Research Analysis for Business

Purpose of Assignment

The purpose of this assignment is the creation of a research analysis. Every day, consumers make millions of decisions that impact the marketplace and influence firms' decisions. Firms use economic concepts, models, and other "tools" of economics to help determine pricing, output, and profit maximization. As an MBA student of economics, you can apply the "tools" of economics to microeconomic and macroeconomic data to create recommendations for how firms can maximize revenue, profit and market share.

Assignment Steps 

Resources: Tutorial help on Excel® and Word functions can be found on the Microsoft® Office website. There are also additional tutorials via the web offering support for Office products. 

Scenario: Imagine you are a business consultant to a firm of your choice. You have been asked to analyze, advise, and create recommendations on how the firm can ensure its future success in its current market. 

Work with your instructor to choose a firm that matches the following criteria: a publicly-traded company operating in the U.S. market. Note: A publicly-traded company is a private-sector firm owned by its shareholders/stock holders. 

Prepare a minimum 1,050-word analysis of economic data and business data to explain how the core economic principles impact the sustainability of the firm and what actions the firm can take to ensure success. 

Address the following:

• Identify      the market structure your chosen firm operates in, analyze your chosen      firm's current market share, and identify the firm's local/global      competitors. Analyze the barriers to entry in this market to illustrate      the potential for new competition and its impact on your firm's future in      the market. Hints: Be sure you review the barriers to entry      discussed in the course text.  You might consider presenting the data      graphically.
• Identify      and explain trends in current macroeconomic indicators for last three      years including:

• Current       stage of the business cycle.
• Real       gross domestic product (GDP).
• Inflation       as measured by the consumer price index (CPI).
• Unemployment       rate.
• Federal       funds rate.
• Current       rate for borrowing funds such as the so-called "prime       rate."  Note: A requirement of the Week 1 Influence of       Economics on Household Decision Making report was to gather data on the       CPI, GDP, and interest rates, so you should consider reviewing the       feedback you received on the Week 1 report.
• Evaluate      trends in demand over last three years and explain their impact on the      industry and the firm. Include quarterly (last two quarters) and annual      sales (last three years) figures for the product your firm sells. Create      business strategies by analyzing information and data related to the      demand for and supply of your firm's product(s) to support your      recommendation for the firm's actions. Remember to include a graphical      representation of the data and information used in your analysis.
• Examine      available, current data and information, such as pricing and the      availability of substitutes, and explain how you could determine the price      elasticity of demand for your firm's product. Assess how the price      elasticity of demand impacts the firm's pricing decisions and revenue      growth.
• Apply      the concepts of variable and fixed costs to your firm for informing its      output decisions. For instance, analyze how different kinds of costs      (labor, research and development, raw materials) affect the firm's level      of output.
• Based      on the data gathered and analysis performed for this report write a      conclusion in which you:

• Create       business strategies, including price and non-price strategies, based on       your market structure to ensure the market share and potential market       expansions and explore global opportunities for your business in a       dynamic business environment and provide recommendations.
• Develop       a recommendation for how the firm can manage its future production by       synthesizing the macroeconomic and microeconomic data presented.
• Propose       how the firm's position within the market and among its competitors will       allow it to take your recommended action.
• Recommend       strategies for the firm to sustain its success going forward by       evaluating the findings from demand trends, price elasticity, current       stage of the business cycle, and government policies. 

Cite a minimum of three peer-reviewed references and a minimum of two government economic data sources/references. 

Format your assignment consistent with APA guidelines.