The document provides directions for a competitive environment report on the consumer packaged food industry. Students are asked to: 1) Describe various aspects of the industry environment using concepts from marketing, economics, and supply chain courses. 2) Analyze the data using analytical tools and course concepts. 3) Identify strategic issues in the industry. The report should be 8-10 pages plus 5 additional pages of exhibits and include an introduction, 5 forces analysis, supply chain analysis, competitive analysis of demand, market segments and capacity, strategic maps, and competitive dynamics. In-text citations and a references section are required.

1. Directions for Team Competitive Environment Report. The intent of the Competitive
Environment Report is to continue to develop an in depth understanding of the consumer
packaged food industry. This is different from the competitive report, and you will see it in the
language below on what the paper needs to contain. Your group should draw on analytical
concepts presented in BA 452 as well as concepts from your marketing, economics, and supply
chain courses. The project consists of three steps/phases: A. Development of a description of
or body of data/information about various aspects of the firms environment (both general and
specific/industry) B. Analysis of the data/information using course concepts and analytical
tools C. Identification of strategic issues/problems/ in the industry. Deliverable should be no
more than 10 pages plus an additional 5 pages of exhibits (12 pt font). If you find that you go
beyond 10 pages, thats fine. The 5 pages of exhibits do not count in the 10 page deliverable, nor
do the title page and references section. Experience has shown that a good deliverable is between
8 and 10 fully written pages. Number exhibits sequentially throughout the document, and refer to
them throughout extensively. The actual exhibits must be placed at the end of the main body of
the text. Again, as mentioned earlier, you will need to bring in topics you have learned about
throughout your degree program with this. Your audience is the top executives of the
company. You need to place yourself in the role of an analyst who has been hired to help the
firm craft a strategy. Put your data into tables and figures. Your text should be your analysis,
interpretation, and findings derived from your data. You need to gather the data (cite your
sources) and do analysis. Remember it is the so what and interpretation which matters. Use the
techniques and tools to outline the external and competitive environment of the industry for the
company. You must refer to and utilize your Exhibits. Business writing is a must, therefore it is
important to use headings and have a clear logic in your report. Your report must contain the
following sections: 1. Introduction to your report and identify industry participants. 2. 5-
Forces Analysis. Is the industry attractive? Are there profits to be in this industry and by who.
Who are the incumbents? Potential new entrants? Are the forces shifting? 3. Identify the
Industrys supply and distribution chains. Who are the firms in these categories. 4.
Competitive Analysis Identify Demand explain what is driving demand and where is demand is
growing or not. What is forecasted demand. Are there proxies which are used for demand.
Identify the revenues in the industry and also Market Segments, Is capacity (supply) changing.
Are more stores being added or shut. Are companies entering the industry. Identify the Industry
structure and Market share of the competitors, What is occurring in the Life cycle and how does
this effect industry participants. 5. Strategic Maps Groups - Make sure you define competitive
dimensions and explain why those are appropriate for this industry. Is one group more
profitable than another. Are there different 5 forces at play in the groups? 6.

2. Competitive Dynamics - Describe any first movers. What are the tactical, strategic, offensive and
defensive actions or maneuvers that are going on within the industry. Who is the Best of Breed?
Who is very weak in the industry. Remember Headings, summaries, roadmaps, page numbers,
spelling and grammar all count! Make sure you use in-text citations in those areas with borrowed
content, which should be throughout, and a references section at the end. The references section
needs to be in alphabetical order. As indicated below, you should have several resources that are
brought in. A good minimum would be 10. This is a professional document. You should be
proud to show the report to any boss. Bibliography should be extensive. Use consistent format.
Choose either MLA or APA, but be sure to include the following information: authors name
(date). Title of article. publication (e.g., a magazine, journal, or series publication), volume,
issue, pages (if known), Source: http//www reference; database; accessed: date). Make sure to
include database from which the article was drawn.) Below are examples of bibliographic
entries. Examples of Bibliographic Entries Example of a magazine article: Russell, Sophia
(2009). Defiant Growth. B&T Magazine (Sept. 4), 59(2700):20-23 (Source: Database: Business
Source Premier:
http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=buh&AN=44685237&site=bsi-live;
accessed May 22, 2011). Example of a book: Jones, Geoffrey (2010). Beauty imagined: A
history of the global beauty industry (Oxford: Oxford University Press, Pp. xiv + 412. 25 illus.
32 plates. ISBN 9780199556496 Hbk. 25/$45). Example of a company document: Shiseido
Annual Report 2010 (Source: http://www.sec.gov. Note that in this instance the Annual Report
was drawn directly from a government source. It might also be available on the companys
investor page. External Competitive Environment (OTs) Worksheet* External Environment
Dimensions (Factors or Variables) Facts, Information, Data () Source O** T** Implications (E.
g., What are the trends? What would happen if a firm does nothing?) Action (What do firms
need to do?) Competitive (or Specific) Environment Suppliers: Buyers:
New Entrants: Substitutes: Rivalry: DEMAND: Market
Segments: Life cycle: Industry Structure: Pace of Chance: ** Use
a system for evaluating/prioritizing, e.g., Os could be evaluated as 1 as very important 5 as not
important and Neutral as 0. Team Competitive Environment Analysis Report
Name:___________________________________ Firm: __________________
Strategic Analysis (85%) Category (Weight) 1 2 3 4 Score External Analysis Industry (35%)
Five Forces Model Analysis did not identify and evaluate major trends in the industry (i.e.,
specific external environment) utilizing Five Forces Model. It is unclear if they understood the
model. Analysis identified and evaluated some of the major trends and issues in the industry
utilizing Five Forces Model. Understood pieces of the model as it related to the industry.
Analysis identified and evaluated most of the major trends and issues utilizing Five Forces

3. Model. Understood the model to some degree. Analysis thoroughly identified major trends in the
industry (i.e., specific external environment) utilizing Five Forces Model. It is clear that they
understand the model. Competitive Analysis (20%) Demand Industry revenues Market
segments Analysis did not identify and evaluate the industrys demand growth or decrease.
Lacked understanding concepts or missing. Analysis utilized few of the appropriate concepts
such forecasted demand, and identified market segments . Analysis identified and evaluated
most of the industrys competitive environment. Analysis utilized few of the appropriate
concepts such Industry characteristics, Minor demand numbers. Strong understanding of what
firms are doing in the industry Included demand past, present and forecasted as well as market
segment data.. Competitive Analysis (10%) Strategic Groups Industry Lifecycle Industry
Structure Analysis did not identify and evaluate the industrys competitive environment.
Analysis utilized few of the appropriate concepts such Industry characteristics, Competitive
dynamics and Analysis identified and evaluated some of the industrys competitive environment.
Analysis utilized few of the appropriate concepts such Industry characteristics, . Analysis
identified and evaluated most of the industrys competitive environment. Analysis utilized few of
the appropriate concepts such Industry characteristics, Minor demand numbers. Analysis
thoroughly identified of the industrys competitive environment. Analysis utilized few of the
appropriate concepts such Industry characteristics, Strong understanding of what firms are doing
in the industry Quality of Data & Analysis (20%) Data breadth bibliography Used data to
identify and support Opportunities & Threats Understood implications of the data. Report
provided little specific industry data. Few observations. Narrow scope. Narrow scope. The
analysis did not provide a analysis. Some data, but very superficial. Few observations and little
if any interpretation. Identified few opportunities and threats. . Limited understanding of the
models. Some logic errors and resulting argument was weak. Group just reported data rather than
discussing implications. Some non-obvious observations, sometimes interpreted well. Good
Data and observations, but needs more analysis. Identified some opportunities and threats. The
analysis provided adequate rationale for the these opportunities and threats by using facts and
numbers. Excellent data and well researched, Many issues observed in depth. Reasonable
interpretations of observations. Identified a number of opportunities and threats. The analysis
used well-reasoned supporting arguments. Data was well integrated. Not just reporting of data.
Sub-total for Analysis Writing Level of Professionalism (15%) Category (Weight) 1 2 3 4 Score
Grammar/spel-ling & Use of exhibits (10%) Uses headings Citations, Organization and framing
Flow of the paper Many grammar and spelling errors that interfered with understanding the
write-up. No exhibits included. Disorganized and not clearly labeled sections Many grammar and
spelling errors, but the write-up was generally understandable. Few exhibits included, but only
general reference made to the exhibits. Some organization (headings, labels, table of contents,

4. framing paragraphs) . Some grammar and spelling errors, but the write-up was very
understandable. Appropriate exhibits included each of which was referred at an appropriate point
in the write-up. Good organization (headings, labels, table of contents, framing and summary
paragraphs ) Very few grammar and spelling errors and very understandable. Included exhibits
that were very well designed and each was skillfully used in reinforcing the arguments in the
write-up. Good organization (headings, labels, table of contents, framing and summary
paragraphs ) in the write-up. Logic (5%) Understands the how the elements integrate.
Arguments fit with data. Many logic errors that made following the logic of the write-up
difficult. Many errors, The logic was incomplete and had some major holes. Some logic errors,
but there was little difficulty understanding the argument. Virtually no logic errors and resulting
argument was very strong. Sub-total for Writing Total