Starting an External Environmental Analysis

APA Resources - at this point in your program, you should have already used APA in other classes. If APA is new to you, you will want to read this entire module in detail. If you are familiar with APA, you should still review this module. In-text citations and references are required for every learning activity and every assignment in my class. Fair warning: I am strict about using APA. I expect my students to be diligent in using APA correctly, so reviewing this module will set you up for success in my class. Note,  UMGC uses 7th Edition of the APA Manual.

Using Library Resources to Research your Focal Company

· On the main navigation bar in the classroom select, Resources and then select Library.  Select Databases by Title (A - Z).  Select M from the alphabet list, and then select Mergent Online.   You may also use Market Line and should be looking at the focal company's website for their Annual Report or 10K report.  You are not depending on any one resource to complete the analysis.  It is impossible to complete any of these strategic analyses by using only course material. See Dr. Kathy's Notes for Week Two for APA guidance on how to cite and reference Mergent Online and Annual Reports.

· You should not be using obscure articles, GlassDoor, or Chron or similar types of articles.  

· Research for Financial Analysis:  Financial Research

· Research for Industry Analysis (see Dr. Kathy's Notes for Week Two for guidance on how to determine your industry)  CSI Market

· UMGC library is available for providing resources and services. Seek library support for excellence in your academic pursuit.  

Library Support

· Extensive library resources and services are available online, 24 hours a day, seven days a week at  https://www.umgc.edu/library/index.cfm  to support you in your studies.  The UMGC Library provides research assistance in creating search strategies, selecting relevant databases, and evaluating and citing resources in a variety of formats via its Ask a Librarian service at  https://www.umgc.edu/library/libask/index.cfm .

· Scholarly Research in OneSearch is allowed.

· To search for only scholarly resources, you are expected to place a check mark in the space for "Scholarly journals only" before clicking search.

 BALANCING COURSE MATERIALS AND OUTSIDE RESEARCH MATERIALS:

Keep in mind that you are expected to use a combination of outside research materials and course materials for all sections of your Projects. For example,

· you will use outside Research Materials to answer questions that are specific about your Focal Company. Don’t make any assumptions about your Focal Company. Stick to the facts provided in the research.

· You will use Course Materials to provide support to the answers to the questions.

Here is a specific example,

Let’s suppose you are assigned to ABC Company. You have to complete a PESTEL Analysis (See Chapter 3 of eBook). 

1. You will use COURSE MATERIALS to describe each of the elements of PESTEL: Political, Economic, Social Technological, Environmental, and Legal aspects.

2. Then, by researching through Mergent Online (and other sources) you will identify the Political, Economic, Social Technological, Environmental, and Legal aspects impacting ABC Company.

3. Then, you will use COURSE MATERIALS again to support your opinion about what all this means in terms of the strategy for ABC company.