Description

Assignment: Company Competitive Advantage: Part 1

You are an IT analyst at XYZ Corporation, and the company has recently taken on a new client that wishes to understand how the organization can leverage its IT and IS functions as a form of competitive advantage. The company is small and would like to see some real-world evidence of this in order to arm themselves with information as they seek investors to grow their business. You have been asked by your manager, Farah Ahmad, to create a business analysis for the client company’s leadership in which you analyze the competitive landscape for a business and discuss the role of IT/IS in helping that company achieve a competitive advantage.

First, you should select a company, research two of its competitors, and create a report to present to the client in which you analyze the business’s current competitive standing within its industry using at least two competitive analysis models/tools with a focus on the role IT plays in determining its current competitive posture; one of the models used in the analysis must be Porter’s Five Forces. It is recommended that you search the Internet to identify industries/companies for which a Porter’s Five Forces analysis have been completed prior to selecting the company on which you will focus your response. Part 1 of your business analysis should be 5–7 paragraphs in length and include at least two references from the Walden Library or other scholarly academic sources.

Note: This Assignment consists of two parts. You will complete and submit Part 1 this week and you will complete and submit Part 2 in Week 6.

To prepare for this Assignment:

• Review this week’s Learning Resources.
• Refer to the Academic Writing Expectations for 2000/3000-Level Courses as you compose your Assignment.

By Day 7

Submit Part 1 of your business analysis, to include the following:

Part 1: Overview of Competitive Strategy for a Business

• Describe the company you selected for your analysis, as well as its competitive landscape, and explain why it can be characterized as a competitive business. (225–300 words, or 3–4 paragraphs)
• Identify at least one type of competitive strategy that this business uses, including specific examples/evidence to support your assertion. (150–225 words, or 2–3 paragraphs)

Note: For each prompt, be sure to reference at least one scholarly source to support your answer. Use the Week 5 Assignment Template, provided in this week’s Learning Resources, to complete this Assignment.

Refer to the Week 5 Assignment Rubric for specific grading elements and criteria. Your Instructor will use this grading rubric to assess your work.