DDBA 8161 Business Strategy and Innovation for Competitive Advantage ( DDBA/8161 Entire Class )

Week 1 Foundations of Strategic Planning

Week 1 Discussion Strategic Planning for Walmart

Week 2 Impact of Strategy on Successful Innovation

Week 2 Discussion- Business Strategy Formation Case Study- The Role of Innovation

Week 3 Market Selection & Five Forces Strategy Tool

Week 3 Discussion Getting the Most Out of a SWOT Analysis

Week 4 Tools for Strategic Implementation

Week 4 Discussion The 7 S Model

Week 5 Stakeholder Engagement in Business Strategy Development

Week 5 Discussion Role of Stakeholder Engagement

Week 6 Business Ethics and Positive Social Change

Week 6 Discussion Strategic Impact of Positive Social Change Initiatives

Week 7 Annotated Bibliography on Value Creation Through Diversification

Week 7 Discussion The Value of Diversification

Week 8 Assignment Doctoral Study Business Problem

Week 8 Discussion Applying Business Strategy to Your Doctoral Study

DDBA-8161 Week 1 to Week 8 Assignment & DQ

DDBA/8161 Week 1 Foundations of Strategic Planning

Assignment: Foundations of Strategic Planning


To prepare for this Assignment, consider the need for and importance of strategic planning in an organization. Further, consider any potential ramifications of strategic planning, including both minor and major organizational changes. Be sure to consider your experience as a business practitioner and independent scholar in developing your perspective.

Submit a 3- to 5-page evaluation of the benefits and challenges of implementing strategic planning within an organization. Your evaluation should include the following:

·         What are the steps of the strategic planning cycle? Be sure to include a condensed description of the value of each step to a professional organization.

·         What are the long-term business benefits of strategic planning?

·         What are the unique hurdles that companies need to be aware of when implementing the foundations of strategic planning? Explain with specific examples from scholarly sources.

·         Based on your research and/or personal experience, would there ever be a reason why an organization would benefit from not utilizing strategic planning? Provide a rationale for your answer with specific examples from scholarly sources.
 

Note: Be sure to use the APA Course Paper Template (6th ed.), found in this week’s Learning

Resources, to complete this Assignment. Also, refer to the Week 1 Assignment Rubric for specific grading elements and criteria. Your Instructor will use this rubric to assess your work. Please Note: For each page of your paper, you must include a minimum of two APA-formatted scholarly citations

 

DDBA-8161 Week 1 Discussion Strategic Planning for Walmart

To prepare for this Discussion, review “Case 01: Walmart Stores” on pages C-2 to C-11 in Dyer, Godfrey, Jensen, and Bryce (2016) and consider the fundamental principles of strategic planning. Be sure to consider strategies for leveraging competitive advantage within a crowded industry.

Post an analysis of the role of strategic planning in establishing competitive advantage. Your analysis should include the following:

·         An assessment of the phase of the strategic planning cycle that might be the most useful for Walmart’s competitive advantage

·         An explanation of competitive differentiation as it relates to Walmart and similar retailers like Target and Dollar Tree. Be sure to address how Walmart’s choice of market focus contributes to its competitive advantage.

·         An assessment of Walmart’s value proposition, including why customers choose Walmart and whether advertised low prices are accurate

Be sure to support your work with a minimum of two specific citations from this week’s Learning Resources and at least one additional scholarly source.

DDBA/8161 Week 2 Impact of Strategy on Successful Innovation

Assignment: Impact of Strategy on Successful Innovation

To prepare for this Assignment, select a business case from those provided in this week’s Required Readings and conduct further research on the featured company. Be sure to use scholarly, peer-reviewed resources from the Walden Library in examining the nature of innovation and effectively utilizing business strategy development.

Submit a 4- to 6-page evaluation of the role of business strategy in advancing innovation. Your evaluation must include the following:

·         A brief description of your chosen business, including the organization’s name, mission, and vision

·         A detailed explanation that includes a response to the following questions:

o   How did the company capitalize on the value of the business strategy process?

o   What approaches would you recommend for this business seeking to enhance strategic innovation?

o   What data would you leverage within a business strategy?

o   How might you utilize business strategy to further innovation within this organization?

Note: Be sure to use the APA Course Paper Template (6th ed.), found in this week’s Learning Resources, to complete this Assignment. Also, refer to the Week 2 Assignment Rubric for specific grading elements and criteria. Your Instructor will use this rubric to assess your work. Please Note: For each page of your paper, you must include a minimum of two APA-formatted scholarly citations. In addition, you must include at least one appropriately cited APA figure or table in your paper.


DDBA8161 Week 2 Discussion- Business Strategy Formation Case Study- The Role of Innovation

To prepare for this Discussion, review the video case study featuring Walden alumnus Eric Barton and his organization BOBA, and consider his thoughts on the development of a business strategy and the role that innovation plays in doing so. Further, consider the potential implications of adapting innovative business ideas like BOBA in different countries and industries throughout the world. As a global change agent, be sure to utilize scholarly, peer-reviewed resources from the Walden Library to support your research.

Post an analysis of the role of innovation in business strategy development within a global context. Your analysis should include the following:

·         A description of BOBA’s innovation, including the underlying strategy and specific context for its current success

·         An analysis of the impact of geographic location and surrounding business communities on innovation and strategy development

·         As a global change agent, explain the importance of researching global implementation of innovative business ideas or strategies from the research literature. Be sure to include relevant scholarly examples of successful or unsuccessful global implementations and how they can further influence the understanding of innovation as a component of business strategy.

Be sure to support your work with a minimum of two specific citations from this week’s Learning Resources and at least one additional scholarly source.


DDBA8161 Week 3 Market Selection & Five Forces Strategy Tool

Assignment: Market Selection & Five Forces Strategy Tool

To prepare for this Assignment, review “Nokia and the Smartphone Industry” on page 22 of Dyer, Godfrey, Jensen, and Bryce (2016), and complete a personal version of the Rivalry Strategy Tool provided on page 41 of the text. Be sure to consider the potential impact of the Five Forces as a tool for shaping industry competition and strategy development.

 
Submit a 3- to 5-page analysis of the influence of market selection in business strategy development. Your analysis should address the following:

·         What is the intensity of rivalry—high, medium, or low—within the smartphone manufacturing industry? Explain your answer using the Rivalry Strategy Tool.

·         What is the intensity of supplier power—high, medium, or low—within the smartphone industry? Explain your answer using the Rivalry Strategy Tool.

·         What is the importance of correctly identifying and choosing a firm’s industries and markets? Justify your answer with at least one example.

·         How does accounting for gaining and sustaining competitive advantage impact the success of business strategy development? Explain.
 

DDBA 8161 Week 3 Discussion Getting the Most Out of a SWOT Analysis

To prepare for this Discussion, select a strategy practice case from Dyer, Godfrey, Jensen, and Bryce (2016) presented in the week’s Required Readings, and consider how SWOT data can be effectively used within strategic planning initiatives to gain or maintain a competitive advantage for this specific organization. Be sure the case you select provides an exhaustive overview of the organization’s business climate for strategy.

Post an assessment of the value of SWOT analysis as a contextual strategic planning tool. Your assessment should include the following:

·         A brief description of your chosen case, including industry and relevant background information

·         An explanation of which parts of a SWOT analysis could provide the greatest value from a strategic planning perspective, including specific examples from your chosen case

·         An analysis of how SWOT data could be used to increase this organization’s competitive advantage

·         An analysis of how the SWOT data could be used to increase innovation within this organization

Be sure to support your work with a minimum of two specific citations from this week’s Learning Resources and at least one additional scholarly source.


DDBA/8161 Week 4 Tools for Strategic Implementation

Assignment: Tools for Strategic Implementation

To prepare for this Assignment, review the readings on tools for strategic change such as those described in Chapter 12 of Dyer, Godfrey, Jensen, and Bryce (2016) and choose one reading for further examination. Consider how the context of a specific organization (industry, geographical location, status within industry, etc.) can influence both the choice and the implementation of your selected tool, as well as how the application of a tool might vary among different business leaders and practitioners. Be sure to utilize scholarly, peer-reviewed resources from the Walden Library to identify additional supportive examples of organizations applying the tools and principles of strategic planning and their results.

Submit a 3- to 5-page evaluation of your research on a specific tool for strategic implementation. Your evaluation should include the following:

·         A brief description of your chosen tool, including relevant background, an APA-cited scholarly illustration, and detailed rationale for your choice

·         An assessment of how your chosen tool is affected by different strategic influences (such as environmental factors; internal, organizational considerations; etc.) and whether these changes impact your choice for implementation. Include at least one supportive example.

·         An explanation of the usefulness of your chosen tool to you as a practitioner and independent scholar, including how it will benefit your strategic business leadership. Be sure to provide supportive scholarly examples.

 
DDBA 8161 Week 4 Discussion The 7 S Model

To prepare for this Discussion, review the section entitled “Alignment: The 7 S Model” on pages 239–244 in Dyer, Godfrey, Jensen, and Bryce (2016) and consider which components of the model might be the most beneficial in executing change within an organization. You may also want to utilize the Walden Library to identify scholarly examples of implementing the 7 S Model in professional contexts.

Post an evaluation of the 7 S Model as a tool for planning and executing change with an organization. Your evaluation should include the following:

·         A description of the value of each step within the 7 S model to implementing change with the organization, including at least one supportive example

·         An analysis of which one or two specific component(s) of the 7 S Model could be most helpful from a change management perspective, including at least one supportive example

·         An explanation for which specific component(s) of the 7 S Model could be most challenging when implementing organizational change, including at least one supportive example

Be sure to support your work with a minimum of two specific APA citations from this week’s Learning Resources and at least one additional scholarly source.
 

DDBA/8161 Week 5 Stakeholder Engagement in Business Strategy Development

Assignment: Stakeholder Engagement in Business Strategy Development

To prepare for this Assignment, consider the following scenario:

You are the CEO of a technology firm that is eager to produce innovative products required to perform well against the fierce competition. Your board of directors has requested that you prepare the firm for a new strategic plan that will incorporate dramatic shifts in organizational structure and business unit systems. It is your job to think about how the stakeholders in the organization might respond to these new initiatives. Be sure to consider the information presented in “Case 12: Lincoln Electric: Aligning for Global Growth,” provided in this week’s Required Readings, as well as examples from your professional experience.

Submit a 5- to 7-page briefing that details the new strategic plan. Your plan should include the following:

·         The name, mission, and vision of your fictitious company

·         The strategy name for the new product launch, including the strategy’s theme or marketing slogan

·         Who in the organization needs to be involved for this strategy implementation to be successful

·         How you will communicate to your stakeholders “what’s in it for them” regarding the upcoming initiatives

·         A description of the communication channels you will use as the CEO to ensure the company will gain “buy-in” to this initiative system-wide


DDBA 8161 Week 5 Discussion Role of Stakeholder Engagement

To prepare for this Discussion, review the strategy practice case you analyzed in the Week 3 Discussion, “Getting the Most Out of a SWOT Analysis,” and the Mapping Stakeholder Influence figure provided on page 262 of Dyer, Godfrey, Jensen, and Bryce (2016). Be sure to also review the video “Effecting Change Through Active Engagement With Stakeholders,” provided in the week’s Required Media. Consider how you can leverage communication strategies to motivate the different stakeholder groups to engage in strategic change within an organization.

 

Post an analysis of the role of stakeholder engagement in strategic planning. Your analysis should include the following:

·         A brief description of your chosen case, including context such as industry and stakeholder groups

·         An analysis of one stakeholder group that you feel is more valuable in engaging toward the strategic plan. Be sure to answer the following with supportive examples:

o   How does this stakeholder group impact the business?

o   What motivates this stakeholder group to engage with the organization, and why is this motivation valuable for strategic planning?

·         A detailed explanation of communication strategies that could engage this group of stakeholders effectively. Provide a rationale and supportive examples of how these strategies will engage and motivate change with the chosen stakeholder group.

Be sure to support your work with a minimum of two specific citations from this week’s Learning Resources and at least one additional scholarly source.

 

DDBA/8161 Week 6 Business Ethics and Positive Social Change

Assignment: Business Ethics and Positive Social Change

To prepare for this Assignment, identify and research a business ethics crisis for scandal. You may want to review Chapter 13 and Case 13 of Dyer, Godfrey, Jensen, and Bryce (2016) for ideas, as well as the Walden Library databases. Consider how a strategic decision can negatively impact social change and how infusing ethics into business strategy can help prevent crises.
 

Submit a 5- to 7-page paper evaluating business ethics within the context of positive social change. Your evaluation should address the following:

·         What are the essential details of the event, and what do you see as the causes of the crisis and/or negative impact to society?

·         Where do you see failures in corporate governance?

·         What caused the failures in the ethical culture and climate of the company?

·         What ethical policy might prevent this scenario from occurring in the future?

·         If you were a leader within this company, what choices would you have made differently to effect positive social change?


DDBA 8161 Week 6 Discussion Strategic Impact of Positive Social Change Initiatives

To prepare for this Discussion, review the video case study featuring Walden alumnus Eric Barton and his organization, Business Owners Benefits Association (BOBA), and consider the potential benefits and risks of incorporating a social change mission into business strategy. Be sure to utilize the Walden Library to identify scholarly examples of both successful and unsuccessful instances of social change integration.

 

Post an analysis of the risks and benefits of integrating a positive social change mission into organizational strategic planning. Your analysis should include the following:

·         What are the benefits for organizations considering integrating positive social change into their business strategy?

·         What are the potential risks for organizations considering integrating business strategies with an emphasis on positive social change?

·         Provide a real-world example of an organization that experienced an unsuccessful implementation of a positive social change initiative. As an independent scholar and global change agent, explain what the organization might have done differently, including planning or executing strategies to improve marketplace or cultural impacts.

 

Be sure to support your work with a minimum of two specific citations from this week’s Learning Resources and at least one additional scholarly source.


DDBA/8161 Week 7 Annotated Bibliography on Value Creation Through Diversification

Assignment: Annotated Bibliography on Value Creation Through Diversification

To prepare for this Assignment, select four peer-reviewed scholarly articles, with each article addressing a topic of interest for research. For more information, refer to the Walden Writing Center’s annotated bibliography sample document provided in this week’s Required Readings.

 

Submit an annotated bibliography for the four peer-reviewed resources you selected. In your annotated bibliography, include the following:

·         A full APA-style bibliographic reference including the author, title, publisher, and place of publication

·         A summary of the document (2–3 paragraphs for each entry), including the main points, its purpose, the theoretical perspective on which it is based, and the scope

·         For each article, evaluate the following:

o   Reliability (research methods used, theories used, and data on which it is based)

o   Appropriateness for the intended audience

o   Background and authority of the author

o   Limitations of the research (which can depend on the scope, reliability, age of the document, and bias)

o   Significance of the research
 

DDBA_8161 Week 7 Discussion The Value of Diversification

To prepare for this Discussion, review the “Cisco Systems: Growth Through Diversification and Acquisition” case found on pages 108–109 of Dyer, Godfrey, Jensen, and Bryce (2016) and consider how companies can utilize diversification strategies to create organizational value and competitive advantage. You may also want to review the video titled “The Upside of Concentrating Risk,” as well as the cases provided in this week’s Optional Resources for further research on diversification initiatives and business strategy effectiveness.

 

Post a comparison of corporate strategy versus business-unit-level strategy. In your comparison, address the following:

 

·         How does corporate strategy differentiate from a business-unit-level strategy, including advantages and disadvantages of each?

·         Which approach for diversification (related-constrained or related-linked) has the strongest return on investment in this case study? Explain, including at least one supportive example.

·         In your opinion as an independent scholar, why does diversification most often fail to add value? Explain with at least one supportive example.

·         What factors should executives consider when making a decision to diversify through green field entry over making an acquisition? Explain.

 

Be sure to support your work with a minimum of two specific citations from this week’s Learning Resources and at least one additional scholarly source.



DDBA/8161 Week 8 Assignment Doctoral Study Business Problem

Assignment: Doctoral Study Business Problem

To prepare for this Assignment, review the “Formulating a Doctoral Problem Statement” presentation provided in the week’s Required Readings. Be sure to utilize the Walden Library and Online Writing Center for guidance in identifying scholarly resources and related examples.

 

Submit a 150-word Doctoral Study Problem Statement that includes the following:

·         Hook (with APA citation)

·         Anchor (with APA citation)

·         General Business Problem

·         Specific Business Problem

 

Note: Be sure to use the APA Course Paper Template (6th ed.), found in this week’s Learning Resources, to complete this Assignment. Also, refer to the Week 8 Assignment Rubric for specific grading elements and criteria. Your Instructor will use this rubric to assess your work.       
 

DDBA 8161 Week 8 Discussion Applying Business Strategy to Your Doctoral Study

To prepare for this Discussion, consider the research you have already done for your Doctoral Study Problem Statement, which you submitted for this week’s Assignment, and think about how your perspective as an independent scholar has evolved during this course.

 

Post an application of strategic planning concepts to professional and academic contexts. Your application should include answers to the following:

·         What concepts did you find that changed the way you developed your Hook statement?

·         What connections did you discover that helped to ground your Anchor statement?

·         How did your General Business Problem incorporate any key learning outcomes for the course?

·         How will this course content help you refine your Specific Business Problem?
 

Be sure to support your work with a minimum of two specific citations from this week’s Learning Resources and at least one additional scholarly source.



Course: DDBA-8161,Bus Strtgy Innov Compet Advntg