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Strategic plans for the Ford and Honda: Full SWOT analysis

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You are to develop the fundamentals of strategic plans for the Ford Motor Company and the Honda Motor Corporation, two giants of the automobile industry. You are to develop SWOT analyses and propose strategies for the two multinational enterprises. In doing so, it will be necessary to research, analyze, and compare both firms to better understand their current position and future plans to increase competitive advantage. Common problems facing each auto giant today are the current economy; the competition of the other auto firms; and the demand for a lower cost, more ecologically friendly, alternative fuel vehicle. Your research should include the following issues for both firms:

legal, social, and economic environments
management structure
operational and financial issues
impact of potential change factors
an analysis of strategic intent
future performance projections for at least five years
social and external challenges
current manufacturing facilities and distribution systems
market demand and demographics
alternative fuels and propulsion systems

Your document must evaluate, compare and contrast Fordâ??s and Hondaâ??s current position on these issues, then respond to the following:

Take the perspective of Ford's Director of Strategic Planning to develop a full SWOT analysis of Ford, identifying and explaining at least five factors for each category (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) and propose a complete strategy (implementation, ramification and evaluation) which addresses one of Ford's weaknesses and what you would do about it.

Take the perspective of Honda's Director of Strategic Planning to develop a full SWOT analysis of Honda, identifying and explaining at least five factors for each category (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) and propose a complete strategy (implementation, ramification and evaluation) which addresses one of Honda's weaknesses and what you would do about it.

If you were Honda, propose a complete strategy (implementation, ramification and evaluation) explaining what would you do about the alternative fuel vehicle issue?

Do not propose an alternative fuel vehicle strategy for response to questions 1 or 2.

Template to be used:

MGT680_UNIT 5_IP
WRITING_FORMAT EXAMPLE

COVER - no label necessary

ABSTRACT

Provide a complete synopsis of the project, provide the methodology used, and do not forget to include the results of your findings and your recommendations for all important aspects of the assignment. Remember, all questions in an assignment are important aspects. So, give me a very brief statement about your response for each question.

INTRODUCTION

You should state the purpose of the assignment and any additional background or lead-in comments you wish to makeâ?"you may paraphrase any other pertinent background or lead-in data you found through research or personal experience.

Ford and Honda (BODY)

Compare and Contrast

Your document must evaluate, compare and contrast Ford's and Honda's current position on several of the issues listed in the assignment. Your research and analysis on these issues will identify many important factors for both firms and give you insight into their strategic efforts. Provide your Compare and Contrast of the two auto giants in essay form. Two pages, properly cited, will suffice.

Ford SWOT

Take the perspective of Ford's Director of Strategic Planning to develop a full SWOT analysis of Ford, identifying and explaining at least five factors for each category (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) and propose a complete strategy (implementation, ramification and evaluation) which addresses one of Ford's weaknesses and what you would do about it.

Provide your response . . . . and be sure to do a complete SWOT analysis of Ford and one full strategic proposal providing all three required elements - implementation, ramification and evaluation.

Strengths
Factor 1: Keyword for the factor
Provide a full essay explanation of why the factor is important and why you placed it where you have.
Factor 2 through Factor n:

Continue identifying and explaining as many important factors as you can see for a better analysisâ?"remember five factors for each category are the absolute minimum acceptable, you need to identify more factors for a thorough analysis and a better grade.

Weaknesses
Factor 1: Keyword for the factor
Provide a full essay explanation of why the factor is important and why you placed it where you have.
Continue through Factor n:

Opportunities
Factor 1: Keyword for the factor
Provide a full essay explanation of why the factor is important and why you placed it where you have.
Continue through Factor n:

Threats
Factor 1: Keyword for the factor
Provide a full essay explanation of why the factor is important and why you placed it where you have.
Continue through Factor n:

Ford STRATEGY

Do not use the alternative fuel vehicles issue as a strategy for questions 1 or 2.
Implementation . . . . . You need to show me what you know of business by identifying as many steps as possible and explaining HOW each step would help accomplish the objectives of your strategy.
Ramification . . . . . . You need to identify several sets of advantages (pros) and disadvantages (cons) which may result from following your implementation plan.
Evaluation . . . . . . You need to establish four-faceted feedback. Your mechanisms need be (1) proactive and (2) reactive so that you may assess the success or failure of your plan all the way through your implementation. You also need to identify specific (3) qualitative and (4) quantitative measures to gather with the mechanisms you established.
The SWOT analyses for either firm should reflect the SWOT and Strategy file uploaded to the Instructor Files area. The explanation, specification, and SWOT format is found in the SWOT and Strategy file (SASF).

Honda SWOT

Take the perspective of Honda's Director of Strategic Planning to develop a full SWOT analysis of Honda, identifying and explaining at least five factors for each category (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) and propose a complete strategy (implementation, ramification and evaluation) which addresses one of Honda's weaknesses and what you would do about it.

Provide your response . . . . .and be sure to do a complete SWOT analysis of Honda and one full strategic proposal providing all three required elements - implementation, ramification and evaluation - following the format above.

Strengths
Factor 1: Keyword for the factor
Provide a full essay explanation of why the factor is important and why you placed it where you have.
Factor 2 through Factor n:
Continue identifying and explaining as many important factors as you can see for a better analysisâ?"remember five factors for each category are the absolute minimum acceptable, you need to identify more factors for a thorough analysis and a better grade.

Weaknesses
Factor 1: Keyword for the factor
Provide a full essay explanation of why the factor is important and why you placed it where you have.
Continue through Factor n:

Opportunities
Factor 1: Keyword for the factor
Provide a full essay explanation of why the factor is important and why you placed it where you have.
Continue through Factor n:

Threats
Factor 1: Keyword for the factor
Provide a full essay explanation of why the factor is important and why you placed it where you have.
Continue through Factor n:

Honda STRATEGY

Do not use the alternative fuel vehicles issue as a strategy for questions 1 or 2.
Implementation . . . . . You need to show me what you know of business by identifying as many steps as possible and explaining HOW each step would help accomplish the objectives of your strategy.
Ramification . . . . . . You need to identify several sets of advantages (pros) and disadvantages (cons) which may result from following your implementation plan.
Evaluation . . . . . . You need to establish four-faceted feedback. Your mechanisms need be (1) proactive and (2) reactive so that you may assess the success or failure of your plan all the way through your implementation. You also need to identify specific (3) qualitative and (4) quantitative measures to gather with the mechanisms you established.

HONDA ALTERNATIVE FUEL VEHICLE STRATEGY

If you were Honda, propose a complete strategy explaining what would you do about alternative fuel vehicles?
Provide your response . . . . and be sure to provide a full strategic proposal providing all three required elementsâ?"implementation, ramification and evaluationâ?"following the format above.
Implementation . . . . . You need to show me what you know of business by identifying as many steps as possible and explaining HOW each step would help accomplish the objectives of your strategy.
Ramification . . . . . . You need to identify several sets of advantages (pros) and disadvantages (cons) which may result from following your implementation plan.
Evaluation . . . . . . You need to establish four-faceted feedback. Your mechanisms need be (1) proactive and (2) reactive so that you may assess the success or failure of your plan all the way through your implementation. You also need to identify specific (3) qualitative and (4) quantitative measures to gather with the mechanisms you established.

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

I have found . . . . . .
I recommend . . . .
This is your assessment of the worth of the assignment for practice and academia. Tell me what you thought was beneficial and what you thought was a waste of time, and why you thought that. Any conclusions or recommendations the assignment asks you to present should be placed in the Body section of your assignment response under the appropriate question.

REFERENCE

APA full citation format is required for all sources used in preparation for your response. The text, for example, is cited:
David, Fred R. (2011). Strategic management: concepts and cases (13th ed). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice-Hall.

Three additional scholarly references, other than the text and the course materials, are required for this graduate assignment response. Please read the Research and Assignments file in your Instructor File/Drop Box area to help identify viable research sources.

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Solution Summary

Strategic plans for Ford and Honda are examined. A full SWOT analysis is provided.

Solution Preview

Ford Motor Company and Honda Motor Company: Strategic Planning

ABSTRACT
Change is a constant factor management must take into account in creating their company's strategic plans. This has never been truer than in the automobile industry. To provide a fundamental basis of the plans of Ford and Honda Motors Company, an analysis of existing literature about these automobile giants and the industry as a whole, and the issues confronting them.

INTRODUCTION

With the massive bailout allocated to the auto industry in the United States under the troubled asset relief plan or TARP, issues confronting the industry and their impact on the financial sustainability of auto companies in particular were underscored. Though analysts have put the industry back on track, majority of these issues and the threats they pose remain unresolved.

This paper aims to develop the fundamentals of strategic plans for two of the largest automobile companies, Ford Motor Company and Honda Motor Company, with focus on their strengths and weaknesses vis-à-vis the opportunities and threats facing the industry including the following:
1. legal, social, and economic environments,
2. management structure,
3. operational and financial issues,
4. impact of potential change factors,
5. an analysis of strategic intent,
6. future performance projections for at least five years,
7. social and external challenges,
8. current manufacturing facilities and distribution systems,
9. market demand and demographics, and
10. alternative fuels and propulsion systems.

Ford and Honda

Compare and Contrast
An in-depth review and analysis of the macro environment, which Ford and Honda operate in, shows that their existing strategic plans are no longer sufficient for the companies to defend their current market position (David, 2011). In this regard, the researcher identified the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats these companies have.

Ford SWOT

Strengths
Factor 1: Technological skills
Given that consumers demand increasing capacity for their vehicles, for example more fuel efficient, it is imperative that the technological skills of Ford be at par with the market demands.
Factor 2: Leading brand names
At the end of the day, brand names still influence the buying and purchasing decisions of customers. Ford has one of the best know brand names in the industry.
Factor 3: Customer loyalty
Environmentalists' primary criticism of Ford cars is that they are gas guzzlers. What is interesting is that the company's customers have continued buying these cars in spite of this outcry.
Factor 4: Scale
Economies of scale allow Ford to minimize ...

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