In this assignment, you are to use Apple Company and examine the industry in which the entity operates.Use any or all of the following resources to conduct research on the corporation:

• The corporation’s website.
• Public filings from the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Filings & Forms page.
• Strayer University’s online databases.
• The Nexis Uni database.
• Other credible sources. (The corporation’s annual report will often provide insights that other resources may not include.)

(Note: It is expected that you will also use your course textbook to complete the assignment.)

Instructions:

Refer to the following documents for this assignment:

• Assignment Formatting and Tips [PDF]
• The attached template is REQUIRED for this assignment. (Refer back to it if needed as guidance for later assignments).
• Please review the attached “How to Earn Full Credit on Assignment 2” video.

Refer back to the Week 1 assignment template as a sample if needed. Write a 4-6 page academic research paper in which you include the following:*    Note: The title page and source list are in addition to the 4-6 page requirement

1. Choose the two segments of the general environment that would rank highest in their influence on the corporation you chose:
   • Assess how the two high-ranking segments in the general environment influence the corporation and the industry in which it operates.
2. Considering the Five Forces of Competition, choose the two you estimate to be the most significant for the corporation you chose:
   • Evaluate how well the corporation addressed two of the Five Forces of Competition in the last five years.
3. With the same two forces in mind, predict how the corporation could improve its ability to address these forces in the next 5-10 years. Support your response with relevant, specific evidence.
4. Consider the external threats affecting this corporation and the opportunities available to the corporation:
   • Assess how the corporation should deal with its most serious external threat and its greatest opportunity. Support your position with two pieces of specific evidence.
5. Consider the selected corporation’s greatest strengths and most significant weaknesses:
   • Determine the strategy or tactic, as explained in the textbook, the corporation should use to maximize its strengths and the strategy or tactic the corporation should use to minimize its greatest weakness. Support your choices with specific evidence.
6. Assess the corporation’s resources, capabilities, and core competencies.
7. Use three or more quality sources, including your textbook, to support your writing. Choose sources that are credible, relevant, and appropriate. Cite each source listed on your source page at least one time within your assignment. (Note: Wikipedia and similar websites do not qualify as academic resources)
   • For help with research, writing, and citation, access the library or review library guides.

  

Week 6 – External and Internal Environments

Student’s Full Name

BUS499 Business Administration Capstone

Professor’s Name

Date

Template Instructions (delete this page before submitting)

This template is provided to help you meet the assignment requirements. This page should NOT be submitted with your assignment, as it is not part of an academically written paper. Note the “Clarity, writing mechanics, and formatting requirements” section of the grading rubric.

HOW TO USE THIS TEMPLATE

· Read the explanations provided in the template for each section of your paper. 

o The explanations are in blue font below.

o You should have already read the assignment instructions in Blackboard.

· Type your response to each of the assignment requirements within the designated sections. 

o Each assignment requirement is identified using a section Heading that is in black font

o DO NOT add extra spaces between sections.

o DO NOT change the margins.

· You are required to have a heading for each section in your paper. 

o The required headings have been provided for you (in bold and black font).

o DO NOT delete, alter, or add anything to the section headings.

o DO NOT type the assignment instructions into the sections.

· After typing your responses, change the font color from blue to black and ensure your content is not in bold.

o Be sure to change the font color from blue to black on the title page after typing your name, professor’s name, and date.

· Everything in blue font on the following pages should be deleted and replaced with your responses in black.

· DELETE this entire page before you submit your assignment to avoid losing points.

REMINDERS

· The assignment is due in week 6. 

· Use the same public corporation you used for assignment 1.

· Do not copy content from previous assignments in this class or others.

· Late submissions negatively impact your grade.

· Include at least four (4) complete academically written pages that address the requirements. The title page, this instruction page, and the source page do not count.

· Use at least three (3) quality sources, one of which MUST be the course textbook.

· Strayer uses SafeAssign – an automated plagiarism checker. You must use your own words and external resources (with in-text citations) to support what you have written in your own words.

Week 6 – External and Internal Environments

Write your introduction here. Include one (1) paragraph (not more than 6 lines of text) explaining what your paper will discuss. Much of your introduction may be taken from the assignment instructions (in your own words). Read all assignment resources to understand what should be included in your paper. Review the assignment instructions in Blackboard, the grading rubric, and relevant course announcements to understand the requirements. Do not exceed 6 lines of text in this introduction. There should be no direct quotes in this section. After reading these instructions, replace this blue text with your introduction and change the font color to black.

General Environment

In this section, you will choose the two (2) segments of the general environment that would rank highest in their influence on the public corporation you chose for assignment 1. You must select from the segments discussed in the course. Hint: see Table 2.1 in the textbook. Do not assess all the segments—only assess the two (2) segments that rank highest in influencing your corporation. You will then assess how these segments affect the corporation and the industry in which it operates. There are two (2) subsections below, each with a heading. The heading “Segment 1” should be changed to the first segment of your selected general environment. The heading “Segment 2” should be changed to the second segment of your selected general environment. Replace this paragraph with a brief introduction that includes identifying the two (2) segments of the general environment you selected, and change the font color to black.

Segment 1

This subsection is where you assess the first of the two (2) segments of the general environment you think ranks highest in its influence on the public corporation you chose for assignment 1. Change the subheading for this section, which currently reads “Segment 1,” to the name of the selected segment. Assess how this segment affects the corporation and the industry in which it operates. Remember that to assess a concept, you need to weigh all aspects to determine the importance or relevance of that concept. Do not simply define the segment. Do not copy from your assignment 1 submission.

Your assessment should demonstrate that you have read, understand, and can apply the concepts covered in the course resources regarding the segment. Your writing here should thoroughly assess how the selected segment influences your corporation. Do not write about the general environment in broad terms. Your assessment should be directly related to your selected corporation. A thorough assessment is defined as providing a complete response that is not superficial or partial regarding the various details of the concepts described in the course. You will need to apply and incorporate key concepts from the course material into your assessment. Do not Google “segments of the general environment” or provide high-level summaries. You must display, in specific detail, an understanding based on what is studied in this course and demonstrate your ability to apply the concepts in a real-world assessment of a corporation. Read chapter 2 in the course textbook. Review the Week 2 Readings under “Learn” in Blackboard for supporting content. Properly cite your sources and avoid the use of direct quotes. After reading these instructions, replace this blue text with your assessment and change the font color to black.

Segment 2

This subsection is where you assess the second of the two (2) segments of the general environment you selected. Change the subheading for this section, which currently reads “Segment 2,” to the name of the selected segment of the general environment that would rank highest in its influence on the public corporation you chose for assignment 1. Repeat the evaluation instructions provided in the “Segment 1” subsection above for this second segment of the general environment. Re-read the instructions above to ensure you have covered all the requirements for this second segment of the general environment. After completing this section, replace this blue text with your evaluation and change the font color to black.

Five Forces of Competition

In this section, you will consider the five (5) forces of competition and choose the two (2) that you estimate are the most significant for the corporation you chose in assignment 1. Hint: see Figure 2.2 in the textbook. You will then evaluate how well the company has addressed each of these two (2) forces in the recent past. There are two (2) subsections below; each has a heading. The heading “Force 1” should be changed to the first of the two forces of competition you select. The heading “Force 2” should be changed to the second of the two forces of competition you select. Replace this paragraph with a very brief introduction that includes the identification of the two (2) forces of competition you selected and change the font color to black.

Force 1

This subsection is where you evaluate the first of two (2) forces of competition that you estimate to be the most significant to the corporation you chose. Change the subheading for this section, which currently reads “Force 1,” to the name of your selected force. Provide a thorough assessment of why you think the selected force is significant to your corporation. A thorough assessment is defined as providing a complete response that is not superficial or partial regarding the various details of the concept described in the course. Do not Google “five forces of competition” or simply provide a definition. You will need to apply and incorporate key concepts from the course material in your assessment. 

Evaluate how well the company addressed the selected force in the recent past. This will require some research. Remember that to evaluate a concept, you will break down all components to determine or analyze facts, value, or views. Your evaluation should demonstrate that you have read, understand, and can apply the concepts covered in the textbook and course resources. Do not write about the selected force in general terms. Your evaluation should be directly related to your selected corporation and include a thorough evaluation of how the company has addressed the force recently. You must display an understanding based on what is studied in this course and demonstrate an ability to apply the concepts in a real-world evaluation of a corporation. You will need to read the chapters and listen to the lectures to understand the key concepts for each force. Read chapter 2 in the course textbook. Review the Week 2 Readings under “Learn” in Blackboard for supporting content. Cite all sources and limit the use of direct quotes. After reading these instructions, replace this blue text with your evaluation and change the font color to black.

Force 2

Choose another one (1) of the five (5) forces of competition that you estimate to be the most significant for your chosen corporation. This should not be the same force assessed in the “Force 1” section above. Change the subheading for this section, which currently reads “Force 2,” to the name of the selected force. This subsection is where you evaluate the second of the two forces of competition that you selected. Repeat the evaluation instructions provided in the “Force 1” subsection above for this second force of competition. Re-read the instructions above to ensure you have covered all the requirements for this second force of competition. After completing this section, replace this blue text with your evaluation and change the font color to black.

Future Improvements

With the same two (2) forces assessed and evaluated in the previous two (2) sub-sections above, predict what the company might do to improve its ability to address the forces in the next 5-10 years. Your writing here should thoroughly predict what the company should do to address the impacts of the selected forces. Do not simply discuss company information published by your sources. This section should be your prediction of what the corporation should do. Your prediction should be your own, not predictions or recommendations from your sources or actions your corporation has already taken or plans to take. Remember that a thorough evaluation is defined as providing a complete response that is not superficial or partial regarding the various details of the concepts described in the course. Your prediction should be specific to your selected corporation, relevant to the evaluation you conducted, and directly related to improvements the corporation could make to address the two forces you selected in the two (2) sub-sections above. Read chapter 2 in the course textbook. Review the Week 2 Readings under “Learn” in Blackboard for supporting content. Cite your sources and avoid the use of direct quotes. After reading these instructions, replace this blue text with your prediction and change the font color to black.

Greatest External Threat

Identify what you consider the greatest external threat to the corporation you selected. The threat should be specific to your corporation. Justify why you believe the threat to be the greatest. Support your justification with an assessment of the threat’s impact on the corporation. For example, your justification could include comparing other threats or evaluating facts supporting the magnitude of the threat’s impact. Follow this justification with a discussion on how the corporation should address the threat. Specifically describe the strategy and provide a justification supporting why you believe the strategy will successfully combat the threat. This section must include a clearly identified external threat and a clearly articulated actionstrategy the corporation should take to address the threat. Do not write in general terms. Your writing here should be specific and incorporate the course concepts relating to threats and the external environment. Read chapter 2 in the course textbook. The textbook provides a solid background for this section. Review the Week 2 Readings under “Learn” in Blackboard for supporting content. Cite your sources and avoid the use of direct quotes. After reading these instructions, replace this blue text with your response and change the font color to black.

Greatest Opportunity

Identify what you consider the greatest opportunity for the corporation you selected. The opportunity should be specific to your corporation. Justify why you believe the opportunity to be the greatest. Support your justification with an assessment of the impact the opportunity could have on the corporation. For example, your justification could include comparing other opportunities or evaluating facts that support the magnitude of the opportunity’s impact. Follow this justification with a discussion on how the corporation could best take advantage of the opportunity. Specifically describe the strategy and provide a justification supporting why you believe the strategy will successfully add value to the corporation. This section must include a clearly identified opportunity and a clearly articulated action the corporation should take to take advantage of the opportunity. Do not write in general terms. Your writing here should be specific and incorporate the course concepts relating to opportunities and the external environment. Read chapter 2 in the course textbook. The textbook provides a solid background for this section. Review the Week 2 Readings under “Learn” in Blackboard for supporting content. Cite your sources and avoid the use of direct quotes. After reading these instructions, replace this blue text with your response and change the font color to black.

Strengths and Weaknesses

Give your opinion on the corporation’s greatest strengths and most significant weaknesses. Remember that strengths and weaknesses are internal to the organization (i.e., the internal environment). You will need to address both the greatest strengths and most significant weaknesses. Do not choose one or the other. Both the greatest strengths and most significant weaknesses must be addressed. Do not write in general terms. The identified strengths and weaknesses should be specific to your selected corporation. Include a justification that supports your opinions. This section must include both clearly identified strengths and clearly identified weaknesses. Read Chapters 2 and 3 in the course textbook. The textbook provides a solid background for this section. Review the Week 2 and Week 3 Readings under “Learn” in Blackboard for supporting content. Cite your sources and avoid the use of direct quotes. After reading these instructions, replace this blue text with your application and change the font color to black.

Strategy or Tactic

Choose the strategies or tactics the corporation should select to take maximum advantage of the strengths you identified in the section above and the strategies or tactics the corporation should select to fix the most significant weaknesses you identified. You will need to select strategies/tactics for strengths and weaknesses. Do not choose one or the other. Strategies/tactics for both the strengths and weaknesses must be addressed. Justify your choices. Your justifications should be sound and thoroughly explained. For example, do not simply state that the corporation should choose a selected strategy; explain why the strategy is a good choice for your corporation’s specific strengths or weaknesses. Read Chapters 2 and 3 in the course textbook. The textbook provides a solid background for this section. Review the Week 2 and 3 Readings under “Learn” in Blackboard for supporting content. Cite your sources and avoid the use of direct quotes. After reading these instructions, replace this blue text with your responses and change the font color to black.

Resources, Capabilities, and Core Competencies

Determine the company’s resources, capabilities, and core competencies. Your determination should include an explanation of the relevance of each resource, capability, and core competency. Do not simply list the resources, capabilities, and core competencies. Remember that a thorough determination will provide a complete response that is not superficial or partial regarding the various details of the concepts described in the course. Use your course materials to demonstrate your understanding of the key course concepts regarding resources, capabilities, and core competencies. Do not write in general terms. Your determination should display that you can apply the course concepts to your selected corporation. Read Chapter 3 in the course textbook. The textbook provides a solid background to this section. Review the Week 3 Readings under “Learn” in Blackboard for supporting content. Cite your sources and avoid the use of direct quotes. After reading these instructions, replace this blue text with your determination and change the font color to black.

Sources

1. Michael A. Hitt. 2020. Strategic Management: Concepts and Cases: Competitiveness and Globalization. 13th ed. Cengage Learning.

2. Author. Publication Date. Title. Page # (written as p. #). How to Find (e.g., web address)

3. Author. Publication Date. Title. Page # (written as p. #). How to Find (e.g., web address)