LibGuides UFV: BUS 403, Strategic Management: Organizational Analysis

The Assignment

Topics covered in the analysis are to include:

Brief overview of the company and its history
Vision and Mission
Organizational goals and strategies
Organizational structure
Evaluation of the company’s external environment
Evaluation of the company’s Resources, capabilities and competitiveness
Identify the critical Issues (opportunities, threats) facing the company
Summarize the organizational analysis section by stating your key findings and discuss the implications for the company’s strategy

Information Provided by Your Company

Company Web Site

Your company's web site can be a good source for vision, mission, & strategic statements, organization & structure, current financial information, company promotion & marketing tools, product information, and more. Corporate information may be buried on the main web site - look for an "About Us" or "Company" or "Investors" link on the home page.

But remember: the main purpose of a company's web and annual report site is to promote itself, so "trust but verify" - all of the information on the company's achievements and performance can (and should be) be verified in external sources.

Annual Reports

The most recent report (and sometimes previous reports) is usually available on the company's web site. The annual report is a great source for vision, mission, & strategic statements, organization & structure, current financial information, recent achievements, strategic plans, and more. The annual report is a legal requirement for public companies, but it's also a vehicle for retaining and attracting investors - always "trust but verify" using external sources.

Annual reports are also available from these sources:

SEDAR
Official reports for companies traded on Canadian stock exchanges; includes annual reports, financial statements, press releases and more for current as well as historical information; look for MD&A ( Management Discussion and Analysis) – includes vision, priorities, strategies
EDGAR
Official reports for companies traded on American stock exchanges; includes types of reports and financial statements as required by Security Exchange Commission. Use search code 10-K for annual reports, 10-Q for quarterly reports, 8-K is for current reports, DEF for information about directors and AGMs. A complete description of codes is available here: http://www.sec.gov/info/edgar/forms/edgform.pdf

It can also be a good idea to check out the annual report of your company's main competitors. They will also be analyzing the state of the industry, and their own prospects. If they have major vulnerabilities, that could good for your company, and vice versa if they're on the cusp on major growth potential.

Organizational Structure

The best source for your company's organizational structure is your company's web site. After all, who knows better how the company is structured than the company itself?

However, many companies do not share that information with the public. You can try searching the web for one, but finding a ready-made organization chart can be time-consuming and frustrating, because you end up having to verify all of the information yourself. So why not just try creating one? In fact, you probably already have all of the information you need:

Make sure you understand the difference(s) between functional, product, matrix, or other structures.
Look at the list of key people and their titles that is available through company profiles (see links below).
Titles of the key people will usually be linked to departments and/or geographical areas; these headings will help you map out the organization's structure and build your organization chart.

Business Source Complete (EBSCOHost) This link opens in a new window
MarketLine company profiles often list the key executives; this can help you determine the organizational structure of your company.

Morningstar
Morningstar is a well-respected provider of investment advice, much of which is available free on the web. Search by ticker symbol, then look for the Executive Team section under the Ownership tab.
Reuters
Reuters is a well-respected provider of company intelligence that provides a great deal of information for free on the web. Unfortunately, it's not obvious how to find company profile data from their web site, so if you search your favourite search engine for reuters [ticker symbol], you should be able to get to the company data. Look for the Executive Leadership section under Company Information.

Company Profiles and More

Research Databases

The following databases can be good sources for company profiles, as well as other information related to the company's organization, strategy, outlook, and more. Note that not all companies are included in each source, and that the amount of information available may vary from company to company.

Gale Business Insights This link opens in a new window
Offers a quick overview of the company, with links to articles discussing legal issues, management, operations, products & services, strategy & planning, and more, including a SWOT analysis. Use the links in the two menus on the left to navigate through these topics.
Business Source Complete (EBSCOHost) This link opens in a new window
The MarketLine reports provide information such as company overview, history, key employees and biographies, major products and services, SWOT analysis, top competitors, and company view. Not all reports include all of these elements. Click on the "Company Profiles" link in the menu on the right-hand side to browse or search a list of available reports. Also a good source of articles and reports from various business publications.
Canadian Business & Current Affairs (CBCA) (ProQuest) This link opens in a new window
No company profiles, but you can type in a company name in the "Organization" field and see everything about that company. Focus is on Canadian publications, including newspapers, so particularly useful if you are researching a Canadian company.
Passport GMID (Global Market Information Database) This link opens in a new window
Look for a global company profile for the best information. Focus is on fast-moving consumer goods, so may not provide profiles for companies in other industries.

Web-based Investment Sites

The following are well-respected sources of information for investors; much of their information is freely available on the web.

Morningstar
Well-respected provider of investment advice, much of which is available free on the web. Especially useful for financial performance and ratios, as well as key people.
Reuters
Reuters is a well-respected provider of company intelligence that provides a great deal of information for free on the web . It's particularly useful for financial performance (including financial ratios - see valuation ratios under "Financials"), key people, and current issues about your company (including what's being reported on social media). Also offers analysts' recommendations (by consensus).

Buisness-Oriented Social Media

Glassdoor
This is a job-searching platform that invites employees to review their working conditions. While heavily opinion-based, it does have the potential for providing insights into a company's corporate culture as experienced from the inside.
LinkedIn
This Microsoft-owned social media app provides a platform for people to network and discuss their work world. From here you can identify more about the backgrounds and experiences of key employees. Some may also make social media posts regularly, letting you know more information about their work-related values, moods and priorities.
Better Business Bureaus
These non-profit organizations attempt to track business reputations, identifying issues and customer concerns that might indicate issues.