Critical thinking, reasoning abilities, and content specific competencies are essential skillsets for business leaders. The ethical application of these skillsets to business principles in a 21st century globalized economy are essential to all professionals and as such, are part of the program objectives for graduate business education.  Graduate Business Learners should gain a broad view of organizational performance factors from the general management perspective. Activities are designed to develop the skills needed for effective leadership and management in the 21st century globalized business economy. These skills promote and integrate program outcomes and include decision-making, strategic management, creativity and innovation, leadership, problem-solving, and real-time business application. Activities will also develop research and writing skills that accompany high level responsibility in the academic and business environments. These skill sets will empower business managers, executives, and leaders to perform in a dynamic environment where market expansion is global. Excellence in these areas are essential to organizational viability and will allow Learners to add value to their respective firms and to grow both personally and professionally.  One important aspect of Leadership is the ability to create and apply the Strategic direction of an organization. Strategy may be defined as careful plan or method with a coordinated set of actions with direction, the art of devising plans toward a goal. While a strategic plan is multifaceted, the focus is to be on offering or creating value for the firm or customer. This is the only part of the strategic plan that you must present.  The first part of your assignment is to choose a topic from the assigned readings that can be related to strategy or strategic planning and management, and present a summary. Your summary should demonstrate your understanding of the major concepts as they relate to the learning objectives and course material.  Subsequent to your summary and working with your chosen topic, present the details of how your strategy will deliver value to the firm or the customer. The strategic direction should lead to some organizational objective or success factor for the business (value). This is an opportunity to apply what you have learned, and to demonstrate your ability to achieve Strategic Competitiveness (successful formulation & implementation of a value-creating strategy).  Please follow the Graduate Case Study Format listed in resources, under additional resources. All assignments must be in APA 6th ed. format.    Assignment Outcomes Demonstrate the incentives and resources that encourage diversification.  Examine the attributes of effective acquisitions.  Integrate and apply Critical Thinking and content specific competencies ethically to course concepts  Analyze and evaluate your overall comprehension of the course relative to a broad-based evaluation of you understanding of the course concepts  Analyze and evaluate information critically and effectively  Demonstrate ethical behavior in regard to information and information technology ​  Strategic Management Activity  Critical thinking, reasoning abilities, and content specific competencies are essential skillsets for business leaders. The ethical application of these skillsets to business principles in a 21st century globalized economy are essential to all professionals and as such, are part of the program objectives for graduate business education.  Graduate Business Learners should gain a broad view of organizational performance factors from the general management perspective. Activities are designed to develop the skills needed for effective leadership and management in the 21st century globalized business economy. These skills promote and integrate program outcomes and include decision-making, strategic management, creativity and innovation, leadership, problem-solving, and real-time business application. Activities will also develop research and writing skills that accompany high level responsibility in the academic and business environments. These skill sets will empower business managers, executives, and leaders to perform in a dynamic environment where market expansion is global. Excellence in these areas are essential to organizational viability and will allow Learners to add value to their respective firms and to grow both personally and professionally.  One important aspect of Leadership is the ability to create and apply the Strategic direction of an organization. Strategy may be defined as careful plan or method with a coordinated set of actions with direction, the art of devising plans toward a goal. While a strategic plan is multifaceted, the focus is to be on offering or creating value for the firm or customer. This is the only part of the strategic plan that you must present.  The first part of your assignment is to choose a topic from the assigned readings that can be related to strategy or strategic planning and management, and present a summary. Your summary should demonstrate your understanding of the major concepts as they relate to the learning objectives and course material.  Subsequent to your summary and working with your chosen topic, present the details of how your strategy will deliver value to the firm or the customer. The strategic direction should lead to some organizational objective or success factor for the business (value). This is an opportunity to apply what you have learned, and to demonstrate your ability to achieve Strategic Competitiveness (successful formulation & implementation of a value-creating strategy).  Please follow the Graduate Case Study Format listed in resources, under additional resources. All assignments must be in APA 6th ed. format.    Assignment Outcomes Demonstrate the incentives and resources that encourage diversification.  Examine the attributes of effective acquisitions.  Integrate and apply Critical Thinking and content specific competencies ethically to course concepts  Analyze and evaluate your overall comprehension of the course relative to a broad-based evaluation of you understanding of the course concepts  Analyze and evaluate information critically and effectively  Demonstrate ethical behavior in regard to information and information technology ​