C ‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‍‍‌‌‌‍‍ ompletely review the firm (Kroger Co) from top to bottom and look for areas that you can make suggestions for improvement and changes and back them up with research Title Page Section 1 Table of Contents: The Table of Contents will be Page two. This is a simple listing of the main and sub headers in the paper, keyed to their corresponding page numbers. Number each following page sequentially through the last page of the project. Section 2 Executive Summary Completed only after the rest of the paper has been completed, the Executive Summary is a brief synopsis of the paper with a solid conclusion. Describe the central problem that will be addressed and why it was chosen. Explain the objectives and what the case will examine. Define the limits of this research—what will be covered, and what is beyond the scope of this study. The executive summary is a one, or at most two, page summary of the main points of the paper. A person reading the executive summary should be able to understand the conclusions of the paper’s author, even though he or she would need to read the body of the paper for supporting evidence. Section 3 Introduction: The introduction presents the important background the reader will need to understand the company. This section includes a brief history of the organization, a description of its products (goods and services), a description of key competitors, and any other facts pertinent to the situation. Section 4 External Environmental Analysis: The General Environment This section examines the factors external to the organization that affect it. While an organization cannot control external factors, external factors create opportunities and threats to which the organization must respond. Common examples of external factors include: macroeconomic forces, socio-cultural forces, technology, global issues, demographics, political or legal forces, etc. Use specific data whenever possible (e.g., “the population of Asian immigrants in this market is growing at 5% annually”) and state how the organization will be affected (e.g., “… leading to greater demand for the new housing [our company provides].”) Examine a minimum of four of the following environments for macro-environmental trends and forces: ? Demographic ? Economic ? Social-Cultural ? Natural ? Technological ? Political-Legal Environment Research Requirements: What do experts say about the macro-environmental trends and forces? Include research from at least five sources. Total in-text citations and references for the General Environment: five Section 5 External Environmental Analysis: The Environment Within the Industry This section continues to examine the factors external to the organization within its industry. ? What is the size of the industry? ? What are the growth trends? ? What is the nature of competition for the organization? Students will use Porter’s Five Forces Model to examine competition (risk of entry by potential competitors, rivalry among established firms, bargaining power of buyers, bargaining power of suppliers, and substitute products). Research Requirements: What do experts say about the industry’s environment? Include research from at least five sources. Total in-text citations and references for the Environment Within the Industry: five Section 6 External Environmental Analysis: The Organization’s Market ? What are the organization’s main products and services? ? What specific benefits do customers get from the products and services? ? What are the primary markets and market segments, as defined by the organization? ? What are the primary ways that customers learn about the products and services? ? Approximately what percent of annual revenue is spent on marketing and sales efforts? Section 7 External Environmental Analysis: Purpose or Mission of the Organization ? Does the organization have a clear sense of mission? ? Is there a mission statement and is it communicated to those responsible for accomplishing it? Section 8 Internal Environmental Analysis: Financial Analysis of the Organization A key aspect of the analysis of strengths and weaknesses is a financial analysis. Financial analysis includes ratio analysis, trend analysis, and comparisons with other companies. Good financial analysis goes beyond merely calculating numbers; it includes interpretation of what the numbers reveal about the organization’s strengths and weaknesses. The following financial ratios must be researched and discussed: ? Short-Term Solvency/Liquidity: Current Ratio, Quick Ratio, Cash Ratio ? Long-Term Solvency/Leverage: Total Debt to Total Assets, Debt to Equity, Times Interest Earned Asset Utilization (Turnover Ratios): Inventory Turnover, Days’ Sales in Inventory, Receivables Turnover, Days’ Sales in Receivables, Total Asset Turnover (Sales/Total Assets) ? Profitability Ratios: Profit Margin, Return on Assets, Return on Equity ? Market Value Ratios: Price-Earnings, Market-to-Book Use the following format to research and discuss these ratios: Most Recent Fiscal Year Prior Year Ratio Change Industry Average Comments of this Ratio Ratio formulas: Current: Current Assets/Current Liabilities Quick: (Current Assets – Inventory)/Current Liabilities Cash: Cash/Current Liabilities Total Debt to Total Assets: (Current + Long-Term Liabilities)/Total Assets Debt to Equity: Total Debt/Total Equity Times Interest Earned: EBIT/Interest Inventory Turnover: ‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‍‍‌‌‌‍‍ COGS/Inventory Days’ Sales in Inventory: 365/Inventory Turnover Receivables Turnover: Sales/Accounts Receivable Days’ Sales in Receivables: 365/Receivables Turnover Total Asset Turnover: Sales/Total Assets Profit Margin: Net Income/Sales Return on Assets: Net Income/Total Assets Return on Equity: Net Income/Total Equity Price-Earnings (P/E): Price per Share/Earnings per Share Market-to-Book: Market Value per Share/Book Value per Share Section 9 Internal Environmental Analysis: SWOT Analysis Conduct a SWOT analysis identifying Leverages and Problems. Section 10 Identification of Central Problem (Central Issue to Solve) What is the central problem (central issue to solve) based on the SWOT analysis of this organization? This section will narrow the focus by identifying the key issues, discussing how they specifically relate to the problem and will guide the selection of the key focus areas to research to arrive at a viable solution. Section 11 Analysis of Problem: Development of Strategic Alternatives (at least two alternatives) ? What strategies can you suggest from your External and Internal environmental analysis? ? What strategies can you suggest from your financial analysis? ? What strategies can you suggest from your Porter’s Five Forces analysis? ? What strategic alternatives could you suggest from your evaluation of your organization’s mission? Section 12 Analysis of Problem: Evaluation of Strategic Alternatives: Management and Leadership Focus Area This section examines the involvement of management and leadership in the evaluation of the strategic alternatives suggested in the previous section. For example, assume the following scenario: the organization is a wireless telephone service provider, the central problem is an inadequate smartphone product line, and the alternatives are to 1) design and manufacturer their own branded smartphone in house and 2) purchase and private label a smartphone from an existing smartphone manufacturer. ? What do the experts in management and leadership say about the alternatives? ? What management or leadership key concepts and theories will help to support your discussion in evaluating the alternatives? ? Review any ethical considerations that should be examined in the strategic alternatives within the context of the management and leadership focus area and the moral and ethical framework. Section 13 Evaluation of Strategic Alternatives: Second Focus Area Select a focus area from Accounting, Finance, Information Systems, Human Resource Information Systems,