Assignment: Yahoo and Amazon: Building a Competitive Advantage

Write a six to eight (6-8) page paper in which you: ( 7 full pages needed at least pls)

1. Describe, in brief, the histories of both of Amazon.com and Yahoo.com, and determine the core business of each.
2. Determine the key strategic differences that have impacted the relative success of both Amazon.com and Yahoo.com. Provide two (2) specific examples of such strategic differences to support the response.
3. Compare and contrast the approach to strategic planning that each company has pursued in order to achieve a competitive advantage. Focus specifically on both intended and emergent strategies.
4. Analyze the manner in which each company’s distinctive competencies help to shape the strategies that each company pursues. Provide a rationale to support the response.
5. Recommend one (1) functional level strategy for each company which prescribes the essential ways in which each may achieve superior efficiency, quality, innovation, and customer responsiveness. Provide a rationale to support the response.
6. Use at least three (3) quality references. Note: Wikipedia and other Websites do not qualify as academic resources.

Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:

• Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.
• Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required assignment page length.

The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are:

• Analyze the role of a company mission, vision, and objectives and the impact to business strategy.
• Describe strategic planning techniques used to formulate alternative strategies designed to achieve stated business goals.
• Analyze the external and internal environment for opportunities, threats, strengths, and weaknesses that impact the firm’s competitiveness.
• Use technology and information resources to research issues in strategic management
•  Write clearly and concisely about strategic management using proper writing mechanics.

  The following is the grading rubric for this assignment.

  Grading for this assignment will be based on answer quality, logic / organization of the paper, and language and writing skills, using the following rubric.

  Points: 300	Assignment 1: Yahoo and Amazon: Building a Competitive Advantage
  Criteria	Unacceptable Below 70% F	Fair 70-79% C	Proficient 80-89% B	Exemplary 90-100% A
  1. Describe, in brief, the histories of both of Amazon.com and Yahoo.com, and determine the core business of each. Weight: 10%	Did not submit or incompletely described, in brief, the histories of both of Amazon.com and Yahoo.com; did not submit or incompletely determined the core business of each.	Partially described, in brief, the histories of both of Amazon.com and Yahoo.com; partially determined the core business of each.	Satisfactorily described, in brief, the histories of both of Amazon.com and Yahoo.com; satisfactorily determined the core business of each.	Thoroughly described, in brief, the histories of both of Amazon.com and Yahoo.com; thoroughly determined the core business of each.
  2. Determine the key strategic differences that have impacted the relative success of both Amazon.com and Yahoo.com. Provide two (2) specific examples of such strategic differences to support the response. Weight: 15%	Did not submit or incompletely determined the key strategic differences that have impacted the relative success of both Amazon.com and Yahoo.com. Did not submit or incompletely provided two (2) specific examples of such strategic differences to support the response.	Partially determined the key strategic differences that have impacted the relative success of both Amazon.com and Yahoo.com. Partially provided two (2) specific examples of such strategic differences to support the response.	Satisfactorily determined the key strategic differences that have impacted the relative success of both Amazon.com and Yahoo.com. Satisfactorily provided two (2) specific examples of such strategic differences to support the response.	Thoroughly determined the key strategic differences that have impacted the relative success of both Amazon.com and Yahoo.com. Thoroughly provided two (2) specific examples of such strategic differences to support the response.
  3. Compare and contrast the approach to strategic planning that each company has pursued in order to achieve a competitive advantage. Focus specifically on both intended and emergent strategies. Weight: 15%	Did not submit or incompletely compared and contrasted the approach to strategic planning that each company has pursued in order to achieve a competitive advantage. Did not submit or incompletely focused specifically on both intended and emergent strategies.	Partially compared and contrasted the approach to strategic planning that each company has pursued in order to achieve a competitive advantage. Partially focused specifically on both intended and emergent strategies.	Satisfactorily compared and contrasted the approach to strategic planning that each company has pursued in order to achieve a competitive advantage. Satisfactorily focused specifically on both intended and emergent strategies.	Thoroughly compared and contrasted the approach to strategic planning that each company has pursued in order to achieve a competitive advantage. Thoroughly focused specifically on both intended and emergent strategies.
  4. Analyze the manner in which each company’s distinctive competencies help to shape the strategies that each company pursues. Provide a rationale to support the response. Weight: 15%	Did not submit or incompletely analyzed the manner in which each company’s distinctive competencies help to shape the strategies that each company pursues. Did not submit or incompletely provided a rationale to support the response.	Partially analyzed the manner in which each company’s distinctive competencies help to shape the strategies that each company pursues. Partially provided a rationale to support the response.	Satisfactorily analyzed the manner in which each company’s distinctive competencies help to shape the strategies that each company pursues. Satisfactorily provided a rationale to support the response.	Thoroughly analyzed the manner in which each company’s distinctive competencies help to shape the strategies that each company pursues. Thoroughly provided a rationale to support the response.
  5. Recommend one (1) functional level strategy for each company which prescribes the essential ways in which each may achieve superior efficiency, quality, innovation, and customer responsiveness. Provide a rationale to support the response. Weight: 20%	Did not submit or incompletely recommended one (1) functional level strategy for each company which prescribes the essential ways in which each may achieve superior efficiency, quality, innovation, and customer responsiveness. Did not submit or incompletely provided a rationale to support the response.	Partially recommended one (1) functional level strategy for each company which prescribes the essential ways in which each may achieve superior efficiency, quality, innovation, and customer responsiveness. Partially provided a rationale to support the response.	Satisfactorily recommended one (1) functional level strategy for each company which prescribes the essential ways in which each may achieve superior efficiency, quality, innovation, and customer responsiveness. Satisfactorily provided a rationale to support the response.	Thoroughly recommended one (1) functional level strategy for each company which prescribes the essential ways in which each may achieve superior efficiency, quality, innovation, and customer responsiveness. Thoroughly provided a rationale to support the response.
  6.3 references (or number in the assignment) Weight: 5%	No references provided	Does not meet the required number of references; some or all references poor quality choices.	Meets number of required references; all references high quality choices.	Exceeds number of required references; all references high quality choices.
  7.Writing Mechanics, Grammar, and Formatting Weight: 5%	Serious and persistent errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation, or formatting.	Partially free of errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation, or formatting.	Mostly free of errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation, or formatting.	Error free or almost error free grammar, spelling, punctuation, or formatting.
  8.Appropriate use of APA in-text citations and  reference section Weight: 5%	Lack of in-text citations and / or lack of reference section.	In-text citations and references are provided, but they are only partially formatted correctly in APA style.	Most in-text citations and references are provided, and they are generally formatted correctly in APA style.	In-text citations and references are error free or almost error free and consistently formatted correctly in APA style.
  9.Information Literacy/Integration of Sources Weight: 5%	Serious errors in the integration of sources, such as intentional or accidental plagiarism, or failure to use in-text citations.	Sources are partially integrated using effective techniques of quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing.	Sources are mostly integrated using effective techniques of quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing.	Sources are consistently integrated using effective techniques of quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing.
  10.Clarity and Coherence of Writing Weight: 5%	Information is confusing to the reader and fails to include reasons and evidence that logically support ideas.	Information is partially clear with minimal reasons and evidence that logically support ideas.	Information is mostly clear and generally supported with reasons and evidence that logically support ideas.	Information is provided in a clear, coherent, and consistent manner with reasons and evidence that logically support ideas.