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Internal analysis for California Pizza Kitchen

Essay Instructions:
the same writer that wrote my mgt599 module 1 and 2 should do this module 3 case and slp 3 im going to order its a continuation. The case in this course is a "ongoing" case, which means that we will be taking an intense look at one company over the course of 5 modules. This term, we will be conducting a strategic analysis of the California Pizza Kitchen (CPK). In order to be best prepared and perform well on the cases, it is highly recommended that you complete the background readings and the SLP before writing the case. The objective for this case is to complete an internal analysis for CPK, using an RBV Framework, that will provide evidence for your assessment of the organization's strengths and weaknesses. This will lead to the completion of a SWOT analysis. To refresh your memory about the SWOT analysis, you may want to review these readings assigned in Case 2: SWOT analysis: Lesson. (2009). Retrieved from Marketing Teacher. Web site: http://marketingteacher(dot)com/Lessons/lesson_swot.htm Zahorsky, D. (2009). A business owner's secret weapon: SWOT analysis. Retrieved from About.com: Small Business Information. Web site: http://sbinformation(dot)about(dot)com/cs/bestpractices/a/swot.htm Obviously, this can be a very extensive undertaking, requiring far more time and resources than we have for this course. So you will want to limit your analysis to the identification and evaluation of one or two key items in each element of the model, as described in the background readings and ennumerated in the SLP for this module. Step One: Determine the economic value of the California Pizza Kitchen. This may involve some assumptions as to the cost of captial, just be clear in what assumptions you are making. Step Two: Using the sources you identified in the SLP, collect some data on each of the tangible and intangible resources of the organization. Step Three: Using the sources you identified in the SLP, collect some data on each of the 3 capabilities. Step Four: In a 4-5 page paper, write up the results of your internal analysis, leading to conclusions about the strengths and weaknesses facing CPK as revealed by your analysis. Please note: These strengths and weaknesses should be synthesized with the results of your module 2 case to make an overall SWOT analysis. The data you report must be properly cited through intext citations and a reference list, or footnotes. Format: Consider the Case as a formal business report that you are developing for the Board of Directors and CEO as CPK's company consultant. This is a professional document. · Executive summary: a synopsis of the main points, conclusions and recommendations made in the longer report. · Introduction: State the main purpose of the paper (thesis statement), what you hope to accomplish, and how you will go about doing it. · Main Body: The "meat" of the paper. Emphasize analysis, not just description. Delineate separate topics or sections with headings. · Conclusion: Summarize paper in the light of your thesis statement. background material One of the criticisms of Porter's 5-Forces model and an external analysis in general, is that it can help identify what problems or difficulties firms are likely to encounter in a given industry, but it gives not insight into what a particular company can do to manipulate those forces in their favor and thus gain a competitive advantage. In this module, we will focus on analysis of the Internal Environment, or the company itself. This is sometimes referred to as the "company profile." Two useful frameworks that help us focus on the essential factors for analysis of the internal environment are Porter's Value Chain and the Resource Based View framework (RBV). After conducting an analysis of an organizations internal environment, you will be in a position to complete the last two elements of the SWOT analysis, identification of the strengths and weaknesses of a company. Internal Analysis Components Before we introduce the analytical models we will be using in this module, some background information is helpful. A company has (A) primary activities and (B) support activities. The primary activities are: Research and Development (R&D), Production (manufacturing), Marketing and Sales, Customer Service The Support activities are: Company Infrastructure, Human Resources, Materials Management, and Infrastructure. A. Primary Activities Research and Development includes development and design of products, and of production processes. Many manufacturing companies have separate R&D departments, and for highly innovative companies this may be one of the most important departments in the organization (for example, see 3-M). Some service companies may include R&D activities as a part of marketing or customer service. For instance, banks introduce new products to attract customers. Production is in charge of creating goods or services. Some companies manufacture products. Banks make loans. Retail companies sell products. These are instances of production. The Marketing and Sales department plays several roles. It advertises and positions the brand, it identifies marketing needs, it sets pricing. Service provides after sale service. B. Support Activities Materials Management manages the logistics of moving materials from procurement of inputs to production and then moving outputs through distribution to customers. Inventory management is part of it. Human Resources focuses on employing the necessary skills mix to carry out the organization's mission, and to motivate, train, and compensate the workforce. Information Systems refers to computer support in processing functions and supporting company operations , as well as Internet. Infrastructure: organizational structure, controls, and culture. The infrastructure must be capabable of supporting the primary activities of the organzation and be compatible with it's strategy. Power Point Presentation Please go to Dr. Connelley's presentation. For part two of the narrated slide presentation on strategic situation analysis, click on the title below. This slide presentation focuses on the importance of optimizing the internal functions of an organization in order to create added value to the firm's products or services: Strategy for the Internal Environment Porter's Value Chain Porter's value chain is a widely used framework for organizing and interpreting an internal analysis. It is pictured below and discussed in the previously powerpoint presentation. You can see that it considers both primary and support activities, though it may use slightly different labels and definitions. By managing the various components of the value chain, companies can achieve a cost advantage over competitors, or distinguish themselves from competitors by offering a distinctively better product or service. Read more about Value chain analysis at: n.a. (2007) The Value Chain. NetMBA. Retrieved from http://www(dot)netmba(dot)com/strategy/value-chain/ While the value chain can be a very valuable tool for breaking down and streamlining costs and creating maximum value, it is a very complicated process that typically involves considerable quantitative analysis. Refer back to the reading for Module 2 for a look at the types of financial ratios are used to determine the value of various components of the chain. Recall from Chapter 2 that this reading is rather long, but has great information to help you with the Internal Analysis. Since you have already read the first part of the Chapter, in this module you only need to look at the second part. If you did not already do so, you will need to register with this site, but there is no fee involved. Read the second part of Chapter Two which deals with the internal analysis: Comeford, R., & Callaghan, D. Environmental, industry, and internal analysis. Retrieved from University of Rhode Island. Web site: http://www(dot)scribd(dot)com/doc/19448976/STRATEGICMGMTCOMERFORD The Resource Based View The resource based view arose directly in response to the criticism mentioned at the start of this page, that the external analysis is much less useful to a company seeking to attain a competitive advantage than its internal capabilities and resources. "Instead of focusing on the accumulation of resources necessary to implement the strategy dictated by conditions and constraints in the external environment (I/O model), the resource-based view suggests that a firm's unique resources and capabilities provide the basis for a strategy. The business strategy chosen should allow the firm to best exploit its core competencies relative to opportunities in the external environment." Source: "Strategic Management - Competitiveness and Globalization", M.A. Hint, R.D. Ireland, R.E. Hoskisson Central to this analytical view is that a firm's core competencies and resources are MORE critical to the development of a strategy than the external environment. In reality, the truth probably lies somewere in between, with a balance between external demands and internal capacities leading to the most successful competitive position. This is the essence of a SWOT analysis, and RBV can certainly inform an analysis of strengths and weaknesses. For an excellent review of the basics of the Resource Based View, read the following chapter: Henry, A. (2007). The Internal Environment: A Resource Based View of Strategy. Understanding Strategic Managment. Oxford University Press. Retrieved from http://www(dot)oup(dot)com/uk/orc/bin/9780199288304/henry_ch05.pdf Required Readings: Connelley, D. Strategy for the internal environment. Power Point presentation. Comeford, R., & Callaghan, D. Environmental, industry, and internal analysis. Retrieved from University of Rhode Island. Web site: http://www(dot)scribd(dot)com/doc/19448976/STRATEGICMGMTCOMERFORD Henry, A. (2007). The Internal Environment: A Resource Based View of Strategy. Understanding Strategic Managment. Oxford University Press. Retrieved from http://www(dot)oup(dot)com/uk/orc/bin/9780199288304/henry_ch05.pdf n.a. (2007) The Value Chain. NetMBA. Retrieved from http://www(dot)netmba(dot)com/strategy/value-chain/ Case Readings: SWOT analysis: Lesson. (2009). Retrieved from Marketing Teacher. Web site: http://marketingteacher(dot)com/Lessons/lesson_swot.htm Zahorsky, D. (2009). A business owner's secret weapon: SWOT analysis. Retrieved from About.com: Small Business Information. Web site: http://sbinformation(dot)about(dot)com/cs/bestpractices/a/swot.htm
Essay Sample Content Preview:

INTERNAL ANALYSIS FOR CALIFORNIA PIZZA KITCHEN
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(01st, February, 2011)
Internal analysis for California Pizza Kitchen
Background Information
California pizza kitchen inc. was founded by Rosenfield and Larry
Flax, in 1985 through a combination of fresh, distinctive ingredients to offer premium pizza with innovative tastes that appealed many customers as they could easily identify with. California pizza kitchen is a fast growing and one of the most successful chains of restaurants that have been operational for nearly decade in the United States. The company is famous for its most innovative ad distinct menus as compared to other eating establishment in the United States. They offer menu including: bacon-lettuce-tomato pizza, barbecue chicken pizza, calzone pizza and moo shu pizza. It also offers more than just pizza as it also offers variety of salads, pasta, beer, desserts, soft drinks and wine but it swell known for its pizza (Peteraf, 1993).
With its sales increasing rapidly it has continued its aggressive expansion policy. California pizza kitchen has operations in more than 253 locations in 32 States, District of Columbia and in foreign countries. The company owns 205 as well as 48 franchise restaurants across the world. Some of the key recent developments of the California pizza kitchen inc. include the opening of news stores in Georgia, United Arab Emirates, and second store in Dubai. The company is headquartered in Dover, Delaware (Kathleen, 1998).
This paper constitutes of the internal analysis of the California pizza kitchen inc. and the SWOT analysis provides an in-depth strategic analysis of the company operations and its business. It brings a clear an unbiased view of the key strengths and its weaknesses of the company as well as the threats and opportunities it has. This analysis helps in formulation of strategies through an understanding better of the partners, customers and the existing competitors (Porter, 1980).
Economic value
The current economic value of California Pizza Company as at year 2010 stood at 327.86 million dollars in terms of the sum of current and long term assets that the company holds. In the second quarter of 2010 the company posted earnings of 17 cents per share and ropped32.0% from the 25 cents in the previous year quarter. Its total revenue for the second quarter plunged a 4.6% year to year and reached 1.63.1 million dollars. The store ales in the second quarter of the California pizza kitchen experienced a shortfall as the ‘thank you’ card promotion was not present otherwise it would have boosted its sales (Hoopes & Walker, 2003).
Analysis
California pizza kitchen inc. has strategies that focus on effective human resource, creation of benefit plans and management in a business environment characterized with high turnover. The strategy is attained by defining the identity of company and through an integration of the definition into the people and the benefits strategy. The company core identity is the ability to retain the top talent as well as capturing their knowledge and expertise then passing along to it to its customers and employees’ team members (Wernerfelt, 1984).
California pizza kitchen is one of the companies in the industry that offers most competitive benefit packages and rewards programs which serve to foster longetivity. This includes better ways of retaining and incentivizing its employees. This restaurant company is known for managing to generate one of the lowest turnover ratios in an industry with high turn over. Also it is recognized for producing a high level of benefit satisfaction of its employees while offering the highest levels of benefits to its targeted employee’s base (Sanchez, & Heene, 2004).
The company has also utilized its management resource to increase its profits especially through restructuring of its corporate organization which has resulted to reduced general corporate and administrative expenses as well as increasing its revenues, this quality-enhancing initiatives adapted by the company led to improved cost controls and operating efficiencies hence greatly strengthening its concepts of operation thus making competitive in the market (Sanchez, & Heene, 2004...
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