1 11Week 6 External and Internal Environment Assignment Yvonne Winn BUS499 Business Administration Capstone Professor Keller February 13, 2021 Week 6 Assignment 2 This paper seeks to analyze CVS Corporation, a health organization located in Lowell, Massachusetts, the United States (CVS Health, 2). Specifically, the study's focus is to evaluate CVS Corporation's internal and external environments, which are essential in determining its success or failure. The study will analyze the general environment and establish how its various segments affect CVS corporation's operations. Forces of competition are central to a company's performance, and this study will review the various forces, both internal and external, that influence the organization's growth. The paper will also outline the company's strengths, weaknesses, capabilities, and core competencies, besides identifying appropriate strategies to capitalize on its strengths and tactics to fix its weaknesses. General Environment The general environment in businesses consists of segments such as the political, economic, social, technological, environmental, and legal aspects. Among these segments, the two most influential ones affecting CVS Corporation are technological and social segments. Technological Segment Technological advancements have revolutionized healthcare operations, forcing firms to adopt new technologies to remain competitive (Hitt, Ireland, & Hoskisson, 1). Technological innovations have led to the establishment of electronic health records, wearable health devices, telemedicine, and remote monitoring appliances. Such technological advancements have increased competition in healthcare, which has forced CVS Corporation to respond appropriately by adopting technology in its operations to remain competitive. For instance, the company recently introduced a tool called Symphony, a medical alert system that helps caregivers remotely monitor their elderly loved ones' health. The tool has a suite of sensors to monitor room temperature, movement, fall, or any other unusual behavior (CVS Health, 2). Embracing technology in its operations has helped CVS Corporation remain competitive. Social Segment The social segment in healthcare includes social factors such as age distribution, lifestyle, education level, and spending habits that influence healthcare trends. The social segment undergoes continuous changes, and health organizations must always be aware of these changes to respond appropriately. For instance, chronic and lifestyle diseases are very prevalent in American society. Health organizations must find a way to address them as a way to meet their customer's needs. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (4), six in ten adults in the U.S. have a chronic disease, while 4 in every 10 have two or more diseases. The leading causes of chronic diseases are tobacco use and poor lifestyle behaviors. To respond to the needs of its social segments, CVS Corporation ...

1. 1
11Week 6 External and Internal Environment Assignment
Yvonne Winn
BUS499 Business Administration Capstone
Professor Keller
February 13, 2021
Week 6 Assignment 2
This paper seeks to analyze CVS Corporation, a health
organization located in Lowell, Massachusetts, the United
States (CVS Health, 2). Specifically, the study's focus is to
evaluate CVS Corporation's internal and external environments,
which are essential in determining its success or failure. The
study will analyze the general environment and establish how
its various segments affect CVS corporation's operations.
Forces of competition are central to a company's performance,
and this study will review the various forces, both internal and
external, that influence the organization's growth. The paper
will also outline the company's strengths, weaknesses,
capabilities, and core competencies, besides identifying
appropriate strategies to capitalize on its strengths and tactics to
fix its weaknesses. General Environment
The general environment in businesses consists of segments
such as the political, economic, social, technological,
environmental, and legal aspects. Among these segments, the
two most influential ones affecting CVS Corporation are
technological and social segments.
Technological Segment
Technological advancements have revolutionized healthcare
operations, forcing firms to adopt new technologies to remain
competitive (Hitt, Ireland, & Hoskisson, 1). Technological
innovations have led to the establishment of electronic health

2. records, wearable health devices, telemedicine, and remote
monitoring appliances. Such technological advancements have
increased competition in healthcare, which has forced CVS
Corporation to respond appropriately by adopting technology in
its operations to remain competitive. For instance, the company
recently introduced a tool called Symphony, a medical alert
system that helps caregivers remotely monitor their elderly
loved ones' health. The tool has a suite of sensors to monitor
room temperature, movement, fall, or any other unusual
behavior (CVS Health, 2). Embracing technology in its
operations has helped CVS Corporation remain competitive.
Social Segment
The social segment in healthcare includes social factors such as
age distribution, lifestyle, education level, and spending habits
that influence healthcare trends. The social segment undergoes
continuous changes, and health organizations must always be
aware of these changes to respond appropriately. For instance,
chronic and lifestyle diseases are very prevalent in American
society. Health organizations must find a way to address them
as a way to meet their customer's needs. According to the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (4), six in ten adults
in the U.S. have a chronic disease, while 4 in every 10 have
two or more diseases. The leading causes of chronic diseases
are tobacco use and poor lifestyle behaviors. To respond to the
needs of its social segments, CVS Corporation became the first
pharmacy retailer to ban the sale of tobacco and its products in
its centers. Through its Aetna Foundation, CVS Corporation
partners with like-minded firms to promote healthy living. For
instance, it supports anti-vaping campaigns in schools and
communities to minimizing smoking among youths (CVS
Health, 3). This is among its initiatives to address its social
segment.Five Forces of Competition
Like in other industries, competition forces in healthcare
include supplier power, buyer power, competitive rivalry, the
threat of substitution, and the threat of new entries. Among
these forces, the two most significant to CVS Corporation

3. include competitive rivalry and the threat of new entries.
The threat of New Entries
The threat of new entries is among the forces affecting CVS
corporation and can hinder its growth. Across the United States,
the number of new health facilities has been on the rise over the
years, which presents stiff competition to existing firms like
CVS Corporation. To address the challenge of increased
competitive rivalry, CVS Corporation has been on an expansion
drive, which has led it to have more than 9900 retail locations
in 49 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. It also
has 1100-minute clinic locations, which has helped it survive
competition from upcoming firms (CVS Health, 2).
Competitive Rivalry
Besides the threat from new entrants, CVS Corporation faces
stiff competition from established health facilities in the
country. According to the American Hospital Association (5),
there are 6,090 hospitals in the U.S. according to 2019 data.
This number is made up of community hospitals, non-
governmental facilities, federal hospitals, among others. The
existence of these many facilities offers stiff competition to
CVS Corporation. To address this challenge, CVS has
broadened its range of services and introduced new products to
competitive.Future Improvements
CVS Corporation has many opportunities for growth and
improvement despite the various forces threatening its growth.
As highlighted earlier, the company's main segments are
technological and social, while the main competitive forces are
competitive rivalry and the threat of new entrants. CVS has
many opportunities to improve on these segments. For instance,
the increase in technological advancements offers CVS the
opportunity to integrate technology into its undertakings (CVS
Health, 3). The organization should embrace telemedicine as a
way of serving many clients, especially during this pandemic.
Regarding the social segment, the RVS corporation should

4. sponsor sensitization campaigns on healthy living as part of its
corporate social responsibility. That would increase its
visibility and impact in the community. To address the threat of
new entrants, CVS should continue with its expansion drive to
benefit from economies of scale, unlike the new entrants. On
competitive rivalry, the organization should strive to make its
services more affordable to outdo the competitors.Greatest
External Threat
The greatest threat facing CVS Corporation is the ongoing
Covid-19 pandemic. The pandemic has affected all health
facilities since frontline health workers have been experiencing
the greatest risk of contracting the disease. Since CVS has more
than 9900 retail locations, its staff are at the risk of contracting
the virus, which would cripple its operations. A Covid-19
outbreak in its facilities would threaten its existence (Corwin,
Ani, & George, 6). To mitigate this threat, CVS Corporation
should conduct sensitization campaigns within its facilities to
ensure all staff observes safety measures. Besides, it should
ensure the staff has all the necessary protective gear. That
would increase public confidence, hence attracting more
patients to its facilities.
Greatest Opportunity
The company's greatest opportunity is to leverage technology
advancements to improve its clients' quality of services.
Recently, CVS Corporation launched a medical alert system
known as Symphony to help caregivers monitor their loved ones
remotely. Such a move highlights CVS's potential in digitizing
its processes. Therefore, due to its massive resources, the
company has a chance to digitize many of its programs, hence
reaching many people and increasing profitability.Strengths and
Weaknesses
The greatest strength for CVS is its ability to establish itself as
the dominant health organization in the U.S. due to its large
network of facilities. The company has one of the largest
presence in the U.S. and can dominate the health sector. The
organization has a presence in 49 states, with more than 9900

5. outlets in the country. It also has 1100-minute clinic locations,
with over 54 million visits to these clinics (CVS Health, 2).
Having an established infrastructure gives CVS Corporation an
advantage due to its economies of scale. Therefore, unlike
competitors and new entrants in the market, CVS's greatest
ability is to continue its expansion programs and establish itself
as a dominant player in the health sector. The company's
weakness is that it lacks power over regulatory changes in the
health sector. Regulatory changes such as a decrease in drug
prices will be costly for the company.
Strategy or Tactic
CVS's greatest strength is its massive resources and its presence
in over 49 states. That means it has more resources than many
of the health organizations in the U.S. To take advantage of that
strength, CVS should engage in mergers and acquisitions to
reduce competition in the U.S. market (Hitt, Ireland &
Hoskisson, 1). It should also establish firms globally. Reduced
competition and larger presence will increase its profitability.
Due to its lack of control on government regulation, the firm
should enter into contracts with suppliers to buy supplies at
fixed prices for several or months regardless of a change in
government policy.Resources, Capabilities, and Core
Competencies
CVS's key resources are experienced personnel, while its
capabilities are the availability of financial resources. Its core
competencies are professionalism and quality healthcare. Its
experienced personnel in over 9900 locations make it one of the
most staffed institutions. Due to its large size, the company can
expand further, hence increasing productivity (CVS Health, 2).
Lastly, its experienced staff and quality services, which are its
core competencies, grant it leverage against other small firms in
the industry.
Sources
1. Hitt, Ireland, & Hoskisson. 2020. Strategic management:
Concepts and Cases: Competitiveness and globalization (13th
ed.). Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning

6. 2. CVS Health. 2021. CVS Health at a glance.
https://cvshealth.com/about/facts-and-company-information
3. CVS Health. 2021. Aetna foundation.
https://cvshealth.com/social-responsibility/aetna-foundation
4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. n.d. Chronic
diseases in America. National Center for Chronic Disease
Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP).
https://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/resources/infographic/chro
nic-diseases.htm
5. American Hospital Association. 2021. Fast Facts on U.S.
Hospitals, 2021. https://www.aha.org/statistics/fast-facts-us-
hospitals
6. Corwin, Rhyan., Ani, Tuner., & George, Miller. 2020.
Tracking the U.S. health sector: The impact of the Covid-19
pandemic. Springer Link.
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1057/s11369-020-00195-z
1
2Week 8 Assignment 3
Student’s Full Name
BUS499 Business Administration Capstone
Professor’s Name
Date
Template Instructions (delete this page before submitting)
This template is provided to help you meet the assignment
requirements.
This page should NOT be submitted with your assignment, as it
is not part of an academically written paper. Note the “Clarity,
writing mechanics, and formatting requirements” section of the
grading rubric.
HOW TO USE THIS TEMPLATE
· Read the explanations provided in the template for each
section of your paper.
· The explanations are in blue font below.

7. · You should have already read the assignment instructions in
Blackboard.
· Type your response to each of the assignment requirements
within the designated sections.
· Each assignment requirement is identified using a section
Heading that is in black font
· DO NOT add extra spaces between sections.
· DO NOT change the margins.
· You are required to have a heading for each of the sections in
your paper.
· The required headings have been provided for you.
· DO NOT delete, alter, or add anything to the section
Headings.
· DO NOT type the assignment instructions into the sections.
· After typing your responses, change the font color to black
and make sure it is not in bold.
· Be sure to change the font color on the title page to black after
typing your name, professor’s name, and date.
· Everything in blue font below should be deleted and replaced
with your responses.
· DELETE this entire page before you submit your assignment
to avoid losing points.
REMINDERS
· The assignment is due in week 8. Late submissions negatively
impact your grade.
· Use the same public corporation you used for assignments 1
and 2.
· Include at least 6 full and complete academically written
pages that address the requirements. The title page, this
instruction page, and the source page do not count.
· Use at least 3 quality sources, one of which MUST be the
course textbook.
· Strayer uses SafeAssign – an automated plagiarism checker. It

8. is advised that you do your own writing and use external
resources to support what you have written in your own words.
Week 8 Assignment 3
Write your introduction to this 6-page paper here. Include one
(1) paragraph (not more than 6 lines of text) that explains what
your paper will discuss. Much of your introduction may be
taken from the assignment instructions (in your own words).
Read all assignment resources to understand what should be
included in your paper. Be sure to review the assignment
instructions in Blackboard, the grading rubric, and relevant
course announcements to understand the requirements. Do not
exceed 6 lines of text in this introduction. There should be no
direct quotes in this section. After reading these instructions,
replace this blue text with your introduction and change the font
color to black.Business-Level Strategies
Analyze the business-level strategies for the corporation you
chose to determine the business-level strategy you think is most
important to the long-term success of the firm. You will also
need to determine whether or not you judge this to be a good
choice (Note: in this step you need to choose and write about
only one (1) business-level strategy from the text book (not
Google). Hint: See Figure 4.1 in the textbook. Include a
thorough justification for your choice that is backed by facts
and sound judgement. For background, be sure to research and
explain the industry in which your selected corporation
operates. You could also briefly (1 – 2 sentences) define the
business-level strategy (cite your sources) you are writing about
using the textbook/Learn, as an introduction to your analysis.
Read Chapter 4 in the course textbook. Review the Week 4
Learn video/Lecture for supporting content. Your response here
should demonstrate that you understand the key concepts
regarding the selected business-level strategy and can apply
them to a real-world corporation. Keep in mind that this is a 6-
page paper and as such your analysis should thoroughly address
the concepts discussed in the course. Avoid unsubstantiated

9. statements, extended introductory commentar y, direct quotes,
and unrelated content. Strive for about 1 ½ - 2 pages of well-
constructed, in-depth analysis in this section.
In this section, you could research and identify the core
competencies your chosen firm uses to implement its business-
level strategies and discuss their effectiveness. You could also
demonstrate from your research how the firm uses its core
competencies to create and sell its products in the marketplace.
Consider the actions & choices your firm has made to compete
in individual product markets. Review Chapters 4-9 for
specifics on the business-level strategies. Your response should
clearly identify the one business-level strategy from the
textbook that you think is most important to the long-term
success of the corporation. Your response must also include a
clearly stated and justified judgement on whether that strategy
is a good choice. Include enough content and depth to
demonstrate a thorough analysis of your selected corporation’s
business-level strategy. Remember that this is a 6-page paper
and as such, you will need to dig deep. After reading these
instructions, replace this blue text with your analysis and
change the font color to black. Corporate-Level Strategies
Analyze the corporate-level strategies for the corporation you
chose to determine the corporate-level strategy you think is
most important to the long-term success of the firm. You will
also need to determine whether or not you judge this to be a
good choice. (Note: in this step you need to choose and write
about only one (1) corporate-level strategy from the text book
(not Google). Hint: See chapter 6 in the textbook. Include a
thorough justification for your choice that is backed by facts
and sound judgement. You could also briefly (1 – 2 sentences)
define the corporate-level strategy (cite your sources) you are
writing about using the textbook/Learn, as an introduction to
your analysis. Read Chapter 6 in the course textbook. Review
the Week 6 Learn video/Lecture for supporting content. Your
response here should demonstrate that you understand the key
concepts regarding the selected corporate-level strategy and can

10. apply them to a real-world corporation. Keep in mind that this
is a 6-page paper and as such your analysis should thoroughly
address the concepts discussed in the course. Avoid
unsubstantiated statements, extended introductory commentary,
direct quotes, and unrelated content. Strive for about 1 ½ - 2
pages of well-constructed, in-depth analysis in this section.
Your response should clearly identify the one corporate-level
strategy from the textbook that you think is most important to
the long-term success of the corporation. Your response must
also include a clearly stated and justified judgement on whether
that strategy is a good choice. Include enough content and depth
to demonstrate a thorough analysis of your selected
corporation’s corporate-level strategy. Remember that this is a
6-page paper and as such, you will need to dig deep. After
reading these instructions, replace this blue text with your
analysis and change the font color to black. Competitive
Environment
Analyze the competitive environment to determine the
corporation's most significant competitor (this will require
research outside of the course material). Compare their
strategies at each level and evaluate which company you think
is most likely to be successful in the long term. Justify your
choice. Hint: read chapters 1 - 10 in the course textbook as they
provide a solid background for this section. Review the Week 1
- 8 Learn video Lectures for supporting content. Remember that
this is a 6-page paper and requires a thorough competitive
analysis. Strive for about a 1 ½ - 2 pages of well-constructed,
in-depth analysis in this section. Cite your sources and avoid
the use of direct quotes. After reading these instructions,
replace this blue text with your analysis and change the font
color to black.Market Cycles
Determine whether your choice from Question 3 (Competitive
Environment section above) would differ in slow-cycle and fast-
cycle markets. It would be a good idea to briefly explain what
the slow-cycle and fast-cycle markets are from the textbook
(cite your sources) as a short introduction to your

11. determination. Hint: read Chapter 5 in the course textbook.
Remember that this is a 6-page paper and therefore each section
requires a thorough response that demonstrates your
understanding of key concepts covered in the course and your
ability to apply them to a real-world corporation. Cite your
sources and avoid the use of direct quotes. After reading these
instructions, replace this blue text with your response and
change the font color to black.
Sources
1. Hitt, Ireland, & Hoskisson. 2020. Strategic management:
Concepts and cases: Competitiveness and globalization (13th
ed.). Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning
2. Author. Publication Date. Title. Page # (written as p. #). How
to Find (e.g. web address)
3. Author. Publication Date. Title. Page # (written as p. #). How
to Find (e.g. web address)
How to earn full credit
assignment 3
Switch to Slide Show then click the on each slide to watch
the embedded videos in a new window
1
Download the Template
Log into the Blackboard course
Navigate to the Course Info section

12. Click the linked file titled:
“BUS499 Assignment 3 Template 2020.docx”
Open the downloaded file
Click “Enable Editing”
Save the file to your computer
2
Review the Instructions
Navigate to Week 8 in Blackboard
Read the Business-Level and Corporate-Level Strategies section
Navigate to the Course Info page in Blackboard
“Download the Course Guide”
Review the Scoring Guide in the Course Guide
Open the previously saved BUS499 Assignment 3 Template
2020 template
Read the entire template
Be sure to also read all announcements and email
3
Study Key Course Concepts
Complete the To-Do List in weeks 1 - 8
Review Chapters 1 - 10
Pay close attention to the following concepts:
Business-level strategies
Corporate-level strategies
Competitive environment
Slow-cycle markets
Fast-cycle markets

13. 4
Company to Research
You will use the same company you researched for assignments
1 and 2
You will also use this same company for assignment 4
The Overview section of the assignment instructions include
tips on choosing a public corporation
Papers on non-public corporation earn a score of zero
5
Title Page
Replace the text that reads “Student’s Full Name” with your
name
Replace the text that reads “Professor’s Name” with your
professor
Replace the text that reads “Date” with the current date
Highlight your name, professor’s name, and the date then
change the font color to black
Select “Save”
6
Template Instructions
Scroll to page 2

14. Reread the template instructions
The template instructions page MUST be deleted before
submitting your work
Do not leave a blank page after deleting the template
instructions
Do not submit your paper with the template instructions
included – you will lose points
The Template Instructions page was created to help you
correctly use this resource. The content is based on best
practices in writing, common mistakes students make, and the
assignment requirements
7
Introduction
Begin your paper with a brief introduction
Develop an introduction that follows the introduction
instructions in the template.
Replace the introduction instructions with the introduction you
developed
Do not delete the “Week 8 Assignment 3” heading
Make sure all of the introduction instructions are removed
Make sure the font for your introduction is in black
Make sure the font for your introduction is NOT in bold
8
Requires Original Research
Do not copy content from Assignments 1 or 2
Do not copy content from other classes

15. Recycling work previous classes is an integrity violation
All instances of plagiarism are sent to Student Affairs
Visit the Virtual Writing Center for academic writing support
9
THIS IS A 6-PAGE PAPER
It is very important that you meet the minimum page
requirement
The 6-page requirements is not an arbitrary requirement
The level of depth required in each of the core requirements
warrants 6 full pages
Less than 6 full pages of content will result in less than the
level of depth required
10
Business-Level Strategies
Analyze the business-level strategies to determine the one
business-level strategy most important to long-term success for
your selected corporation
See figure 4.1 in the textbook
Justify your strategy selection
Justify whether the strategy is a good choice
Demonstrate a thorough analysis of your selected corporation’s
business-level strategy
This is not a definitions paper nor a copy/paste assignment –
limit quotes
Strive for about 1 ½ - 2 pages of in depth content

16. 11
Corporate-Level Strategies
Analyze the corporate-level strategies to determine the one
corporate-level strategy most important to long-term success for
your selected corporation
Justify your strategy selection
Justify whether the strategy is a good choice
Demonstrate a thorough analysis of your selected corporation’s
corporate-level strategy
This is not a definitions paper nor a copy/paste assignment –
limit quotes
Strive for about 1 ½ - 2 pages of in depth content
12
Competitive Environment
Analyze the competitive environment to determine the
corporation’s most significant competitor
Compare strategies at each level
Evaluate which company you think is most likely to be
successful long term
Justify your choice
Strive for about 1 ½ - 2 pages of in depth content

17. 13
Market Cycles
Determine whether your choice from the Competitive
Environment section would differ in slow-cycle and fast-cycle
markets
Demonstrate your understanding of key concepts covered in the
course and your ability to apply them to a real-world
corporation
Avoid direct quotes
This is not a definitions paper
14
Minimum Page Requirement
This assignment requires at least 6 full pages of content directly
addressing the 4 core assignment requirements
15
Sources
Read the instructions in Blackboard
Go to Basic Search: Strayer University Online Library and
locate at least three quality references. Note: Wikipedia and
similar Websites do not quality as academic resources.
Scroll to the section of your paper with the “Sources” heading

18. The textbook has already been included in your source list but
you need to use it in your paper.
Provide at least three (3) quality sources used in your paper
Again, one MUST be the textbook
Do not use cheat sites (e.g. free essay sites, coursehero,
u.k.essay, etc.)
Make sure the font for your sources is in black
All sources listed on the Source page must have intext citations
in your paper.
16
Submit Your Assignment
Submit your assignment using the provided MSWord template
The required template is a MSWord document
Do not change the document type to pdf, jpeg, rtf, odt, ppt,
pptx, html, etc……
Submit your assignment as an attachment in Blackboard
Assignments cannot be emailed or posted to any other location
Do not copy and paste the content of your paper as comments in
Blackboard
Submit your assignment by the due date to avoid late penalties
Late penalties can drop you grade significantly
Confirm your submission was successful
You will receive a confirmation email
You will see a preview of your work in Blackboard
17
Grading Reminders

19. All assignment grades include grading feedback
Read the feedback attached to your grade to understand what
you did well and also what you can improve.
Once an assignment is graded and feedback provided, the
assignment cannot be resubmitted for a better grade.
Plagiarized papers earn a grade of zero and will be reported to
Student Affairs
Papers submitted without using the required template and
section headings earn a grade of zero
18
Grading Timeline
Your submitted assignment will be graded in the order in which
it is received
If submitted on time, expect your grade and feedback no later
than 7 days after the assignment due date
Late submissions are graded after all on-time assignments have
been graded
It is not necessary to send an email asking when your
assignment will be graded.
All submitted assignments are graded
It is not necessary to send an email telling us that you submitted
your assignment.
These emails have no baring on when your submission is graded
19
Frequently Missed Areas
Not submitting work on time

20. Not providing the analysis, justification and determination
required
Not submitting at least 6 full pages of content addressing the
requirements
Not using the template
Not using the textbook and course material
Plagiarism
20
Less Than 6 Pages is Less than Full Credit
The assignment requires no less than 6 full pages of content
addressing the requirements
The level of depth needed in each assignment requirement will
take at least 6 full pages of content.
Strive for 1 ½ to 2 pages for EACH of the main concept
requirements:
Business-Level Strategies
Corporate-Level Strategies
Competitive Environment
Market Cycles
Balance your research throughout your paper
Ex. Do not write 4 pages on the Business-Level Strategies then
short-change the other requirements to fit them into the other 2
pages
21
One More Time
Use the required template

21. Follow the instructions
Address each requirement
Submit on time
Do not copy from your sources
Do not recycle previous work
Write at least 6 full pages
22