Strategy Execution Plan: Assignment Instructions

Select an organization for which you’re interested in developing an execution plan. Data on
publicly traded companies are more readily available than for privately held businesses and
nonprofit organizations, but consider entrepreneurial ventures, small businesses, and
nonprofits, if that industry or organization interests you. Conduct research, gather data, and
integrate your findings in a short paper that demonstrates your skill as a strategist.

Note: If you completed the final assignments for Foundations of Business Strategy,
Advanced Business Strategy or Business Growth Strategy, you may continue to work on
that same organization or you may select a different organization.

Report components:
1. Introduction: Identify and briefly describe the organization and its current competitive
position.
2. Strategy formulation: Select one approach to strategy formulation, provide a rationale
for your selection, and use the guidelines in course videos to apply it to your chosen
organization:
a. War Room--create a storyboard of how the strategy will unfold (upload it by
inserting a photo of it, if handrawn, it into your report; if digital, save as a PDF
and insert into your report)
b. Rapid Prototyping--create an “experiment” or pilot to test your strategy
c. Design Thinking--observe users to develop empathy and describe a strategy to
serve these users
d. Business Model Canvas--find a template online and complete all sections to
briefly, but fully describe your strategy
3. Strategy analysis: Next, select one strategy for your chosen organization and complete
a hypothesis test to identify vulnerabilities in your strategy.
a. Frame the option as a hypothesis
b. Identify core assumptions and evaluate them using the value, execution, scale,
and defensibility tests. Eliminate any that do not pass the test.
c. Collect data to test the remaining, core assumptions. Identify the data that would
help you test the key assumptions--what you know, what you don’t and can’t
know, and what you don’t know but could--and then find the information that will
help you prove or disprove your assumptions.
d. Based on the results of your hypothesis test, describe next steps.
e. Be sure to keep a list of sources and to cite the sources of your information.
4. Strategy implementation: Apply the 4A model to your chosen organization, identifying
issues and describing what would need to happen for it to be achieved.
a. Alignment--is the organization aligned both externally, internally, and in
leadership?
b. Ability--does the firm have the talent to implement the strategy?
c. Architecture--is the infrastructure in place to drive to performance?
d. Agility--is the organization responsive and nimble?
 5. Conclusion:: Synthesize your findings into a logical conclusion that addresses how
strategy analysis, formulation, and implementation come together.
6. Addendum of exhibits and citations: Support your analysis of this firm’s execution
opportunities and issues with data, charts, and graphs. Include and list references of
sources consulted and cited.

Refer to the Assignment Rubric to guide the development of your report. Compile these
components into an organized, typed report, written in English, and upload it (in PDF
format only) for peer review, which will determine your grade for this assignment. To pass this
assignment, you must receive 75% or above. If you receive a peer review you feel is unfair, you
may flag it for Coursera to review.