Discussion on Learning Objectives and Article: Company Strategy

This discussion post analyzes learning objectives related to company strategy and sustainable competitive advantage. The author explains the importance of a company having its own unique strategy, the essence of which lies in long-term vision and actions taken by the management, and the significance of sustainable competitive advantage. The post then delves into the importance for managers to have a strategic vision, and the importance of setting strategic and financial objectives. The discussion also touches on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the global economy, referencing an article from The Hindu Business Line. The article highlights the potential for economic shrinkage and the challenges faced by companies during the crisis. The author also discusses the interconnectedness of financial and strategic objectives and the steps involved in the process of execution through the managers.

Running Head: DISCUSSION ON LEARNING OBJECTIVES AND ARTICLE
Discussion on learning objectives and article
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DISCUSSION ON LEARNING OBJECTIVES AND ARTICLE
Chapter 1
Learning Objectives- Company Strategy and concept of Sustainable Competitive
Advantage.
The author explains the concept of a company’s strategy as a method or set of actions
that are coordinated by the managers in order to keep the company acieve superior
profitability and “outperform” its competitiors. It is also important to note that the essence of
a company’s strategy lies in the long term visions and set of actions taken by the management
in order to ensure that the profit margin is steady, yet an upward rising curve, and the
customers keep coming back for the reasons they had initially chosen the company in the first
place (Hartsfield, Johansen & Knight, 2017). It is also significant for each company to have
its own strategy rather than simply copying and following its rival company so as to cater to
the particular needs and resources at one’s disposal.
The concept of Sustainable Competitive Advantage is also directly related to that of a
company’s strategy. In other words, the author defines competitive advantage sustainable as
something which contains some elements that have ensured that a company builds a strong
presence in the market and in the face of its competitors, and also build a strong customer
loyalty (Hartsfield, Johansen & Knight, 2017). Some of these strategies are a low-cost
provider strategy, a broad differentiation strategy, a focused low-cost strategy, a focused
differentiation strategy, a best-cost provider strategy, etc.
Chapter 2
Learning Objectives- Importance for managers to have a strategic vision, and
importance of setting Strategic and Financial objectives.
The author talks about the importance of having a strategic vision and the process of
execution through the managers. They steps involved are developing the strategic vision,

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DISCUSSION ON LEARNING OBJECTIVES AND ARTICLE
setting the stated objectives for the advancement of the company and the eventual execution
of the strategy that has been chosen (Hartsfield, Johansen & Knight, 2017). The last step is
the process of monitoring the developments that have been taking place and charting the
performance followed by the initiation pf corrective measures.
It is essential to develop a common ground between the financial and strategic
objective as they are inter-connected and overlapping at the same time; it is explained by the
author more clearly in some bullets such as with an x percent increase in the annual revenues,
there is also an x percent winning of market shares (Hartsfield, Johansen & Knight, 2017).
Annual increase in the percent of after-tax profits of an x percent also leads to the
achievement of a lower cost overall in comparison to the rivals organizations, etc.
Outbreak of the pandemic COVID-19 and the effect on the economy worldwide
Business Line of The Hindu tells us in an article published on 2nd April, 2020 that the
world economy would shrink upto almost by 1 per cent due to the outbreak of the pandemic
(thehindubusinessline, 2020). It has also warned high chances of further shrinkage of the
percentage if the closing of national borders of almost 100 countries does not include any
adequate fiscal response. The stakes are high on the government since they are the bodies
who are responsible of doling out support in terms of income and hence boost the spending of
the consumers (thehindubusinessline, 2020). It is also the time for the companies to face
recession and chart out ways to keep its employees or take extreme steps such as wage cut
and laying off employees as various American companies have already cut off their
employees. The crisis at hand is hence not just limited to a single company or sector, but
extends to each and everyone with some being the worse hit than others.

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DISCUSSION ON LEARNING OBJECTIVES AND ARTICLE
Reference
Hartsfield, S., Johansen, D., & Knight, G. (2017). Entrepreneurial orientation, strategy, and
marketing capabilities in the performance of born global firms. International
Business: Research, Teaching, and Practice, 2(1), 12-38.
thehindubusinessline. (2020). Covid-19 impact: Global economy could shrink by almost 1
per cent in 2020, say UN. @businessline. Retrieved 10 April 2020, from
https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/covid-19-impact-global-economy-
could-shrink-by-almost-1-per-cent-in-2020-say-un/article31233688.ece#.