An analyse of Zespri’s resources and capabilities to identify its’ distinctive competencies;
identify the key success factors that are the major determinants of success in Zespri’s key market segments;
integrate the above two analyses to identify what are Zespri’s strengths and weaknesses in relation to market opportunities; and
summarise Zespri’s situation by compiling a “priority list” of strategic issues that require senior executive attention. This summary needs to articulate Zespri’s needs, reflects the main challenges, and point towards the necessary analyses to be conducted to evaluate strategic options.
The report will need to address all four elements and how you structure the report is up to you. However, Glenda does prefer for key insights/conclusions to be delivered up-front, with no surprises. She often says “Suspense kills! If your audience knows your key conclusions from the get-go, the rest of the report can walk them through how you came to that decision, it’s easier for them to follow your line of reasoning!”
So, as a general guide, think of the report as having 5 parts:
Executive summary – single page that contains all the key points from your report
Clients distinctive competencies (resources and capabilities, this will determine distinctive competencies)
Key success factors for client’s key market segments
Analysis of Zespri’s current and future competitiveness in key market segments
Strategic issues – what are the key challenges facing Zespri? What are the key strategic issues that need to be addressed for Zespri to achieve a sustainable competitive advantage?
Glenda senses that you are nervous, and she takes you for a coffee to provide some guidance on what she is looking for. She notes this is not a standard “university type essay” and that you need to add value beyond just properly using a framework or two. She is after the insights you draw from the frameworks/tools not a demonstration that you can “use” a collection of tools. She notes that as an analyst your key job is to
“not to analyse but synthesis! It is your ability the put together the important pieces. It is the capacity to synthesis rather than to just analysis, it is seeing the big picture, crossing boundaries, being able to combine disparate pieces into an arresting whole. To sort out what really matters, by absorbing the detail in the data and providing back meaning. Data is useless until patterns are imposed on them. This requires you to edit, withhold, highlight, and know what to exclude as much as what to include. We add value through sense-making and sense-giving to provide others with the insights and resources to act in order to make a positive difference!
I do not care what you did or how long you worked, I only care about the insights you found and what value you can add to our client.”
She left you with your now cold coffee to digest what she had said.
