Business Information Project – MGMT 301 – Spring 2015
Company & Industry Research/Analysis
Deliverable: 2-Page Report
An Email to You from Will Provide Your Project Overview,
Timing & Company Selection (Fortune 1000)
Overview: The Business Information Project is designed to introduce you to authoritative business information sources and connect you to PSU “Research Consultants” housed in the PSU Library system.
Project: Everyone in MGMT 301 has been assigneda unique Fortune 1000 company to assess. The project first entails learning to access information from selected database resources. Second, you will compile your information into a
2-page report (not more, not less)and submit that report into the Angel drop box for this assignment.
Deadline: We have approximately 1800 students in MGMT 301 SP15. We have divided you into 4equal size teams in Angel. The list below reflects the time when your project drop box opens and closes (you’ll have 3 full weeks to complete this project). Team deadlinesare as follows:
Team Project Start Date
Drop Box Opens 8:00 AM
Project End Date
Drop Box Closes 5:00 PM
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2
3
4
Note: Projects submitted after the due date will receive a score of zero. You have three weeks to complete the project. Waiting until the last day is always a risk (no emails/excuses are necessary or accepted for this project).
How to Know Your Assigned Team and Company?
Team Assignments – By January 16th: Everyone in class will receive an emaildetailing which team we have assigned to you. See team list above for when you can expect to start your project & project deadline.
Company Assignments – Sent the Friday before your Start Date: On the Friday before your project start date for your team (see above) we will send that team (450 students) an email with a spreadsheet listing everyone on that team and next to your name you’ll see the company assigned to you.
For example, on January 16, 2015, Team #1 will not only know they are team #1 but will have also received the company list for that team as well. All other teams must wait until the Friday before their start date to learn their team companies and begin their project.
Grading: (40 points – 4%): The Teaching Assistants will grade this assignment with either 40 points for excellent work,20-35 points for less than perfect work, or 0% for below average work or work not submitted.
(10 points – 1%):Visit with a Research Consultant provided by the PSU Libraries between 1:30-4:30 PM M-Th in the Smeal College of Business atrium near the cafe (during the time your team drop box is open). They will help you with your project from getting started to reviewing what you’ve done. Each student is responsible for coming prepared with assignment instructions in hand, assigned company and notebook to receive 10 points.You will also receive a gift from the Penn State Libraries.
MGMT 301 – Business Information Grading Rubric
We will use the following grading guidelines for the business information projects:
Paper Mechanics (worth 10 of the 40 pts.):
1. Titled “Business Information Project – SP15 MGMT 301”
2. YOUR NAME
3. YOUR COMPANY
4. Fortune 1000 rank
5. Margins all 4 sides .5 to .9
6. Type 11 or 12 point font
7. 2 Pages
8. Single-spaced
9. Use clear BOLDheadings for each section – much like in the guideline handout for this project (see format example in this document)
10. Citations clearly noted within the paper (NOT an additional citation page)
Please edit for spelling, grammar and word choices (poorly written = lower grade)
Full Credit –40 pts. (4%)
– All paper mechanics above are followed
– Hoover’s – Complete company overview – all 7 elements
– IBISWorld– summary of key trends and projected revenue growth rate for year 2019
– ABI/Inform– Wall Street Journal article from last 5 years (relevant to class) – Summarized in student’s words (cite search strategy including name of database used) (book connection)
– Statistical Abstract of the US (ProQuest) – reflect data applicable to company
– Company Website or Research Consultant approved alternative –Overview of Corporate Social Responsibility or Sustainability report (sustainability, community, philanthropy, diversity)
– Well written (spelling, grammar, word choice – see mechanics above)
– Two full page write up
– Clear citations given (not an additional citation page)
Partial Credit – 20-35 points (2.0 – 3.5%)
– All paper mechanics above are followed – missing any element
– Hoover’s – Complete company overview – some of the7 elements covered
– IBIS World– key trendsdiscussion incomplete, no listing of projected revenue growth for year 2019
– ABI/Inform– Did not use Wall Street Journal, low relation to class, missing connection to class/book
– Statistical Abstract of the US (ProQuest)–data not related or incomplete
– Company Website – Partial overview of Corporate Social Responsibility or Sustainability report
– Poorly written (spelling, grammar, word choice – see mechanics below)
– Low or high page count
– Did not cite sources
Zero Credit – 0%
– Nothing submitted by the due date
– Submission is irrelevant and unrelated to class and company
– Submission addresses few of the protocols in this assignment
Database Resources& Project Specifics:
PSU Library Databases (http://www.libraries.psu.edu/psul/databases.html#h-content):
A. Hoover’s:
Give a brief overview of what your company does and answer the following questions:
1. Business:What are the company’s primary businesses – how did they get started?
2. Stock: List the ticker symbol and the exchange where this stock is traded.
3. Industry:In what industry does this companycompete?What is the primary NAICS “Industry” Code?
4. Leadership:Can you name the company CEO, location of their headquarters, and revenue past 3 years?
5. Competition:Who are your company’s top 3 competitors based on revenue last year?
6. Employees:How many employees does your companyemploy?
7. Operations: How many countries do they operate in?
You can search the Hoover’s database by company name. Within the profile for your company, look at the following sections: “Key Information,” About This Company”, “Industry Information”, “Financials,” “Competition”, and “People & Contacts.”
B. IBISWorld
You can search IBISWorld by keyword, company, or NAICS code to find a report about the industry in which your company competes. Find a recent industry report. Look at the “Industry at a Glance, “Industry Performance”, and “Industry Outlook” sections of the report. Summarizesome key trendsin your own words. Consult the “Industry Outlook” section to find projected data. What is the projected revenue outlook (in terms of rate of growth) for your industry for the year 2019?
C. ABI/Inform:
Use this database to find an article about your company that has been published in the Wall Street Journal in the past five years. The articlemust relate to any MGMT 301 class topic! Write how this article connects to class materials – reference the book. Finally, write a brief summary of this article in your own words.
D. Statistical Abstract of the United States (ProQuest):
This online edition of The ProQuest Statistical Abstract of the United States contains detailed population, business, and economic data. Find a piece of data that your company would find interesting and reflect that in the paper. Provide the citation for the table that you used. Note: this source does not contain any data for specific companies. However, you will find data that is useful for analyzing industries and the potential for new products and services.
Non PSU Sources:
E. Company Website: Visit the company website and look up their corporate citizenship information. You’ll look for their corporate citizenship or corporate social responsibility or sustainability report. Give a brief overview of the following key initiatives and results (fairly robust paragraph expected):
• Sustainability
• Diversity
• Philanthropy
• Community
If your company website does not provide this information the Research Consultants will find a company replacement.
Citations: Use the Research Consultants methodology (see next page) to properly cite each source RIGHT AFTER that sources header in the paper (for example Hoovers – citation). DO NOT create a separate citation page.
MGMT 301 – Spring 2015
Citing Business Resources (APA style) Citation Examples
Hoover’s
• Hoover’s, Inc. (2015). Comcast Corporation. Retrieved January 12, 2015 from Hoover’s database.
Note: In-text citation if needed: (Hoover’s, 2015)
IBISWorld
• IBISWorld. (2014). IBISWorld Industry Report 51521. Cable Networks in the US. Retrieved January 12, 2015 from IBISWorld database.
Note: In-text citation if needed: (IBISWorld, 2014)
ABI/Inform
• Wall Street Journal Citation: Known Author Example:
Ramachandran, S. (2014,Dec 23).Corporate News: Comcast Merger is Delayed.Wall Street Journal.Retrieved January 12, 2015 from ABI/Inform database.
Note: In-text citation if needed: (Ramachandran, 2014)
• Wall Street Journal Citation: Unknown (Anonymous) Author Example:
Digital Entertainment Competition. (2014,Nov 05). Wall Street Journal.Retrieved January 12, 2015 from ABI/Inform database.
Note: In-text citation if needed: (Digital Entertainment Competition, 2014)
Statistical Abstract of the United States (ProQuest)
Bureau of Census (2015). Cable And Other Subscription Programming-Estimated Revenue And Expenses: 2010 To 2012 ProQuest Statistical Abstract of the U.S. 2015 Online Edition. Retrieved from http://statabs.proquest.com/sa/abstract.html?table-no=1152&acc-no=C7095-1.24&year=2015&z=BF407B98EFCC096F26285245BA11743AB1205094.
Company Websites
• Comcast. (2015). Green is Universal. Retrieved January 12, 2015 from http://corporate.comcast.com/our-values/environment/green-is-universal.
Note: In-text citation if needed: (Comcast, 2015)
Prepared by Rachel Smith (Research Consultant); Revised by Diane Zabel
Sample Project Company (Follow this Format)
(Make Your Document Easy to Review)
Business Information Project – MGMT 301 – Spring 2015
Your Name
Company Name (EX: XYZ)
Currently Ranked # ?inthe Fortune 500
Company Overview:
XYZ is a large company that is based out of State College, Pennsylvania. The company provides media application products to large areas of the continental United States.
Hoover’s
Hoover’s, Inc. (2015).XYZ.Retrieved January 12, 2015 from Hoover’s database.
1. XYZ provides services to millions of customers, ranging from residential to businesses. The company’s origins date back to 1992, when the State College-based company was purchased by ABC, which then formed XYZ. Following a number of acquisitions and mergers, XYZ grew to become the fourth largest media provider, only surpassed by companies such as DEF and GHI. Today, XYZ serves around 5 million customers in over two-dozen states spread across the country.
2. The company is publically traded on the NASDAQ, with the trading ticker being “XYZ.”
3. The company competes within the television and media industry, being one of the top providers of such products within the United States. As of this year, XYZ’s main source competition within the industry comes from DEF, GHI and JKL. These three companies all offer very similar media packages that XYZ offers to its customers.The NAICS code for this industry is 515210: cable and other subscription services.
4. The current President and CEO of XYZ is Ron Johnson, who previously served as the COO of JC PenneyCorporation (a major retailer). State College, Pennsylvania serves as the headquarters. Revenue for the past 3 years is: $60.66B (2014), $60.55B (2013); and $59.40B (2012). Note: if 2014 data is not yet available, you may use data for 2013, 2012, and 2011.
5. XYZ’s three top competitors are ABC, DEF and GHI.
6. As of 2015, XYZ employs around 17,800 workers, most of which work on offsite service locations.
7. XYZ operates solely in the United States.
IBISWorld
IBISWorld.(2014). IBISWorld Industry Report 51321.Cable Networks in the US.Retrieved January 12, 2015 from IBISWorld database.
According to IBIS World, one of the most current trends among companies in the industry is the race to offer the fastest broadband speeds, as the company that has the overall fastest will get the most customers. There is also threat coming from products such as Google TV, which offers a seamlessly integrated experience that blurs the line between cable and Internet offerings. Declining TV viewership is also a trend that poses a threat to this industry. All of these account for the current trends and obstacles that the industry faces today and will continue to face in the near future. The projected revenue growth rate for the industry for the year 2019 is 1.9%.
ABI/Inform
Hoffman, L. (2014, Aug 26). Bidders Pounce on Firms’ Weakened Defenses. Wall Street Journal.Retrieved January 12, 2015 from ABI/Inform database.
In an article from the Wall Street Journal(publishedAug. 26, 2014), journalist Liz Hoffman reports that a loss of subscribers and mounting pressure from rival companies has forced Time Warner Cable to reconsider their position on a merger with XYZ Inc. While the discussion of a merger is not on the table yet, recent statistics have shown poor performance from Time Warner Cable in both Phone and Internet subscribers. This can be traced back to fierce competition from competing companies who have offered lower rates for Phone services. The debacle with CBS has also interfered with the company’s services, as the dropping of CBS resulted in the loss of thousands of Internet subscribers. In today’s world, where Internet is one of the fastest growing sectors of the industry, such a loss could be considered crippling to a company who is engaged in competition in an industry where internet is in fact about a third of the product output. This loss has allowed for XYZ to come in and reintroduce the possibility of a merger, knowing that Time Warner Cable will struggle to recover from such a loss in the coming years. While the exact details of the merger are unclear to the public, Time Warner Cable did shed some light on the deal: “Mr. Britt noted that ‘despite widely touted strategic and industry merits,’ past deals were ‘very lopsided in favor of one set of shareholders.’ He said that ‘consolidation can be a good thing but the terms really matter’ and added that even the benefits of cable consolidation are ‘finite.’”(Hoffman, 2014). Though it may be interpreted that XYZ may be on the better end of the merger, it would not benefit them alone. When looking at the textbook, the notion of Performance Opportunity is brought up, in which there is an opportunity for two parties to benefit each other. This situation is certainly one that falls along these lines. For Time Warner Cable, a merger would entail more Internet subscriptions, which has already been stated as crucial in this day in age. This would also mean a massive spike in Phone customers and a decrease in major competition, as the combination of the two companies services would put them in a position to out-do companies such as Comcast and Cox. XYZ would benefit buy almost doubling their resources, as well as receiving all of Time Warner Cable’s customers and outlets, giving the an arguable advantage over their competitors. This merger would be beneficial for both sides as each side could work off the other’s resources and achieve the ultimate goal of beating out their competition in the industry. Though, again, it should be noted that Time Warner Cable is still reluctant to approach the deal as they feel that they are getting “the short end of the stick”. While that may be so, the article points out that the company had a 34% decrease in profits since last year due to their current fiasco, so it may well be a matter of time before a merger with XYZ is initiated.
Statistical Abstract of the United States (ProQuest)
Bureau of Census (2015). Cable And Other Subscription Programming-Estimated Revenue And Expenses: 2010 To 2012 ProQuest Statistical Abstract of the U.S. 2015 Online Edition. Retrieved from http://statabs.proquest.com/sa/abstract.html?table-no=1152&acc-no=C7095-1.24&year=2015&z=BF407B98EFCC096F26285245BA11743AB1205094
One piece of information that XYZ would find interesting is that the average amount of basic subscribers for television networks has been falling since around 2001. For example, in 2010 television subscriptions lost around 2 million subscribers. While this may seem like an alarming statistic, it can be explained by a move from Cable to Internet subscriptions. In this day in age, Internet has become a juggernaut in comparison to Television and Phone, as it can be a substitute for these products with such outlets like Hulu and Skype becoming popular among customers. Considering these statistics, it is safe to assume that XYZ and its competition will see a migration of sorts towards Internet being a major product as opposed to Phone and Cable. While the latter two will not be wiped out completely, it is foreseeable that there may be a drop in subscriptions of the products though with triple bundles of all three products being so popular, it may just be that Internet will be at the forefront of the package, with Cable and Phone being only an afterthought, though not completely being wiped off the map.
Company Website
XYZ (2015).Ethics, Diversity and Our Bottom Line.Retrieved January 12, 2015 fromhttp://www.xyz.com.
According to the company website, www.xyz.com, XYZ is dedicated to bringing quality service to its residential and business customers. It offers a wide variety of packages to choose from as well as a dedicated team of customer support to assist when needed. The website details its involvement in the following topics:
• Sustainability – When XYZ built its State College facility, they used recycled materials such as refurbished furniture. They also installed 100% light-emitting diode (LED) lighting, which uses up to 80% less energy than traditional incandescent lighting systems; plus a more energy-efficient heating, ventilation, and cooling system.
• Diversity – XYZ does business with diverse suppliers such as women-owned, veteran-owned and minority-owned companies. In 2014 alone, orders from these companies totaled over $1M.
• Philanthropy – Thiscompany supports the Easter Seals Foundationby providing grant money for children with disabilities, siblings and parents to learn how to use technology focused on improving communication.
• Community –XYZ promotes community engagement by sponsoring school writing contests where they give away laptop computers as prizes to elementary, middle and high school essay winners.
