What is PESTEL Analysis?

PESTEL is a strategic framework used to analyze the external macro-environmental factors affecting an organization. It stands for Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Environmental, and Legal factors.

What are Porter's Five Forces?

Porter's Five Forces is a model that identifies and analyzes five competitive forces that shape every industry: 1. Competition in the industry, 2. Potential of new entrants into the industry, 3. Power of suppliers, 4. Power of customers, and 5. Threat of substitute products.

What is Vertical Integration?

Vertical integration is a strategy where a company takes ownership of two or more stages of its production or distribution chain. For example, a manufacturer buying a retail chain (forward integration) or a raw material supplier (backward integration).

How do I cite sources in a presentation?

In a presentation, you should include brief citations on the slide itself (e.g., 'Source: Wall Street Journal, 2024') and a full reference list on the final slide in APA format.

Strategic Management Presentation Guide

Guide to Your Strategic Management Presentation

You have a Strategic Management assignment to create a 5-minute presentation on a current business event from the last 12 months. You must analyze it using course concepts (Chapters 1-11) and present it to the class.

This assignment requires you to bridge the gap between theory (textbook concepts) and practice (real-world news). You need to select a relevant event, apply a strategic framework, and deliver a professional analysis.

This guide provides a complete walkthrough. We will review key strategic concepts like PESTEL and Porter’s 5 Forces, provide a full sample presentation script on Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard, and explain *why* it works. This page shows how our business experts handle strategic analysis tasks.

Key Strategic Concepts for Analysis

Your prompt requires you to use “specific theories, models, or concepts.” Here are the best ones to use for current events.

[Image of Porter’s Five Forces Diagram]

1. PESTEL Analysis (External Environment)

Use this for events involving government regulation, economic shifts, or social trends.
Political (Laws, trade policy)
Economic (Inflation, interest rates)
Social (Demographics, lifestyle changes)
Technological (AI, automation)
Environmental (Climate change, sustainability)
Legal (Antitrust laws, labor laws)

2. Porter’s Five Forces (Industry Competition)

Use this for mergers, acquisitions, or new product launches. It analyzes industry profitability. Michael Porter’s framework remains the gold standard.

Threat of New Entrants: How easy is it to start a rival business?
Bargaining Power of Suppliers: Do suppliers control prices?
Bargaining Power of Buyers: Do customers have many choices?
Threat of Substitutes: Can another product replace yours?
Rivalry Among Existing Competitors: How intense is the competition?

3. Vertical & Horizontal Integration (Corporate Strategy)

Use this for mergers and acquisitions (M&A).
Vertical Integration: Buying a supplier or distributor (e.g., Netflix making its own shows).
Horizontal Integration: Buying a competitor (e.g., T-Mobile buying Sprint).

Full Sample Presentation: Microsoft & Activision

Here is a complete script and slide outline for a 5-minute presentation. It uses the Microsoft acquisition of Activision Blizzard as the event, linking it to Vertical Integration and Porter’s Five Forces.

Slide 1: Title Slide

Strategic Analysis: Microsoft’s Acquisition of Activision Blizzard

Student Name

Strategic Management (MGT 401)

Date

Speaker Notes (Script):

“Good morning, everyone. My name is [Name], and today I will be analyzing one of the most significant strategic moves in the technology sector: Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard. This event represents a major shift in the gaming industry and provides a perfect case study for understanding corporate strategy and competitive advantage.”

Slide 2: Event Description

The Event: A $69 Billion Deal

Date Closed: October 13, 2023
The Deal: Microsoft acquired Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion.
Key Assets: Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, Candy Crush.
Context: Largest acquisition in video game history.

Speaker Notes (Script):

“First, let’s look at the event itself. In October 2023, after nearly two years of regulatory battles, Microsoft finalized its acquisition of Activision Blizzard for nearly $69 billion. This is the largest deal in the history of the video game industry. By acquiring Activision, Microsoft gained control over massive intellectual properties like ‘Call of Duty,’ ‘World of Warcraft,’ and ‘Candy Crush.’ This move instantly made Microsoft the third-largest gaming company in the world by revenue, behind only Tencent and Sony.”

Slide 3: Connection to Course Concepts

Strategic Concept: Vertical Integration

Chapter Reference: Corporate Strategy (Ch. 8)
Definition: Expanding ownership into other stages of the value chain.
Application: Microsoft (Platform Holder/Xbox) buys Activision (Content Creator).
Goal: Secure exclusive content for Game Pass subscription.

Speaker Notes (Script):

“This event directly relates to the concept of **Vertical Integration**, discussed in Chapter 8 of our textbook. Vertical integration occurs when a firm expands its operations into different steps of the production path. In this case, Microsoft, which owns the Xbox platform (distribution), bought Activision, a game developer (production). This allows Microsoft to control the entire value chain. By owning the content, they can bolster their ‘Game Pass’ subscription service, creating a competitive moat that rivals like Sony cannot easily cross. As Investopedia notes, this strategy is classic for reducing dependency on suppliers.”

Slide 4: Strategic Analysis

Analysis: Short & Long Term Impacts

Short-Term: Integration challenges, cultural friction, regulatory scrutiny.
Long-Term: Dominance in Cloud Gaming and Mobile.
Industry Impact: Shifts power away from hardware (consoles) to content and subscriptions.

Speaker Notes (Script):

“Analyzing the implications, the short-term impact involves significant integration challenges. Merging two massive corporate cultures is difficult, especially given Activision’s recent workplace controversies. However, the long-term strategic impact is profound. This move positions Microsoft to dominate the future of **Cloud Gaming**. By controlling ‘Call of Duty,’ they can drive subscriptions to Game Pass, shifting the industry model from buying $70 games to a Netflix-style subscription. According to McKinsey’s analysis, this shift to recurring revenue is the future of the sector.”

Slide 5: Discussion & References

Discussion Question

“Given the regulatory scrutiny this deal faced, do you believe Vertical Integration in the tech sector stifles innovation, or is it necessary for companies to compete globally?”

References

Investopedia. (2024). *Vertical Integration*. https://www.investopedia.com/terms/v/verticalintegration.asp

McKinsey & Company. (2024). *The video game industry is growing again*. https://www.mckinsey.com/

Strategic Management Textbook. (2020). *Chapter 8: Corporate Strategy*.

Speaker Notes (Script):

“To conclude, I’d like to pose a discussion question for the class: Given the heavy regulatory scrutiny this deal faced from the FTC and UK regulators, do you believe that massive Vertical Integration in the tech sector stifles innovation by reducing competition, or is it a necessary step for companies to survive in a global market? Thank you for your time.”

Expert Breakdown: Why This Presentation Works

The sample presentation above is designed to get full marks. Here is *why* it is effective.

1. It Focuses on ONE Key Concept

The presentation doesn’t try to explain *everything*. It picks Vertical Integration and sticks to it. This creates clarity. In a 5-minute presentation, depth is better than breadth.

2. It Uses Specific Business Terminology

It uses terms like “Value Chain,” “Competitive Moat,” “Recurring Revenue,” and “Regulatory Scrutiny.” This shows the professor you have mastered the course vocabulary.

3. The Discussion Question is Open-Ended

The question isn’t a simple “yes/no.” It asks about “innovation” vs. “competition,” which invites debate. This is exactly what professors look for in a discussion prompt.

How Our Experts Can Help You

Creating a presentation requires research, writing, and design skills. If you are short on time or struggling with the concepts, our experts can help.

Presentation & Speaker Notes Service

This is our core service for this assignment. You send us the event you want to cover (or we can pick one). A business expert will:

Conduct the research on the event.
Create a professional PowerPoint or PDF slide deck.
Write a full, word-for-word script (speaker notes) for you to read during your recording.

You get a ready-to-present package that ensures you hit the 5-minute mark perfectly.

Business Analysis & Case Studies

If you have a written paper accompanying the presentation, our writers can provide a comprehensive analysis, using frameworks like SWOT, PESTEL, and Porter’s 5 Forces to dissect the company’s strategy.

Strategic Management Presentation Guide