2 mgt4070 assignments

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Week 4 Assignment

Case Study #11—Martha Stewart

Read the Martha Stewart case study located in the section titled Case Studies in your textbook concerning the following situation:

This case focuses on the corporate governance aspect of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia (MSO), a media empire founded by Martha Stewart. Stewart is a former model and devoted her career to domestic perfection and luxury. She is the brand icon of MSO; however, with new technology and the shift of consumer tastes and preferences, MSO’s business model is receiving serious threats from other competitors.

After a review of the history of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, the case discusses its competition, the legal problem that Martha Stewart encountered, changing leadership within MSO, Martha Stewart’s questionable compensation, and the future of MSO. The case concludes with a discussion of MSO’s future at a crossroads.

The case underscores the importance of corporate governance when conditions in the environment change. An analysis of the separation of ownership and managerial control, board of directors, and executive compensation will aid in evaluating the future of MSO. Some analysts suggest that MSO will lose its competitiveness once Martha Stewart leaves the company; others suggest that the MSO brand has lost its brand image by going into product lines such as cleaning fluids and dog poop bags. Also, a few analysts suggest that MSO is a potential takeover target.

This case is ideal for demonstrating the importance of corporate governance. The following points are to guide a review and discussion of some important concepts.

  • Discuss MSO’s corporate governance. Has the company been able to separate the ownership and managerial control?
  • Evaluate the effectiveness of MSO’s board of directors. Have the directors been able to monitor and control the company?
  • Executive compensation is a method of governance mechanisms. Discuss Martha Stewart’s compensation and evaluate its effectiveness.
  • Is MSO in financial trouble? Discuss the possibility of the market for corporate control. Will MSO become a takeover target?
  • Describe MSOs next move in terms of growth and expansion. Provide an analysis, of what additional recommendations would be required to be done to help MSO achieve its goals?
  • Evaluate MSO’s international strategy and its use of alliances to achieve company objectives, what would be their best strategy?

Submission Details:

  • Present your analysis as a 3–4-page report in a Microsoft Word document formatted in APA style.
  • Support your responses with examples. Cite any sources in APA format.
  • Name your document MGT4070_W4_LastName_FirstInitial.doc
  • Submit your document to the Submissions Area by the due date assigned.

Week 5 assignment

Case Study—Siemens

Read the Siemens case study located in the section titled Case Studies in your textbook concerning the following situation:

Siemens is a leading global electrical engineering and electronics firm headquartered in Munich, Germany. Profiling a highly-diversified company, this case addresses the issue of optimizing the business portfolio through a coherent corporate strategy. An in-depth look at the programs designed and implemented at Siemens to spur management innovation provides a unique opportunity to study an organization’s efforts to facilitate the transfer corporate-level core competencies across business divisions in order to strengthen competitive position and performance.

The case opens with an introduction and a profile of the company. Management innovation activity at Siemens is then thoroughly reviewed, including the context, evolution, purpose, content, implementation, capability development, and performance measurement of the company’s top+ program.

This case study demonstrates how the principles of strategic management apply to Siemens’ structured and systematic approach to management innovation and business excellence. It also provides a framework for assessing the effectiveness of the company’s corporate management tools and programs.

  • Describe Siemens’ corporate-level strategy and characterize its level of diversification. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the company’s matrix organizational structure. Does the organizational design effectively support the needs of Siemens’ corporate-level strategy?
  • Describe how the company structured the top+ program. Who was responsible for oversight and coordination of the business excellence initiatives? How does the management innovation activity at Siemen’s facilitate achievement of the company’s corporate objectives?
  • Using a balanced scorecard framework, outline the financial and strategic organizational controls used by Siemens to drive management behavior and firm performance. Are the corporate criteria balanced? Are they yielding desired outcomes for the company?
  • Conduct a financial analysis using Siemens’ financial performance results from 1998 to 2007 to assess the effectiveness or success of the top+ program. What recommendations would you make to improve either the design or implementation of the company’s management innovation efforts?

Submission Details:

  • Present your report as an 8–12-page Microsoft Word document formatted in APA style.
  • Support your responses with examples. Cite any sources in APA format.
  • Name your document MGT4070_W5_LastName_FirstInitial.doc
  • Submit your document to the Submissions Area by the due date assigned.