You will analyze the Boston Beer Company using the "Competition in the Craft Brewing Industry in 2017" case (pp. 261270) from your textbook. The analysis is divided into four distinct sections and you will be required to provide your insights and evidence of creative and critical thinking. All analysis must be your own ideas and you may not use other published analysis.

Step 1, READ: Read the case several times to make sure you have a thorough understanding of the information provided. Many students find it helpful to make notes in the margins as they read. For example, you may want to note any particular positive or negative facts. You may also want to note whether particular facts relate to one of the concepts you've covered so far such as PESTEL, Five Forces, SWOT, etc. All the information you need is provided in the case. However, you may use the company's own website for additional information to help you understand the products/services they offer. Make sure you pay attention to the years referenced in the case and done use information that is more recent than the case.

Step 2. ENGAGE: Participate in the four online D2L discussion forums in the week they are assigned. For each forum you must:

• Submit a post  that shows the analysis requested. You will not be able to read the other posts until you have submitted yours. Make sure you post your ideas at least 48 hours before the deadline to allow time for group discussion. A rich discussion in this case will give you the practice for the other two case assignments in this course.

• Respond/reply to a minimum of two other posts (either people's initial posts or a reply). Responses such as "great job", or "I agree", will not receive a grade. Your response to peers must illustrate substance and your own interesting perspective to their ideas. The purpose of the responses is to build consensus within the group and be able to articulate an answer that takes into

• One primary activity of the Value Chain Analysis that is adding significant value to the customers.

Step 3, THINK CRITICALLY: Conclude your post with a statement to summarize whether this company is in a strong position or whether there are areas that are of concern and must be improved.

Step 4, DOUBLE CHECK: Upload your answer in Word format into the Dropbox for Discussion 1 to check for similarity score in Turnitin. Your answer must reflect your own ideas using the case facts. If you are quoting from the case make sure you reference the page number.

Step 5, POST: Post your ideas to the discussion forum at least 48 hours before the deadline.

Step 6, RESPOND: Engage in the class discussion by responding to your classmates posts. It's good to question each other's rationale and logic by adding another perspective or perhaps a different interpretation of the data. You should not all have the same answers, unless you calculated the same ratios. Be sure to comment and reply to responses on your initial post as well so that discussion is articulate an answer that takes into account the various perspectives and insights. You are encouraged to respond to other people's responses to your posts to create some dialogue on the business issues. The more you discuss the topics the better you will understand the theory and this company.

Internal Analysis

Step 1, ANALYZE: Create a rough draft of the VRIN test and the Value Chain Analysis in your notebook. Then use your ideas to write this assignment to post.

Step 2, PRIORITIZE: Explain what key strengths and weaknesses of the company will influence the strategic decisions the company makes. Your explanations must include:

• The three resources or capabilities of the company that best fit the VRIN test of being valuable, rare, inimitable, and non-substitutable.

• A judgement of their financial strength (or weakness) using at least two relevant ratios or financial trends. Do your own calculations.