Organization Analysis & Strategic Recommendations
SCENARIO: Select an organization you are familiar with or have worked for (currently or in the past). You are tasked with analyzing the organization both internally and externally using some of the tools and frameworks you have learned in this course. You are also tasked with recommending changes to the organization’s strategy and structure, in addition to considering associated ethical implications. This assignment requires you to apply SWOT analysis, PESTEL analysis, Porter’s Five Forces of Industry Analysis, Porter’s Generic Strategies, and organization design concepts related to strategy-structure fit. You will prepare a slide deck containing your analysis and recommendations that could be presented to the organization’s Board.
ASSIGNMENT: Your presentation will be 11-14 slides long, not including the title and references slides. It must include the following slides:
- Title
- Executive Summary
- Organization Background
- Internal Strengths
- Internal Weaknesses
- External Opportunities
- External Threats
- Macro Environment Analysis: PESTEL
- Micro Industry Analysis: Porter’s Five Forces
- Generic Strategy Recommendations
- Organization Design Recommendations
- Ethical Considerations
- References
If you’ve never used a presentation tool like PowerPoint or Google Slides before, don’t worry! The assignment template below will help you create slides for a basic slide presentation. Then you’ll be able to practice using the presentation technology as you put the finishing touches on your presentation.
Touchstone 4 Template
Touchstone 4 Sample
Before you get started, let’s look at how you’ll be building the presentation, step by step.
In order to foster learning and growth, all work you submit must be newly written specifically for this course. Any plagiarized or recycled work will result in a Plagiarism Detected alert. Review Touchstones: Academic Integrity Guidelines for more about plagiarism and the Plagiarism Detected alert. For guidance on the use of generative AI technology, review Ethical Standards and Appropriate Use of AI.
A. Directions
Step 1: Choose an Organization
Select an organization that you are familiar with.
The most successful Learners select an organization that is a public company with readily available information to meet the analysis requirements of the rubric. These successful learners do not rely solely on their personal knowledge but instead use evidence from references to support points in the touchstone.
Learners that struggle with this touchstone are those who select an organization that is small, hyper-local, non-profit, or governmental; this includes municipalities or the company they work for. We suggest you avoid organizations in these categories.
Organizations that should not be used include:
- Amazon
- Amnesty International
- US Bank
- Walmart
- Tesla
Step 2: Create Presentation Slides
Use a presentation tool like PowerPoint or Google Slides to outline and organize your presentation. Your presentation must include the following:
Your Organization
First and Last Name
Date
Slide Instructions: Your title slide is the first slide and should include your name, the date, and the name of the organization you selected.
Executive Summary
Slide Instructions: An executive summary should include the main points of your presentation in 1-2 slides (no more than 2). It should also include your recommendations in 1-3 bullet points. As a general rule, it is usually best (and easiest) to write the executive summary last—after the rest of your presentation is completed.
Speaker Note Instructions: This is where you can write down what you’d like to say about this slide if you were to give an oral presentation. Your speaker notes will be used to evaluate your project, so make sure you write in complete sentences and pay attention to spelling and grammar
Organization Background
Slide Instructions: The organization background should be brief—no more than 1-2 slides. It should include a brief history of the organization, in addition the the major products or services offered and the markets that are served. Other possible categories include the founding date, mission statement, annual profits, sales regions, etc.
Speaker Note Instructions: This is where you can write down what you’d like to say about this slide if you were to give an oral presentation. Your speaker notes will be used to evaluate your project, so make sure you write in complete sentences and pay attention to spelling and grammar.
Internal Strengths
Slide Instructions: Using what you have learned about SWOT analysis, identify 4-6 strengths internally within the organization. You may have to make some inferences based on what you know or perceive about the organization.
Speaker Note Instructions: This is where you can write down what you’d like to say about this slide if you were to give an oral presentation. Your speaker notes will be used to evaluate your project, so make sure you write in complete sentences and pay attention to spelling and grammar.
Internal Weaknesses
Slide Instructions: Using what you have learned about SWOT analysis, identify 4-6 weaknesses internally within the organization. You may have to make some inferences based on what you know or perceive about the organization.
Speaker Note Instructions: This is where you can write down what you’d like to say about this slide if you were to give an oral presentation. Your speaker notes will be used to evaluate your project, so make sure you write in complete sentences and pay attention to spelling and grammar.
External Opportunities
Slide Instructions: Using what you have learned about SWOT analysis, list 4-6 opportunities facing the organization externally. Opportunities and threats are generally easier to identify than internal strengths and weaknesses, and are typically shared across the same industry.
Speaker Note Instructions: This is where you can write down what you’d like to say about this slide if you were to give an oral presentation. Your speaker notes will be used to evaluate your project, so make sure you write in complete sentences and pay attention to spelling and grammar.
External Threats
Slide Instructions: Using what you have learned about SWOT analysis, list 4-6 threats facing the organization externally. Opportunities and threats are generally easier to identify than internal strengths and weaknesses, and are typically shared across the same industry.
Speaker Note Instructions: This is where you can write down what you’d like to say about this slide if you were to give an oral presentation. Your speaker notes will be used to evaluate your project, so make sure you write in complete sentences and pay attention to spelling and grammar.
Macro Environment Analysis: PESTEL
Slide Instructions: Applying the PESTEL framework to the organization, identify 1-3 factors for each of the following: Political Factors, Economic Factors, Sociocultural Factors, Technological Factors, Environmental Factors, Legal Factors.
Speaker Note Instructions: This is where you can write down what you’d like to say about this slide if you were to give an oral presentation. Your speaker notes will be used to evaluate your project, so make sure you write in complete sentences and pay attention to spelling and grammar.
Micro Industry Analysis: Porter’s Five Forces
Slide Instructions: Analyze the industry the organization competes in by applying what you have learned about Porter’s Five Forces of industry analysis. You should list 2-3 observations for each of the following factors: Threat of New Entrants, Threat of Substitutes, Supplier Power, Buyer Power, and Industry Rivalry.
Speaker Note Instructions: This is where you can write down what you’d like to say about this slide if you were to give an oral presentation. Your speaker notes will be used to evaluate your project, so make sure you write in complete sentences and pay attention to spelling and grammar.
Generic Strategy Recommendations
Slide Instructions: Given what you have learned from your internal and external analysis of the organization, are they pursuing the right strategy? If so, why? If not, what might you recommend? Is the recommended (or current) strategy the right “fit” for the environment in which the organization competes? Be sure to select one of Porter’s three generic strategies: Cost Leadership, Differentiation, or Focus and provide your rationale.
Speaker Note Instructions: This is where you can write down what you’d like to say about this slide if you were to give an oral presentation. Your speaker notes will be used to evaluate your project, so make sure you write in complete sentences and pay attention to spelling and grammar.
Organization Design Recommendations
Slide Instructions: Is the organization optimally designed (structured) for either your recommended or their current strategy? For example, if they are pursuing a Cost Leadership strategy do they have a low-cost operating model? The objective here is to determine and demonstrate the degree of “fit” between strategy and structure.
Speaker Note Instructions: This is where you can write down what you’d like to say about this slide if you were to give an oral presentation. Your speaker notes will be used to evaluate your project, so make sure you write in complete sentences and pay attention to spelling and grammar.
Ethical Considerations
Slide Instructions: What are some of the ethical considerations for your recommended (or current) strategy? Is the organization positioned for long-term sustainability? Are there issues which may ultimately affect the organization’s ability to attract and retain talented employees or maintain the credibility of their brand? Are there potential ethical dilemmas in executing any recommended changes? The need to potentially lay-off thousands of workers or stop paying for benefits such as healthcare to lower operating expenses, for example?
Speaker Note Instructions: This is where you can write down what you’d like to say about this slide if you were to give an oral presentation. Your speaker notes will be used to evaluate your project, so make sure you write in complete sentences and pay attention to spelling and grammar.
References
SHOULD BE UPDATED WITH THE EXAMPLES FROM JAY’S SAMPLE TOUCHSTONE
Slide Instructions: This touchstone requires you to use at least four sources, including the course tutorials. Following APA formatting, your sources should appear in alphabetical order.
Speaker Note Instructions: Speaker notes are not needed on this slide.