Date of Award
College of Business
Type of Degree
Bank of America is the largest bank in the world for now. The case is an attempt to see how the bank got to the point where it is today. It was interesting to follow the flow from two small banks through their histories and how they became one large institution. Now, acting as the one entity, Bank of America, there are many pressing issues facing it. The firm has many internal problems before even addressing the external environment. This is not only the competitors in the market but also the environment itself. The case addresses some of them and what strategies Bank of America uses to survive amidst the challenges before it.
Five points that the case tried to address are:
1. What are some pressing key issues? What is the most critical general environmental dimension? What does the industry look like?
2. What are the firm’s strengths and weaknesses? What does the firm have a sustainable competitive advantage in? Who should the firm pursue a joint venture with?
3. What is the firm’s business-level strategy? Is the firm using a blue ocean strategy?
4. Is the firm diversified? What are its ethics and values? Is the firm optimally organized?
5. What about the additional areas? Is the firm led properly?
Addressing these points will show how Bank of America arrived to its current position. It will also examine if it making the correct decisions to survive.
Gillenwater, Marty, "Bank of America: Is Bigger Always Better?" (2012). Theses, Dissertations and Capstones. 419.