Your task is to perform a situational analysis of Home Depot in 2017. This requires research and analysis of Home Depot’s macro, industry and competitive environments, key resources, capabilities, core competencies, and competitive advantages using the tools for case analysis.
Conclude your paper by identifying the most important opportunities and threats facing Home Depot and briefly (in one paragraph) summarize what you suggest Home Depot should do in response to these opportunities and threats. The focus for this assignment is on diagnosing critical issues arising out of the alignment of Home Depot’s strategy and its external situation as of 2017 (there is no need to update this case).
Your analysis, recommendation and discussion should not exceed four pages of text – excluding cover sheet (see attached), executive summary, references, exhibits, or appendices. Your cover sheet, executive summary, substantive text, and reference list must have 1” margins on all sides, be double-spaced, and use a font size of 12. Exhibits may be single-spaced and use a font size of 9. Pages, except for the cover sheet, must be numbered. You should use and attach as exhibits the information on which your analysis is based and the analytical tools we’ve learned about in class (e.g., Home Depot’s strategy diamond, macro-environment (PESTEL), five forces analysis, competitive map, key success factors, etc.), and remember to refer the reader to information presented in your exhibits as necessary. [Note: there is no need to copy exhibits from the case; simply refer the reader to, for example, “Case Exhibit 2”.] This assignment does not require you to perform a SWOT analysis, nor will you receive any additional points if you do include a SWOT analysis. The terms of this assignment will be strictly enforced.
Your exhibits do not substitute for explaining the key points in text. Exhibits not referred to in your text will not be considered. You should find it difficult to fit everything you need to say into four double spaced pages. Eliminate fluff and filler; eliminate needless exposition of the history of Home Depot; do not waste space on background information unless it is critical to your analysis. Remember that I’ve read the case and know the background.