15 Jan Do you think benchmarking

MBA5101 Strategic Management and Business Policy

Unit 1 Discussion

Part I: Introduce yourself to your classmates with your name, location, current employment, and future goals. Tell us one fun (unusual fact about yourself).

Part II: Do you think that the Sarbanes-Oxley Act has been effective in eliminating corporate scandals? Why, or why not? If necessary, include companies as examples.

MBA5101 Strategic Management and Business Policy

Unit 2 Discussion

A board of directors (BOD) is a group of individuals who are elected to represent shareholders in an organization. They mandate policies, provide oversight and make decisions on major company issues. Complete a mini SWOT analysis of the pros and cons of serving on a Board of Directors. As you compose your response, consider: Who should and should not serve on a Board of Directors (BOD)? Should a BOD strive for diversity in its members? Should the CEO or other insiders be allowed to serve on the BOD? Is industry experience vital for a successful Board member? If you were on a committee to form a BOD, what would you be looking for in your members?

MBA5101 Strategic Management and Business Policy

Unit 3 Discussion

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is a company’s initiative to assess and take responsibility for a company’s impact on the environment and social wellbeing of the planet. It applies to efforts a company instill which goes beyond what is mandated by laws and regulations. When it comes to corporate social responsibility (CSR), do you think companies should lean toward Milton Friedman’s (economic freedom) or Archie Carroll’s (pyramid) ideology? Explain why you think your answer is better for the company and its stakeholders.

MBA5101 Strategic Management and Business Policy

Unit 4 Discussion

When considering the concept of environmental scanning (or the systematic review and interpretation of data to identify external opportunities and threats), investigate a product from two rival companies. As examples, consider Coke versus Pepsi, Apple versus Samsung, or Ford versus Toyota. Feel free to pick any two products from other companies. Look for products from two different companies which are considered substitutes for each other (i.e. diet Coke and diet Pepsi). What data would you want/need to effectively perform an environmental scan of these two substitute products? Explain your answer.

MBA5101 Strategic Management and Business Policy

Unit 5 Discussion

In today’s economic environment, which of the five steps in the strategic planning process (vision, mission, gap analysis, SMART goals, monitoring) do you think is the most important? Give an example of an industry where this would be the most important step. Do you think that a different industry might place more emphasis on another step in the strategic planning process? Why?

MBA5101 Strategic Management and Business Policy

Unit 6 Discussion

What are the advantages and disadvantages of dispersing corporate functions globally from a strategy implementation standpoint? Is there a need for a corporate headquarters in one specific location in our virtual business climate? Please justify your response by including concepts and examples from our readings or from outside sources.

MBA5101 Strategic Management and Business Policy

Unit 7 Discussion

Do you think benchmarking (i.e. comparing key metrics of companies within the same industry which are considered best in the industry in order to identify areas for improvement for your company) is just another fad or is it really useful for all firms? Why, or why not? How could benchmarking be used in your place of employment or future entrepreneurial endeavors? Does it rate as a viable tool for future development?

MBA5101 Strategic Management and Business Policy

Unit 8 Discussion

Discuss how you can could apply the concepts learned in this course to your current or future career. Name at least one strategic management model discussed during this term that you would use, and explain why you selected this model. How might you incorporate information from this model to your career aspirations and goals? What areas would you suggest for improvement in this course? Are there any concepts you wish we could have covered in more depth? We value your feedback!