1. Strategic dilemma - The primary strategic issue or challenge facing a company that needs to be addressed

2. Macro-environment - Broad economic, technological, political and social conditions that impact business

3. PESTEL analysis - Assessing the political, economic, social, technological, environmental and legal factors affecting a company

4. Industry analysis - Understanding the competitive forces, norms and dynamics that shape an industry

5. Porter's Five Forces - Framework for analyzing competitive forces: bargaining power of buyers/suppliers, threat of new entrants/substitutes, rivalry among competitors

6. Strategic capabilities - Distinctive competencies of a firm that are difficult to match and provide competitive differentiation  

7. VRIN resources - Valuable, rare, inimitable, and non-substitutable capabilities that can lead to competitive advantage

8. Stakeholders - Groups/individuals who have interests in or are affected by a company's activities

9. Generic strategies - Ways companies can gain competitive advantage by overall cost leadership, differentiation, focus on niche markets 

10. SBU - Strategic business unit representing a business or product line within a larger organization

11. Value chain - Series of activities that represent the organizational functions adding value to products or services

12. Vertical integration - Ownership or control of multiple entities within a supply chain or distribution network

13. Diversification - Expanion of business activities into new products, services or markets 

14. Business-level strategy - Competitive strategy focused on how a firm will compete in a particular business

15. Corporate-level strategy - Company-wide strategy focused on managing a portfolio of businesses to maximize value

16. Horizontal integration - Joining forces with or taking over competitors operating at the same level of the value chain

17. Core competencies - Internal capabilities, skills and expertise that allow a firm to create unique value

18. Competitive advantage - Attribute that allows a company to deliver better value than rivals and have an edge over them

19. Strategic positioning - Establishing an advantageous brand identity and market niche for maximum profitability 

20. Cost leadership - Attempting to gain competitive edge through minimizing costs relative to competitors

21. Differentiation - Distinguishing products/services from competition by incorporating attributes perceived as unique in the industry

22. SWOT analysis - Assessing strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats facing an organization 

23. Feasibility - Capacity of a company to adopt or implement a strategy or decision based on resources

24. Benchmarking - Process of measuring company operations and performance metrics against best-in-class performers

25. Strategic fit - Degree to which strategy matches company's resources and capabilities with external market factors 

26. Shareholder primacy - View that a companies' ultimate purpose and obligation is to maximize value for its shareholders

27. Stakeholder approach - View that companies have responsibilities to various stakeholders beyond just shareholders

28. Paradigm shift - Fundamental change in assumptions, concepts and practices associated with a field or industry

29. First-mover advantage - Competitive edge gained by innovating processes or products before competitors

30. Disruptive innovation - Transformational technology/business model that significantly alters the playing field in an industry    

●    Part 1: Introduction

●      In 2-3 sentences: Overview of report and focus company

○      Briefly introduce focus company and purpose of report

Example: Starbucks is the world's largest coffeehouse chain with over 32,000 stores in 80 markets. However, the company faces growing competition from lower-priced rivals, changing consumer preferences, and market saturation in the US. This report analyzes Starbucks' strategic dilemma of how to drive growth despite these challenges.

●      In 6-8 sentences: Present strategic dilemma of focus company

○      Concisely state what the key strategic issue/dilemma is that the company is facing

Example; This report analyzes Starbucks' strategic dilemma of how to drive growth despite these challenges. The report provides recommendations on corporate and business level strategy focused specifically on international expansion, differentiation via premiumization and sustainability, and enhancing the in-store customer experience. These recommendations aim to leverage Starbucks’ core competencies in building an aspirational brand image and developing loyal customer relationships to address the saturation in its core US market.

○      Provide relevant facts/context to illustrate why this is a critical strategic dilemma

Example: The strategic dilemma Starbucks faces is how to reignite growth given declining same-store sales growth in the US and increasingly intense competition in the coffee shop industry. Same-store sales provide a key benchmark for growth by indicating the performance of existing stores, excluding new store openings. Starbucks’ US same-store sales grew just 4% in 2018 versus 7% in 2017. With the US representing 65% of Starbucks’ 36.4 billion revenue in 2018, faltering same-store sales growth signals concerns about decreasing store traffic and average customer spend in Starbucks’ largest market. The report will utilize multiple strategic analysis frameworks to evaluate the factors contributing to this strategic issue and propose solutions leveraging Starbucks’ strengths.