2013 MBAA/NAMS presentation, "Internal Analysis in Practice: Templates for Firm and Case Analysis" Michael E. Dobbs, Eastern Illinois University

1. Internal Analysis in Practice:
Templates for Firm and Case Analysis
Michael E. Dobbs, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Management

2. Five Forces Templates
Preview
• Challenges in Using Case Analyses
• Internal Analysis Templates
§ Structure
§ Example
§ Usage
• Extensions & Limitations
Michael E. Dobbs, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Management

3. Five Forces Templates
Challenges in Using Cases
• Wide Ranging Guidance for Internal Analysis in Strategy Textbooks
§ From no pages of coverage
§ To Wheelen & Hunger’s 28 pages of IFAS (Int. Factor Analysis Summary)
§ Most include some kind of checklist, but not specific structures
• Student Learning Preferences
§ Millennials want structure -- believe it or not!
§ If students are required to develop their own structure
§ It will demotivate most and increase procrastination
§ It will produce an inferior structure and analysis
§ Less time will be spent on analysis
• Providing a structure for students addresses these issues well
Michael E. Dobbs, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Management

4. Five Forces Templates
Michael E. Dobbs, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Management

5. Five Forces Templates
Internal Analysis Template
§ Template Mechanics
§ Subcategories are guidelines, not mandates
§ Each organization is different, each analyst may see things differently
§ Subcategories provide a starting point and ideas about what to analyze
§ Assessment
§ Descriptions, effectiveness, evaluations, benchmarking, mission fit, etc.
§ Can be text, charts, tables, etc.
§ S/W
§ For each item analyzed, strength and/or weakness identified
§ In some cases it can be both
§ Space utilization
§ Adjustments to column and/or row sizes as needed
§ Each section of the Internal Analysis on a separate page
Michael E. Dobbs, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Management

6. Five Forces Templates
Michael E. Dobbs, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Management

7. Five Forces Templates
VRIO Analysis
• Is a core competence a distinctive competence?
• Answer these questions (4 yes = distinctive competence):
§ Is there Value to customers/organization?
§ Is there Rarity among competitors?
§ Is there Inimitability for future competitors?
§ Is there Organization to fully exploit it?
Michael E. Dobbs, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Management

8. Five Forces Templates
Michael E. Dobbs, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Management

9. Five Forces Templates
Michael E. Dobbs, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Management

10. Five Forces Templates
Internal Analysis Templates Usage
• M.B.A. Students
§ Semester-long strategic management consulting project for local organization
§ In conjunction with other templates (e.g., industry analysis, MOWST Matrix, etc.)
• Undergraduate Strategic Management (Capstone)
§ Case analysis (Toyota latest used)
§ Comprehensive final exam case
• Consulting
§ Small businesses, non-profits, start-ups
• Former Students
§ In-class projects led to larger use within companies
Michael E. Dobbs, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Management

11. Five Forces Templates
Extensions & Limitations
• Extensions
§ More guidance for what to include in “Assessment” blocks
§ Weighting of factors/forces? (may exceed user utility limits)
• Limitations
§ Designed for use over multiple class periods
§ Quantitative measures still not explicitly called for
§ User’s understanding of underlying principles will strongly impact quality and
accuracy of strategic insight gained
Michael E. Dobbs, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Management

12. Five Forces Templates
Internal Analysis in Practice:
Templates for Firm and Case Analysis
Michael E. Dobbs, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Management
Eastern Illinois University
medobbs@eiu.edu
217-581-6925
600 Lincoln Ave.
Charleston, IL 61920
Michael E. Dobbs, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Management

13. Industry Analysis
Michael E. Dobbs, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Management