Week 6
Final Paper
Focus of the Final Paper
Research a specific company of your choice and identify some
of the managerial decisions that were made over time and in response to changes
in its market or competitive environment. Use the Ashford University Online
Library and web-based sources for your research. At least three external
scholarly sources must be used. Address all of the following areas:
Describe the company and provide a brief history of its
operations. Find or use graphs to illustrate its financial performance over the
years.
Identify any sources of risk or uncertainty in its
operations. Do the financial reports indicate risky or uncertain activities or
changes to the economic environment that ultimately appear to have affected the
company’s financial outcomes? Be specific.
Are there any government regulations that have affected this
company’s operations domestically or abroad? Explain.
Describe the inputs that are used in this company’s
production function and identify any challenges to securing these inputs.
Determine if the company has introduced new products in
existing markets or created new markets over time. What is the impact on its
finances?
Determine if the price of its products increased or declined
over time and analyze the reasons for price fluctuationsz Study the demand
elasticity for its products and discuss the availability of close substitutes
for its products. How does that affect pricing decisions?
Analyze the company’s profitability. Identify the economy or
industry influences on its costs, operations, and profitability.
Describe the competitive environment in which the firm
operates, the distribution of market power, and the strategic behavior of the
firm and its competitors. Apply your knowledge of the theory of this company’s
market structure. How does the company make pricing and production decisions?
Is your observation supported by the theoretical models? Refer to the financial
reports for illustration.
Identify any non-price competitive strategies that the
company might be engaging in? Provide specific examples.
Evaluate if the company made any mistakes in its decisions
over time, and recommend any changes or improvements for the future operations.
Refer to the financial reports when making specific observations or
recommendations.
Use economic language and demonstrate your understanding of
the concepts and theories of this course.
