Week 1 Learning Activities

General instructions:

1. Research, apply and answer in your own words with appropriate reference(s) and in-text citation(s) to this week’s readings, videos, and/or examples from current events to support the position and/or rationale.
2. Label your responses specifically “Learning activity 1”, and “Learning activity 2”.
3. Write in 250 words at least for initial response due Thursday,
4. Write in 75 words for each follow-up response(at least 2 follow-up responses for each learning activity)due Sunday by expanding the discussion topic substantively and explore other possibilities and/or solutions, thereby enriching class learning.

Week 1 Learning Activity 1

Corporate mission statements and official goals are a starting point because they will tell the audience the firm’s desired public image. (Bateman & Snell, 2011, p.73)

Below are six Mission Statements and six Vision Statements.

• Select ONE (1) Mission Statement and ONE (1) Vision Statement. Please note if you select Company A for your mission statement from the available pool of mission statements (with Company A, B, C, D and E), your selected vision statement must belong to another company from another pool of available vision statements (with Company U, V, W, X, Y and Z).
• Clearly explain why the respectively selected Mission Statement and Vision Statement are effective or ineffective.
• Support the rationale for your explanation.
• Use the appropriate APA formatted scholarly reference sources and corresponding in-text citations in all your postings.

Part A: Mission statements

1. Bally’s Mission Statement

Bally shoes set you apart. They are the perfect shoes to complement your lifestyle. Bally shoes project an image of European style and elegance that ensures one is not just dressed, but well-dressed. (Pearce II, & Robinson Jr., 2000, p.37)

1. Berry & Jerry’s Mission Statement

Ben & Jerry operates on a three-part mission that aims to create linked prosperity for everyone that’s connected to our business: suppliers, employees, farmers, franchisees, customers, and neighbors alike. (Our values, n.d.)

Our three-part mission guides our decision making.

• Our Product Mission drives us to make fantastic ice cream – for its own sake.
• Our Economic Mission asks us to manage our Company for sustainable financial growth.
• Our Social Mission compels us to use our Company in innovative ways to make the world a better place.

1. Patagonia’s Mission Statement

“Build the best product, cause no unnecessary harm, use business to inspire and implement solutions to the environment crisis.” (Schermerhorn, 2012, p. C-6)

Reference

Schermerhorn, J.R. (2012). Exploring management (3^rd ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley

4.DuPont’s Mission Statement

DuPont is a science company. We work collaboratively to find sustainable, innovative, market-driven solutions to solve some of the world’s biggest challenges, making lives better, safer, and healthier for people everywhere. (Our purpose, 2016).

1. Intel’s Mission Statement

 “To succeed we must maintain our innovative environment. We strive to: embrace change, challenge the status quo, listen to all ideas and viewpoints, encourage and reward informed risk taking and learn from our successes and mistakes:” (Wheelen, Hunger, 1998, p.265)

1. FedEx Mission Statement (Company overview, 2016)

FedEx Corporation will produce superior financial returns for its shareowners by providing high value-added logistics, transportation and related business services through focused operating companies. Customer requirements will be met in the highest quality manner appropriate to each market segment served. FedEx will strive to develop mutually rewarding relationships with its team members, partners and suppliers. Safety will be the first consideration in all operations. Corporate activities will be conducted to the highest ethical and professional standards.

Part B: Strategic Vision Statements

• Bring together members, strategic alliances and other stakeholders to promote solutions that will advance the industry’s sustainability and competitiveness.
• Provide business and policy decision-making support through research, industry data collection, analysis and reports.
• Speak on behalf of AF&PA members to a wide range of audiences with a unified and informed voice.
• AF&PA and its employees are models of competency and productivity in a dynamic economic and political climate.

1. CIA’s Vision Statement

CIA’s information, insights, and actions consistently provide tactical and strategic advantage for the United States. (CIA mission, vision, ethos & challenges, 2016)

1. City of Cedar Rapids’ Vision Statement (Vision 2030, 2007)

Vision 2030 offers a look at the city in the future created in 2007 by a committee of 20 citizens the city’s diverse and growing economy helps guarantee a quality of life for all citizens based on broad educational, cultural and recreational opportunities the vision statement includes a growing-out goals and objectives, including a growing focus on regionalism and public and private partnerships.

• Cedar Rapids is a leader in effective regionalism.
• Downtown is thriving and vibrant.
• We promote strategic and sustainable development.

1. Great Lakes Naval Museum’s Vision Statement

“To enhance and become an integral part of the training mission of the Naval Service Training Command, Great Lakes, by instilling in our newest sailors a strong sense of tradition and heritage of Naval service in the United States.” (Bateman & Snell, 2011, p.136)

Be the global leader in supporting our customers to strengthen global security, deliver citizen services and advance scientific discovery. (Our vision and values, 2016).

1. Nike’s Vision Statement

To bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete in the world.” (David, 2005, p.380)

References:

Bateman, T.S. & Snell, S.A. (2011). Management: Leading & collaborating in a competitive world (9^th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin

CIA mission, vision, ethos & challenges (2016, March 24). Retrieved fromhttps://www.cia.gov/about-cia/cia-vision-mission-values

Company overview: Mission and goals (2016). Retrieved from http://investors.fedex.com/company-overview/mission-and-goals/default.aspx

David, F.R. (2005). Strategic management: Concepts and cases.(10^th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall

Our purpose (2016). Retrieved from http://www.dupont.com/corporate-functions/our-company/purpose.html

Our values (n.d). Retrieved from http://www.benjerry.com/values

Our vision and values (2016). Retrieved fromhttp://www.lockheedmartin.com/us/who-we-are/ethics/our_vision_values.html

Pearce II, J.A. & Robinson Jr., R.B. (2000).Strategic management: Formulation, implementation and control 7^th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin.

Schermerhorn, J.R. (2012). Exploring management (3^rd ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley

Vison 2030 (2007). Retrieved from http://www.cedar-rapids.org/document_center/BoardsCommissions/2007%20Long%20Term%20Planning%20Commission%20-%20VISION%202030.pdf

Wheelen, T.L., & Hunger, J.D. (1998).Strategic management: and business policy: Entering 21^st century global society. (6^th ed.). New York: Addison-Wesley.

Week 1 Learning Activity 2 

In Section 1.1, “Defining Strategic Management and Strategy” in  “Chapter 1 “Mastering Strategy: Art and Science” of our textbook (2014), we learn that the changing factors within the environment in which most companies and/or organizations are operating have significantly impacted business (or organization) environments in recent decades. Professor Henry Mintzberg of McGill University in Montreal, articulated “the 5 P’s of strategy”. (Unknown, 2014, Ch.1, Sec.1.1., p.6) The “5 P’s of Strategy” capture the complexity of defining strategic management.

Please select ONE of the Mintzberg’s "5 P’s of Strategy”:

• Clearly explain why you selected that particular concept (that is, “Why do you believe it is important to the overall strategic management process?”)
• Support the rationale of your explanation by means of a focal company in an industry of your choice as the background information for your explanatory analysis.
• Explain whether that particular concept requires more of the perspective of an art or the perspective of a science, from the viewpoint of the strategic leaders of a focal company.
• Use the appropriate APA formatted scholarly reference sources and corresponding in-text citations in all your postings.

Reference:

Unknown (2014). Introduction to strategic management.  Washington, D.C.:  The Saylor Foundation