Essay from the year 2010 in the subject Economics - Case Scenarios, grade: 1.0, The University of Surrey, course: Strategy, language: English, abstract: After the financial crisis hit the global economy in 2008 many global companies found themselves in economic distress. To remain competitive and successful, it is vital for any company to be aware of their status quo and its future strategic direction. Sony is a global company that operates in over 204 countries. According to Howard Stringer (CEO of Sony), Sony's mission for the future is to become a leading global provider in the sector of network consumer electronics, entertainment and services. Sony wants to challenge its designers, engineers and producers to improve their hardware as well software in terms of innovation in order to further the differentiation process towards its competition. The purpose of this report is to analyze Sony's current situation within the electronics industry by assessing its macro- and micro-environmental factors in order to offer future strategic recommendations for the Corporation. The following methods and theories will be applied throughout the essay: 1) Competitive Analysis of the Industrial Current Status of Sony - Porter's Five- Forces - SWOT Analysis - Value-Chain Analysis - Resource-Based Analysis 2) Impacts of External Forces on the Competitive Advantage of Sony - PESTEL 3) Recommendations of Future Strategic Decisions of Sony 4) Conclusion