Integrated Essay

Andre P. Davis Jr.- A00285178

Dr. Gene Haugen

DDBA -8160-2

June 30, 2011

Integrated Essay Discussion

Introduction

In the world of business, competition is necessary for innovation which leads to enormous profits. When corporations profit there is immense value created for the shareholders, which is largely due to having an advantage over their competitors. In this paper I will describe core concepts and theories that help define the success of businesses. I will also discuss and analyze the Durham Nativity School and challenge some of the theories shared by some professionals written about in this paper.

Description of Theories/ Core Concepts

When we examine the strengths and weaknesses of organizations, there must be some guide lines or some different schools of thought that speak to the success of organizations. In Michael Porter’s book Competitive Advantage (1985) he introduces the theory of the Value Chain in which he identifies both primary and support activities of organizations. These activities result in profit margin by providing their customers with an experience that exceeds the cost of the activities conducted by corporations (NetMBA.com, 2011). We can also look to, Peter Druker in, The Practice of Management, where he gives eight areas that will ensure long term survival and prosperity for an organization. According to Druker organizations have to fulfill their purpose in these eight areas and by doing so they create and keep customers. The areas of, market standing, productivity, innovation, physical & financial resources, profitability, management capability, employee satisfaction & performance, and obligations to the communities in which the organization operates (Schulz, W. C., 1999, p. 2). Drilling down a little more we can review the work of Freeman, R. E., (1984) in his work, A stakeholder Approach to Strategic Management, he built upon research conducted by the Stanford Research Institute (SRI). SRI stated that in order...