it #: _18C1F5276_______

I. Define the following terms; (2 points each)

a.)Business analysis-Business analysis defined as a research discipline that helps

you to find the business needs and defining solutions to business problems. It also
includes a software-systems development component.
-Business Analysis process offers concepts and insights into the
development of the initial framework for any project. It stores the key to guide
stakeholders of a project who performs business modeling in an orderly manner.

b.)Corporate vision-A "corporate vision" concretely describes how a company sees

itself in the future, and therefore must be realistic and attainable. In the current age of
rapid change, a corporate vision is of a more medium-term nature.
-A vision statement describes what a company desires to achieve
in the long-run, generally in a time frame of five to ten years, or sometimes even longer.
It depicts a vision of what the company will look like in the future and sets a defined
direction for the planning and execution of corporate-level strategies.

c.)Corporate mission-A corporate mission statement defines what an organization is,

why it exists, its reason for being. At a minimum, your mission statement should define
who your primary customers are, identify the products and services you produce, and
describe the geographical location in which you operate.
-If you don't have a mission statement, create one by writing
down in one sentence what the purpose of your business is. Ask two or three of the key
people in your company to do the same thing. Then discuss the statements and come
up with one sentence everyone agrees with. Once you have finalized your mission
statement, communicate it to everyone in the company.It's more important to
communicate the mission statement to employees than to customers. Your mission
statement doesn't have to be clever or catchy just accurate.

d.)Organizational objectives-Organizational objectives are short-term and medium-

term goals that an organization seeks to accomplish. An organization's objectives will
play a large part in developing organizational policies and determining the allocation of
organizational resources. Achievement of objectives helps an organization reach its
overall strategic goals.

e.)Organizational structure-Corporate structure refers to the organization of different

departments or business units within a company. Depending on a company’s goals and
the industry in which it operates, corporate structure can differ significantly between
companies. Each of the departments usually performs a specialized function while
constantly collaborating with each other to achieve corporate goals and values.
-The organizational structure of a corporation is used to
establish the hierarchy of a company. Every business establishes the levels of staff it
requires to run effectively. The organizational structure is a key to deciding these
staffing requirements.

f.)Corporate organizational culture-Corporate culture refers to the shared values,

attitudes, standards, and beliefs that characterize members of an organization and
define its nature. Corporate culture is rooted in an organization's goals, strategies,
structure, and approaches to labor, customers, investors, and the greater community.

I. Enumerate and discuss the following;

a) The 4 elements of SWOT, explain each element
1.Strengths
- Strengths in SWOT analysis are the attributes within an
organization that are considered to be necessary for the ultimate success
of a project. Strengths are resources and capabilities that can be used for
competitive advantage. Examples of strengths that are often cited include
Strong brand names,Good reputation and Cost advantages of proprietary
know-how.
-Strengths can be either tangible or intangible. These are what
you are well-versed in or what you have expertise in, the traits and
qualities your employees possess (individually and as a team) and the
distinct features that give your organization its consistency.

-Strengths are the beneficial aspects of the organization or the

capabilities of an organization, which includes human competencies,
process capabilities, financial resources, products and services, customer
goodwill and brand loyalty. Examples of organizational strengths are huge
financial resources, broad product line, no debt, committed employees,
etc.

2.Weaknesses
-The factors within the SWOT analysis formula that could
prevent successful results within a project are Weaknesses. Weaknesses
include factors such as an abundance of rivalry between departments, a
weak internal communication system, lack of funding and an inadequate
amount of materials. Weaknesses can derail a project before it even
begins. Other Weaknesses include Weak brand name,Poor
reputation, Ineffective and high cost structure.
-Weaknesses in an organization may be depreciating
machinery, insufficient research and development facilities, narrow
product range, poor decision-making, etc. Weaknesses are controllable.
They must be minimized and eliminated. For instance to overcome
obsolete machinery, new machinery can be purchased. Other examples of
organizational weaknesses are huge debts, high employee turnover,
complex decision making process, narrow product range, large wastage of
raw materials, etc.
 3.Opportunities
-Opportunities are classified as external elements that
might be helpful in achieving the goals set for the project. These factors
could involve vendors who wish to work with the company to help achieve
success, the positive perception of the company by the general public,
and market conditions that could make the project desirable to the
segment of the market. Additional Opportunities include, Arrival of
new technology,Unfulfilled customer needs, and Taking business
courses (training).
-Organization should be careful and recognize the
opportunities and grasp them whenever they arise. Selecting the targets
that will best serve the clients while getting desired results is a difficult
task. Opportunities may arise from market, competition,
industry/government and technology. Increasing demand for
telecommunications accompanied by deregulation is a great opportunity
for new firms to enter telecom sector and compete with existing firms for
revenue.

4.Threats
-These external factors could gravely affect the success of the
project or business venture. The possible threats that are critical to any
SWOT analysis include a negative public image, no ready-made market
for the final product and the lack of vendors who are able to supply raw
materials for the project. Some other threats include,Trend changes,
New regulations and New substitute products.
-Threats arise when conditions in external environment
jeopardize the reliability and profitability of the organization’s business.
They compound the vulnerability when they relate to the weaknesses.
Threats are uncontrollable. When a threat comes, the stability and survival
can be at stake. Examples of threats are - unrest among employees;
ever changing technology; increasing competition leading to excess
capacity, price wars and reducing industry profits; etc.

b) Advantages of SWOT analysis

SWOT Analysis is instrumental in strategy formulation and

selection. It is a strong tool, but it involves a great subjective element. It is
best when used as a guide, and not as a prescription. Successful
businesses build on their strengths, correct their weakness and protect
against internal weaknesses and external threats. They also keep a watch
on their overall business environment and recognize and exploit new
opportunities faster than its competitors.

SWOT Analysis helps in strategic planning in following manner-

A. It is a source of information for strategic planning.

 B. Builds organization’s strengths.
C. Reverse its weaknesses.
D. Maximize its response to opportunities.
E. Overcome organization’s threats.
F. It helps in identifying core competencies of the firm.
G.It helps in setting of objectives for strategic planning.
H. It helps in knowing past, present and future so that by using past
and current data, future plans can be chalked out.

SWOT Analysis provide information that helps in synchronizing the

firm’s resources and capabilities with the competitive environment in which
the firm operates.

c) 8 skills in business analysis

1.Understand your objective as part of the directions of company

-The requirements communicated by the management or
technical staff are to be understood both holistically and individually.
Sometimes, the communicated information contains a lot of gaps, which
the analyst has to understand and fill up. In case there is any problem with
understanding the objectives, one should not hesitate and ask again.

2.Competent Verbal Communication

-Communication as a skill is needed in any high-
functioning job profile. However, since the job of an analyst is to analyze
data, the results have to be communicated to the people in higher
authority. Out of all skills for business analysts, communication holds the
biggest ground.
-One should be capable of making the agenda known with
extreme clarity. Also, being able to ask insightful questions is required so
that the right kind of information is achieved from stakeholders. For
example, if your stakeholder does not work in a technical profile, you need
to ask the questions in simple and plain language.

3.Good Listening Skills

-Listening skills are one of the key cornerstones of
becoming a good business analyst. A good business analyst listens to and
absorbs information. This helps the analyst to analyze the information
thoroughly so that they can specify the requirements.

-Also, it’s important that the listener not only understands

what is being said but also the context behind it, such as the objective, the
main motivation and the circumstances for which it is being said. The
business analyst should ideally observe the voice, the tone and the body
language of the speaker to understand the message clearly.
 4.Being able to Run Meetings with Stakeholders
-Using email to communicate effectively and professionally with
a client has been a standard protocol until now. However, at times, it is not
the most effective way. Therefore, discussing issues with the client face to
face can work wonders and even help in solving issues pretty quickly.
-In fact, many times executives will know better about a project or
an issue due to a simple reason that people are more open in their
interactions with the other party. However, if an audit trail is a necessity,
the business analyst can always set up a meeting with the client through a
written confirmation.

5.Improve your presentations skills especially for documentation.

- One of the main keys to writing reports effectively is to
understand the instances where the language has to be technical and
where it needs to be in plain easy English. In brief, this skill is a
combination of writing skills and the ability to understand the
communication parameters such as the target readers and the message
you are trying to convey.

6.Excellent time management

-This is a very crucial one of all the skills for business analysts.
Time management is important since the work schedule of a business
analyst is filled with tasks and they have to ensure that their commitment
to each one of them has to be fulfilled. Understanding the priorities and
then scheduling the day to day tasks as required is the most fundamental
step in time management for business analysts.

-Multi-tasking is a major sub-skill under time management as it

helps to get multiple jobs done at the same time, thus saving further time
for other work commitments. However, it’s not just work commitments that
matter, but also being able to balance the work-personal life equation.

7.Documentation and writing skills

-This is a good example of technical skills for business analysts.
It involves writing reports, plans, documentation and various types of
analysis details. The responsibility of a business analyst will require one to
write on a wide array of topics.

8.Stakeholders management
-Stakeholder management is the process of maintaining good
relationships with the people who have most impact on your work.
Communicating with each one in the right way can play a vital part in
keeping them "on board."

d) Porter’s Model (5 Forces Analysis)

1.Competitive Rivalry. This looks at the number and strength of your
competitors. How many rivals do you have? Who are they, and how does
the quality of their products and services compare with yours?

Where rivalry is intense, companies can attract customers with aggressive

price cuts and high-impact marketing campaigns. Also, in markets with
lots of rivals, your suppliers and buyers can go elsewhere if they feel that
they're not getting a good deal from you.

On the other hand, where competitive rivalry is minimal, and no one else
is doing what you do, then you'll likely have tremendous strength and
healthy profits.

2.Supplier Power. This is determined by how easy it is for your

suppliers to increase their prices. How many potential suppliers do you
have? How unique is the product or service that they provide, and how
expensive would it be to switch from one supplier to another?

The more you have to choose from, the easier it will be to switch to a
cheaper alternative. But the fewer suppliers there are, and the more you
need their help, the stronger their position and their ability to charge you
more. That can impact your profit.

3.Buyer Power. Here, you ask yourself how easy it is for buyers to
drive your prices down. How many buyers are there, and how big are their
orders? How much would it cost them to switch from your products and
services to those of a rival? Are your buyers strong enough to dictate
terms to you?

When you deal with only a few savvy customers, they have more power,
but your power increases if you have many customers.

4.Threat of Substitution. This refers to the likelihood of your

customers finding a different way of doing what you do. For example, if
you supply a unique software product that automates an important
process, people may substitute it by doing the process manually or by
outsourcing it. A substitution that is easy and cheap to make can weaken
your position and threaten your profitability.

5.Threat of New Entry. Your position can be affected by people's

ability to enter your market. So, think about how easily this could be done.
How easy is it to get a foothold in your industry or market? How much
would it cost, and how tightly is your sector regulated?
If it takes little money and effort to enter your market and compete
effectively, or if you have little protection for your key technologies, then
rivals can quickly enter your market and weaken your position. If you have
strong and durable barriers to entry, then you can preserve a favorable
position and take fair advantage of it.