Assignment 2: Harley-Davidson: External and Internal Analysis

Part I – External

As part of the Strategic Business Plan, you have been asked to:

• • Identify and analyze the major driving forces for change in the external environment of the motorcycle industry.

• • Analyze the dynamics of competition using Porter’s Five Forces Model of Competition. Correctly assess the dynamics of competition.

• • Provide at least three statistics about the size of the motorcycle industry such as revenue, growth rate, number of units sold by manufacturer/country, etc.

• Summarize the strategic issues firms in this industry face and identify their biggest threats.

Record and support your findings in a 5—8 slide PowerPoint presentation entitled “The Analysis of H-D’s External Environment.

Part II – Internal

Financial

Gather the financial information necessary to do a complete ratio analysis and the BSC key metrics information.

If you were going to create a BSC, what would be the key metrics you would measure in each of the four BSC areas:

• Financial
• Customer
• Internal Business Process
• Learning and Growth

Perform a ratio analysis using H-D’s five-year financial performance. Interpret the meaning of the ratios and financial performance.

Summarize and support your findings in a 2—3 page Word document entitled “The Analysis of H-D’s Current Strategy: Two Views.” Be sure to include the ratio analysis. You may also include other graphics to support your narrative.

Competitors

Based on your analysis, you must decide which two competitors present the biggest competitive threat to H-D.

Perform a financial ratio analysis for the competitor after looking at trends in financial performance over five years, and compare the trends to industry averages.

Be sure you have a clear ranking of the industries’ competitors.

Summarize and support your findings in a 2—3 page Word document entitled “Competitor Analysis.” Be sure to include the financial ratio analysis. You may also include other graphics to support your narrative.

Assignment 2 Grading CriteriaMaximum PointsExternal environment analysis: driving forces, dynamics of competition, and at least three statistics about the size of the industry.15Summarize strategic issues and faced by the industry and identify their biggest threats.20Performed a financial ratio analysis using H-D’s five-year financial performance and interpreted the ratios—see the text for which ratios to perform. In addition, you will conclude how well the firm’s strategy is working.20Created a hypothetical BSC for H-D after selecting which measures you believe are important in the four areas: serving customers, improving processes, learning, and growth and financial performance.15Performed a ratio analysis of the financial performance of three competitors and compared them to H-D. Developed a Word document entitled “The Analysis of H-Ds Current Strategy: Two Views,” which includes analysis of your findings.15Developed the documents that include analysis of your findings. Justified ideas and responses by using appropriate examples and references from texts, Web sites, and other references or personal experience. Followed APA rules for attributing sources.15Total:100