MSM Comprehensive Exam Outline
Version date: 12/09/03
1. Mission
Objectives
Case Issues
Strategies –
General strategy
Marketing
Finance
Operations
Human
Information technology
Research and development
2. Porter’s Five Forces
Bargaining Power of Buyers
Bargaining Power of Suppliers
Threat of New Entrants
Availability of Substitutes
Competitive Rivalry
Macro environment Analysis
Economic
Social/cultural (s/c includes demographics),
Technological
Political/legal
Global
Internal Analysis – Using the Value Chain Model (Porter)
Value Chain
Inbound logistics
Operations
Outbound logistics
Marketing & sales
Customer service
Firm infrastructure
Technology
Procurement
Human resource management
Financial Analysis – you should calculate ratios for the last three years of the case and three revenue cycle trends
Ratios - liquidity, debt, and profit
Trends - revenues
Comparisons - over time, vs. other competitors in the industry
Miscellaneous - stock value, stock trends
3. Revise the firm’s mission and objectives
Long Term Objectives
Long term overall strategies
Long term functional strategies
Marketing
Finance
Operations
Human
Information technology
Research and development
Short Term Objectives
Short term overall strategies
Short term functional strategies
Marketing
Finance
Operations
Human
Information technology
Research and development
Implementation
Seven S Model
Strategy
Systems
Staff
Skills
Structure
Style
Shared values
4. Evaluation and Control
