ECO-02

ECO 520 Milestone One: Topic and Background Information Guidelines and Rubric

Overview

In your final project, you will analyze an investment opportunity applying key components of advanced microeconomics theories to typical business decisions. You will assume the role of an entrepreneur, and you will conduct an analysis focusing on an investment opportunity of your choice. In your analysis you will carefully evaluate key factors influencing the demand for the product, cost and supply issues, the role of market structure, and competitive analysis on firm strategy. You will also analyze the effects of government regulations and market intervention on potential profitability, and you will use price and non-price strategies to support product introduction. Using the above analyses, the last step in your final project requires you to model the potential financial viability of the proposed new product using approximate figures. You will determine whether or not to recommend investing in the development and commercialization of the investment opportunity to your business partners.

Prompt

In task 2-2, you will identify an appropriate investment opportunity specific to introducing a new product or service and submit a 2-3-page paper on the background and demand of the investment opportunity you identified. Include the following:

• Background: Provide a brief background on the company, product line, and proposed product specific to this opportunity. This is where you would lay the foundation for the analysis that will follow. What is the significance of this opportunity?

• Demand: Evaluate key non-price variables that are expected to support existing or potential demand specific to this opportunity and support your evaluation with specific sources. For example, this is where you want to include rationale for your selection, such as empirical data for this type of product/service.

Format: The topic and background information paper should follow these formatting guidelines: 2-3 pages, double spacing, 12-point Times New Roman font, l- inch margins, and citations in APA format.

Instructor Feedback: Students can find their feedback in the Grade Center or Blackboard.

Rubric

Critical Elements

Exemplary

Proficient

Needs Improvement

Not Evident

Value

Background

Meets "Proficient" criteria and

Provides a summary of an

Provides summary of an

Does not provide a summary of

40

includes economic concepts

investment opportunity

investment opportunity but

an investment opportunity

that enrich and extend the

including company, product

with gaps in addressing critical

summary

line, and proposed product

aspects of company, product

specific to this opportunity that

line, and proposed product

informs audience

specific to this opportunity that

informs audience

(36-40)

(32-35)

(28-31)

(0-27)

Demand

Meets "Proficient" criteria and

Evaluates key non-price

Evaluates key non-price

Does not evaluate key non-price

40

qualifies evaluation with

variables that are expected to

variables that are expected to

variables that are expected to

economic concepts that enrich

support existing or potential

support existing or potential

support existing or potential

and extend the evaluation.

demand specific to this

demand specific to this

demand specific to this

opportunity using appropriate

opportunity but with gaps in

opportunity

resources to support the

appropriate resources that

evaluation

support the claims made in the

evaluation

(36-40)

(32-35)

(28-31)

(0-27)

Articulation of

Submission is free of errors

Submission has no major errors

Submission has major errors

Submission has critical errors

20

Response

related to citations, grammar,

related to citations, grammar,

related to citations, grammar,

related to citations, grammar,

spelling, syntax, and

spelling, syntax, or organization

spelling, syntax, or organization

spelling, syntax, or organization

organization and is presented in

that negatively impact

that prevent understanding of

a professional and easy to read

readability and articulation of

ideas

format

main ideas

(18-20)

(16-17)

(14-15)

(0-13)

Earned Total

100

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