Research a current business firm

This is a project where you research a current business firm, your choice of which firm, and you study the firm from the market and industry perspective. The idea is apply what you are learning (theories, models, principles) to a real world situation, to see what you can learn, and share it with us, your class peers.

Outline
1. Review the attached file Research Project 102 SU20.docPreview the document

2. This file gives broad guidelines for the project. After your review, start some research using our COM library databases. (Links to an external site.)

(Links to an external site.)3. You will find tools to learn more about how to do research on that site, and it has access to more resources to ask a librarian for help.

4. The project will involve several steps (assignments) to completion. The first step will be to create a concept map outlining some of your thoughts and research about what you are finding, how the ideas link together and what you might want to share with the class.

For instance, in the Lumber Liquidators video, we learned about a commodity type product, operating in a perfectly competitive market industry structure (versus, monopolistic competition, or oligopoly, or monopoly). We also learned how they seemed to have an advantage over their competitors, which was giving them economic profits (higher than normal in this industry, compared to their competition.)
Which firm to you want to explore? What type of product are they selling (focus on one product if they sell many products in different markets)? How are they changing giving the current circumstances of Economic Shock of Pandemic? What can you learn about their current situation, and what do you think is relevant to share with the class? How does it apply to our course content and learning overall, and why should we care?
Create a concept map (see the handout previously provided herePreview the document) to share in a peer review group in class. Take a picture of your concept map, and write a brief one page summary of what you are thinking about studying and what you have found so far. Submit both for this part of the assignment.Here is the Concept Map Assignment
Leave a comment here for me in a text box to tell me what your are thinking you dig into to study for this project.

Research Project
Econ 102 SU20( research Project 102 SU20.docPreview the document)
Guidelines:

General

The basic method of presenting the topic is left up to the student, however, all of the questions listed below must be addressed. In the past, students have used many techniques to create a quality presentation. For example, past groups have successfully used moderator and discussion panels, skits, debates, taped interviews with experts, film and video clips, etc. While there is no correct format most good presentations include following:

A good opening summary of the important issues to be discussed and well as a historical perspective of the topic.
A strong outline of the information to be presented which is followed through the presentation so that the audience doesn’t get lost as to what is being discussed.
Good transitions between presenters with proper introduction of the next topic and the name of the next presenter.
Adequate practice and group coordination so that the presentation is a cohesive integrated product.
A strong sense as to what are the important issues surrounding the topic. Each presentation should try of answer important questions for the audience.

Specific questions which should be answered:

Industry
What is the history?
What are the major companies?
Which are the fastest growing firms and why?
How is the market share distributed?
How does changing technology affect the industry?
Is the industry growing?
What share of the GDP is the industry?
How profitable is the industry?
How is the industry affected by changes in the economy?
How does the Government affect the industry?
Sales
Regulation
Taxes
What are the major factors which will affect the industry’s future?
Would you invest in this industry? Why?
Company
Where has the company been?
History
Financial Trends
Products
Where is the company now?
Products and revenue components Market location
Competition
Size and power
Profitability
Financial strength
Management strengths
Where is the company going?
New markets
Growth potential
New products
Corporate vision
Industry potential
Foreign competition
Effect of changing demographics and world conditions on the company
How is the US Government (or other governments) involved in the company?
Regulation
Subsidies
Sales to the public sector
Politics
What kind of a corporate citizen is the company?
Treatment of the environment
Treatment of employees
Treatment of other countries

Presentation Guidelines
All students in a group do a part of the oral presentation.
Sources must be cited for all factual information and opinions that are from someone other than the group.
All visual displays must be able to be clearly read from the back of the room.
The presentation should be no longer than 15 minutes.

Acceptable Resources

The following is a list of acceptable resources for the presentation. Time*
Newsweek*
US News and World Report*
Business Week*
Forbes*
Fortune*
The Economist*
The Washington Post*
The New York Times*
The LA Times*
Christian Science Monitor*
The Wall Street Journal*
Barron’s*
Harvard Business Review*
Survey of Current Business*
The Financial Times
Standard and Poor’s
Dun and Bradstreet
Value Line
Schwab Company Reports
Audited portions of Annual Reports
Interviews and speeches by Company officials given to non-shareholder group