This assignment is an exercise in critical thinking and problem solving, with a focus on solving a strategic business problem by analyzing relevant external and internal issues, generating alternative solutions, evaluating the solutions and making recommendations.

 

The “MCM Case is attached. Read the case and apply strategic thinking (thinking about relevant external and internal factors and business-level strategy) to the Case.  Then address each of the items below. Be as thorough and clear as possible in your logic and in your attention to the instructions.  Your answers and suggested solution should be appropriate to the situation and justified by the facts of the case.

 

Note that the information about the copper mining industry and other copper mining firms is accurate, but Midwest Copper Mining is a fictional company, and Kopperstadt is a fictional town.

 

The following are the seven criteria for evaluating MCM case assignment papers, along with guidelines for what constitutes excellence in meeting those criteria. In other words, the following are the guidelines for an excellent paper. The assumed target audience for papers and recommendations is constituted of MCM executive leadership and its Board; evaluations for each criterion can be raised or lowered depending on the quality of writing for that audience. In the paper, please clearly indicate each criterion being addressed.  Please also justify the points and arguments for each criterion and its components.

 

 

Criterion 1: Define the problem

a.     Clearly describe the most critical strategic problem facing MCM.

b.     Justify your choice of the most critical problem facing MCM by citing relevant external and internal factors. (Sometimes it is best to write this paragraph last, after analysis of external and internal factors, Criteria 2 and 3.)

 

Criterion 2: Analyze external factors

c.      Identify all factors in the general environment that could influence MCMs future, highlighting those that are particularly important, urgent or potentially impactful (that is, conduct a PESTEL analysis).

d.     Describe how all industry factors that could influence the future of the organization, highlighting those that are particularly important, urgent or potentially impactful (that is, conduct a Five Forces analysis).

 

Criterion 3: Analyze internal factors

e.     Identify all MCM strengths and resources, and how they are significant.

f.      Describe MCMs core competencies after applying the VRIO analysis to its resources.

g.     Identify MCMs main weaknesses.

 

Criterion 4:  Identify and justify the current business level strategy:

h.     Accurately identify MCMs current business-level strategy, justifying your choice by considering the basis and breadth of the way in which it competes. 

i.       An excellent answer integrates MCMs core competencies into discussion of its business-level strategy.

 

Criterion  5: Propose solutions

j.       Propose two solutions that each directly address MCMs main business problem, are feasible, and consider all or nearly all relevant external and internal factors, with particular attention to the most important ones.

k.     The two proposed solutions must be presented  in such a way that comparisons can be made between them for Criterion 6. Descriptions of the two solutions must be sufficient to recognize why they are alternatives worthy of consideration.

 

Criterion  6: Evaluate potential solutions

l.       Show thoughtful and complete consideration of each proposed solutions pros and cons.

m.   Examine each proposed solutions impact on MCMs stakeholders (existing customers, the workforce, the town of Kopperstadt, and so on).

 

Criterion  7: Make a recommendation

n.     Based on a clear and compelling rationale for choice, recommend one of the two proposed solutions,  which should best address MCMs main problem

o.     The recommended solution displays consideration of the most relevant MCM internal and external factors.

p.     Provide at least 5 actionable steps  to implement the recommended solution.

q.     Describe potential limitations of the recommended solution and what to monitor in order to make sure it will be successfully implemented.