Copyright 2021 by University of Phoenix. All rights reserved.
STRCB/581 Competency 1 Assessment and Ru
ic
Course Title: Strategic Planning & Implementation
Competency Assessment Title: Modified SWOT Analysis
Total Number of Points: 100
Assignment Directions
Successful businesses regularly analyze their processes to ensure they’re operating as efficiently as possible and maintaining their competitive advantages.
Although you can assess a company in many ways, a common technique is the SWOT analysis. In this assignment, you’ll practice using SWOT analysis to better
understand the factors involved in making business decisions that promote a sustainable competitive advantage.
Note: You can view sample SWOT analyses by visiting the University Li
ary > Databases > B > Business Source Complete: SWOT Analyses.
Select and research a company from the 2020 Fortune 500 list that demonstrates a sustainable competitive advantage in the marketplace. You may also choose
to use your cu
ent employer or a company you've worked for in the past as long as you have sufficient data to complete the assignment.
Evaluate the selected company’s sustainable competitive advantage using the SWOT analysis technique.
Write a 700- to 1000-word modified SWOT analysis that includes the following:
• An introduction with a detailed description of the company
• A SWOT analysis diagram that includes strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats
• An evaluation of how specific internal factors (strengths and/or weaknesses) support and/or promote a competitive advantage. Examples may include:
• Financial, physical, or human resources
• Access to natural resources, trademarks, patents, or copyrights
• Cu
ent processes (employee programs or software systems)
• An evaluation of how specific external factors (opportunities and/or threats) support and/or promote a competitive advantage. Examples may include:
• Market trends (new products or technology advancements)
• Economic trends (local and/or global)
• Demographics
• Regulations (political, environmental, or economic)
• A conclusion with an evaluation of how the company has retained its competitive advantage
Include in-text citations and a reference page with at least 2 sources. Note: You may include your textbook as 1 of the sources.
STRCB/581 Competency 1 Ru
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Copyright 2021 by University of Phoenix. All rights reserved.
Competency Assessment Ru
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Assignment/Performance
Criteria
Mastery
100%
Meets Expectations
85%
Not Met
0%
1. Introduction and company
description
(weight 20%)
The introduction thoroughly
oriented the reader to the
company’s history and presence in
the marketplace and the company
description thoroughly used
detailed language to illustrate the
company’s success and
sustainable competitive advantage.
The introduction mostly
oriented the reader to the
company’s history and
presence in the marketplace
and the company description
mostly used detailed language
to illustrate the company’s
success and sustainable
competitive advantage.
The introduction somewhat oriented
the reader to the company’s history
and presence in the marketplace,
the company description somewhat
used detailed language to illustrate
the company’s success and
sustainable competitive advantage,
or introduction and/or company
description was not included.
2. SWOT analysis diagram
(weight 10%)
The diagram included all required
components, was presented in a
format that fully showcased the
information clearly and left the
viewer with no unanswered
questions.
The diagram included most of the
equired components, was
presented in a format that mostly
showcased the information
clearly, and the viewer was left
with few unanswered questions.
The diagram included some of the
equired components, was
presented in a format that somewhat
showcased the information clearly,
the viewer was left with some
unanswered questions, or diagram
was not included.
3. Internal factors evaluation
(weight 25%)
The evaluation thoroughly
supported the SWOT Analysis
Diagram and provided thorough
insight into the connections
etween the company’s internal
factors and its sustainable
competitive advantages from a
creative and innovative
perspective.
The evaluation thoroughly
supported the SWOT Analysis
Diagram and provided thorough
insight into the connections
etween the company’s internal
factors and its sustainable
competitive advantages.
The evaluation somewhat supported
the SWOT Analysis Diagram and
provided na
ow insight into the
connections between the company’s
internal factors and its sustainable
competitive advantages, or
evaluation was not included.
4. External factors evaluation
(weight 25%)
The evaluation thoroughly
supported the SWOT Analysis
Diagram and provided thorough
insight into the connections
etween the company’s external
factors and its sustainable
competitive advantages from a
creative and innovative
perspective.
The evaluation thoroughly
supported the SWOT Analysis
Diagram and provided thorough
insight into the connections
etween the company’s external
factors and its sustainable
competitive advantages.
The evaluation na
owly supported
the SWOT Analysis Diagram and
provided na
ow insight into the
connections between the company’s
external factors and its sustainable
competitive advantages or
evaluation was not included.
STRCB/581 Competency 1 Ru
ic Page 3 of 3
Copyright 2021 by University of Phoenix. All rights reserved.
Assignment/Performance
Criteria
Mastery
100%
Meets Expectations
85%
Not Met
0%
5. Conclusion and competitive
advantage evaluation
(weight 20%)
The conclusion thoroughly
summarized the company’s history
and presence in the marketplace
without introducing any new
information and provided a
thorough evaluation for how the
company has retained its
competitive advantage over time
from a creative and innovative
perspective.
The conclusion thoroughly
summarized the company’s
history and presence in the
marketplace without introducing
any new information and provided
a thorough evaluation for how the
company has retained its
competitive advantage over time.
The conclusion na
owly
summarized the company’s history
and presence in the marketplace
without introducing any new
information and provided a na
ow
evaluation for how the company has
etained its competitive advantage
over time or conclusion was not
included.
STRCB/581 Competency 2 Assessment and Ru
ic
Copyright 2021 by University of Phoenix. All rights reserved.
STRCB/581 Competency 2 Assessment and Ru
ic
Course Title: Strategic Planning & Implementation
Competency Assessment Title: Strategic Analysis
Total Number of Points: 100
Assignment Directions
Step 1: Choose a Company
In the first Competency Assessment, you completed a SWOT analysis on a successful company that demonstrated a sustainable competitive advantage in the
marketplace. Now you will shift your focus to look at a company that is failing or experiencing challenges in the area of financial performance.
Select and research a company that is having financial difficulties or is on the
ink of bankruptcy. You may also choose to use your cu
ent employer or a
company you've worked for in the past as long as you have sufficient data to complete the assignment.
Review “Where Can I Find a Company's Annual Report and Its SEC Filings?” from Investopedia.
You can also access specific information about a variety of businesses in the University Li
ary by searching the following databases:
• University Li
ary > Databases > B > Business Source Complete
• University Li
ary > How Do I > Company Information > Find Annual Reports > EDGAR (SEC Filings)
• University Li
ary > Databases > P > Plunkett Research Online
Step 2: Write an Analysis
Conduct a strategic analysis of the company’s cu
ent financial operations. Determine strategies for achieving a sustainable competitive advantage in the
marketplace and increasing financial performance.
Write a 750- to 1000-word strategic analysis. When writing your analysis, complete the following:
• Evaluate the company’s cu
ent financial plan, including charts and/or graphs showing financial data from the struggling company and make
ecommendations for improvement.
• Determine strategies for achieving a sustainable competitive advantage in the marketplace and increasing financial performance.
• Create a plan to implement the strategies you selected.
• Include at least 3 sources.
STRCB/581 Competency 2 Ru
ic Page 2 of 2
Copyright 2021 by University of Phoenix. All rights reserved.
Competency Assessment Ru
ic
Assignment/Performance Criteria Mastery 100%
Meets Expectations
85%
Not Met
0%
1. Evaluation of the company’s
cu
ent financial plan and
ecommendations for improvement
(weight 30%)
Comprehensively evaluated the
company’s cu
ent financial plan
from a creative and innovative
perspective, included fully relevant
charts and/or graphs of company’s
financial data, and made a
comprehensive, creative, and
innovative connection between
ecommendations for improvement
and company’s cu
ent financial
state
Partially evaluated the company’s
cu
ent financial plan, included
mostly relevant charts and/or
graphs of company’s financial data,
and made a partial connection
etween recommendations for
improvement and company’s
cu
ent financial state
Na
owly evaluated the company’s
cu
ent financial plan, included some
elevant charts and/or graphs of
company’s financial data, and made a
na
ow connection between
ecommendations for improvement
and company’s cu
ent financial state;
or did not evaluate the company’s
cu
ent financial plan, did not include
elevant charts or graphs of
company’s financial data, or did not
make a connection between
ecommendations for improvement
and company’s cu
ent financial state
2. Strategies for achieving sustainable
competitive advantage
(weight 30%)
Thoroughly evaluated strategies for
achieving sustainable competitive
advantage in the marketplace and
increasing financial performance
from a creative and innovative
perspective
Somewhat evaluated strategies for
achieving sustainable competitive
advantage in the marketplace and
increasing financial performance
Na
owly evaluated strategies for
achieving sustainable competitive
advantage in the marketplace and
increasing financial performance or
did not evaluate strategies for
achieving sustainable competitive
advantage in the marketplace and
increasing financial performance
3. Plan to implement the selected
strategies
(weight 40%)
Created a thorough, creative, and
innovative plan to implement
strategies
Created a thorough plan to
implement strategies
Created a na
ow plan to implement
strategies or did not create a plan to
implement strategies
STRCB/581 Competency 2 Assessment and Ru
ic
Assignment Directions
Competency Assessment Ru
ic
Copyright 2021 by University of Phoenix. All rights reserved.
STRCB/581 Competency 3 Assessment and Ru
ic
Course Title: Strategic Planning & Implementation
Competency Assessment Title: Strategic Plan
Total Number of Points: 100
Assignment Directions
Step 1: Develop a strategic business plan for the company that you used in