Competitive Strategies For the New Millennium









ASSIGNMENTS

The initial course assignment information follows below. You may expect additional assignments during the course.

Unless otherwise noted, completed assignments are to be e-mailed as attachments to Professor Claudon: claudon@middlebury.edu.

Assignment 1 - Submit individual responses
Prepare and submit your personal analysis that leads to and includes offering and defending three specific actionable recommendations for the Crown Cork & Seal in 1989 case.

Maximum Length:
4 pages - 12 point Times New Romanor similar, font. Tables and exhibits may be included in an appendix.
Due: E-mailed attachment posted by 22:00, Wednesday, Feb 21


Case Studies
Albamonova
Banionyte
Bareisis
Jurkstas
Kvarciejus
Moisenko
Naujokaityte
Pivoriunas
Pranulis

Assignment 2 - Submit individual responses
Prepare and submit your personal (individual) analysis that leads to and includes offering and defending three specific actionable recommendations for the Barnes and Noble vs. Amazon.com
Maximum Length: 4 pages - 12 point Times New Romanor similar, font. Tables and exhibits may be included in an appendix.
Due: E-mailed attachment posted by 22:00, Friday, March 2
 
Case Studies
Albomonova
Banionyte

Bareisis
Jurkstas
Kvarciejus
Moisenko
Pivoriunas


Assignment 3 - Submit team responses
 
Based on the Barnes and Noble vs. Amazon case, each team must submit a value curve analysis of the book sales, and distribution industry. Part of your challenge is defining what you mean by this industry; what you identify and defend are the bases of competition and sources of value for customers in this market.
Be certain to depict what you deem to be the Barnes and Noble and Amazon value curves - one for each company. Then suggest how a company might successfully enter this industry be creating a new market space - that is create and explain/defend a value curve for such a company.
Note: Each team prepares and submits a single response to this assignment.

Maximum Length: 8pages - 12 point Times New Romanor similar, font.

Due: E-mailed attachment posted by 22:00, Sunday, March 18

Assignment 4 - Submit team responses

Each team prepares and submits a short document that details your idea - the proposed new company concept,it's industry, and what will sell.

Maximum Length: 3 pages - 12 point Times New Roman, or similar, font. Tables and exhibits may be included in an appendix

Due: E-mailed Attachment posted by 22:00, Sunday, April 15

Assignment 5 - Submit individual responses
Think first about the following two questions, based on your reading and the lecture:
  • What do companies that ‘compete on the edge’ do that is fundamentally different?
  • What causes some companies to start ‘competing on the edge’?

Suppose you decide to advocate for adopting a time pacing stratety in your company or organization. Write a short discussion of how you might make your case - but make it as specific as you can to your own situation. Here are three questions that your discussion might usefully respond to:

  • What would some of the advantages for your company or employer or organization of adopting a strategy that incorporates time pacing? Why?
  • What are some potential problems of this new type of strategy - either in terms of managing the transition to it, or of actually operating under it once the company or organization is operating on a time pacing basis? Why?
  • Where might you company's or organization's attempt to transition to a time pacing strategy most likely to fail? Why?

Maximum Length: 3 pages - 12 point Times New Roman, or similar, font. Tables and exhibits may be included in an appendix

Due: E-mailed Attachment posted by 22:00, Friday, March 9
Assignment 5 - Submit team responses
Complete the Panevezys Radijus Grant Proposal Case

Create a completely specified decision tree from the information given, and then advise Jolanta Narbutaite as to whether she should compete for the grant or move on to other projects. Please be sure and provide an explanation that supports your recommendation.

Maximum Length: 2pages - 12 point Times New Roman, or similar, font - one for the decision tree and one for your recommendationa dn defense/explanation of same.

Due: E-mailed Attachment posted by 22:00, Sunday, April 8