Case studies are an important learning strategy in business classes as they provide an opportunity for you to critically analyze events that have taken place in real-life businesses. This develops your critical thinking and research skills as you research the competition and industry in which your business resides with an end goal of formulating a recommendation for the challenges faced by the company.

Evaluate the case below, and respond to each of the questions below using both theory and practical managerial thinking as well as supporting research.

Option 1: Microsoft (pp. 94–95)

Evaluate Microsoft’s product and marketing evolution over the years. What has the company done well, and where did it falter?
Through the application of a political, economic, social, and technological (PEST) analysis, what are the current environmental factors impacting Microsoft?
Who are the top three competitors of Microsoft, and what are their advantages/disadvantages with respect to satisfying the value proposition of their customers?