Assignment:
The objectives of this assignment are:
1. Provide the opportunity to critically analyze a current issue by applying your understanding of business concepts and to identify a specific business problem that needs managerial attention.
2. Outline the implications of a firm's growth strategy
3. Evaluate the effects of foreign policies and leadership decisions on a firm's growth strategy.
4. Access the effects of changing industry dynamics and government policies on a firm.
5. Understand the process of a firm's competitive actions, such as responding to a new government's foreign policy.
PART 1
Respond to each question thoroughly, keeping in mind the need for clarity, organization, and proper citation of external research. Please incorporate each question into an essay style case analysis. You may use section headings to organize your paper.
Question 1 Executive Summary
With information gathered from multiple sources and properly cited, provide an executive summary of the Harley Davidson company. Your summary should include the firm's history and evolution, its products, its mission and values, and data from public financial filings (the Annual Report).
Question 2: Opportunities and Challenges
After reading the case study and developing an understanding of the company, discuss at least three opportunities and three challenges facing Harley Davidson. Include both global and domestic contexts facing the CEO in your response.
Question 3 International Business Policies and Ethics:
How does foreign policy affect businesses and international expansion in particular? Do you think political pressure on American business is ethical? Consider the three questions that should be asked when considering the ethicality of an action as well as your personal position.
Question 4 Recommendations:
What recommendations/approach would you provide to the CEO and/or Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) take in order to grow sales and increase the stock price. Provide reasons/justifications for your response.
PART 2
Paper composition:
1. Use at least five external sources in addition to the case provided and your textbook.
2. Proper citations using MLA format are required for all sources.
3. The paper should be a minimum 1,200 to 1,500 words, double spaced and in MLA format.
4. A cover page and table of contents is required.
5. The introduction is an important part of your assignment. This helps to define the quality of the assignment in the eyes of the reader. For this assignment, your introduction must include a background of the main points of the case and a clear indication of the organization of your paper. The introduction will consist of one or two paragraphs prior to answering the questions on the assignment. Remember, the case analysis should be in paragraph style.
6. The conclusion of the assignment is your ultimate chance to provide powerful evidence of your knowledge of the case to the reader. Your conclusion should at a minimum provide a summary of the main points and arguments raised in the paper.