LASA 2—Presentation of Strategy Audit Findings

In this assignment, integrate all the pieces of work you have drafted and formally turn it into the capstone strategy audit. 

In previous assignments, you performed multiple, specified analyses  of your company (or any company of your choosing). Those individual  analyses provide the needed research to successfully complete the  following LASA.

Part I: Strategy Audit Report

Using the tools and framework learned in class and throughout the  program, prepare a 15-page strategy audit of your company with a  companion presentation. The strategy audit is a comprehensive analysis  of the company’s business strategy and operating performance, and  culminates in a series of recommendations for improving your company’s  performance based on the findings and conclusions of your analysis.

A strategy audit involves assessing the actual direction of a  business and comparing that course to the direction required to succeed  in a changing environment. A company’s actual direction is the sum of  what it does and does not do, how well the organization is internally  aligned to support the strategy, and how viable the strategy is when  compared to the external market, competitors, and financial realities.  These two categories, the internal assessment and the external or  environmental assessment, make up the major elements of a strategy  audit.

In your strategy audit:

• Provide a high-level analysis of the company’s business strategy and operating performance. Be sure to complete the following: 
  • Analysis of the company value proposition, market position, and competitive advantage
  • External environmental scan/five forces analysis
  • Internal environmental scan/organizational assessment
  • SWOT Analysis
  • Balanced scorecard/strategy scorecard
• Recommend specific tactics for improving your company’s strategic alignment and operating performance. 
  • Recommendations can include but are not limited to tactics in  marketing, branding, alliances, mergers/acquisitions, integration,  product development, diversification or divestiture and globalization  (if you recommend your company go global, you must include a supply  chain analysis and an analysis of your firm’s global capabilities).
  • Explain how the recommendations will help the company achieve its strategy and vision.

You are to write this report as though you are a consultant to your  company, and are addressing the executive officers of this company. You  will collect and analyze a large amount of data in producing your  report, but your final product will be condensed and focus on presenting  your analysis findings and conclusions.

Your report should consist of the following sections in the given order.

1. Executive summary (1 page): A concise and  insightful summary of the significant findings of your analysis and the  recommendations you have for your executive team.
2. Strategic issues and recommendations (5 pages):  Identify 5–7 most important strategic issues facing your business unit.  Strategic issues arise from a mismatch between internal capabilities and  external trends such that important opportunities are not being pursued  or significant external threats are not being addressed under the  current strategy. The strategic issues list should integrate your SWOT analysis, your  Five Forces analysis, and the organizational assessment and external  environmental scan completed earlier during the course. These detailed  analyses are the foundation for your final set of findings and  recommendations presented to the executive team.
   In developing your recommendations for addressing each strategic  issue, consider misalignments that might be apparent in different  operating areas:
    
   1. Product portfolio: Are there changes to the target market segment, value proposition, or positioning of the product or service line needed?
   2. Structure: Are the organizational roles and  responsibilities, decision-making authority, skill requirements, and  work assignments properly configured and aligned to support the  strategy?
   3. Organizational culture or behavior: Does the organizational  culture inspire behaviors that support the strategy? Are the mission,  vision, and values clearly articulated and aligned with the strategy?  What new behaviors are needed?
   4. Value chain activities: Does the organization value chain  fully align with the strategy? Are their activities that should be  added, eliminated, or modified significantly?
   5. Performance measures: Do the organization’s performance  measures focus on the key drivers of strategic success? Is there a  strategy scorecard that ties the main elements of the strategy to  specific operating capabilities, including goals and key performance  indicators (KPIs) that give an indication of incremental or predictive  progress toward reaching strategic goals?
   6. Your recommendations should fall into these general categories, but should be specific in terms of scope and expected impact.
      These sections have been completed earlier in the course, and should appear as appendices:
       
3. SWOT analysis (2 pages—completed in Module 4): SWOT matrix illustrating strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.
4. Balanced strategy scorecard (4 pages—completed in Module 4): Develop a Balanced Scorecard for your business unit that reflects the key drivers for your business strategy.
5. Organizational assessment (3 pages—completed in Module 3)
6. External environmental scan and five-forces analysis (3 pages—completed in Module 2)
7. Market position analysis (3 pages—completed in Module 1)

Use information from your previous assignments to support your  conclusions and recommendations and conduct additional research when  needed. Make sure you properly reference and cite so that the location  of information is clear.

Submit your 15-page report in Word format. Apply APA standards to  citation of sources. Use the following file naming convention:  LastnameFirstInitial_M5_A2.doc.

Part II: Companion Presentation

Finalize the companion with a 10-slide Power Point Presentation that  summarizes the audit and recommendations in a compelling manner that  persuades senior management to explore and possibly implement your  recommendations. The elements of the presentation should include the  following:

• Title
• Agenda
• Summary of audit
• Recommendations
• Key measurements
• Risks and benefits
• Call to action
• Next steps

By the due date assigned, deliver your report and PowerPoint presentation to the M5: Assignment 2 Submissions Area.