The project will be to build a unique and original 5-year strategic plan for some
publicly traded company. As a minimum, the body of the plan must cover the following:
a. Company history (brief) and recent developments and performance (past 2 years or
so).
b. SWOT analysis including internal and external conditions that will drive success over
the next five years. (What are your core competencies and competitive advantages or
disadvantages? What is the internal structure and culture of the firm that will affect
success? What external conditions influence success ie; inflation, price of oil,
European debt, conflict in the Middle East, Chinese economy, etc.)
c. Industry Analysis (Use Porters 6-Forces to find your firms niche in the industry)
d. Market analysis to help identify potential market strengths and opportunities.
e. Strategic objectives over the five years with SMART goals to measure progress.
(What do you want to accomplish ie; average 15% growth rate, increase market share,
expand internationally, etc.)
f. Implementation plan exploring HOW you are going to execute your plan and what
resources you will need (what will you need to achieve these objectives ie; raise
capital, fund research & development, buildings, equipment, staffing, etc.)
g. Risk analysis (What are the greatest risks or threats to the success of the plan?)
h. Financial projections (Beginning with the most recent annual income statement,
project earnings over the five-year planning period based on your objectives and
resource plan.) You need to establish measures that you can use to evaluate
performance over time
All applicants go through a series of tests that check their level of English and knowledge of formatting styles. The applicant is also required to present a sample of writing to the Evaluation Department. If you wish to find out more about the procedure, check out the whole process.