The Strategist's Challenge

In this module, we'll discuss what we mean by business strategy and why it's important to an organization's competitive positioning. You'll learn about the strategic analysis and the SWOT, competitor, and environmental analysis tools and then have an opportunity to apply two of these tools in the Google case study. Enjoy learning!

In this module, we'll explore how to assess an industry's structure and how the competitive dynamics in an industry affect profitability. We'll go into depth with the five forces tool, a common and highly influential analytical framework that helps you understand key factors that shape the nature of competition in a specific industry environment. You'll get a chance to apply this tool in the Redhook case study. Enjoy analyzing!

In this module, we'll examine the tangible and intangible assets that form an organization's strength. We'll show you in depth how to complete a capabilities analysis and how to use this analysis to guide decision making. You'll get a chance to apply this tool in the Apple case study to clarify the major activities, skills, and resources that drive value to Apple's customers. Happy analyzing!