Loblaw Companies Limited: Assignment 2 – Value Creation Chain & Competitor Analysis
Part III – Firm or Internal Environment 2
Introduction to the Value Creation Chain Analysis (Lakshay) 2
Primary Value Creation Chain Activities 3
Supply Chain Management (Lakshay) 3
Operations (Ranya) 3
Distribution（Dianjie) 9
Marketing and Sales (Dianjie) 14
Customer Service (Dianjie) 19
Secondary Value Chain Activities 21
Human Resources Management（Ranya） 21
R&D / New Product Development (Xinhang) 24
Corporate Leadership (Xinhang) 26
Summary (Ranya) 40
Appendix 40
Appendix A: Normalized Statements of Income (Lakshay) 40
Appendix B: Normalized Statements of Financial Position (Lakshay) 41
Bibliography 45
BUSI4609: Declaration of Academic Integrity 50
Part III – Firm or Internal Environment
Introduction to the Value Creation Chain Analysis (Lakshay)
Loblaw Companies limited was founded by Theodore Loblaw, since then they have grown to become the largest food distributor in Canada. The first Loblaw Groceterias was opened in 1919 in Toronto, Ontario. The business was developed as a modern concept of grocery retailing. The business primary focus was the sale of grocery products. Later in 1924 they expanded across Ontario as well as across the border in the State of New York. Over the next 100 years the company continued to expand rapidly and expanded into various other domains such as; financial service, pharmacy/health care, clothing and more. Along with the founder Mr. Loblaw there were various key entrepreneurs who helped grow the business in its early days. The first is Murray Koffler who was a Canadian pharmacist that help found the Shoppers drug mart subsidiary. The next key entrepreneur was Garfield Weston who acquired 100,00 shares of Loblaw’s in 1947 and became a controlling member. The brand along with controlling shares were passed down within the family and the current CEO is his grandson Galen Weston Jr.
As for the current state of the company we can analyze the financial statements provided in Appendix A and B that depict the Statements of Income and Statement of Financial Position for Loblaws. As demonstrated the annual revenue is approximately $50,000,000,000 with a Net income of $1,192,000,000. The company employs 190,000 people and is located in most central locations. Approximately 90% of Canadians live within 10km of a Loblaws according to the company. This statistic trul shows the reach the company has over the overall market share.
Primary Value Creation Chain Activities
Supply Chain Management (Lakshay)
Operations (Ranya)
This section will focus on analyzing operations, including Loblaw companies limited banners, several retail locations, same-store sales percentage, sales per square foot, and sales per employee for Loblaw’s, as well as the outlined competitors (Empire and Metro) from 2018 to 2021.
Banners
Loblaw is the subsidiary of George Weston and is the leader in the Canadian food and pharmacy industries. Today, Loblaw operates under various banners such as Zehrs, Provigo, and Fortinos. Its discount stores include Extra Foods, Real Canadian Superstore, No Frills, T&T Supermarket and Shoppers Drug Mart Chain, Loblaw’s, Pharma Prix, Maxi, PC financial, and Joe Fresh. Its private label, “Life” brand and the notable Presidents choice can be found at the Giant’s sub-stores, a brand favored due to its low cost-high quality nature. Its competitor Empire is the parent company of Sobeys Inc. (Sobeys), and Sobeys has stores under the banners of Sobeys, Safeway, and Foodland. Empire conducts business in the food retailing and pharmacy industry with Lawton Drugs, but they also have investments and other operations such as fuel stations. Sobeys and Loblaws are the only two food retailing companies that serve all of Canada.
Metro Inc. Canada has 950 food stores operating under various banners, including Food basics, Metro Plus, Metro, Super C. It also has banners under the pharmacy stores, including Brunet, Jean Coutu, Food basics pharmacy, and Metro pharmacy.
Sobeys is the only food retailer that works with Loblaw in Canada. This is a strength for Loblaw if it makes sure that its operations are done effectively. Metro has focused chiefly on its operations in the dense areas in Canada, including Québec and Ontario. This allows Metro to operate within that Canadian population without expanding in the whole Canadian country. However, the lack of expansion by Metro gives Loblaw a competitive advantage since Loblaw can target large pockets of people, most importantly British Columbia and Alberta, which is a weakness for Metro.
Retail Locations
Loblaw is expanding rapidly and currently has 2,439 stores in Canada. This makes it have a 34.1% market share and earns it the top position among other Canadian food retailers. Walmart has a total of 408 stores in Canada, in addition to 343 supercenters and 65 discount stores in all provinces and territories except in Nunavut. However, Walmart is not the greatest competitor of Loblaw. As of 2020, Empire had a total number of 1500 stores and 350 retail fuel. Metro has over 1,600 retail locations in Canada.
Source: BloomBerg
The retail locations for Loblaw and Empire have been rising steadily while Metro’s has been growing dramatically. Metro has been cycling the peak cycle since the start of the pandemic in 2020.
Same-Store Sale
Same-store sale is the revenue generated by a single retail location in a recent accounting period compared to that generated in a similar accounting period in the past. It provides the organic growth of a company’s sales over time. It is an important point of analysis for the company’s management and investors when evaluating its current and future performance.
Empire’s same-store sales excluding fuel increased by 10.7%. Loblaw same-store sale was $11, 670 million in the first quarter of 2021. This was a revenue rise of $86 million, which is 0.7% compared to the 2020 first quarter. The growth was contributed by the retail food sales, which were $ 8,479 million, which was a 0.1 % growth to the 9.6% of the sales in 2020. In the first quarter of this year, metro posted a same-sale-store rise of 5.5 %. The analysis of this figure is important since it shows whether the fundamentals of business are working to attract customers. However, in this case, the same-store sales of the competitors, metro, and Empire are higher than Loblaw’s. Overall, the figures above show the Empire is on top regarding performance compared to other firms.
Loblaw same-store-sale might have decreased due to the decreased bucket size in grocery products and the decrease in traffic compared to the first quarter of 2020. The drug retail store also declined sales by 1.7 percent. The company also incurred approximately $48 million this year in COVID-19 related costs compared to the $32 million of 2020. The costs were meant to protect the customers and employees. The decline in sales has been caused by the company having to put a higher price on its products. However, this year the company has been able to beat the market expectations, and the costs of its products are expected to improve. The company is lapping the COVID-19 related expenses and has also rolled out the process and efficiency data-driven Insights program, which delivers benefits to the company. It is also anticipated that there will be regulatory reforms in the company.
Sales per Square Foot
In grocery retailing, based on each company’s annual report, Wholesome has the highest sale per square foot at $1,000, Loblaw is next at $615, followed by Sobeys $581 and Metro at $530. In comparison with its competitors, Sobeys and Metro, Loblaw has higher sales per square foot. Having such high sales per square foot shows that the higher-level management of Metro is doing a better job of marketing and displaying their products. This is a strength for Loblaw as it shows that the company is making wise investment decisions, specifically the strategic placement of stores which helps yield more returns.
Cost of Goods Sold
The cost of goods sold as a percentage of sales for Loblaw in the past five years is the lowest among leading competitors. This is a massive advantage to the company. The lower cost of goods sold enables Loblaw to expand the market and develop its R&D department.
Source: Bloomberg
Operation VRIO:
Criteria
Yes
No
Explanation
Valuable
X
Loblaw’s valuable resources that have helped it sustain its competitive advantage includes the low pricing strategy, everyday pricing strategy, and strong supply chain management, and technological advancements
Rare
X
Loblaw’s operational strategy cannot be rare because even its competitors utilize the same strategy. It requires them to improve at the strategies to meet consumer needs better.
Irreplaceable/Costly to Imitate
X
Operational metrics are not costly to initiate or monitor as long as they give the required overall benefit.
Organized to be Exploited
X
Loblaw has expanded its operations in the past three years. Loblaw is also doing its best to reduce the cost of goods sold to increase its competitive edge compared to its competitors. This will help the company increase sales and ultimately increase profits.
Competitive Consequence
Competitive Parity
Performance Implications
Average Returns
In conclusion, the operational metrics such as banners and the number of retail locations are the overall strengths for Loblaw. These two show that Loblaw is strategically positioned to target as many customers as possible. The VRIO analysis shows that Metro’s operations activities will give them temporary competitive advantages and above-average returns. Overall, these metrics are a strength for Metro, and if utilized correctly, they can exponentiate their profits in the future.
Distribution（Dianjie)
Loblaw Company Ltd. is mainly involved in the grocery and pharmacy Industry. Based on the chart above, the company has the largest market share in Canada. In 2020, the company owned 2,439 stores across Canada, among which there are more than 1,300 Pharmacy stores such as Shoppers Drug Mart, and the rest are grocery stores such as T&T supermarket and Loblaws Supermarket. According to data from Bloomberg, we can see that Loblaw Company Ltd was adding about ten new stores per year on average. Half of the stores are associated owned, while corporate stores and franchise stores each account for a quarter of the total. As a result of the COVID -19 outbreak, the growth rate of new stores may be reduced, and some unprofitable stores may be permanently closed. For example, Loblaw Company Ltd. closed 52 unprofitable stores during 2015.
Source: Bloomberg
Source: Loblaw, Metro, Walamart and Empire financial statements
In terms of the number of stores contracted with other direct competitors, Loblaws has an advantage in the number of stores owned. Loblaw had 806 more stores in 2018 than Metro and 922 more than Empire. In analyzing the distribution functionality, we must refer to the location of Loblaw company Ltd.’s stores in Canada. Based on the chart below, it is clear to see that most stores are in the provinces of British Columbia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, Ontario, and Quebec, which are all the most developed areas in Canada. The customers in those provinces have more purchasing power than other areas, which gives Loblaw company Ltd. a geographic advantage.
Chart two: Bloomberg
The picture below shows the number of stores that Loblaws owned in each province in 2020. There were 1142, 389, 274 and 266 stores in Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia, and Alberta respectively.
Source: Loblaws financial reports.
According to the picture below, Loblaws supermarket owns twelve distribution centres and two manufactures. The number of infrastructures and distribution channels that the company owned is relatively less compared with 2439 stores. Fortunately, the company owns distribution centres in all the provinces in which they operate, and all centers are able to distribute all brands under Loblaws. For example, a distribution can simultaneously deliver products to Loblaws supermarket and shoppers drug mart to maximize the economies of scale. The increased economies of scale dramatically reduce the transportation costs and labour costs of Loblaw company Ltd. Furthermore, there was a synergy effect after Loblaw company Ltd. acquired the shoppers Drugmart. Because two firms can share one developed IT platform for distribution and create private label products with high profits margins.
Source: Bloomberg
All Loblaw’s main competitors have independent distribution centers. Walmart has significantly more distribution centres than any other grocery companies in North America. However, Walmart is positioned as an international grocery company, while Loblaw’s primary market is Canada only. Besides, shown in the graph below all Walmart’s distribution centres are in America. Therefore, Loblaw has many advantages compared with other distribution companies, accounting for 3/4 of the total distribution centre in Canada. Unfortunately, Loblaw company Ltd. has announced plans to close three distribution centres in Laval, Quebec and Ottawa in 2020 due to the COVID-19 influence on the economy. As the trend of applying technology and automation in the retail industry, Loblaw Companies Ltd. massively expanded the existing distribution centre in Cornwall. The company plans to spend approximately $40 million to create the best modern technology distribution centre in Canada to service Stores in Eastern Ontario and Quebec. In addition, Loblaw owns a separate distribution company, Atlantic Wholesalers Ltd in Halifax which makes the company’s transportation and distribution system more efficient than Metro and Empire.
Source: Bloomberg
The table below illustrates the estimated total square feet of Loblaw distribution centres after the shutdown announcement. In contrast to its peers, Metro has set up seven distribution centres in Ontario and Quebec. Empire owns four distribution centres in Alberta, Ontario, Quebec, and BC. Therefore, Loblaw has distribution centers in seven provinces to deliver products to grocery stores more quickly and cost-effective than its competitors.
Chart 5: Canadian Grocer
Distribution VRIO:
Criteria
Yes
No
Explanation
Valuable
X
Loblaw company Ltd. has a well-developed distribution network and a separate distribution company.
Rare
X
Although Loblaw has more advantages about distributing products, other leading grocery companies also have distribution networks, such as Metro.
Irreplaceable/Costly to Imitate
X
It is costly to establish the distribution network, however most competitors of Loblaw own several independent distribution centers.
Organized to be Exploited
X
Loblow plans to spend $40 Million to modernize the distribution center.
Competitive Consequence
Competitive Parity
Performance Implications
Average Returns
Marketing and Sales (Dianjie)
Marketing and Sales
The grocery industry does not heavily rely on advertising to attract new customers because food and vegetables are considered necessary products for all citizens in Canada. Therefore, the consumption of advertising accounts for a small portion of total expense. Cost of goods sold and administrative expenses are two costly sections that the grocery industry needs to minimize. The administrative expense is the general expense, including advertising cost. From the chart below, although the annual sales revenue of Loblaws supermarket has increased steadily every year, the increase in administrative expense exceeds the increase in sales revenue.10 The general expense as a percentage of sales increased from 20% to 26.25% between 2012 and 2020, which probably caused by the commitment to promoting e-commerce, resulting in continued increased expense. Based on the company’s financial statement, the company failed to implement the company’s e-commerce plan to adapt to the changes in the retail landscape caused by the advancement of digital technology.
Chart 6：Statistia
According to the chart below , although the general expense as a percentage of sales has been rising, Loblaw maintained a relatively stable net earning except for the acquisition of Shoppers in 2014 which led to a significant reduction in net earning. But overall, Loblaw’s financial performance is higher than the industry average.
Source: Statistia
Loblaw Company Ltd. has obtained a dominant market share after the acquisition, and it is committed to making all citizens live within 10 kilometers of one of the grocery stores. By obtaining such a high market share illustrated below, Loblaw and other competitors have created strong brand images which establish a high barrier for new entries
Source: Statistia
In 2008, Loblaw company Ltd. acquired the digital advertising technology form a media company – Torstar. Torstar provides a set of services, including analysis, advertising services, data management, etc.In 2019, Loblaw introduced its media business which sells advertising to its customers based on customer data in the PC Optimum program. Entering the advertisement industry not only reduces the cost of advertising grocery products, but also the company has one more revenue stream.
Loblaws supermarkets use both print media and digital media as forms of advertising. For example, the company advertises through the corporate website, PC Optimum, flyers, emails, etc. Although mass media is more popular than print media, grocery industry advertising through flyers is essential. Because older people tend to spend more on grocery stores than younger people, and most of them do not use digital media. According to research from Toronto-based Brandspark, flyers are still a marketing tool, about 91% of Canadians still read grocery flyers every month, especially for older people. Company activities and loyalty programs can be seen as another form of advertising. For example, Loblaw offers a PC Optimum point program which customers can use points to exchange products. In addition, credit points can be used in all grocery private brands under Loblaw company Ltd. Walmart provides a Walmart Rewards Mastercard, which allows consumers to earn cashback.
Despite Loblaw Cos’s financial report reports a failure to execute the Company’s e-commerce initiatives. The company’s e-commerce sales more than doubled by the end of the fiscal year 2020. Loblaw’s online sales reach $2.8 billion in 2020, but the Company just celebrated $1 billion in 2019. Based on the data from Statistic Canada, it can be seen that digital sales are the primary development direction of the retail and grocery industry.According to Loblaw Cos. President Sarah Ruth Davis said that creating and maintaining an online channel is costly. So, Loblaws is taking steps to control the medium-term profit impact while maintaining the leadership position.
Source:Statistic Canada
Distribution VRIO:
Criteria
Yes
No
Explanation
Valuable
X
Loblaw has its digital advertising technology and established media business. The company also has a robust loyalty program.
Rare
X
Although Loblaw Company Ltd has valuable and robust marketing, other leading competitors also have their advantages, such as loyalty programs and media platforms.
Irreplaceable/Costly to Imitate
X
Loblaw company owns a digital advertising technology, and the company launched a media business. However, based on the money expense, reputation and market reorganization, it is challenging for other companies to imitate Loblaw marketing strategies
Organized to be Exploited
X
creating and maintaining an online channel is costly, However, with the development of technology maintaining cost could dramatically reduce in the future.
Competitive Consequence
Competitive Parity
Performance Implications
Average Returns
Customer Service (Dianjie)
Loblaw Company Ltd. focuses significantly on customer service. The company committed to delivering exceptional customer service and focusing on our customers’ health and safety during the pandemic, spending an average of $76 million per quarter to make sure customer safety in all grocery stores. Loblaw works to make all customers have the same accessibility to service. The company offers customer service support at each store location, Phone call, Facebook and email. In addition, Loblaw supermarket provides complete return, refund, exchange policies for all customers. Customers can ask for a refund for any non-food grocery products within 14 days after purchase. Even customers can not locate their receipt, as long as they have any purchased proof, the company gladly offers an exchange on the product.
Chart 10: Loblaw company Ltd.
Shoppers Drug Mart as a subsidiary of Loblaw company offers a longer period for return and refund, within 30 days from original date of purchase. Besides, Loblaw pays special attention to the shopping experience of the disabled and disabled employees. The company promises to meet the accessibility needs of the disabled and to provide the same shopping experience to the disabled with respect to their dignity. Furthermore, digital shopping platforms and online service were improved for customer safety during the Pandemic to enhance the online shopping experience. In addition, Loblaw has opened more pick-up locations and implemented new technologies in existing stores. At the end of 2021, the company plans to implement self-driving vehicles for grocery delivery to reduce customer waiting time.
Source:Loblaw, Walmart, Costco and Freshco financial statement
The picture above illustrates four leading grocery companies’ return policy. The return
time limit is between 14 days to 30 days and customers have the option to choose refund and exchange with the original receipt. Besides, all companies have a high customer success product return rate. Overall, The Canadian grocery market has a standard return policy.
Loblaw has accomplished a lot of famous rewards. For example, Loblaw Company Ltd. was recognized as one of the top 100 employers in Canada and the best employer in Toronto. The company won this accomplishment for two reasons. First, Loblaw gives academic scholarships ranging from $1,200 to $2,500 a year to the children of employees going to college. Second, Loblaw continues to donate more than $3.3 million to poor food banks through charitable activities. Loblaw has also voted the greenest company of 2021 through its ambitious carbon reduction strategy, the company aiming to reduce 30% of the company’s carbon footprint in 2030 through waste, electricity and transportation.
Distribution VRIO:
Criteria
Yes
No
Explanation
Valuable
X
Customers are the primary focus for Loblaw company Ltd. Loblaw aims to provide the greatest products and after-sales services to all customers.
Rare
X
Although Loblaw Company Ltd has obtained many accomplishments in the grocery industry and provides valuable service to Customers, most competitors have achieved equally awards.
Irreplaceable/Costly to Imitate
X
It is costly to implement customer service in a grocery company. However, it is essential for all companies that want to retain and attract new customers.
Organized to be Exploited
X
Customer service needs to be improved continuously with the progress of science and technology
Competitive Consequence
Competitive Parity
Performance Implications
More Sustainable
Secondary Value Chain Activities
Human Resources Management（Ranya）
Sales per Employee
Loblaw’s sales per employee have been relatively consistent over the years. According to owler.com, Loblaw’s has an estimated sales revenue of $42.2 B and 220,000 employees, translating to $191.819 per employee. The close competitors who are Empire and Metro, have lower revenue and fewer employees than the company. Empire has 127,000 employees and a revenue of $21B which translates to approximately $165,355 per employee. Metro has 90,000 employees and a revenue of $15.6 B which translates to an approximate sales of $173,333 per employee. Having higher sales per employee shows that a company can operate with fewer employees and do more with lower overhead costs, which mostly translates to more profits. It also shows that a company is doing good in marketing, which shows sufficient marketing strategies. Loblaw’s higher sales per employee ratio is a strength for the company, which keeps the company ahead of its competitors. It also indicates that the company has the required number of employees as required by the industry.
Number of Employees
Currently, Loblaw has approximately 220 000 employees. This is an increase from the 2019 figure, which was 197,000 employees. Metro had around 90,000 employees in 2020. Empire and its subsidiaries, franchisees, and affiliates had approximately 127,000 employees as of 2020.
In 2018, Metro had around 90,000 employees. This was after adding 25,000 more employees after the acquisition of Jean Coutu. As indicated, this is the largest transaction in Metro’s history working towards their strategic plan to become a leader in the pharmacy industry in Québec.
Loblaw is relatively big when compared to its competitors Metro and Empire. Loblaw represents 1.01 percent of Metro’s and Empire’s total number of employees.
Having many employees makes Loblaw advantaged because employees are the most important customers, and they provide crucial insights regarding the overall customer experience.
Human Resources VRIO
Criteria
Yes
No
Explanation
Valuable
X
Most of its employees are highly trained, which ensures more productivity for the company. This translates to a consumer of Loblaw products getting a greater value for money.
Rare
X
The employees of Loblaw Companies Ltd are a rare resource. This is because Loblaw has invested in providing high-quality training and skills to the employees, which is not the case with some firms. Loblaw has also provided competitive compensation and a conducive working environment to ensure that these employees do not leave to work for other companies.
Costly to imitate
X
It is easy and affordable for competitors to imitate Loblaw’s strategy to have employees with skill sets that match those of the company. These firms can have the training to ensure their employees have better skills. They can also hire employees from Loblaw Companies Ltd and offer them a better working environment, better wages, numerous growth opportunities, and benefits, among others. Therefore, employees of Loblaw Companies Ltd become a resource that gives only a temporary competitive advantage for the company since it is imitable by other companies.
Exploited by the organization
X
The company has enough financial resources and distribution networks that allow the company to reach its customers effectively. These strategies also help to ensure that all the products are available on all its outlets. These resources give Loblaw’s a sustainable competitive advantage for Loblaw’s companies Limited.
From the information above, Loblaw has effectively utilized the human resource function. The company has provided many benefits and incentives for its employees. However, having a larger number of employees than its competitors means that the company must work hard to ensure that all employees are working to achieve a common goal. Otherwise, this does not provide a competitive advantage to the company.
R&D / New Product Development (Xinhang)
Loblaw Companies Limited is a retail and wholesale food contributor with operations across Canada. The retail and grocery industries compete on price, and therefore they do not need to spend a high amount of R&D expenses. From the data on Bloomberg, Loblaw Companies Limited has R&D expenses listed as zero in their income statement from 2018 to 2020. Although Loblaw did not invest in R&D, they innovated their products by acquiring other companies. On Sept 28, 2009. Loblaw Companies Limited completed the acquisition of T&T Supermarket Inc. T&T Supermarket Inc. is Canada’s largest Asian food retailer. This acquisition helps Loblaw finish the innovation and expand its businesses on Asian food. On March 28, 2014, Loblaw Companies Limited completed the acquisition of Shoppers Drug Mart Corporation. The Shoppers Drug Mart has become a unique and separate operating division of Loblaw. The acquisition combined the Canadian number-one grocery retailer and number-one pharmacy and beauty retailer. Also, this acquisition brings Loblaw closer reach of more Canadians. For example, Loblaw Companies Limited has 1 billion customer transactions per year, more than 2,300 stores, and nearly 1,800 pharmacies. On November 26, 2020. Loblaw Companies Limited completed the acquisition of technology and the related team from Eyereturn Marketing Inc, which is a subsidiary of Torstar Corporation. Loblaw Media can better connect brands and consumers online through targeted advertising by the new technology and expertise from Eyereturn. Besides, in 2019, Loblaw Companies Ltd established a “curated marketplace” website which sells brands and products the company hasn’t stocked before. The website aimed at setting Loblaw to compete with Amazon for Canadian market share.
R&D VRIO
Criteria
Yes
No
Explanation
Valuable
X
Value means that the resource or capability works to exploit an opportunity or mitigate a threat in the marketplace. Loblaw is valuable because its product is diversified. Customers can buy what they want to buy in Loblaw.
Rare
X
Rarity means that whether a firm has an absolutely unique valuable resource or capability in its industry. From the income statement of Loblaw, there is no R&D expense. Therefore, Loblaws lack this capability.
Costly to imitate
X
Imitability means that whether the firms have valuable and rare resources makes other firms hard to imitate. Loblaw’s resources are hard to imitate by other firms. The method of innovation of Loblaw needs large amounts of money.
Exploited by the organization
X
A firm without the correct organization, even if the firm has valuable, rare and costly to imitate resources and capabilities, still will suffer a competitive disadvantage. Loblaw puts first the needs and well-being of Canadians. They are changing their business ways to stay relevant in the industry.
Valuable
Rare
Costly to imitate
Exploited by the organization
Competitive implication
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Temporary Competitive Advantage
To sum up, although R&D is not making up heavily in the income statement of Loblaw, it is still to be considered a strength for Loblaw. The R&D makes Loblaw keep expanding and suit the different needs of different customers and become diverse. R&D is one of the important factors to help Loblaw keep competitive in the industry. From the analysis of VRIO, Loblaw can get a temporary competitive advantage. They still need to unceasingly innovate and acquire to keep competitive.
Corporate Leadership (Xinhang)
The following section will analyze the corporate leadership of Loblaw by compare the major metrics, share price, market capitalization between Loblaw and its competitors. Loblaw’s main competitors are Metro, Walmart.
CORPORATE EXECUTIVES
Loblaw
Metro
Walmart
Number of Executives
13
16
35
Average Corporate Executives Tenure (Year)
5.46
6.43
4.69
Source: Chart Created with Data Sourced from Bloomberg
The Chart shows the corporate executives’ team for Loblaw and its direct competitors. From the data on Bloomberg, Loblaw has 13 executives, with a mean tenure of 5.46. Metro has 16 executives, with a mean tenure of 6.43. Walmart has 35 executives with a mean tenure of 4.69. After analyzing this data, although Metro’s executive team has the longest corporate leadership tenure compared with its direct competitors, the gap between Loblaw and Metro is small. Therefore, Loblaw is still competitive in the industry. The corporate executives’ tenure of the firm is longer, and the firm will have more experience running the operations of the company. The managing director of the Conference Board, Matteo Tonello, told the Wall Street Journal that if a stable economy with a booming stock market and the firms keep constant profits, many companies’ boards do not like to change executives. Bloomberg shows that the latest CEO of Loblaw started work in 2006 and is still working. However, the newest CEO of Walmart started work from 2014, and the latest CEO of Metro began to work in 2008. That means the management of Loblaw is more constant. Also, the CEO has good leadership and is trusted by the board of directors of Loblaw. Below, multiple metrics of the company will be analyzed continually and compared to the main competitors of Loblaw.
ROIC
Source: Chart Created with Data Sourced from Bloomberg
The chart shows the Return on Invested Capital (ROIC) for Loblaw and its competitors from 2018-2020. It is considering the industry that Loblaw and its competitors are operating in, ROIC is considered to be an important analytical indicator because capital investment in facilities is required for significant business due to location and cost. After analyzing the data, the ROIC is one of the weaknesses of Loblaw. In 2018, the ROIC of Loblaw was lower than its competitors. The good news is the increased rate of ROIC of Loblaw is higher than its competitors during 2018. Loblaw should keep a strong increased rate in the future.
EBITDA
Note: In Millions of CAD
Source: Chart Created with Data Sourced from Bloomberg
The chart shows the EBITDA for Loblaw and its competitors from 2018-2020. Wal-Mart’s EBITDA is the highest among all companies in the market, which is understandable considering Wal-Mart’s size and geographic composition. The EBITDA of Loblaw is higher than Metro, and the gap between the two companies is small. The below chart will show the more detailed and comparable information.
Source: Chart Created with Data Sourced from Bloomberg
The chart shows the EBITDA margin, which displays the percentage of revenue that contributed to EBITDA. From this chart, the EBITDA margin of Loblaw is higher than its competitors during the three years. Therefore, this is one of the strengths of Loblaw. But in 2020, Loblaw has seen a slight decline，and Metro’s keep a solid upward momentum. As a result, the EBITDA margin of Metro is very close to Loblaw.
Source: Chart Created with Data Sourced from Bloomberg
Finally, the chart shows the growth rate of EBITDA for Loblaw and its competitors. Although the growth rate of Loblaw’s EBITDA is higher than its competitors, during 2020, there is a downward trend in the growth rate of Loblaw’s EBITDA. At the same time, Walmart and Metro achieved the surpassing of Loblaw. Therefore, Loblaw needs to consider how to increase its growth rate of EBITDA.
Share Price
Note: In Millions of CAD
Source: Chart Created with Data Sourced from Bloomberg
The chart shows the share price from 2018 to 2020 for Loblaw and its competitors. After Loblaw’s stock price experienced a slight increase in 2019, there was a decline in 2020. Its direct competitor Metro’s stock price achieved the surpassing of Loblaw in 2020. It means Loblaw needs to keep innovating or acquiring to care for customer needs to increase investor confidence to invest in Loblaw.
Market Capitalization
Note: In Millions of CAD
Source: Chart Created with Data Sourced from Bloomberg
Note: In Millions of CAD
Source: Chart Created with Data Sourced from Bloomberg
The first chart shows the market capitalization from 2018 to the current for Loblaw and its competitors. The second chart compares Metro, Loblaw because they are more closely related in scale, and all two operate only in the Canadian market. This is done to analyze better the information provided. When comparing the two Canadian companies, Loblaw’s market value fluctuates a bit, but overall it is growing. Metro’s market value continues to grow from 2018 to 2020 but will show a downward trend in 2021. This indicates that Loblaw is expanding, and investors have more confidence in the company to ensure a higher stock price and company value. In addition, the market value of Canadian companies has increased significantly in the past three years, which continues to prove that investors have complete confidence in the market, the growing demand for industrial goods and services, and the massive return on investment in Canadian companies.
Evaluate the CEO
The CEO of Loblaw is Galen G Weston, who has held the position since 2006. He was born on December 19, 1972, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Harvard University and an MBA from Columbia University. He joined the company in 1998 and has been in various positions. In 2001, he served as Senior VP. In general, the CEO of Loblaw is a calm, composed, but strategic man who has a good understanding of how to run a business. In 2018, Galen G. Weston talked about the power of failure to inspire success in the ceremonies for the Schulich School of Business at York University. His composure shows he is good at leadership. As well, he can lead employees to keep the company competitive.
CORPORATE LEADERSHIP VRIO
Criteria
Yes
No
Explanation
Valuable
X
Loblaw has valuable corporate leadership value creation activities. Loblaw’s management uses its business skills to maintain important performance indicators, enabling the company to remain competitive, expand into new market areas, and remain attractive to investors.
Rare
X
Loblaw’s corporate leadership team is not uncommon because all competitors have relatively strong teams, and they can use the skills they possess to continue their business.
Irreplaceable/Costly to Imitate
X
Loblaw’s CEO has been with the company for about 23 years and in the same position for almost 15 years. The historical experience and development of the management team provide the team with the expertise needed to promote continued growth. It is difficult for competitors to find similar CEOs with experience in the grocery industry to grow their companies.
Organized to be Exploited
X
Loblaw has experienced tremendous growth in the past, and the composition of its management team helps make bold investment decisions and improve profitability. The company is making good use of its skills to keep growth sustainable.
Valuable
Rare
Irreplaceable/ Costly to Implement
Organized to be Exploited
Competitive Consequences
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Temporary Competitive Advantage
To sum up, the result of the VRIO analysis of Loblaw’s corporate leadership shows that Loblaw has a temporary competitive advantage. Although the management of Loblaw is not rare, and other competitors can imitate the approach of Loblaw and achieve similarly, the team is valuable to the company, is irreplaceable, and has a high cost of copying. Therefore, the corporate leadership of Loblaw is strong.
Summary
This is Loblaw’s value creation chain and competitor analysis report, involving an extensive analysis of it primary value chain creation activities, including supply chain management, operations, distribution, marketing and sales, customer service; secondary value chain creation activities, including Human Resource Management, Research and Development/New Product Development, and its Corporate Leadership. Operations involves an analysis of Loblaw’s activities such as its banners’ same sales store percentage, sales per square foot, cost of goods sold, and sales per employee. The first part covers the primary value chain creation activities while the second part covers the secondary value chain creation activities.
However, the most critical dimensions concerning Loblaw’s distribution strategy involves the strategic locations of Loblaws stores in Canada, which reveals that most Loblaw’s stores are located in the provinces of Columbia, Manitoba, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Quebec, and Ontario, which are the most developed areas in Canada. The named provinces have more purchasing powers than the others giving Loblaw geographic advantage over its competitors. In marketing and sales, this research considers Loblaw’s target market, products, competition, and its projections of business. In this section, questions like who are Loblaw’s potential consumers? What are their buying and shopping habits? And the challenges and success Loblaw deals with in its market are considered. In other words, it is a determination of what makes Loblaw different to its competitors in the market. The company’s expenditure, sales, and revenue are also evaluated in the market and sales analysis.
The first part covered in the second section is the HRM and its scope. It evaluates Loblaw’s micro HRM which covers the organizational culture, policy, and practice when it comes to the management of work and people towards achieving the company’s desired goals. However, R&D primarily considers the company’s attitude towards innovation and uptake of technology, development of new products, and expansion across the Canadian markets and beyond. Loblaw has to invest hugely in R&D, that involves launching innovative products and expanding into new markets. However, Loblaw’s mainly expands by acquiring other companies in the market. Acquisitions allows Lobster to expand rapidly across the Canadian markets.
Summary (Ranya)
Appendix
Appendix A: Normalized Statements of Income (Lakshay)
Appendix B: Normalized Statements of Financial Position (Lakshay)
Bibliography
Atlantic Wholesalers Ltd Company Profile: Halifax, NS, Canada: Competitors, Financials & Contacts – Dun & Bradstreet,” Company Profile | Halifax, NS, Canada | Competitors, Financials & Contacts – Dun & Bradstreet, accessed June 12, 2021, https://www.dnb.com/business-directory/company-profiles.atlantic_wholesalers_ltd.35890b1cfe712cc06a6927aa50192dde.html.
“About Us.” About Us | Metro. Accessed June 15, 2021. https://corpo.metro.ca/en/about-us.html.
Bloomberg Terminal, accessed on June 10, 2021
Cutter, Chip. “New Thinking Emerges on Optimal Tenure for a CEO.” The Wall Street Journal.
Dow Jones & Company, February 3, 2020. https://www.wsj.com/articles/new-thinking-emerges-on-optimal-tenure-for-a-ceo-11580725800.
David Brown, “How Loblaw Will Grow Its Media Business with Eyereturn Deal,” The Message – A new voice for a new age of Canadian marketing, November 27, 2020, https://the-message.ca/2020/11/27/how-loblaw-will-grow-its-media-business-with-eyereturn-deal/.
Financial Post. 2017. Print media may be struggling but the retail store flyer’s popularity is soaring. April 4.Accessed October 5, 2019. https://business.financialpost.com/news/retail-marketing/print-media-may-bedying-
but-the-retail-store-flyers-popularity-is-soaring.
Russell Redman 1 | Feb 26, “Food Retail, e-Commerce Power Loblaw to Strong Fiscal Year Finish,” Supermarket News, February 26, 2021, https://www.supermarketnews.com/retail-financial/food-retail-e-commerce-power-loblaw-strong-fiscal-year-finish.
Russell Redman 1 | Apr 22. “Metro Posts 5.1% Sales Gain for Second Quarter.” Supermarket News. April 22, 2021. Accessed June 15, 2021. https://www.supermarketnews.com/retail-financial/metro-posts-51-sales-gain-second-quarter.
Government of Canada, Statistics Canada. Retail e-commerce and COVID-19: How online shopping opened doors while many were closing. May 28, 2021. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/45-28-0001/2020001/article/00064-eng.htm.
“Galen G. Weston Talks about the Power of Failure to Inspire Success.” YFile, June 27, 2018.https://yfile.news.yorku.ca/2018/06/27/galen-g-weston-talks-about-the-power-of-failure-to-inspire-success/.
Journal, Wall Street. “L.CA | Loblaw Cos. Ltd. Annual Income Statement – WSJ.” The Wall Street Journal. Accessed June 15, 2021. https://www.wsj.com/market-data/quotes/CA/L/financials/annual/income-statement
Kenton, Will. “Comparable Store Sales.” Investopedia. May 19, 2021. Accessed June 15, 2021. https://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/comparable-store-sales.asp.
Limited, Loblaw Companies. “Loblaw Reports 2021 First Quarter Results(1).” Cision Canada. May 05, 2021. Accessed June 15, 2021. https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/loblaw-reports-2021-first-quarter-results-1–864931319.html.
Limited, Loblaw Companies. “Loblaw Companies Limited Completes Acquisition of Shoppers Drug Mart Corporation.” Cision Canada, December 24, 2018. https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/loblaw-companies-limited-completes-acquisition-of-shoppers-drug-mart-corporation-514006661.html.
“Loblaw Companies Limited Harvard Case Solution & Analysis.” TheCaseSolutions.com. Accessed June 15, 2021. https://www.thecasesolutions.com/loblaw-companies-limited-2-23445.
“Loblaws Plans to Close 22 Unprofitable Stores and Launch Home Delivery | CBC News.” CBCnews. November 15, 2017. Accessed June 15, 2021. https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/loblaw-store-closure-1.4402838.
Loblaw acquires technology from Torstar to accelerate media platform, November 26, 2020.https://www.loblaw.ca/en/loblaw-acquires-technology-from-torstar-to-accelerate-media-platform/.
Loblaw To Close 52 Unprofitable Stores”. 2021. Canadian Grocer. accessed on June 10, 2021. https://canadiangrocer.com/loblaw-close-52-unprofitable-stores.
Loblaw Closing Two Distribution Centres, Affecting Nearly 800 Workers,” The Globe and Mail, January 7, 2020, https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/article-loblaw-closing-quebec-distribution-centre-affecting-545-workers/.
Loblaw Announces Completion of the Acquisition of T&T Supermarket, Canada’sLargest Asian Food Retailer.” Cision Canada, January 29, 2019. https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/loblaw-announces-completion-of-the-acquisition-of-tt-supermarket-canadaslargest-asian-food-retailer-538598172.html.
Loblaw launching online marketplace that will include new brands and products. Ottawa
Business Journal, November 21, 2019. https://www.obj.ca/article/loblaw-launching-online-marketplace-will-include-new-brands-and-products.
Published by Daniela Coppola and Apr 27, “Loblaw: Expenses Canada 2020,” Statista, April 27, 2021, https://www.statista.com/statistics/436662/selling-general-and-administrative-expenses-of-loblaw-canada/.
Published by Statistics, “Loblaws net earnings in Canadian dollar” Statista, April 1, 2021. https://www.statista.com/statistics/436638/net-income-of-loblaw-canada/
Published by Daniela Coppola, and Apr 1. “Grocery Retailers Market Distribution Canada.” Statista, April 1, 2021. https://www.statista.com/statistics/481019/leading-grocery-retailers-by-market-share-canada/
Staff, Canadian Grocer. “By the Square Foot: Who Are Canada’s Most Efficient Retailers?” Canadian Grocer. March 16, 2021. Accessed June 15, 2021. https://canadiangrocer.com/square-foot-who-are-canadas-most-efficient-retailers.
The Distribution Impact Of Loblaw’s Purchase Of Shoppers”. 2021. Canadian Grocer. https://canadiangrocer.com/distribution-impact-loblaws-purchase-shoppers.
“VRIO Analysis of Loblaw Companies Ltd The Road Ahead.” Case48. Accessed June 15, 2021. https://www.case48.com/vrio-case/10055-Loblaw-Companies-Ltd-The-Road-Ahead
Wulfraat, M. (2013, September 3). The distribution impact of Loblaw’s purchase of Shoppers. Retrieved June6, 2021, from Canadian Grocer: http://www.canadiangrocer.com/blog/a-look-at-the-distribution-impact-ofloblaws-purchase-of-shoppers-on-infrastructure-31338
Appendix 1 Canadian Retail Share
Appendix 2（Organizational Chart）
Appendix 3 （Loblaw Supply Chain）
Appendix 5 （Couche Tard Price）
BUSI4609: Declaration of Academic Integrity
Assignment #2
DECLARATION OF ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: Must be included with each submission (all three assignments and the final complete project (do not bind it into the paper – just attach with a paperclip please). You can use the following sample of a similar one. All group members must sign to obtain a grade on the assignment. This can be attached at the back of the assignment.
The University Senate defines plagiarism in the regulations on instructional offenses as: “to use and pass off as one’s own idea or product work of another without expressly giving credit to another.”
I/we declare that the work submitted herewith is my/our work. All sources have been referenced in the footnotes and listed in the bibliography. This work has not been shared with anyone outside this group. This work is the intellectual property of each of the group members and will be returned to any one of the group members to be shared with the other group members, unless all members choose to designate only ______________ to whom the work should be returned.
We, the undersigned, agree to take both individual and mutual accountability for all of the work in this project.
Student Name
Signature of Student
(Everyone must sign to receive a grade)
Lakshay Sarin
Ranya AlGhanai
Dianjie Ni
Xinhang Dong
Assignment submitted (date): June 15, 2021[supanova_question]
BUSM4188 – Leadership and Decision Making: A2 Individual Leader Interview and Reflection
BUSM4188 – Leadership and Decision Making: A2 Individual Leader Interview and Reflection Marking Rubric
Criteria
Poor (NN)
Fair (PA)
Good (CR)
Very Good (DI)
Excellent (HD)
Description from own observation
No or limited description that misses most aspects of leadership;
A weak and poorly described observation of the leader.
Basic description that covers most aspects of leadership, though information may be superficial, incorrect or irrelevant at times;
An average and vague observation of the leader.
Detailed description that covers most aspects of leadership, though may be unclear at times;
A decently organized observation of the leader.
Clear and concise description that covers all aspects of leadership;
A well organized observation of the leader.
Comprehensive description that covers all aspects of leadership;
An excellent, organised observation of the leader.
[10 marks]
49% and below
50-59%
60-69%
70-79%
80%-Up
Interview analysis
No or limited description that misses most requirements;
A weak and poorly organized summary of the leader.
Basic description that covers most aspects of leadership, though information may be superficial, incorrect or irrelevant at times;
An average, organized summary of the leader.
Detailed description that covers most aspects of leadership, though may be unclear at times;
A decently, organized summary of the leader.
Clear and concise description that covers all aspects of leadership;
A well, organized summary of the leader.
Comprehensive description that covers all aspects of leadership; An excellent, organized summary of the leader.
[12 marks]
49% and below
50-59%
60-69%
70-79%
80%-Up
Analysis
No or limited analysis that fails to identify what you have learned or how to develop leadership competencies
Basic analysis that attempts to identify what you have learned or how to develop leadership competencies, though it may sometimes be unclear, superficial or irrelevant.
Some references to theories and a weak discussion of it.
Detailed analysis that identifies some learning;
Meaningful ways to develop leadership competencies;
Decent discussion of the theories and its application to the observations and interview.
Clear and concise reflection that identifies a range of learning and well-considered ways to develop leadership competencies;
Very good discussion of the theories and its application to the observations and interview.
Thoughtful reflection that identifies a range of learning and sophisticated ways to develop leadership competencies;
Excellent discussion of the theories and its application to the observations and interview.
[10 marks]
49% and below
50-59%
60-69%
70-79%
80%-Up
Academic writing skills
Assignment is disorganised with no clear line of argument.
Frequent errors in referencing style with excessive use of direct quotes.
Non-conventional spelling, punctuation and grammar interfere with meaning.
Frequent use of informal vocabulary and expressions
Assignment is adequately structured; a line of argument is detected, though unclear or disconnected at times.
Attempts to use Harvard style, though with frequent errors and some use of direct quotes. Some references missing or incorrect.
Occasional errors in spelling, punctuation and grammar; errors do not interfere with meaning.
Attempts to use academic vocabulary and expressions, though with occasional errors.
Assignment is mostly well constructed; a line of argument is evident, though unclear at times.
Harvard style used, with occasional errors. Minimal use of direct quotes.
Minor errors in spelling, punctuations, and grammar.
Frequent of academic vocabulary and expressions, may be with some minor errors.
Assignment is generally well constructed with a clear line of argument.
Referencing mostly follows Harvard style with some minor errors, direct quotes integrated with argument.
Conventional spelling, grammar and punctuation, though with some typos.
Generally consistent use of academic vocabulary and expressions.
Assignment is consistently well constructed with a coherent line of argument.
Referencing consistently follows Harvard style, with no errors; quotes are integrated/paraphrased to support argument.
Conventional spelling, grammar and punctuation.
Consistent use of academic vocabulary and expressions.
[5 marks]
49% and below
50-59%
60-69%
70-79%
80%-Up
Referencing & Citation
Internet sources only; poorly formatted citations/reference list that does not conform to the Harvard Business style
Mainly internet sources with only a few peer reviewed sources; poorly formatted citations/reference list that mostly does not conform to the Harvard Business style
Used some peer-reviewed material but too many internet sources to supplement; citations/reference list only partially conform to Harvard Business style
At least 10 peer reviewed sources used for citations; citations/reference list mostly conforms to Harvard Business style with only minor errors
All citations(10+) are relevant from peer reviewed sources and applied suitable to support argument; no formatting errors in citations/reference list – all conform to Harvard Business style
[8 marks]
49% and below
50-59%
60-69%
70-79%
80%-Up
TOTAL 45 marks[supanova_question]
RMIT Classification: Trusted RMIT Classification: Trusted Assessment Task Two: Leadership: From theory
RMIT Classification: Trusted
RMIT Classification: Trusted
Assessment Task Two: Leadership: From theory to practice and self-reflection
Due Date: Friday Week 9
Type: Individual
Weighting: Total 45% (+5% for Week 4 plan)
Length: 2,000 words (plus or minus 20%).
Overview:
This is a Work Integrated Learning (WIL) assessment task that allows students to apply their knowledge and skills into practical situations. It is assessed through a real workplace context where feedback from industry is integral to students’ experience. This assessment is designed to lead you from critical analysis of your role model to reflect on how you can improve your own leadership qualities and effectiveness through three learning stages: a) Observation; b) Feedback; and c) Analysis.
The first stage is to select a person whom you consider to be a successful and effective leader. This person could be someone you work with or for, or with whom you have the opportunity to interact. Then, through your observation, you will identify the person’s leadership traits and behaviours. This observation can range from personal observations, discussions with people familiar to the leader, as well as articles and newspapers. This first stage should only discuss the observations.
For the second stage, you are asked to get feedback (interview) from the person who has served as your role model in the first stage. In this stage, you are expected to learn not only from your role model’s experience but also about the complexities of leadership.
In the final stage, Analysis, you are asked to relate your findings from the observation and interview to the theories and themes of the course. This should be supported by citation and referencing, using the theories we have discussed. This is clearly the most important stage as it shows us your understanding of the theories and how it’s applied in the real world.
Important Note:
In Week 4, you are required to submit a plan for this assignment via Canvas. In this you should include details of your leader, a timeline of activities (e.g. when you intend to interview your leader, writing up, submission etc etc.), a sample list of questions (around 4 or 5 is fine) and some key references (i.e. the theories we have discussed so far on the course). This will act as your Week 4 Feedback for this course and is also worth 5% of your final mark.
Final Paper
Observation (Perception – what you have read, seen, been told about your leader. All information that you have that did not come from the leader himself/herself))
Identify a person who you consider to be a successful or effective leader. This could be someone you work with or for (for example: business, professional, sport, volunteer work, religious organisations etc.) or anyone who through some association you judge to be a good leader. It needs to be someone you can observe in person or from your past experience, not a public figure or someone you have read about.
In your observation, critically analyse:
• What you perceive this person’s leadership traits and behaviours;
• How he/she uses power and influence tactics to make him/her an effective leader; and
• Whether the person changes his/her leadership in various situations.
Unfortunately for some of you, the leader that you have chosen is not very famous and does not have any articles or news clips about him/her, and additionally you did not have the opportunity to obtain any further observations other than the interview. At the very least you should discuss your observations of the leader that you witnessed at the interview.
Feedback (Interview – this is all the information you obtained during the actual interview.)
As simple observation will not capture the complexities of leadership, talk to the leader. Get feedback by asking your chosen leader to describe his/her leadership behaviours, traits and his/her use of power and influence tactics, whether and how he/she changes his/her leadership in various situations and see if his/her feedback can confirm your findings from your earlier observation. Using the ideas and knowledge you have gained from the course to guide you, but keeping your questions open ended. Also, ask them ‘what they think are the characteristics of a good and effective leader’. Encourage them to be specific – a good way to do this is to ask, after their initial responses, that they give examples or share stories that illustrate when they felt they displayed good and effective leadership. Then try and get them to focus on the traits and behaviours that enabled them to be an effective leader. Also, ask them ‘what they think it takes to lead successfully based on their experience and what not to do’.
Again, you must demonstrate your ability to ask relevant questions as it relates to the theories. However, there should be no discussions of the actual theories in this section.
Analysis
Reflect on what you have learned from the first two stages, critically analyse and discuss:
Discuss the relevant theories.
What have you learnt about the complexities of leadership (critically comparing and analyzing what the theory says and what you found i.e. do your findings support the theories covered in the course?)
This should be accompanied by citation from the theories/theorists we have looked at on the course.
This is separate analysis from the other 2 sections. This section states that you must do an analysis of your observations (if you have any) as well as an analysis of the information you were given in the interview. That means you need to discuss the theories we talked about, apply those theories to your observations and/or interview, and discuss what you think is going on.
Format:
This assignment should have the following format:
1) Introduction
2) Body with headings and sub-headings (i.e. Observation, Feedback, and Analysis)
3) Conclusion
4) References
5) Appendix (if any)
Note: (4), (5) are not included in the word count.
Referencing:
It is expected that you will use at least 5- 10 academic references, preferably refereed journal/research articles. Websites, such as Wikipedia, will not be accepted, other than for providing general details of the leaders and these will not be counted in the minimum references required. Correct and thorough referencing will be a key evaluation element. The quality of your sources will also be considered in the evaluation of your assignment. Please ensure that your spelling, grammar and syntax are correct before you submit your essay. Your tutor will advise on a variety of support services such as SLAMS and the SLC. Further information about referencing style is available in the RMIT Business Referencing Guidelines. For Harvard/RMIT style referencing (in text and list of references) refer to easy-cite. The ‘live link’ http://www.lib.rmit.edu.au/easy-cite/
Other requirements:
In order to comply with RMIT’s Electronic Submission of Assignments Policy, student will be required to submit a soft copy of the assignment through the myRMIT Blackboard site.
A transcript of your interview and answers is NOT required.
————————————————–[supanova_question]
Hello for this assignment i will provide pdf’s for 4 articles that answer the picot question ”In patients with
Writing Assignment Help Hello for this assignment i will provide pdf’s for 4 articles that answer the picot question ”In patients with wounds, does the application of medihoney compared to non use promote improved healing in the recovery process” each article needs to be summarized.
Determine the level of the study (John hopkins evidence level quality guide)
Develop a support paper that address the criteria of the related rubric.
[supanova_question]
Introduction The future of any nation is primarily bestowed on its children.
Introduction
The future of any nation is primarily bestowed on its children. Safe students are a guarantee of a safe and healthy nation, so it is the role of every government to ensure and promote the safety of their students. Student safety ranges from physical, biological, and psychological safety. Physical safety includes protection from any physical harm like gun violence and school fires. Biological safety includes protection from unseen pathogens, especially in the current coronavirus pandemic. Psychological safety includes protection from cyberbullying and unhealthy school or home relationships.
Statement of the problem
An increase in the number of gun violence crimes targeting schools has led to increased pressure to ensure school safety. There is a need to ensure school safety to create a conducive and safe learning environment for American children. States like California have passed stringed legislations to ensure and promote school safety. California has passed legislation to ensure CCTV cameras and fire extinguishers at every entry point and classroom in a learning institution. The California Department of Education has implemented legislation that required post information on all children affected by psychological trauma caused by communal, school, or home violence, gun violence, and gangs.
Purpose of the study
The purpose of this study is to raise awareness concerning school safety. A safe and secure learning environment provides a healthy atmosphere for learning and a peaceful correlation between stakeholders in education and the community. American children should feel safe when going to school, and parents should have confidence in the government that it will protect its children throughout their mandatory learning experience.
Work Cited
Blair Ames. Making schools safe for students. Office of Justice Programs. https://nij.ojp.gov/topics/articles/making-schools-safe-students (2019)[supanova_question]
Write a report (4-6 pages) that analyzes the potential for two emerging
Write a report (4-6 pages) that analyzes the potential for two emerging technologies at a real or imagined organization of your choice: Blockchain technology/cryptocurrencies and artificial intelligence.
Introduction
In this assessment, you will analyze emerging technologies via “scanning activities.” A scanning activity is a means of understanding new advances in technology, including potential threats and benefits. A scanning activity might also include emerging technologies that are under research and development. A scanning activity is often referred to as “environmental scanning.”
Environmental scanning uses various models as frameworks. One popular type of model is a SWOT analysis, which is a framework for identifying Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. In the simplest terms, SWOT serves as a framework for identifying potential advantages and disadvantages of implementing an emerging technology.
One emerging technology you will analyze in this assessment is blockchain and cryptocurrency. Blockchain technology offers benefits beyond simple cryptocurrency (secure financial transactions using a digital, decentralized currency). Medical records, legal documents and other business transactions can benefit from blockchain technology. To understand blockchain, imagine a spreadsheet that is duplicated thousands of times across a worldwide network of computers. This spreadsheet can only be updated with new entries (blocks). If existing blocks (past transactions) were edited or hacked, the original SHA256 hash of that block would also be edited, rendering additional (future) blocks invalid (future blocks rely on original SHA256 hashes on prior blocks in order to be valid in the chain). In addition, since the transactions (or ledgers) are sent to thousands of nodes in a network, it would be virtually impossible to hack thousands of nodes. In short, blockchain is a decentralized and secure form of encrypted accounting.
In addition to blockchain and cryptocurrency technologies, you will also analyze an emerging technology related to artificial intelligence.
Scenario
Imagine that you are in an analyst position at the real-life organization where you currently work (or a fictional organization that you make up) and your supervisor has requested a report detailing two different kinds of emerging technologies at the organization:
Blockchain technology/cryptocurrency.
Artificial intelligence.
Assume that at the real or imagined organization where you work in this scenario, one of the following cases applies to both blockchain/cryptocurrency and the second emerging technology you choose to analyze:
The technology has been implemented recently.
The technology is under implementation right now.
The technology is currently in research and development (not implemented).
For this scenario, assume your supervisor expects original work, critical thinking, and scholarly sources in the report.
Requirements
Complete the following to create your report:
Analyze the various forms of cryptocurrencies (Bitcoin, Litecoin, Ethereum, et cetera).
How are they similar and different from one another?
How are they used differently?
Are some better than others for different uses?
What else is important to know about these technologies?
Discuss additional uses of blockchain technology beyond cryptocurrency.
Are there applications for encrypting digital identity at your organization?
Are there potential blockchain applications for automating regulatory compliance?
Analyze the various forms of artificial intelligence.
Consider different types of AI, such as reactive machines, technologies with limited memory, theory of mind AI, and others.
Consider the needs of the organization where you are working in this scenario.
Consider which types of AI may be particularly useful or interesting to your own work.
Describe how both artificial intelligence and blockchain/cyptocurrency meet an identified organizational need.
The organizational need may be internal or client-based.
How can these emerging technologies improve efficiency, productivity, or innovation at the organization?
How can these emerging technologies improve the products or services the organization offers to its clients?
Apply SWOT analysis to both the emerging technology you have selected and blockchain/cyptocurrency, including potential benefits and challenges of implementation.
Advocate use of these emerging technologies at the organization where you have chosen to work in this scenario.
Which specific teams, departments, programs, or other stakeholders would benefit from the implementation of these technologies? How would they benefit?
How could implementation of these technologies open the way for other useful tools or processes that could improve performance or efficiency?
How could cost for implementation be offset by these benefits? How long would it take?
In addition to the resources in this assessment, the following are excellent resources for finding and learning about emerging technologies:
The New York Times technology section.
Tech Republic.
The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).
Google Scholar.
Deliverable Format
You may choose to use the optional Emerging Technologies Report Template [DOCX]. [Attached] Since you plan to share your report with your supervisor at your next one-to-one meeting, you want this report to be well-organized and readable. Your supervisor has requested that your report be 4–6 pages so that you have enough space to develop your ideas and provide some scholarly context. Your supervisor has also requested that the report include an introduction, main points, and an overall conclusion.
Communication: Communicate in a manner that is scholarly, professional, respectful, and consistent with professional practice and the needs and expectations of senior IT leaders and other stakeholders. For this scenario, assume your supervisor expects original work, critical thinking, and scholarly sources. Your writing must be free of errors that detract from the overall message.
Report length: Minimum of 4–6 pages, not including the title and reference pages.
Resources: At least three scholarly resources. So that your imaginary supervisor can locate more information about emerging technologies, include a reference page at the end of your report.
APA guidelines: Double-spaced paragraph formatting in the body of the paper. When appropriate, use APA-formatted headings. Resources and citations are formatted according to current APA style and format.
Font and font size: Times New Roman, 12 point.
Evaluation
By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies through corresponding scoring guide criteria:
Competency 1: Conduct scanning activities to select and evaluate emerging technologies that address organization needs.
Analyze the various forms of cryptocurrencies (Bitcoin, Litecoin, Ethereum, et cetera).
Discuss additional uses of blockchain technology beyond cryptocurrency.
Analyze the various forms of artificial intelligence.
Describe how emerging technologies meet an identified organizational need.
Apply SWOT analysis to emerging technologies, including potential benefits and challenges of implementation.
Competency 4: Advocate effectively for the acquisition of new and emerging technologies with decision makers.
Advocate use of emerging technologies for an organization.
Competency 5: Communicate effectively with key technical and non-technical stakeholders.
Communicate in a manner that is scholarly, professional, respectful, and consistent with professional practice and the needs and expectations of senior IT leaders and other stakeholders.
Faculty will use the scoring guide to review your report as if he or she were your immediate work supervisor. Review the complete scoring guide prior to developing and submitting your assessment.
[Distinguished Category should be followed]
Artificial Intelligence and Blockchain Technology Scoring Guide
Criteria
Non-performance
Basic
Proficient
Distinguished
Analyze the various forms of cryptocurrencies (Bitcoin, Litecoin, Ethereum, et cetera).
Does not analyze the various forms of cryptocurrencies (Bitcoin, Litecoin, Ethereum, et cetera).
Identifies the various forms of cryptocurrencies (Bitcoin, Litecoin, Ethereum, et cetera).
Analyzes the various forms of cryptocurrencies (Bitcoin, Litecoin, Ethereum, et cetera).
Analyzes the various forms of cryptocurrencies (Bitcoin, Litecoin, Ethereum, et cetera), and discusses context and applications for each cryptocurrency.
Discuss additional uses of blockchain technology beyond cryptocurrency.
Does not discuss additional uses of blockchain technology beyond cryptocurrency.
Discusses with partial clarity uses of blockchain technology beyond cryptocurrency.
Discusses additional uses of blockchain technology beyond cryptocurrency.
Discusses additional uses of blockchain technology beyond cryptocurrency, and provides a variety of specific examples to support the discussion.
Analyze the various forms of artificial intelligence.
Does not analyze the various forms of artificial intelligence.
Describes but does not analyze the various forms of artificial intelligence.
Analyzes the various forms of artificial intelligence.
Analyzes the various forms of artificial intelligence, and discusses context and applications for the technology.
Describe how emerging technologies meet an identified organizational need.
Does not describe how emerging technologies meet an identified organizational need.
Identifies how emerging technologies meet an identified organizational need with little or no rationale.
Describes how emerging technologies meet an identified organizational need.
Describes how emerging technologies meet an identified organizational need, and provides extensive rationales with specific examples.
Apply SWOT analysis to emerging technologies, including potential benefits and challenges of implementation.
Does not apply SWOT analysis to emerging technologies, including potential benefits and challenges of implementation.
Applies SWOT analysis to emerging technologies, but the analysis is missing key elements.
Applies SWOT analysis to emerging technologies, including potential benefits and challenges of implementation.
Applies SWOT analysis to emerging technologies, including potential benefits and challenges of implementation, and supports the analysis with clear and specific examples.
Advocate use of emerging technologies for an organization.
Does not advocate use of emerging technology for an organization.
Advocates use of emerging technology for an organization using inappropriate context.
Advocates use of emerging technologies for an organization.
Advocates use of emerging technology for an organization using appropriate context.
Communicate in a manner that is scholarly, professional, respectful, and consistent with professional practice and the needs and expectations of senior IT leaders and other stakeholders.
Does not communicate in a manner that is scholarly, professional, respectful, and consistent with professional practice and the needs and expectations of senior IT leaders and other stakeholders.
Communicates key points but does not always give credit to external sources or meet the expectations of senior IT leaders.
Communicates in a manner that is scholarly, professional, respectful, and consistent with professional practice and the needs and expectations of senior IT leaders and other stakeholders.
Communicates in a manner that is scholarly, professional, respectful, and consistent with professional practice and the needs and expectations of senior IT leaders and other stakeholders, and provides specific examples that generate a unique perspective.[supanova_question]