Homework
Assignment 4: Industry and Company Analysis
Overview
Next month, you will be meeting with a group of investors to discuss the possibility of a capital investment in your current company (or a company of interest) to significantly expand operations. The company’s Board of Directors will also attend the meeting.
In order to prepare for your presentation to these decision-makers and stakeholders, you need to conduct a thorough and honest evaluation of your company and its products or services.
Instructions
Write a paper of 5 to 7 pages in which you evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of your company and its products or services. To create the structure – sections and subsections – of your paper, use the Sample Outline provided at the end of these Instructions. You should refer to the course content and show that you have used online resources to gather both quantitative and qualitative information related to your company.
Sample Outline
Use the following Outline to organize your paper. Use the underlined headings as section headings. Use the prompts in each section to be sure you include the required content.
When you have finished your paper, write an Abstract (summary) of one to two paragraphs summarizing the main points in your paper. The Abstract goes on a separate page, right after the Cover Page.
Cover Page
Abstract
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· On a separate page, write a short summary of your overall evaluation of the company’s prospects
Introduction
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· Briefly describe the overall structure and purpose of your report
Background and Products
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· Describe your company’s market sector and industry
· Explain the market structure: is it perfect competition, monopoly, monopsony, or oligopoly?
· Describe your company’s major products or services
Assessment of Company and Products/Services
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· Specify the economic factors – such as price elasticity – that impact supply and demand
· Specify any other significant economic characteristics, such as utility, type of good, etc.
· What non-economic forces – such as weather, business cycles, new technologies or changes in regulations – can impact your company’s sales and profitability?
Economic Outlook
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· Using GUIDES, choose a macroeconomic indicator that poses an external concern or points to an area of risk; explain the implication of this indicator for your company and industry
· Using GUIDES, choose a macroeconomic indicator that provides some reassurance or points to future growth; explain the implication of this indicator for your company and industry
· Summarize the outlook for investors in the short-term (1 to 3 years), specifying the major favorable and unfavorable elements from your research
· Summarize the outlook for prospective investors in the long-term (4+ years), specifying the major favorable and unfavorable elements from your research
Conclusion
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· Briefly recap and summarize the major findings of your report
References
Submission Requirements
· Typed, double-spaced, professional font (size 10-12), include headings and subheadings, with one-inch margins on all sides
· Include a Cover page containing the title of the assignment, your name, your professor’s name, the course title, and the date
· Include an Abstract: a short summary of your paper that readers can use as an overview
· Utilize the Sample Outline provided on the next page, or create one of your own that mirrors the grading Rubric’s deliverables
· Tables or graphs are encouraged as appropriate and can be embedded within the body of your paper or added in an Appendix
· Include a References page that enables the reader to locate original sources. Application and analysis of course materials and resources are expected, and additional research is welcome
· The Cover page and References page are not included in the required length of five to seven pages
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Assignment 4 Grading Criteria (1) |
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Assignment 4 Grading Criteria (1) |
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Criteria |
Ratings |
Pts |
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20% view longer description |
0.8 pts Honors Exemplary description of the company’s market sector, industry, market structure, and/or major products or services. 0.69 pts High Pass Very good description of the company’s market sector, industry, market structure, and/or major products or services. 0.61 pts Pass Satisfactorily describes the company’s market sector, industry, market structure, and/or major products or services 0.54 pts Low Pass Partially describes the company’s market sector, industry, market structure, and/or major products or services. 0.25 pts Unsatisfactory Does not or minimally describes the company’s market sector, industry, market structure, and/or major products or services. |
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20% view longer description |
0.8 pts Honors Exemplary assessment of the impact on the company and its major products or services of economic factors and noneconomic forces. 0.69 pts High Pass Very good assessment of the impact on the company and its major products or services of economic factors and noneconomic forces. 0.61 pts Pass Satisfactorily assesses the impact on the company and its major products or services of economic factors and noneconomic forces. 0.54 pts Low Pass Partially assesses the impact on the company and its major products or services of economic factors and noneconomic forces. 0.25 pts Unsatisfactory Does not or minimally assesses the impact on the company and its major products or services of economic factors and noneconomic forces. |
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20% view longer description |
0.8 pts Honors Chooses appropriate indicators and provides an excellent explanation of the implication for the company and industry of both indicators. 0.69 pts High Pass Chooses appropriate indicators and provides a very good explanation of the implication for the company and industry of both indicators. 0.61 pts Pass Chooses appropriate indicators and provides a satisfactory explanation of the implication for the company and industry of both indicators. 0.54 pts Low Pass Chooses appropriate indicators and provides a basic explanation of the implication for the company and industry of one or both indicators. 0.25 pts Unsatisfactory Does not choose appropriate indicators and/or does not explain the implication for the company and industry of either of the indicators. |
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20% view longer description |
0.8 pts Honors Provides an exemplary evaluation of short-term and long-term economic outlooks and specifies major favorable and unfavorable elements from the student’s research. 0.69 pts High Pass Provides a very good evaluation of short-term and longterm economic outlooks and specifies major favorable and unfavorable elements from the student’s research. 0.61 pts Pass Provides a satisfactory evaluation of shortterm and long-term economic outlooks and specifies major favorable and unfavorable elements from the student’s research. 0.54 pts Low Pass Provides a partial evaluation of short-term and long-term economic outlooks and specifies a few major favorable and unfavorable elements from the student’s research. 0.25 pts Unsatisfactory Does not evaluate shortterm and longterm economic outlooks and/or does not specify major favorable and unfavorable elements from the student’s research. |
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10% view longer description |
0.4 pts Honors The Conclusion and the Abstract are excellently written; Sources are numerous and applied in an exemplary fashion throughout the paper. 0.34 pts High Pass The Conclusion and the Abstract are very well written; Sources are numerous and used effectively in the paper. 0.31 pts Pass The Conclusion and the Abstract are satisfactorily well written; multiple Sources are used in the paper. 0.27 pts Low Pass The Conclusion and the Abstract are partially adequate; some appropriate Sources are used in a few parts of the paper. 0.12 pts Unsatisfactory Poorly written or no Conclusion; the Abstract is missing or very poorly written; minimal or no Sources are used. |
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10% view longer description |
0.4 pts Honors No mechanical errors; text flows and concisely, clearly, and exemplarily expresses the student’s ideas; follows formatting instructions; makes use of all sections from Sample Outline. 0.34 pts High Pass Few mechanical errors; flow of ideas is concise and clear; follows formatting instructions; makes use of all sections from Sample Outline. 0.31 pts Pass More than a few mechanical errors; flow of ideas is satisfactory; follows formatting instructions; makes use of all sections from Sample Outline. 0.27 pts Low Pass Several mechanical errors; flow of ideas is confusing in parts; follows formatting instructions; makes use of some sections from Sample Outline. 0.12 pts Unsatisfactory Multiple mechanical errors; unclear expression of ideas; fails to follow |
