For your culminating MBA project, you will recommend a new strategy for either your current company, or one you are interested in researching, then explore multiple topics in strategic management related to your chosen strategy throughout each week of this course. The complete project requirements and the template you will follow is available in your course resources.

As you identify a strategy for your project, consider a focus area that is important to you, your current company, or that represents an opportunity for you to expand your knowledge and skills. Leverage this project to explore a topic relevant to your current job or future career interests. Keep in mind that your actual strategy may change as you explore each component of your project. For this project, you should use publicly available information on the company you select.

Consider the five critical questions related to defining strategy presented in your text as you consider your project topic $($p$.27-28).$ This may assist you with narrowing your topic!

Why do some firms perform better than others?

How are competitive and performance differences sustained?

What is the nature of strategy in a multi$-$business firm?

How is strategic effectiveness measured?

What is special about strategic decisions?

Below are some example project ideas; however, you are encouraged to identify a project that is meaningful in your current role or for your future.

Plan for launching a new product or service within an existing company

Analyze the potential impact of emerging new technology on an existing company$$s products or services

Design a new strategic business unit within an organization

Plan for reaching a new market segment

Analyze the competitive landscape for a product$/$service and recommend a new strategy

Design an operations management plan that creates new efficiencies, creating a strategic advantage

For this first week, you will identify your strategy topic area and submit this as a $1-$page proposal brief to your instructor.

Your proposal brief should include the following:

Background of the company you selected.

Brief description of your proposed new strategy. $($Keep in mind that as you explore and research various topics each week, your strategy may change.$)$

Conclusion explaining why you chose this company and the strategy you proposed.