysis. Only use legitimate sources and avoid prohibited sites (see References section below for details). Do not use “chunks” of direct excerpts from secondary sources, instead use paraphrasing of secondary sources (with in-text citations) combined with the student’s critical thinking to create a new SWOT Analysis.

Internal Strengths (Use as an APA 7 Level 2 heading in the paper)
Two distinct examples and accompanying rationale specific to each individual example required. Examples provided must be important strengths relative to the other strengths of the business.
 Tip: Strengths must be internal (i.e., something the business has control over or decided at some point).

Internal Weaknesses (Use as an APA 7 Level 2 heading in the paper)
Two distinct examples and accompanying rationale specific to each individual example required. Examples provided must be important weaknesses relative to the other weaknesses of the business.
 Tip: Weaknesses must be internal (i.e., something the business has control over or decided at some point).

External Opportunities (Use as an APA 7 Level 2 heading in the paper)
Two distinct examples and accompanying rationale specific to each individual example required. Examples provided must be important opportunities relative to the other opportunities available to the business.

 Tip 1: Examples from the Environmental Analysis Paper are permitted so long as the
examples are correct.
 Tip 2: Write about examples happening in the external environment that present
opportunities and explain why each is an opportunity for the business, not about
something the business is doing.

External Threats (Use as an APA 7 Level 2 heading in the paper)
Two distinct examples and accompanying rationale specific to each individual example required. Examples provided must be important threats relative to the other threats facing the business.
 Tip 1: Examples from the Environmental Analysis Paper are permitted so long as the examples are correct.
 Tip 2: Write about examples happening in the external environment that represent threats and explain why each is a threat for the business, not about something the business is doing.

BCG Matrix (Use as an APA 7 Level 1 heading in the paper)
The section on the BCG Matrix should include a total of three distinct examples with accompanying rationale. Please write a separate paragraph for each distinct example and format as specified below. Do not explain what a BCG Matrix is, instead go straight into the heading and paragraph for the first example.
Important Note on BCG Matrix: The operating (or reportable) segments to be used for this section of the paper will come from the business’s 10-K report. Go to the report and look for the operating (or reportable) segments section. Analyze operating segments according to the BCG Matrix criteria. It is possible for two or more operating segments to fall into the same BCG
Matrix quadrant, just as it is possible for a quadrant to be empty. Analyze according to the BCG Matrix criteria and report accordingly. Since only three examples are required, at least one quadrant (or maybe more) will not have an example in the paper. Proper classification into the quadrants in the analysis is more important than even distribution across the quadrants.
Name of Operating Segment (Name of BCG Matrix Quadrant in parenthesis) (Use as an APA 7 Level 2 heading in the paper) For example, Footwear (Cash Cow) One distinct example and accompanying rationale specific to the example as to why it is
a dog, question mark, star, or cash cow.
 Tip: Be sure to offer rationale for the example by only focusing on the two determinants that matter when labeling operating segments of a portfolio according to the BCG Matrix: market share and market growth. For example, if indicating the operating segment has high or low market share, provide supporting evidence as rationale. If indicating the operating segment has high or low market growth, provide supporting evidence as rationale.
Name of Operating Segment (Name of BCG Matrix Quadrant in parenthesis) (Use as an APA 7 Level 2 heading in the paper) For example, Apparel (Star) One distinct example and accompanying rationale specific to the example as to why it is
a dog, question mark, star, or cash cow.
 Tip: Be sure to offer rationale for the example by only focusing on the two determinants that matter when labeling operating segments of a portfolio according to the BCG Matrix: market share and market growth. For example, if indicating the operating segment has high or low market share, provide supporting evidence as rationale. If indicating the operating segment has high or low market growth, provide supporting evidence as rationale.
Name of Operating Segment (Name of BCG Matrix Quadrant in parenthesis) (Use as an APA 7 Level 2 heading in the paper) For example, Equipment (Dog) One distinct example and accompanying rationale specific to the example as to why it is
a dog, question mark, star, or cash cow.
 Tip: Be sure to offer rationale for the example by only focusing on the two determinants that matter when labeling operating segments of a portfolio according to the BCG Matrix: market share and market growth. For example, if indicating the operating segment has high or low market share, provide supporting evidence as rationale. If indicating the
operating segment has high or low market growth, provide supporting evidence as rationale.

Conclusion (Use as an APA 7 Level 1 heading in the paper)
The conclusion section, which should not be longer than one or two paragraphs, should highlight the most important findings from the SWOT Analysis and the BCG Matrix and properly conclude the paper.