Amazon’s Delivery Service Partner Program and the market structure

MANA 4385 – Individual Critical Thinking Analysis (Fall 2020 Online)

You are required to submit a written analysis based on Amazon’s Delivery Service Partner program. The purpose of this assignment is to assess a student’s ability to synthesize information, critically evaluate strategic issues, and analyze complex and dynamic interdependencies among strategic issues.

Amazon’s Delivery Service Partner (DSP) program

Amazon is encouraging employee spinouts. They are offering employees $10,000 plus 3 months salary to quit and form entrepreneurial ventures in their Delivery Service Partner (DSP) program. This brings out several strategic issues,such as delivery industry’s competitive structure, Amazon’s competitive advantage, etc. Since the program started, Amazon has shifted 30-50% of its delivery needs away from big vendors (USPS, UPS, FedEx, etc.) in favor of internal and small external service providers. Read the packet of news articles on the DSP program (Blackboard) and answer the questions below:

Questions:
1. Amazon is vertically integrating into the delivery business. How does this alter the market structure (Porter’s 5 forces) forthe package delivery industry?

2. How might this move influence Amazon’s competitive advantage?

3. Based on your analysis, is this opportunity for employee entrepreneurs attractive? In other words,do the entrepreneurial ventures of Amazon’s DSP program enjoy any competitive advantages?

4. Based on your research, how have delivery partners/competitors (e.g., USPS, UPS, FedEx, etc.) responded to Amazon’s DSP program?Give 1-2 examples.

5. How has the COVID-19 pandemic (positively/negatively) affected the package delivery industry? Analyze the opportunities and threats.

You do not need to copy the questions in your assignment. Please label your answers to each question clearly in the order presented above.

The deadline is 11PM, 11/01/2020.

Formatting Requirements
The written analysis will be double spaced, with 1-inch margins on all four sides, and typed with Times New Roman font of size 12. The analysis should NOT exceed 5 pages (including tables and figures, andexcluding references). Any paper not properly referenced will lose points from the grade. The APA reference style is recommended.

Submission Requirements
Submit your written analysis via TurnItIn at Blackboard. Individual written assignments have to be independently written. If a student shares his/her written individual assignments with others and the work is subsequently plagiarized, both students will be liable to penalties. The University of Houston Academic Honesty Policy is strictly enforced in this course.
Critical Thinking Rubric:
Traits Performance Levels
Excellent Good Room for Improvement
1. Rigor of analyses Synthesizes the relevant contents in a comprehensive manner to identify and assess critical issues influencing a firm or industry. Synthesizes relevant contents to identify and assess critical issues influencing a firm or industry. Omits some important contents when identifying and assessing critical issues influencing a firm or industry.
2. Organization of analyses Utilizes relevant framework(s) in a comprehensive manner to evaluate the critical issues influencing a firm or industry. Utilizes relevant framework(s) to evaluate the critical issues influencing a firm or industry.
Omits relevant framework(s) when evaluating the critical issues influencing a firm or industry.
3. Logical flow of arguments Presents arguments that are all supported and coherent when addressing the complexities and interdependencies of critical issues.
Presents arguments that are supported and coherent when addressing the complexities and interdependencies of critical issues. Omits support for some important arguments or require more coherence when addressing the complexities and interdependencies of critical issues.