Group Assignment
Instructions, phases, materials etc. about the team assignment will be posted here shortly.
- Overview of the Group Assignment, schedule, background information and readings.
Final Report - instructions
Combine and polish the work you have done in the three previous phases and add another last phase of analysis according to the following instructions.
You may improve text and analysis of the previous phase submissions - and probably should to incorporate your learning and ensure internal consistency of the submission.
You are expected to study Nokia’s mobile phone business and provide a written analysis that addresses the four viewpoints described in overall below (these correspond directly to the previous phases of the assignment).
Your report should aim for an analysis based on the theories and concepts you have learned on the course and your own learning during this exercise – and not ‘just’ describe ‘what happened’. Put effort on explaining your statements and conclusions.
1: THE RISE OF NOKIA CORPORATION
Discuss the background and analyze the reasons that enabled Nokia’s swift rise to the world's dominant mobile phone producer with a global market share in mobile phones of over 40 %. What were external and internal factors, what were due to luck? Justify your conclusions.
2: TIME PERIOD AS THE WORDWIDE BUSINESS LEADER
Discuss and analyze the development of the company’s internal and external environment and company’s operations and strategy in relation to them during the golden years of Nokia - and the emergence of new competitors in the smartphone era. Describe and assess how the technological innovation and organization (people) were managed in relation to realized and upcoming changes in the industry, and any other relevant observations. Justify your conclusions.
3: CRISIS AND COLLAPSE OF NOKIA’S BUSINESS
Analyze and discuss the main reasons that you deem may have contributed to Nokia’s decline and eventual collapse, such as the internal factors (e.g. strategic decisions, style of management, communication, organizational culture), and factors that took place externally (e.g. the changes and shifts in technology and business environment).
Hint: You may also use the arguments you prepared for the debate.
4: HOW NOKIA’S BUSINESS COULD HAVE BEEN SAVED? (new)
Analyze what could Nokia management have done differently - in what phases and how - to save the company. Anticipate the possible effects of alternative strategic decisions and actions. Analyze the situation from the company management’s point of view and focus on management of innovation and change, organization (people) or other factors you find as relevant to this question.
Hint: You may also use the arguments you prepared for the debate.
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The report should meet the following criteria:
- Submitted as a PDF
- Max 10-12 pages + possible appendices (like reference list) and a cover page (with info: assignment phase, date, group number, member names)
- Single line-spacing
- Font size 12
- Used sources to be cited and listed as references following some consistent citation notation (reference list is not included in the page limit).