MGT599 Strategic Management

Module 1

Module 1 – Case

Strategic Management Process/Vision, Goals, Objectives

Assignment

In this assignment, you will be critically evaluating the vision, values, mission statement, and goals/objectives of the Kraft Foods Group.

Keys to the Assignment 

After studying the background materials and completing the SLP, you are in an excellent position to evaluate a company’s published mission, vision, values, and objectives/goals.  This Case asks you to begin your strategic analysis of the Kraft Foods Group by evaluating the company’s mission, vision, values, and goals. To do this, observe the following procedure:

• Step 1: Visit the official website of the Kraft Foods Group, and identify the company’s vision, mission, values, and goals. (Hint: You’ll need to do some exploring and a certain amount of speculation—as the terms “vision” and “mission” (and sometimes even the term “company goals”) are used interchangeably. Explore the “About Us,” and “Investor Center” links. Also, look closely at the most recent Annual Reports.
• Step 2: Critically evaluate the mission, vision, values, and goals (again, you’ll likely need to make decisions as to which is which). Use the criteria in the background materials as well as the readings related to the SLP to support your assessment of the quality of the company’s mission, vision, and values.
• Step 3: Determine which (if any) of the elements consider the goals and needs of specific stakeholder groups. Write down any examples.
• Step 4: Consider what changes are needed to improve the vision statement, the mission statement, the statement of company values, and the company’s objectives and goals.
• Step 5: Write a 5- to 7-page paper addressing the above requirements. While you must meet minimum length requirements, you must also address the above requirements with precision and with appropriate breadth and depth.

NOTE THE FOLLOWING REQUIREMENTS AS WELL:

Executive summary: This is a synopsis of the main points, conclusions, and recommendations made in the longer report. If you have never written an executive summary before, or would like a refresher, check this link:http://www.highendfinance.com/CommercialLoans/Docs/07-4%20ES%20Guidelines

Assignment Expectations

Your paper will be evaluated on the following seven  points:

• Precision – Does the paper address the question(s) or task(s)? 
• Breadth – Is the full breadth of the subject (i.e., the Keys to the Assignment) addressed?  
• Depth – Does the paper address the topic in sufficient depth and include the Background reading and other Background resources as references? 
• Critical thinking – Is the subject thought about critically, that is, accurately, logically, relevantly, and precisely?
• Clarity – Is the writing clear and are the concepts articulated properly? Are paraphrasing and synthesis of concepts the primary means of responding to the questions or are points conveyed through excessive use of quotations? 
• Organization – Is the paper well written? Are the grammar, spelling, and vocabulary appropriate for graduate-level work? Are headings included in all papers longer than two pages? 
• Referencing (citations and references) – Does the paper include citations and quotation marks where appropriate? Are the references from the Background readings and assignment present and properly cited? Are all the references listed in the bibliography present and referred to via citation? 

Tips and Suggestions

Note the following tips and suggestions:

• Business school case-study assignments are meant to offer practice opportunities for future businesspeople who are earning their MBA degrees. Consider yourself a consultant hired by the company to make these critical assessments. There are no right or wrong answers to the Case question, as long as your position is well defended.
• Study the theoretical concepts provided in the Background materials section of the module, and identify main strategy concepts.
• Analyze the mission statement (vision statement, etc.) according to the criteria presented in the Background materials. Be critical and do not let yourself be influenced by a company’s “spin.”
• Do not hesitate to criticize the current statements. In many instances, you may not be able to find information on the company’s website. Many companies do not get this right.
• Include a cover page and reference page, in addition to the 4-5 pages of analysis described above.  
• Include section headings for all papers longer than two pages.
• Cite and reference all sources, including those that you paraphrase. This means include citations and quotation marks for direct quotes of more than five words, and citations for information you have “borrowed” or paraphrased from other sources.
• Follow TUI Guidelines for Well-Written Papers.
• Submit your analysis by the end of this module

Module 1 – SLP

Strategic Management Process/Vision, Goals, Objectives   Assignment

In this module, you will be learning what constitutes good mission and vision statements. You will also be developing a list of criteria for evaluating such statements. You will then use these criteria to evaluate a corporate vision and mission statement in the Case. Finally, you will be comparing your two lists for commonalities and differences.

Keys to the Assignment 

The key aspects of this assignment that you must cover in your 3- to 4-page paper are:

• Step One: Read the Background materials and conduct additional research about writing mission and vision statements. You may rely solely on the websites in the Background materials or supplement them if you wish. You will find that there are a great many opinions on what constitutes a “good” mission statement. Your job is to identify five criteria that you believe are crucial to devising good mission statements. 
• Step Two: Research the Background websites dedicated to writing vision statements. Again, you may supplement them if you wish. Identify five criteria you think are critical to good vision statements.
• Step Three: In a 3- to 4-page paper:List the five criteria you have chosen for mission and vision statements (i.e., five each). This can be a bulleted list.Justify your choices. Explain why you think each individual criterion is important.Critically compare the commonalities and differences between your two lists. Be sure that you address this requirement with appropriate depth.