Topic Provided Discussion Board

Mini Case - Managerial Decision Making and Learning in an era of Globalization

The President of Southern University is responsible for ensuring that all key stakeholders who contribute to the strategic planning process for the University (what products/services should be offered, to whom, how etc.), have a sufficiently comprehensive, organized and accurate perception of those aspects of the external environment that impact (or will impact) the performance context of the University. The President asks you to identify and review the key environmental factors that the strategic planning team needs to carefully consider when updating the strategic plan for the University. Listed below are the various elements of the external environment that must be considered and addressed in order for an organization to operate efficiently and effectively within its performance context - identify 2 factors that the strategic planners at Southern University must consider, and explain what they need to consider about these factors when developing a new strategy and operating model for the University

Task Environment (immediate external environment)

• customers
• suppliers
• competitors
• suppliers
• labor supply
• distributors

General Environment (broader external environment)

• technological forces
• socio-cultural forces
• international/globalization forces & nationalization forces
• demographic forces
• political and Legal forces
• economic forces
• environmental issues (general physical environment)