assignment 1336
Goal: Construct a case study/research paper that examines a publicly-traded firm in the U.S. from a microeconomic standpoint and provide suggestions based on your findings.
You will want to choose a firm for your focus. In addition to picking a firm that you find interesting, you will want to pick that provides data (or a firm that for which you can personally provide data). Publicly traded companies file reports with a great deal of data (preferred). However, if you have a strong preference to examine a privately held firm or small family business, please feel free to discuss the choice with me.
You will complete an analysis of the following categories for the firm of your choice. We will discuss each of these in class, so you should complete the research for your firm after it is discussed in class so that we can discuss your findings. The following must be included in the body of the paper: (NOTE: Be sure to break your paper into the following sections with headings):
oPaper introduction – let the reader know the purpose of your paper!
oWhat does your firm do? Introduce your firm and provide a brief history.
oHow have supply and demand conditions impacted the firm in recent years? Please be sure to include a visual that displays annual revenue for the past five years or so. See the risk section of the 10-K annual report for assistance.
oDiscuss pricing and price elasticity of demand for your firm. You will want to provide data to support your analysis. Is the demand for your firm’s products/services relatively elastic or inelastic? What does this suggest about their ability to change price and the impact of a price change on revenue?
oExamine the costs of production for your firm. You should report the firm’s total costs for the past five years or so. You will want to consider the major variable and fixed costs for the firm. Also, be sure to discuss any major cost changes in recent years.
oWhat is (are) your firm’s primary competitive advantage(s)?
oWhat are the entry barriers for firms in this industry? Is it likely that your firm will face competition from new competitors going forward?
oWhat is the market share for firms in the industry?
oWhat market structure best describes the market conditions your firm faces? What does this mean for the firm in terms of their influence in the market? How does this impact their decision-making?
oGiven your research, what suggestions would you provide for the firm going forward? Please be sure to provide threespecific recommendations for the company based on your research. Additionally, be sure to discuss additional information beyond the scope of this paper that you would want to know to assist you in making suggestions.
oConclusion
