Comstock
Bus 584
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS PROJECT
For this project, your team will be performing an economic analysis of a company using
the techniques that we have discussed in this course. You are encouraged to examine the
company that currently employs you, or you may select another company of your choice.
The first draft of your analysis is due at the midpoint of the semester, and it should
include preliminary research for the first three (3) categories listed below (Intro,
Demand, and Supply). It does not have to be professionally polished at this point.
Your final submission for this team project includes both a research paper and a
PowerPoint presentation (with audio). The research paper should be 5-10 pages in
length, and the PowerPoint presentation should be 5-7 slides in length. The beginning of
the research paper should include a 1-page Executive Summary which outlines your key
findings. Bullet-point format for the Executive Summary is encouraged. A list of
References or citations should also be included at the end of the paper.
In order to complete some of these tasks, you may have to investigate the company’s
product offerings on its website or on a retailer’s website that sells its products. You may
also have to analyze its financial statements and annual reports. In the absence of
available empirical data for calculations, you should estimate any missing values and
provide reasons for your estimates. Be sure to analyze and interpret all of your findings.
If the company is not engaging in an activity listed below, then you should provide
recommendations as to what they should be doing.
The body of your analysis should minimally consist of the following sections:
1) Introduction
Briefly describe your team’s company, its products/services, and the industry within
which it operates.
2) Demand Analysis
At a minimum, describe in detail the following:
Primary consumers (describe the demographics of the typical customer)
Income elasticity for its products (normal vs. inferior)
Close substitutes and/or complementary products
Estimate the price elasticity of demand for its products (elastic vs. inelastic)
Demand forecasting process (methods used to estimate demand)
In addition to the above analysis, describe at least two ways that your company is (or
should be) attempting to increase the demand for its products.
3) Supply Analysis
At a minimum, describe in detail the following:
Primary suppliers (describe the major players supplying inputs to the industry)
Substitutes / complements in production
Technologies used in the production process
Various input costs within the production process (fixed and variable)
In addition to the above analysis, describe at least two ways that your company is (or
should be) attempting to increase their productive efficiency.
4) Market Structure
At a minimum, describe in detail the following:
Level of competition (competitive, oligopoly, monopolistic competition, etc.)
Process for determining quantity produced and price to charge (or, the methods
that they should be implementing)
Governmental impact on the company and industry
5) Strategic Moves and Advanced Pricing Techniques
At a minimum, describe in detail the following:
Strategic techniques imposed relative to rivalries and/or cooperative arrangements
Price discrimination techniques for differentiated markets
In the absence of information relative to this company’s strategic activities and pricing
techniques, propose some strategic moves and/or price discrimination techniques that
your company should use in an attempt to increase profit.
6) Summary
To conclude, summarize the strengths and weaknesses of your company from an
economic perspective in terms of the managerial decision-making techniques discussed in
class. Please remember to include a list of references at the end of the paper.
PowerPoint Presentation
The slide presentation should be 5-7 slides in length, and it must be completed within
Microsoft PowerPoint. In place of a formal presentation within the class, each slide
should have audio inserted with your presentation discussion. The audio should not be a
full reading of your paper; instead, it should be a summary of the most important findings
and conclusions of your research.
Once your team has completed the PowerPoint presentation with audio, one team
member should upload it into the Brightspace Discussion Forum as a new thread so that
your classmates can see (and listen to) your presentation. Then, each team member is
responsible for reviewing at least three (3) presentations from other teams and
commenting within the discussion forum before the forum deadline expires.
Rubric for BUS 584 TEAM PROJECT
Names:
First Draft
~ Inclusion of first three categories of analysis 10 points
1 – Executive Summary and Industry Overview
~ One-page summary of company, industry, and key findings 5 points
2 – Demand Analysis
~ Discussion of consumer demographics 5 points
~ Calculation and analysis of elasticity measures 5 points
~ Discussion of demand forecasting 5 points
~ Methods/proposals for ways to increase decrease 5 points
3 – Supply Analysis
~ Discussion of suppliers, related goods, and technologies 5 points
~ Discussion of input costs 5 points
~ Methods/proposals for ways to increase productive efficiency 5 points
4 – Market Structure
~ Discussion of market structure 5 points
~ Analysis of quantity and price determination 5 points
~ Discussion of government impact and regulation 5 points
5 – Strategic Moves and Advanced Pricing Techniques
~ Analysis/proposal of strategic moves 5 points
~ Analysis/proposal of price discrimination techniques 5 points
6 – Summary
~ Summary of key conclusions and relation to class topics 5 points
7 – List of References 5 points
8 – PowerPoint Presentation (with audio) 5 points
~ Discussion Forum comments by each team member 5 points
9 – Overall Evaluation
~ Professionalism and appropriate formatting 5 points
________
Total 100 points
Comments:
