Outline for Project – Part 1 This is a research paper and what you write should be backed by facts. If you write about “economic growth” or something like that then you need numbers to back up that statement. This is NOT an offthe-top-of-your-head paper. I. Introduction 10 points A. Company history B. Company’s present conditions 1. Discuss the last three years of operations of the company. Include relevant financials and strategic moves from that period. C. Company’s mission and objectives II. Strategic Group Map 30 points A. Define/identify the industry and list all current companies in the industry. B. Create a Strategic Group Map of your industry. The map itself will be in the appendix. C. Explain how/why you chose the axes for your map. D. Analyze the nature of competition in the industry using the map. Don’t just describe the map, analyze what the map reveals about competition in the industry as a whole. If you’ve done this correctly, no company will be by itself in a circle, thus the term “group” map. III. Industry Environment Analysis 50 points A. Analyze all of the Five Forces: Rivals, Buyers, Suppliers, New Entrants, Substitutes. Use headings. The below bullets are how I want it done, they are not individual sections. • Use your firm’s Strategic Group as the source for determining Rivals. If there is another Strategic Group very near to your firm’s group, consider including it as well. • Within its section, specifically list buyer/supplier groups and substitute industries. • Provide support from your research for all assertions. • Conclude each force section with your assertion of the force as a positive or a negative (you must pick one, it can’t be “both”) for industry profitability (not company) and why. Writing/Typing Requirements: 10 points – The paper should be typed double-spaced. – Use topics/subtopics to separate your paper. – Use good writing style – introductory/ conclusion sentences for paragraphs, complete sentences, transitions between paragraphs/sections – References – you should have at least 6 references and you should put them at the end of the paper (use whatever style you like on this as long as the references are complete). Be sure you indicate in the body of the paper where information from a reference is used. Like this…(Author, 2016) – Please write in your own words – “borrowing” significant portions of quoted material without attributing it to an author is plagiarism. Even if you use your own words and they are not your thoughts, you still need to reference the material. (NOTE: I will run papers through a plagiarism program, so be careful to use your own work.) This paper is likely to be 7 – 9 pages typed doubled spaced.
