Strategy$/$Mission Statement $(30$ Points$)$

In early rounds of your simulation, it$$s critical that much of your discussion and thinking be around strategy, focus, positioning, competitive advantage and portfolio configuration. Consistently, teams and individuals who are more successful in the simulation will spend more time in the early rounds, especially Round $1,$ deciding at the strategic level how their company should look like when it grows up$.$ The important conversations here start with:

$$ What is our core value proposition?

$$ What segments should we compete in$?$

$$ How many products should we offer?

$$ How much should we emphasize marketing and distribution?

$$ How shall we capitalize our plant, to what extent?

$$ How shall we finance our activities?$$

Answers to these questions roll into the team$$s tactics to be deployed each round of the simulation. Now, regardless of what overall strategy a team selects they can succeed in the simulation. What matters more is execution and communication; that your tactical decisions are all consistent with your strategic direction. Low cost strategies focus on lowering costs, offering whatever they offer at the lowest possible price to customers. High cost strategies, offering a more luxurious product, also have to do it at a cost that allows them to maintain a profit margin. It$$s a constant challenge to balance costs and product offerings, customer demands and shareholder demands. Whatever the tradeoffs you have to make as a manager, they are all driven by your strategy $-$ so think about that first $($and make sure your team is on the same page!$)$

Please submit the following:

NAME: $\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_$

Mission Statement $($Summary of Strategy$)(5$ Points$)$

Marketing Intent $($Products $[$R&D$],$ Promo$/$Sales$,$ Prices$)(15$ Points$)$

Production Plan $($Plant improvements$/$Liquidations$)(5$ Points$)$

Finances $($Borrow$,$ Issue Stock, Dividend Policy$)(5$ Points$)$