MGMT410 (Strategic Management) Discussion Topics:

Week 1: Strategic Marketing

· Read the 3 articles required this week:

· https://hbr.org/2016/03/branding-in-the-age-of-social-media,

· https://hbr.org/2013/12/when-marketing-is-strategy,

· http://ezproxy.apus.edu/login?url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/1799889073/

· Answer the following question:

· What role does marketing play in the overall strategic planning process? In your post, discuss a company that you think has mastered the marketing process and also mention a company that you think needs much improvement in marketing products or services. How do you think that social media has changed marketing concepts over the past 5 years for these companies?

· Must be 250-350 words.

Week 2: Defining Strategic Management

· Review Porter’s Five-Forces model of industry competition (2.3.1 in text). Using your own words (do not copy definitions from the text), explain the model’s importance in the concept of strategic grouping within industries. Then, find a company with a “mission statement”. Do not use the military please. Pick a commercial company that is not routinely discussed. Select a company with a mission statement and tell us whether or not you think the statement is constructive and provides employees with motivation and strategic direction. When reading the mission statement does it reveal the nature of the business? Include the mission statement in your post in italics.

· Must be 250-350 words.

Week 3: Assessing Internal Environments

· Discuss strategic grouping and why it is important to organizations. Using current companies that we all know, what is an example of a grouping and what are the two characteristics that distinguish these groups from each other? Explain what the companies would evaluate for their benefit. Use specific companies and not just “fast food” or “grocery stores”.

· Must be 250-350 words.

Week 4: Business and Corporate Strategies

· Using Porter’s three competitive strategies (cost, differentiation and focus), name a company that uses the cost leadership strategy, a different company that uses the differentiation strategy and another company that uses the focus strategy and explain why they fit that strategy.

· Must be 250-350 words.

Week 5: International and Entrepreneurial Strategies

· Once a company selects an international strategy, there are four modes of entry an organization must consider. What are these entry modes and how are they different? Use your own words. No quotes please.

· Must be 250-350 words.

Week 6: Strategic Control and Organizational Structure

· Read the following article: https://journal.ugm.ac.id/leadership/article/view/42-48/pdf

· After reading the article this week regarding employee corporate loyalty, discuss how companies today keep retention rates low. Now that pension plans are a thing of the past, why do young people choose to stay with a company (or don’t they)?

· Must be 250-350 words.

Week 7: Strategic Leadership and Innovation

· Discuss turnaround strategies and when an organization needs to develop one. Give an example of a company that has recently taken on a turnaround strategy. Did it work? Explain.

· Must be 250-350 words.

Week 8: Case Analysis

· Name a real company and their potential problem and give an example of why they would hire consultants to help to develop the strategy to solve their problem. Why would it be better for this company to hire consultants rather than use internal higher management?