Research Paper on "Coca Cola Before 1970"

Quoted Instructions for "Coca Cola Before 1970" Assignment:

The instructions are below. Please make sure you follow all the instructions below given for this assignment. Background. Please send any questions if you have any.

The Case in this course is an ongoing exercise, which means that we will be taking an intensive look at one company over the course of 5 modules. This session, we will be conducting a strategic analysis of The Coca-Cola Company. In order to be best prepared and perform well on the cases, it is highly recommended that you complete the background readings and the SLP before writing to the case.

For this case, you will be identifying the primary business strategy employed by The Coca-Cola Company. You will also be providing a critical analysis evaluating that strategy in the context of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats you identified in Modules 2 and 3.

Required Reading

Please refer to the required and optional readings on Strategic Choices, the theme of Module 4.

Assignment

Step One: Which of the four strategies discussed in this module (see background materials) does The Coca-Cola Company follow? How do you know?

Step Two: Using the process you learned in the SLP, integrate this strategy with the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats you identified in modules 2 and 3. This should give you some specific actions the company is taking relative to their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. These actions are referred to as *****"strategic choices.*****" Do The Coca-Cola Company*****'s strategic choices align with the firm*****'s generic strategy? If not, what are the points of disconnect? You need to think critically about this step, no company achieves perfect alignment of its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats with its chosen strategy. It is your job to uncover the discrepancies and problems.

Step Three: Identify any specific sustained competitive advantages conferred on The Coca-Cola Company by virtue of its strategic choices.

Step Three: In a 4-5 page paper:

1) Discuss the effectiveness of The Coca-Cola Company*****'s strategy in the light of its internal strengths and weaknesses, and external threats and opportunities.

2) Has the company created any sustained competitive advantages?

3) Identify any unaddressed threats or missed opportunities.

4) What can The Coca-Cola Company do to build on its strengths and shore up its weaknesses by altering its strategic choices?

5) Complete the paper by commenting on how your view of The Coca-Cola Company*****'s vision and mission has changed or has been reconfirmed by this process of strategic analysis. Would you make any suggestions to revise the strategy, mission or vision?

Step Four: Consider the Case as a formal business report that you are developing for the Board of Directors and CEO as The Coca-Cola Company*****'s consultant. This is a professional document. Follow the format below:

Executive summary: a synopsis of the main points, conclusions and recommendations made in the longer report. If you have never written an executive summary before, or would like a refresher, check this website: http://www.highendfinance.com/CommercialLoans/Docs/07-4%20ES%20Guidelines.doc

Introduction: State the main purpose of the paper (thesis statement), what you hope to accomplish, and how you will go about doing it.

Main Body: The *****"meat*****" of the paper. Emphasize analysis, not just description. Delineate separate topics or sections with headings.

Conclusion: Summarize your paper in light of your thesis statement.

Assignment Expectations

Your paper will be evaluated on the following seven (7) points:

Precision - Does the paper address the question(s) or task(s)?

Breadth - Is the full breadth of the subject, i.e., all the keys to the assignment, addressed?

Depth - Does the paper address all elements of the topic in sufficient depth? Does it include and apply the background readings and other background resources? Are they included as references?

Critical thinking - Are the concepts of the module applied accurately, logically, and relevantly?

Organization - Is the paper organized in a coherent and systematic manner? Are headings included in all papers greater than 2 pages?

Clarity - Is the writing clear and the concepts articulated properly? Are paraphrasing and synthesis of concepts the primary means of response to the questions, or are thoughts conveyed through excessive use of quotations?

Referencing (citations and references) - Does the paper use citations and quotation marks where appropriate? Are all references listed in the bibliography used and referred to via citation?