Assignment Chapter 2
Assignment Chapter 2
CHAPTER 2
IMPLEMENTING STRATEGY: THE VALUE CHAIN, THE BALANCE SCORECARD,
AND THE STRATEGY MAP
SWOT Analysis is a systematic procedure for identifying a firm’s critical success factors:
Internal strengths and weaknesses and External opportunities and threats.
Strengths and Weaknesses are most easily identified by looking inside the firm at its
specific resources:
Product Lines
Management
Research and Development
Operations
Marketing
Strategy
Opportunities and Threats can be identified most easily by analyzing the industry and
the firm’s competitors:
Barriers to Entry
Intensity of Rivalry Among Competitors
Pressure from Substitute Products
Bargaining Power of Customers
Bargaining Power of Suppliers
VALUE-CHAIN ANALYSIS
Value-Chain Analysis is a strategic analysis tool used to better understand the firm’s
competitive advantage, to identify where value to customers can be increased or costs reduced,
and to better understand the firm’s linkages with suppliers, customers, and other firms in the
industry.
The value-chain can be thought of as three main phases, that is:
1. Upstream
Includes product development and the firm’s linkages with suppliers.
2. Operations
Refers to the manufacturing operations or, for a retailer or service firm, the operations
involved in providing the product or service.
3. Downstream
Refers to linkages with customers, including delivery, service, and other related
activities.
Value-chain analysis has two steps:
Step 1. Identify The Value-Chain Activities
Value activities are activities that firms in the industry must perform in the process of
designing, manufacturing, and providing customer service.
Step 2. Develop a Competitive Advantage by Reducing Cost or Adding Value
The firm determines the nature of its current and potential competitive advantage by
studying the value activities and cost drivers identified earlier. The firm must consider the
following:
1. Identify competitive advantage (cost leadership or differentiation)
2. Identify opportunities for added value
3. Identify opportunities for reduced cost
Value-Chain Analysis in Computer Manufacturing
The computer industry provides an opportunity to show value-chain analysis in action. The
Computer Intelligence Company (CIC) manufactures computers for small businesses. CIC has an
excellent reputation for customer service, product innovation, and quality.
The Five Steps of Strategic Decision Making for CIC Manufacturing
1. Determine the strategic issues surrounding the problem.
2. Identify the alternative actions.
3. Obtain information and conduct analyses of the alternatives.
4. Based on strategy and analysis, choose and implement the desired alternative.
5. Provide an ongoing evaluation of the effectiveness of implementation in Step 4.
THE BALANCED SCORECARD AND THE STRATEGY MAP