COSTCO

The critical assignment for BUS-270, Managing Organizations is one of a series of assignments designed to demonstrate that you have achieved the learning outcomes established for the majors in the College of Business and Management.  This, like the other four checkpoint critical assignments, is an integral component of the business plan, which   in the capstone course, BUS-460, Business Strategy, measures whether or not the College is successful in achieving the overall learning outcomes for the program.

The specific objective of this critical assignment is to assure that you have a sufficient skillset to conduct an organizational examination and convey effectively their philosophy which could become the foundation of an organization.  This exercise will provide you with the opportunity to integrate and implement theory into practice and will prepare you to develop a comprehensive business plan in the capstone course during your final year of study.

For the purpose of this exercise you will choose a publicly-traded company for which you will conduct an internal management audit.  The analysis of the company should culminate with your creating an effective management/leadership plan that can be implemented within an organization.  You will be evaluated on the depth and scope of the plan, as well as its feasibility.

 
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The specific components of the proposed plan should include:

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Introduction to the chosen company

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Vision and culture of the chosen organization (i.e. strategies, office culture, etc.)

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Goals and Objectives of the chosen organization (analysis of the mission and vision of the company; how its operations follow these mission and vision statements)

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Activities (analysis of operations)

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Reflection of the information collected

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Conclusions and recommendations for the organization.

The written plan will address the following components of the Capstone Business Plan and you should be able to complete the following through this project:

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Section 1: Company culture/strategy

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Describe the company culture and, based on this culture, the strategy the organization takes in business (i.e. R&D, Marketing, Expansion, etc.)

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Vision of the organization and mission, how the company uses these as the pillars for the business operations

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Goal and objective of the organization (these are strategy-based goals and plans of action to achieve these set goals).

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Section 2: Management

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What is the management culture?

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How does management lead the organization toward the set goals?

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What does the management do to make sure the company culture, mission and vision are followed?

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Section 3: Operations

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Describe the organizational structure and definitions/descriptions of roles of involved

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Analyze the operations of the organization (i.e. Inventory controls, distribution, HR, etc.) and how these tie to the organizational goals

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Current strategies to expand their business (I.e. new products, acquisitions, etc.).

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Section 4: Conclusions

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Reflection on the information collected

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Conclusions of the analysis

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Recommendations for future operations of the organization.

               
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The written paper is to be 7-10 typed, single –spaced pages, with 1’ margins, Times New Roman 12-point font, with correct spelling and grammar, organized with headings, proper citation, references, and a cover page.  The instructor’s approval of the topic is required.

The following Library resources and web-sites could assist you in conducting the research to do the Critical Assignment:

Lynn Library Sources

ABI/INFORM

Academic OneFile

Academic Search Premier

Biography In Context

Business Source Complete

Campus Research: News and Law — U.S. (Powered by Westlaw)

Datamonitor

General Business File ASAP

Hoover’s Company Profiles

LexisNexis

ProQuest

Reference USA & OneSource

Research Library Core

Websites:

www.businessweek.com

www.forbes.com

www.wsj.com

Student Learning Outcomes:

Students will be able to:

a.      

Have the ability to analyze information, draw conclusions and communicate these effectively to develop a solid business plan and strategy for the organization.  (SLO 1.1, SLO 2.1, SLO 5.1, SLO 5.2, SLO 4.1, SLO 4.4)

2. Be able to apply theories and methods learned in class to real world examples of business.( SLO 1.2, SLO 2.2, SLO2.3, SLO 5.3, SLO 6.3, SLO 7.3)
3. Identify organizational goals and have the ability to relate them to the company strategy and mission statements (i.e. Missions statement, Corporate social responsibility and ethics, vision statement). (SLO 2.1, SLO 2.3, SLO 2.4)
4. Have the ability to analyze how management leads the organization towards its long term goals, through strategy, always following the vision and culture of the organization. ( SLO 1.3, SLO 3.1, SLO 3.2, SLO 4.4)
5. Identify and assess the company’s management style, applying it to their strategy. (SLO 1.3, SLO 5.2, SLO 5.3)

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