Strategic Fit of the Firm Assessment
Click Assignment Introduction – Unit 3 to launch the audio presentation from Terri Bell, a vice president of strategy. This presentation will describe details and offer suggestions for success with this assignment.
Assignment Introduction Unit 3
Hi there – Terri Bell here again. This week, I’ll be expecting you to complete your report about the Strategic Fit of the Firm. As we discussed in last week’s meeting. I’ll be expecting to see key information about the three strategic elements of our firm, and an analysis of how those elements fit the strategic frame. That will help me evaluate the current fit of our firm and the strengths and weaknesses in our strategy.
As I mentioned last week, there are some key questions to answer in your analysis.
Analyze and synthesize inconsistencies between the firm’s strategy and its goals. Does the strategy establish a direction and set aspirations that motivate and inspire the members of the organization to achieve its goals?
Evaluate how the firm leverages its resources and capability to execute the business strategy. Can existing resources support a larger volume of business? Are the firms capabilities found in its functions or the value chain, or both? Referring to table 3.6, are the firm’s capabilities allocated to establish and sustain competitive advantage? Does the strategy give coherence to decisions about allocation of resources?
Evaluate the effectiveness of the organizational structure and management systems’ design, and its ability to support the key resources and capabilities that execute the business strategy. Is the organizational structure suited for the particular tasks and particular business environment of the firm?
Articulate concerns or opportunities regarding shareholders and stakeholders, distribution of excess profits, or other ethical dilemmas. Does the strategy consistently balance stockholders and stakeholder interests?
Articulate concerns or opportunities about the strategic fit between the firm’s capabilities, organizational structure, and management systems.
Finally, compose a preliminary strategic fit report on the firm and its internal environment and how strategies are applied to product lines or market segments.
Submit your report in a business format, noting submission requirements that can be found in your courseroom assignment page.
I look forward to seeing your Strategic Fit assessment, and to connecting with you again next week.
Credits
Subject Matter Expert:
Vincent DeFazio
Interactive Designer:
Jay Austin
Instructional Designer:
Dawn Strobach
Project Manager:
David Balthazor

Assignment Overview
By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and assessment criteria:
•Analyze the strategic elements of organizations and their external environments, applying theories and models of strategy.
◾Analyze inconsistencies between a firm’s strategy and its goals.
•Critically evaluate information from core business functions and the value chain to enhance knowledge of organizational strategic position and direction.
◾Evaluate how a firm leverages its resources and capabilities to execute the business strategy.
◾Evaluate how the firm’s structure and systems support its capabilities.
•Create a comprehensive organizational strategy assessment.
◾Analyze concerns or opportunities regarding ethical dilemmas.
◾Analyze strategic fit issues between the firm’s capabilities, organizational structure, and management systems.
•Communicate in a manner that is professional and consistent with expectations for members of the business professions.
Assignment Description and Instructions

Write a detailed report of your analytical findings and strategic issues from your analysis of the firm to the vice president of strategy. Explain that this analysis focuses on the three strategic elements of the firm and the concerns or opportunities about how the strategic elements fit the strategic frame. Note, henceforth the concerns and opportunities are to be referred to as strategic issues, and be managed toward and integrated with the Comprehensive Organizational Strategic Analysis.
•Analyze and synthesize inconsistencies between the firm’s strategy and its goals. Does the strategy establish a direction and set aspirations that motivate and inspire the members of the organization to achieve its goals?
•Evaluate how the firm leverages its resources and capability to execute the business strategy. Can existing resources support a larger volume of business? Are the firm’s capabilities found in its functions or the value chain, or both? Referring to table 3.6, are the firm’s capabilities allocated to establish and sustain competitive advantage? Does the strategy give coherence to decisions about allocation of resources?
•Evaluate the effectiveness of the organizational structure and management system design, and its ability to support the key resources and capabilities that execute the business strategy. Is the organizational structure suited for the particular tasks and particular business environment of the firm?
•Articulate concerns or opportunities regarding shareholders and stakeholders, distribution of excess profits, or other ethical dilemmas. Does the strategy consistently balance stockholders and stakeholder interests?
•Articulate concerns or opportunities about the strategic fit between the firm’s capabilities, organizational structure, and management systems.
•Compose a preliminary strategic fit report on the firm and its internal environment and how strategies are applied to product lines or market segments.
•Submit your report in a business format, adhering to the submission requirements below.

Submission Requirements
•Written communication: Written communication is free of errors that detract from the overall message.
•Business formatting:
◾Length: 2–3 double-spaced, typed pages.
◾Font: Times New Roman, 12 point

•APA formatting: Resources and citations are formatted according to APA (6th ed.) style and formatting. Minimum of two sources required.

Refer to the Strategic Fit of the Firm Assessment Scoring Guide to ensure that you meet the grading criteria for this assignment.

Strategic Fit of the Firm Assessment Scoring Guide Grading Rubric
Criteria Non-performance Basic Proficient Distinguished
Analyze inconsistencies between a firm’s strategy and its goals.
18% Does not analyze a inconsistencies between the firm’s strategy and its goals. Describes, but does not analyze, inconsistencies between the firm’s strategy and its goals. Analyzes inconsistencies between the firm’s strategy and its goals. Relates the inconsistencies between the firm’s strategy and its goals to the firm’s competitive advantage.
Evaluate how a firm leverages its resources and capabilities to execute the business strategy.
18% Does not evaluate how a firm leverages its resources and capabilities to execute the business strategy. Analyzes, but does not evaluate, how a firm leverages its resources and capability to execute the business strategy. Evaluates how a firm leverages its resources and capabilities to execute the business strategy. Evaluates how a firm leverages its resources and capabilities to execute the business strategy including review of core business function or value chain activity of the firm.
Evaluate how the firm’s structure and systems support its capabilities.
18% Does not evaluate how the firm’s structure and systems support its capabilities. Analyzes how the firm’s structure and systems support its capabilities. Evaluates how the firm’s structure and systems support its capabilities. Evaluate how the firm’s structure and systems support its capabilities by including review of organizational design for the structure, systems, and capabilities to sustain competitive advantage.
Analyze concerns or opportunities regarding ethical dilemmas.
18% Does not analyze concerns or opportunities regarding ethical dilemmas. Describes but does not analyze strategic issues regarding shareholders and stakeholders, distribution of excess profits, or other ethical dilemmas. Analyzes concerns or opportunities regarding ethical dilemmas. Evaluates strategic issues that relate to corporate social responsibility or other ethical dilemmas.
Analyze strategic fit issues between the firm’s capabilities, organizational structure, and management systems.
18% Does not analyze strategic fit issues between the firm’s capabilities, organizational structures, and management systems. Describes, but does not analyze strategic fit issues between the firm’s capabilities, organizational structures, and management systems. Analyzes strategic fit issues between the firm’s capabilities, organizational structures, and management systems. Evaluates strategic fit issues between the firm’s capabilities, organizational structures, and management systems.
Communicate in a manner that is professional and consistent with expectations for members of the business professions.
10% Does not communicate in a manner that is professional and consistent with expectations for members of the business professions. Inconsistently communicates in a manner that is professional and consistent with expectations for members of the business professions. Communicates in a manner that is professional and consistent with expectations for members of the business professions. Communicates in an exemplary manner that is professional and consistent with expectations for members of the business professions.