1. You are the president of a major sportswear company. Sales have bottomed-out in your footwear line, but your brand new headband is selling like crazy. You have more orders for headbands than you can fill from your inventory. Your also hear about a company up for sale that manufactures sports watches. Your board of directors would like to discuss what planning options are under consideration. Discuss what options are available to you. Include a thorough discussion of the different strategies discussed in Chapter 10.

2. Give an example of a company policy, procedure, and a rule. Comment on this Statement: “Most companies succeed or fail based on their ability to react to environmental changes.“ What does this statement have to do with strategic management?

3. You are the head of human resources at a bank. Last year, you created a strategy that gave every employee one additional week of paid vacation to retain more employees. Your boss asks you to evaluate the effectiveness of that strategy. Write a memo explaining how you will evaluate the success of the strategy.

4. Explain the purpose of a SWOT analysis. S W O T Why should it precede strategy selection? How could you use SWOT analysis in your personal life?

5. Your company, an multinational footwear manufacturer, has decided to expand its production. You have been asked to prepare a list of possible locations for a new factory that will employ 400 unskilled workers. Think about the factors you should consider in making your recommendations. Then type a brief memo that describes the advantage to your company of building a new factory in the location you chose.

6. What kind of production process would you select if your workforce consisted entirely of unskilled workers? Explain your answer.

7. Three of your friends are thinking of starting their own businesses and have asked you for advice. One friend plans to start a landscaping company. A second plans to start a manufacturing company that will produce calendars and greeting cards. A third plans to start his own catering company. Type a short memo to each of your friends. In each memo, identify which type of operating system and facility layout you believe is appropriate. Explain each of your recommendations.

8. You work in the admissions office at a local university. The president of the school is developing a mission statement. She has asked you to research the mission statements of two other schools and evaluate them. Based on your findings, she would like for you to discuss what you think needs to be addressed in the new mission statement.