Unit 2 Assignment: Competitive Advantage and the Value Chain

This Unit 2 Assignment requires a paper of at least 4-full pages, not including title and References pages, making a compelling argument as to why an effective value chain (including customer delight and profitability) creates competitive advantage. This paper’s focus is different than the topics covered in the Unit 2 Discussion (related to the four key dimensions of competitiveness).

The purpose of this assignment is to confirm your understanding of the direct correlation between an effective value chain and a firm’s competitive advantage by examining the relationship between:

·         Effective value chain management

·         Customer delight

·         Profitability

·         Competitive advantage

Write your paper using third person perspective (do not use first or second person pronouns; (e.g. do not use “I,” “me,” “you,” “we”).

When you use section headers after the main section header above, center and bold them.

Correlation Review: Competitive Advantage

In this section, describe the correlation between an effective value chain and a firm’s competitive advantage by examining the relationship between (1) effective value chain management, (2) customer delight, (3) profitability, and (4) competitive advantage. Discuss each of the four elements. Describe the interrelationship between the four elements. You may use the following three sentences in your own paper (no reference needed). The following elements lead organizations to creating a competitive advantage: effective value chain management, customer delight, and profitability. These elements are all interrelated and together create a competitive advantage for organizations. The elements will be discussed further to identify how they interconnect to form a competitive advantage.

NOTE: sub-section headers should be left justified, bolded but not italicized and not underlined. Paragraph content in the sub-sections should remain the same (1” margins, left justified with ½” new paragraph indentations).

Effective Value Chain Management

In this section, in one or two paragraphs, explain what leads a value chain to be an effective value chain. This is a good section to cite a sentence from the textbook related to why using the Contemporary Value Chain Model as an integrated management activity supports the ultimate goal of earning and maintaining competitive advantage.

Customer Delight

In this section, in one or two paragraphs, explain what types of value chain activities lead to achieving customer delight. This is a good section to cite a sentence from the Library related to why customer loyalty supports the ultimate goal of earning and maintaining competitive advantage.

Profitability

In this section, in one or two paragraphs, explain how the Contemporary Value Chain Model considers profitability as a crucial component for ongoing success. This section should be focused on why a value chain must be profitable in order to maintaining competitive advantage.

Competitive Advantage

In this section, in one or two paragraphs, explain the correlation between the previously described three aspects as related to achieving competitive advantage. This is a good section to cite a sentence from the textbook or a Library article related to why firms must hold competitive advantage in their industry in order to survive long term and how these elements integrate to make it happen.

Examples

This section will describe and explain examples of companies who have been successful, and who have not been successful, integrating effective value chain management, profitability, and customer delight to achieve competitive advantage.

Successful Integration

Describe two examples of companies that have been successful in this integration (they have an effective value chain, are profitable, earn customer delight and therefore hold competitive advantage in their industry). Include detailed explanations for your choices.

Unsuccessful Integration

Describe two examples of companies that have not been successful in this integration. Include detailed explanations for your choices.  

Conclusion

In this section, summarize the paper’s content without introducing any new information. This is the last section of the paper. There is a subsequent page break included so the next page appears as a new page listing the applied and cited references.