Strategic Thought and Planning
So far, you have learned about the reasons for strategy and key tactical/operational questions to ask when learning to think strategically. For this assignment, you must select a company that you currently work for, a company that you previously worked for, or a business in which you would eventually like to work (see the Week 1 resources for the SWOT analysis of several options to choose from). You will use this company in each of your subsequent assignments; so carefully consider choosing a company that you are interested in and want to research. It is also recommended that you choose a company with which you are familiar and you know you have the ability to research because of your personal experience with the company or because there is information readily available. For this assignment, examine the reasons for strategic planning for your chosen company, and then identify the possible answers to the strategic questions. You may have more than one answer for each question, but limit yourself to the two most likely or promising answers. Although you may not have answers to all of your questions at this time, you will have the opportunity to add clarity and detail in future weekly assignments. For now, keep your answers realistic, but don’t be afraid to stretch for what might be possible! Support your paper with a minimum of five scholarly resources. In addition to these specified resources, other appropriate scholarly resources, including older articles, may be included.
