Topic: BUS 599 CASE 4

Writer ( SIX PAGES)

Please read below notes from the professor grading of Case 3, I receive an A, thanks for your hard work. This is case 4 paper.

FINDING FOR CASE 3 FROM PROFESSOR:

Falon, thanks for your week three case study assignment and getting it submitted. In this assignment you are asked to:
1. First, identify and discuss the organization’s strategy and classify it according to Porter€„¢s three generic competitive strategies. Use the Nadler-Tushman Congruence Model and conduct an analysis of Skype’s inputs and how they align with the strategy.
2. Please start with strategy, since you have already done some work on this aspect in your first report.
3. Identify the most critical inputs in each of the first three categories and discuss why they are critical. Review the company’ inputs and determine one or two specific critical inputs from each input category: environment, resources, and history.
4. Explain what effect the inputs from one category have on inputs from the other categories.
5. Please determine how well aligned the critical inputs are with the strategy. Is there high congruence (alignment), some congruence, or little to no congruence? I expect you to support your claim with a good, logical argument using the information you have collected.
6. Make a Case for your proposition as to how the Key Inputs support (are congruent with) the Strategy. Specifically make a claim: The inputs at Skype consisting of Organizational Environment factors. Internal Resource factors, and Historical Tradition factors are, [highly, partially, or minimally] congruent with the company’s strategy because€¦
7. Support your analysis with objective evidence. Sources of information for the entire project may include interviews, organizational documents and reports, articles in newspapers and trade publications. Be sure to cite your sources and provide a list of references.
8. Write up your report in a four (4)-six (6) page paper and submit it by the end of the module.
9. Assignment expectations are the same as they have listed in the first two modules.

Based on the above requirements, we will address your report. In this assignment you are asked to:
1. First, identify and discuss the organization’s strategy and classify it according to Porter’s three generic competitive strategies. I noted your identification as being a differentiation strategy. Use the Nadler-Tushman Congruence Model and conduct an analysis of Skype’s inputs and how they align with the strategy. You did discuss this. I also liked your notation of low cost and focus.
2. Please start with strategy, since you have already done some work on this aspect in your first report. Good job.
3. Identify the most critical inputs in each of the first three categories and discuss why they are critical. Review the company’s inputs and determine one or two specific critical inputs from each input category: environment, resources, and history. With respect to the environment, I noted your references to competition and very good note on the level of competition? Also would international and governmental regulations be issues? With respect to resources, capital (from multiple years) was good. The most important resource is human resources. I did not really see how the environment impacts resources and history. This could be clearer.
4. Explain what effect the inputs from one category have on inputs from the other categories. Discussed just above and it was a good job.
5. Please determine how well aligned the critical inputs are with the strategy. Is there high congruence (alignment), some congruence, or little to no congruence? I expect you to support your claim with a good, logical argument using the information you have collected. Your commentary included that some are and some are not aligned, good work. Are there any objective measurements?
6. Make a Case for your proposition as to how the Key Inputs support (are congruent with) the Strategy. Specifically make a claim: The inputs at Skype consisting of Organizational Environment factors. Internal Resource factors and Historical Tradition factors are, [highly, partially, or minimally] congruent with the company’s strategy because€¦. As mentioned above, I liked you efforts on this report. .
7. Support your analysis with objective evidence. Sources of information for the entire project may include interviews, organizational documents and reports, articles in newspapers and trade publications. Be sure to cite your sources and provide a list of references. I thought the information you supplied was good.
8. Write up your report in a four (4)-six (6) page paper and submit it by the end of the module. Good job.
9. Assignment expectations are the same as they have listed in the first two modules. I thought the expectations were generally met with respect to presentation, grammar, format, etc.

To summarize, let me say that I do appreciate your efforts and my constructive criticism is just to get you to excel in your communications with other professionals. I am on a mission to improve you and appreciate your help and focus in the process. Hang in there, you are in good shape. Best regards, Dr. Gary

Below is Case 4 paper ASSIGNMENT

BUS599 €“ MBA Integrative Project

Module 4 €“ Case

Case: Outputs Diagnosis, SLP: Time Warp 3

BACKGROUND

XCG

THE EXCELLENT CONSULTING GROUP

COMMUNICATION FROM ART:

Onward to the next project: Outputs of Skype. As I indicated before, this is a follow-up using the Nadler-Tushman Congruence Model.

We need to analyze how Skype, has been doing in terms of its performance, how it stacks up against its goals. And we need to do this at three levels: the overall organizational level, the group level, and the individual level. The Congruence Model really explains this very well. If you are not up to speed on this model by now, you need to get there.

The executives want to know how congruent the outputs are across the three levels. So given your analysis of performance at each of the three levels, are the interactions of these outputs congruent €“ highly, somewhat, or ver little? I need you to make this determination and support it with a good logical argument using the information that you obtain about Skype’s goals and performance.

REQUIRED READING:

Nadler, D.A. & Tushman, M.L. (1980) A Model for Diagnosing Organizational Behavior. Organizational Dynamics, 9 (2), 35-51.

CASE 4 ASSIGNMENT:

Use the Nadler-Tushman Congruence Module to analyze Skype’s outputs. Start with the Organizational Level. Identify the Outputs €“ what does it produce and sell? What are its goals? How has it been performing? Then go the group level. What are some groups that Skype identifies, and the goals and performance of these groups. Finally, discuss the Individual level. Here you will find it difficult to get much detailed information, so identify five to seven key jobs and their outputs. How can the performance of these jobs be measured? Finally determine the congruence of the outputs and make a strong argument for your case.

Be sure to include references. Turn in the 4-6 page paper by the end of the module.

KEYS TO THE ASSIGNMENT:

In order to make your case you need to identify the outputs of the organization at each of three levels. Also identify the goals that it has set and its current performance. Include the following:

Outputs at the organizational level are the products and/or services that it provides to its customers. What are these and how does the company categorize them? How does it measure its organizational perfomance (e.g., sales, net profit, return on sales, return on assets, market share, customer satisfaction, etc.) Provide some specific performance data.
What are some ways the company identifies groups? For example, are there geographic groups (or divisions), functional groups, etc. What are the outputs of these groups? How does it (or how might it) measure performance of these groups?
What are some of the key individual functions, and what are their outputs? How do these outputs contribute to the group outputs? How do they measure individual performance?
Evaluate how the outputs at the different levels interact with each other. Determine if you think the congruence of the outputs is high, medium, or low. Then Make a strong Case. It is very important that you support your position with evidence and information that you have discussed earlier in the report.
ASSIGNMNT 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 this 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?
TIPS AND SUGGESTIONS

You may use a simple diagram to highlight important factors. However, do not use the diagram in lieu of valuable analysis (or to take up valuable writing space) €“ it should be in addition to your paper of 4-6 pages of analysis.
Just because you have written the minimum four pages does not mean that you have adequately covered the topic. Err on the side of writing more rather than less.
Choose the data you use carefully. Is it relevant and important?
Include a cover page and reference page, in addition to the 5-7 pages of analysis described above.
Include headings within the paper
Cite AND reference all sources that you use in your work, including those that you do not quote but paraphrase. This means include citations and quotation marks for direct quotes of more than 5 words, and citations for that information which you have €œborrowed€ or paraphrased from other sources.
Follow TUI Guidelines for well-written papers. (Click here if you are unsure of what those guidelines are)