DUE MONDAY 2/10/2020
Case studies are an important learning strategy in business classes as they provide an opportunity for you to critically analyze events that have taken place in real-life businesses. This develops your critical thinking and research skills as you research the competition and industry in which your business resides with an end goal of formulating a recommendation for the challenges faced by the company. 
Select one of the three case studies listed below, which can be found in your textbook. Evaluate the case of your choice, and respond to each of the questions below using both theory and practical managerial thinking as well as supporting research. 
Option 1: Microsoft (pp. 94–95) 

Evaluate Microsoft’s product and marketing evolution over the years. What has the  company done well, and where did it falter? 
Through  the application of a political, economic, social, and technological       (PEST) analysis, what are the current environmental factors impacting Microsoft? 
Who       are the top three competitors of Microsoft, and what are their  advantages/disadvantages with respect to satisfying the value proposition  of their customers? 
Evaluate       Microsoft’s recent expansions into areas such as search engines and smartphones. Do you think these are good areas of growth for Microsoft with a focus on customer value, satisfaction, and loyalty? 

Option 2: Tesco (pp.154–155) 

Evaluate       Tesco brand’s product and marketing evolution over the years. What’s most       important to the Tesco brand with respect to changes in how consumers       shop for grocery products? 
Through       the application of a PEST analysis, what are the current environmental       factors impacting Tesco? 
Who       are the top three competitors of Tesco, and what are their       advantages/disadvantages with respect to satisfying the value proposition       of their customers? 
How       will Tesco grow without losing focus on its core customer as they look to       maintain customer value, satisfaction, and loyalty? 

Option 3: IKEA (pp.185–186) 

Evaluate       IKEA’s business model concept and how it has evolved through the years.       It has been stated that they have essentially changed the way people shop       for furniture. What are the pros and cons of this type of strategy for       IKEA? 
Through       the application of a PEST analysis, what are the current environmental       factors impacting IKEA? 
Who       are the top three competitors of IKEA, and what are their advantages/disadvantages       with respect to satisfying the value proposition of their customers? 
As       IKEA looks to maintain markets in the United States as well as expand to       areas such as Asia and India, what would you recommend to maintain       customer value, satisfaction, and loyalty? 

In formatting your case analysis, do not use the question-and-answer format; instead, use an essay format with subheadings. Your APA-formatted case study should be a minimum of 500 words in length (not counting the title and reference pages). You are required to use a minimum of three peer-reviewed, academic sources that are no more than 5 years old (one may be your textbook). All sources used, including the textbook, must be referenced; paraphrased material must have accompanying in-text citations.