Minimum Weekly DB Expectations

• Post an original and thoughtful Main Post to the DB prompt.
• Respond to at least 2 other posts from learners and/or the instructor (Response Posts).
• The first contribution (Main Post or Response Post) must be posted before midnight (Central time) on Friday of each week.
• Two additional responses are required after Friday of each week.
• For DB assignment prompts with a Part One and Part Two, Part One should be addressed in the first week of the unit with a Main Post and minimum of 2 Response Posts, and Part Two should be addressed in the second week of the unit with a Main Post and a minimum of 2 Response Posts.

More on DBs

At the end of each unit, DB participation is assessed based on level of engagement and the quality of the contribution to the discussion. DBs allow learners to learn through sharing ideas and experiences as they relate to course content. Because it is not possible to engage in two-way dialogue after a conversation has ended, no posts to the DB are accepted after the end of the unit. Learners must demonstrate an appropriate depth of understanding of course content to receive credit for having submitted substantive posts. Typically, this is achieved with 3–4 strong paragraphs for Main Posts and 2–3 strong paragraphs for Response Posts.

This DB has three parts:

1. Writing a mission statement requires focus and should inspire not only the employees within an organization but the customers, suppliers and community as a whole.  What are the nine basic components of a mission statement? Why is it important to include as many of these components as possible in a company’s mission statement?
2. There are many analytical tools and techniques available for companies to gauge not only where they stand within the industry but to also assess their sustainability and competitive advantage within the marketplace.  Why do you believe it is an important step within a strategic planning process to conduct a SWOT analysis?  How can a VRIO help an organization?
3. Describe a situation when a TOWS matrix framework would be appropriate.

In your own words, please post a response to the Discussion Board and comment on other postings. You will be graded on the quality of your postings.