International Business Strategy

CASE STUDY 1 – TEMPLATE

Write a 1,000 word case study considering the strategic orientation of an international firm. Select the firm from among the ten largest firms by annual sales from any country as listed on either the Thompson One or Orbis databases.

Draw data from these databases, company websites and annual reports, the Financial Times (ft.com) and other news media sources, and academic articles that may discuss the history of the company. Be careful to comprehensively reference the sources used, particularly internet sources. Make explicit use of theoretical concepts in your analysis.

Discuss the following:

1. What is the mission statement of the company? How is the mission statement reflected in the range of product/service offered/rendered?
2. Identify the main stakeholder groups. What are their interests, or “claims”, in the firm? What is(are), in your opinion, the most powerful stakeholder group(s)?
3. How would you describe the market structure in which the company operates, and why? How is the company positioned with respect to the main competitive forces?

In your submission please ensure that your essay has a strong academic foundation including theory, empirical evidence and references. If you use material from case studies or company websites remember that these need to be properly quoted and referenced just like all other materials.