Strategic Management and Competitive Forces

COMPETITION IN THE GOLF INDUSTRY (WEEK 7) 1. What is ambition handle in the golf equipment attention? What warlike forces seem to have the greatest effect on industry attractiveness? 2. How is the golf equipment industry changing? What argon the underlying drivers of vary and how might those driving forces change the industry? 3. What does your strategic group map of the golf equipment industry look like? Which strategic groups do you think are in the best stakes? Which are in the worst positions? 4.What recommendations would you make to Callaway Golf to mitigate the companys emulous position in the industry and its financial and market performance? NINTENDO (WEEK 7) 1. What is competition like in the impression game console industry? Do a five-forces analysis to maintenance your answer. Which of the five hawkish forces is strongest? Which is weakest? Would you characterize the overall strength of competition in video game consoles as fierce, strong, moderate to normal or weak? Why? 2. What is Nintendos strategy? Which of the five generic strategies discussed in Chapter 5 is Nintendo using? 3.Is it fair to characterize Nintendos introduction of the Wii as a blue naval strategy? Why or why not? 4. What recommendations would you make to Nintendo to improve its competitiveness in the video game console industry and to maintain its favorable positioning vis-a-vis Microsoft and Sony? GOOGLE (WEEK 8) 1. Discuss competition in the search industry. Which of the fi ve competitive forces seem strongest? weakest? What is your assessment of overall industry attractiveness? 2. What are the refer factors that stipulate success in the industry? What are the key competencies, capabilities, and resources of successful search engine companies? . Have Googles logical argument model and strategy proven to be successful? What are the companys key resource strengths and competitive capabilities? What competitive liabilities and resource weaknesses does it have? 4. Wh at recommendations would you make to Googles top- focusing team to halt its competitive advantage in the search industry? How should it best capitalize on its strategic initiatives in roving search, cloud computing, and its auctioning system for traditional media ads? RESEARCH IN MOTION (WEEK 8) 1. What is competition like in the radiocommunication phone industry? Which of the five Competitive forces is strongest?Which is weakest? What competitive forces seem to have the greatest effect on industry attractiveness? 2. What strategic approach has Research in bm chosen to employ in international markets? Would you characterize its strategy as a global strategy or a locate multicountry strategy? How has it apply location to build competitive advantage? 3. How important is it for Research in Motion to increase the size of its pool of software developers? What are the different options for substantially increasing its R&D staff? 4. Which option for increasing the number of software developers should Research in Motion pursue? exempt how your recommended course of action is consistent with Research in Motions resources, organizational capabilities, and management preferences. apple (WEEK 9) 1. What are the chief elements of Apples overall competitive strategy? How well do the pieces fi t together? 2. What does a competitive strength assessment reveal about Apples calculating machine business, as compared to the leaders in the personal computer industry? Does it appear that the companys competitive positions in personal media players and smartphones or stronger or weaker than its position in computers? 3.Does it make favourable strategic understanding for Apple to be a competitor in the computer, personal media player, smartphone, and tablet computer industries? Are the apprize chain activities that Apple performs in computers, personal media players, tablet computers and smartphones very similar and compatible or are there very important differences from p roduct to product? 4. What recommendations would you make to allow Apple to strengthen its position in its most important markets? KOMATSU (WEEK 9) 1. 1. Briefly identify the various strategies that Komatsu used in the different stages of their internationalization process. . What were the implications for Komatsus management policies as they responded to changing domestic and global market conditions? 3. To what extent the leadership and management of Komatsu responsible for its success or failures? Why? 4. What strategic action should Komatsu take to bring back an actualize the leadership position of Komatsu? ADIDAS (WEEK 10) 1. What is Adidas corporate strategy? Was there a common strategic approach utilized in managing the companys lineup of sporting goods businesses prior to its 2005-2006 restructuring? Has the corporate strategy changed with restructuring? . What does a 9-cell industry attractiveness/ business strength matrix displaying Adidas business units look like? 3. Doe s Adidas business line-up exhibit good strategic fit? What value-chain match-ups exists? What opportunities for skills transfer, cost sharing, or brand sharing are evident? 4. Based on your analysis of adidas businesses, did the restructuring undertaken in 2005 and 2006 make sense? Does it appear the acquisition of Reebok International will produce high returns for shareholders? PEPSICO (WEEK 10) 1. What is PepsiCos corporate strategy?Briefly identify the business strategies that PepsiCo is using in each of its consumer business segments in 2008. 2. What is your assessment of the long-term attractiveness of the industries represented in PepsiCos business portfolio? What is your assessment of the competitive strength of PepsiCos different business units? 3. Does PepsiCos portfolio exhibit good strategic fit? What value-chain match-ups do you see? What opportunities for skills transfer, cost sharing, or brand sharing do you see? 4. What strategic actions should Indra Nooyi take to su stain the corporations impressive financial and market performance?