Module 3-1

Overview

For the first milestone in the final project, you will begin your analysis of the company you selected. It will be helpful to remember that each milestone contributes toward creating your final project. In this sense, each milestone becomes a piece of the final project. In this milestone, you will focus on evaluating business and societal trends in their historical, political, economic, financial, social, cultural, geopolitical, and technological contexts and how these trends have affected leadership in your selected company.

Directions

For this milestone, you must: 

1. Select a company to be the focus of your leadership diagnostic from the list below.

· Financial: JPMorgan Chase (selected company)

2. Write and submit an 8- to 10-page paper that evaluates how business and societal trends impact leadership decisions in your chosen company. Base your evaluation on information from your company research in the eight contexts important for leading a business:

· History

· Politics

· Economics

· Finance

· Society

· Culture

· Geopolitics

· Technology

Specifically, the following  rubric criteria must be addressed in your paper:

1. Identify and describe the selected company’s  business and societal trends. Include specific examples and evidence.

a. An example of a company’s business trend: The company’s vision is to become a global leader in innovative technology that improves people’s lives.

b. An example of a company’s societal trend: To lead the fashion industry in sustainability, the company is fostering a more equitable and eco-conscious future.

2. Identify and describe the  historical evolution of business and societal trends in your selected company. Include specific examples and evidence of how the trends have changed over time.

a. An example of a company’s historical evolution in business trends: Apple was founded in April 1976 in Cupertino, California. The company’s first product, the Apple 1 computer, was introduced. Apple established itself as a pioneer in the personal computer industry with user-friendly products and a unique graphical user interface.

b. An example of a company’s historical evolution in societal trends: Ben & Jerry’s is an ice cream company known for its commitment to social and environmental causes. It was founded by Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield in 1978 in Burlington, Vermont. The company’s social mission from the beginning was to incorporate a strong social mission with a focus on using its business to make a positive impact on the community.

3. Identify the  political events that affected the leadership of the company. Be specific with examples and evidence.

a.  An example of a company’s political events that affected the leadership of the business: The Enron scandal in the early 2000s led Enron’s top executives, including Chairman and CEO Ken Lay and President Jefferey Skilling, to resign.

4. Explain how company leadership responded to  economic and financial challenges that affected the company. Include specific examples and evidence.

a. An example of a company’s response to economic and financial challenges: The 2008 global financial crisis (GFC) was a severe worldwide economic crisis that was triggered by the collapse of Lehman Brothers, a major investment bank. The GFC resulted in a deep recession in many countries, financial market turmoil, and widespread economic hardship. The company responded by implementing cost-cutting measures. This included layoffs, reducing nonessential expenses, and optimizing operations for efficiency. The business further responded by diversifying its product lines and expanding into new markets to reduce the reliance on specific industries or regions that were particularly affected by the crisis.

5. Describe how company leadership responded  to  social and cultural events that affected the company. Include specific examples and evidence.

a. An example of a company’s response to social and cultural events that affected the company: The Starbucks Corporation was the center of a racial profiling incident in 2018. Starbucks responded by immediately apologizing and closing all of its stores for a day of racial bias education training. The leaders announced a series of policy changes aimed at preventing future incidents of racial profiling. Starbucks leaders engaged with community leaders and activists to address concerns and seek input on initiatives related to racial diversity and inclusivity.

6. Explain the  geopolitical events that affected the company. Use specific examples and evidence.

a. An example of a company’s geopolitical event that affected the company: Boeing, a major American aerospace company, faced a series of challenges related to U.S.-China trade tensions. The escalating trade tensions directly affected Boeing because China is one of the company’s major markets for commercial aircraft. Boeing leaders actively engaged with government officials and industry stakeholders to advocate to resolve the trade dispute.

7. Identify the  technological events that affected the company. Use specific examples and evidence.

a. An example of a company’s technological event: Blockbuster was once a dominant force in the video rental industry with thousands of brick-and-mortar stores worldwide. Blockbuster recognized the potential for online movie rentals but entered the market relatively late. Netflix was growing in popularity and had already established a large customer base. In 2007, Blockbuster acquired Movie link, a movie rental service. But Blockbuster faced challenges in transitioning its existing customer base to online services.

8. Explain how the company took  proactive action (internally and externally) to promote company sustainability.

a. An example of a company taking proactive action to promote company sustainability: IBM faced significant challenges in the 1990s due to a changing technological landscape. IBM’s proactive internal actions were to change the leadership, transform the culture, and have a strategic focus. The tech company’s proactive external actions were to use a customer-centric approach, expand globally, promote strategic alliances, and diversify services. As a result of these proactive responses, the company not only survived but thrived in a rapidly evolving technology industry.

What to Submit

Your Milestone One report must be 8 to 10 pages in length and must be written in APA format. Use double spacing, 12-point Times New Roman font, and one-inch margins.

This assignment is the first major part of the final project. For this milestone, write an 8- to 10-page paper that evaluates how business and societal trends impact leadership decisions in your chosen company. Base your evaluation on information from your company research in the eight contexts important for leading a business.