Business Commons^™

Deloitte U.S. Strategic Analysis, Lucy Bazis

Honors Theses

Deloitte is a well-known public accounting firm that provides various services, such as audit, tax, and consulting. This analysis assesses the external forces affecting Deloitte utilizing a PESTEL analysis, the industry forces utilizing a Porter’s Five Forces analysis, the current strategy, competitive advantages, and the resources of capabilities of the firm. Based on the assessment, this paper gives strategic recommendations to remain the top of the accounting industry.

Workiva Strategic Audit, Rose Pilakowski

Honors Theses

Workiva is a software development company that simplifies complex reports for companies in over 180 countries around the world. Within a controlled, secure, audit-ready platform, Workiva customers connect critical business data directly with their source systems. This paper will analyze Workiva to help understand how it utilizes its platform to gain and sustain competitive advantages in the software and accounting environments. After completing an analysis of Workiva and its industry, I found that Workiva currently sits at an advantageous position in relation to its competitors, but still has room to grow in holding the lead above them.

Fedex Ground Strategic Audit, Samantha Gates

Honors Theses

FedEx Ground is an operating segment of the parcel carrier giant FedEx Inc. The company, known for shipping products via delivery truck, has remained one of the largest parcel carriers in the country, despite drastic changes in its environment. This report seeks to understand the changing operating environment of FedEx Ground, its competitive advantages, and the future challenges it may face. The analysis uses PESTEL and Porter's Five Forces analyses to evaluate the changing external environment and industry FedEx Ground operates in. Additionally, challenges and recommendations are offered to navigate the future of this company.

Collective Mindfulness And Strategy, Aniruddha Chatterjee

Management Collection

Contemporary organizations are continually exposed to profound uncertainty and novelty. The collective mindfulness of organizational members facilitates sensing and interpretation of such environmental changes to effectively respond, adapt, and evolve. Collective mindfulness is a capability that enables organizational members to be alert to their context while continuously learning and ‘thinking on their feet’.

Despite the growing popularity of the concept since its inception around three decades ago, research on collective mindfulness nevertheless remains nascent. Several research opportunities and gaps have been identified, but inadequately addressed. For instance, much extant research on collective mindfulness has focused on High-Reliability Organizations (HROs) such …

The Impact Of Strategic Planning In Small Business: Empirical Evidence From East Tennessee, Sara Howe

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative research study explored the impact of strategic planning in small businesses within the service industry, specifically in East Tennessee. The focus was to gauge the level of importance small businesses placed on strategic planning, if any. The general problem to be addressed was the level of importance small businesses place on strategic planning that could affect organizational problems such as high turnover, low job satisfaction, poor engagement and performance, financial uncertainty, customer dissatisfaction, tarnished company reputation, and company closure. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to enhance the body of knowledge through magnifying the explanations behind …

Bnsf Strategic Analysis, Bella Tran

Honors Theses

Burlington Northern Santa Fe, LLC. (BNSF), is an American railroad that is concentrated in the western two-thirds of the U.S. This railroad has a history stretching back over a century that has led the company to now function as one of the leading Class I Railroad with over 30,000 employees and over 30,000 miles of laid track. Two methods of analysis were used to examine the competitive environment in which BNSF operates. The first is the PESTEL analysis which examines the macro-environment. The second is Porter’s Five Forces which analyzes the competitive environment of an industry. The analyses concluded that …

A Strategic Audit Of Seaworld, Jaden Capaldi, Rachel Jendro, Jacob Mir, Sophie Newman, Tommy Wolfe

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

The Organizational Leadership Framework, John Robert Sparks

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The field of leadership has evolved quite drastically over the years. Douglas McGregor showed us the evolution from a Theory X style belief that employees are unmotivated and dislike their work to his Theory Y style belief that employees are motivated and receive a sense of enjoyment from their work. Abraham Maslow expanded on this work with his Theory Z belief that optimal employee performance would prevail with the proper leadership approach. For years now, leadership has focused on various approaches or styles that produce the best performance resulting from the relationship between the leader and their follower. Organizations, research, …

Starbucks Strategic Analysis, Jillian Jacoba

Honors Theses

Starbucks is a multinational chain of coffee shops and roasteries that was founded in 1971. Starbucks has continued to grow for the past 51 years and continues to dominate the coffee industry. This strategic analysis evaluates the general environment using a PESTEL analysis, the industry using Porter’s Five Forces, and the company’s overall strategy and competitive advantages. This paper will evaluate Starbucks’ position in the industry and the strategic choices that have led the company to its extraordinary success.

Redfin Strategic Analysis, Steffanie Hitz

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

A Strategic Audit Of A24, Jackson Bartak

Honors Theses

A24 is an independent film production and distribution company founded in 2012. The company performs both duties for independent films as well as television programs, and a small portion of company revenue comes from merchandise it sells in an online kiosk. As of 2021, A24 had around 300 employees while maintaining a large catalog of movies and shows. Using a focus strategy, the company targets a more cultured audience for its unique (and sometimes outright bizarre) subject matter. To achieve this, A24 attempts to cast top B-list personnel both in acting and technical roles in order to corner its market. …