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
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
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
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