MBA 500 Module Two Consulting Report Guidelines and Rubric
Overview
As part of the triple bottom line (TBL) focus, your organization’s CEO, Ms. Ann Hernandez, has asked each departmental manager to conduct a SWOT analysis of how transitioning to TBL will affect their departments. These SWOT reports will be provided to you for further analysis and interpretation in the upcoming week.
While you wait to receive these inputs from your CEO, you have decided to hone your business analysis skills by analyzing and interpreting the results of a well-known company, Trader Joe’s.
Prompt
Review the Trader Joe’s Case Study provided in the textbook.Case Study: Trader Joe’s | Keeping a Cool Edge
Your task is to create a consulting report based on your analysis of the Trader Joe’s case. In your report, address the following items:
Part 1: Key Performance Indicators (KPI)
Describe the relationship between strategic thinking and operational thinking. Distinguish between strategic thinking and operational thinking.
Identify the aspects of the Trader Joe’s case that relate to strategic thinking.
Identify the aspects of the Trader Joe’s case that relate to operational thinking.
Determine one key performance indicator each for strategic thinking and operational thinking and explain why these are mostappropriate for measuring success in marketing for Trader Joe’s.
Part 2: SWOT Analysis
How should an organization interpret the results from a SWOT analysis?
Identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) from the Trader Joe’s case. To answer this question, use the SWOT analysis template provided below. One example for each quadrant has been added to help you get started.Which information from Trader Joe’s SWOT analysis is internal? Which information from Trader Joe’s SWOT analysis is external?
Trader Joe’s: SWOT Analysis
STRENGTHSExample: “Trader Joe’s culture of product knowledge and customer involvement is carefully cultivated among new hires and current employees.”This phrase implies that the company has a process for collecting, reviewing, and using knowledge to make product improvements, which results in market responsiveness.
WEAKNESSESExample: “If customers don’t like something about a product, out it goes—count spinach and garlic from China among the rejected losers.”Because the company tests new products with customers and is willing to take a loss if customers don’t like products, this could lead to increased opportunities costs for those products that company purchasing agents passed up and decreased profits.
OPPORTUNITIESExample: “However, Trader Joe’s has a cozy and intimate atmosphere that its rival lacks.”This could be an opportunity to bring in local artists and designers to co-promote the Trader Joe’s brand and to increase local brand engagement and adoption.
THREATSExample: “search out tasty, unusual foods from all around the world”This could be a potential threat in times like we are experiencing right now, when global supply chains are disrupted and fewer products are available.
What to Submit
In a Word document, use double-spacing, 12-point Times New Roman font, and one-inch margins. This assignment should be 2 pages in length, and include references cited in APA format. Consult the Shapiro Library APA Style Guide for more information on citations.
Module Two Consulting Report Rubric
CriteriaExemplary (100%)Proficient (90%)Needs Improvement (70%)Not Evident (0%)Value
Strategic Thinking vs. Operational ThinkingExceeds proficiency in an exceptionally clear, insightful, sophisticated, or creative mannerDescribes the relationship between strategic thinking and operational thinking accuratelyShows progress toward proficiency, but with errors or omissions; areas for improvement may include providing examples of strategic vs. operational thinkingDoes not attempt criterion20
One Strategic KPIExceeds proficiency in an exceptionally clear, insightful, sophisticated, or creative mannerIdentifies one strategic KPI and explains why this is most appropriate for measuring success in marketingShows progress toward proficiency, but with errors or omissions; areas for improvement may include providing explanation on why identified KPI is most appropriate for measuring success in marketingDoes not attempt criterion10
One Operational KPIExceeds proficiency in an exceptionally clear, insightful, sophisticated, or creative mannerIdentifies one operational KPI and explains why this is most appropriate for measuring success in marketingShows progress toward proficiency, but with errors or omissions; areas for improvement may include providing explanation on why identified KPI is most appropriate for measuring success in marketingDoes not attempt criterion10
SWOTExceeds proficiency in an exceptionally clear, insightful, sophisticated, or creative mannerClearly identifies strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats related to a businessShows progress toward proficiency, but with errors or omissions; areas for improvement may include providing examples of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threatsDoes not attempt criterion20
SWOT ResultExceeds proficiency in an exceptionally clear, insightful, sophisticated, or creative mannerClearly interprets results from SWOT analysisShows progress toward proficiency, but with errors or omissions; areas for improvement may include demonstrating the relationship between strengths and opportunities in strategic planningDoes not attempt criterion20
Articulation of ResponseExceeds proficiency in an exceptionally clear, insightful, sophisticated, or creative mannerClearly conveys meaning with correct grammar, sentence structure, and spellingShows progress toward proficiency, but with errors in grammar, sentence structure, and spellingSubmission has critical errors in grammar, sentence structure, and spelling20
Total:100%
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