final project.

profileJambo
final__project.rtf

ECO 520 Final Project: Investment Opportunity Analysis Guidelines and Grading Guide

Overview

This investment opportunity analysis project is designed to guide you through the process of 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.

This assignment will assess your mastery of the following course outcomes:

• Analyze product demand, company revenues, and the effects of external market influences through the use of microeconomic principles

• Analyze organizational costs and identify technical and economically efficient methods of production and acquisition of resources through the use of microeconomic

principles and tools

• Evaluate the effect of market structure and consumer behavior on firm strategies and profitability

• Recommend pricing strategies based on marketing conditions, which improve firm profitability and can be effectively implemented

• Evaluate government regulations and interventions for their effects on business and market performance

Prompt

Develop an analytical document informed by key advanced microeconomic theories and principles. The purpose of your analysis is to assist with the decision to implement a product or service for a start-up company (submit your product or service for approval to the instructor).

Specifically, the following critical elements must be addressed in your analysis:

1. Opportunity Background and Demand: In this section you will identify an appropriate investment opportunity specific to introducing a new product or service. You will analyze product demand and company revenues specific to this opportunity applying key economic principles to support your reasoning.

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

1

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

2. Production and Resources: In this section you will evaluate variables specific to production and resource costs for the improvement of organizational costs.

a. Costs: Assess what key non-price variables could be expected to affect production costs of the new product. How can these aspects be leveraged to effect efficient methods of production and acquisition of resources to improve upon organizational costs?

b. Constraints: Assess constraints that could affect future production and costs. How can these aspects be leveraged to effect efficient methods of production and acquisition of resources to improve upon organizational costs?

c. Effects: Assess the effect of potential technology changes on production, costs, or competition. How can these aspects be leveraged to effect efficient methods of production and acquisition of resources to improve upon organizational costs?

3. Market Structure: In this section you will evaluate the market structure and influences on firm strategies and profitability.

a. Market Competition: What is the existing and potential market competition? How do these companies affect the firm's strategies and profitability? This is where you would discuss the type of competitors, number of competitors and barriers to entry.

b. Firm Strategies: What are potential price and non-price strategies that the firm might use and what is their relationship to the market structure? For example, discuss a strategy that would support the success of your product. Depending on how the industry is structured you might discuss how it is consistent with the market structure. Perhaps you would address how it is different. Once you address this, you would discuss how your choice provides an advantage in the market.

4. Effects of Regulation and Intervention: In this section you will evaluate the effects of government regulation and interventions that may impact your business. For example, you could discuss how well the market operates and include examples of aspects of market performance specific to your selection. Is it efficient? Does it produce good outcomes? Why or why not?

a. Policies: Identify policies or regulations at the local, state, or national level that could potentially affect your business. What are the potential effects on the firm's goals and performance?

b. Effects: How do these policies or regulations affect your ability to compete and profitably operate in your business? Include examples specific to aspects of market performance to support your conclusions. For example, some forms of regulation, such as patent protection, may afford more profit opportunities while others, such as environmental regulations, may add to your costs.

s. Outlook Recommendations: In this section you will evaluate the outlook for success for this investment opportunity? Is it likely to be profitable? Not profitable?

What factors support this outlook? Apply appropriate principles that support your statements. Remember, your conclusions should be logical and based on your analysis of A-D.

a. Risk: What level of risk is present? This is where you would discuss what uncertainties are present that would negatively impact the firm's outlook based on your analysis. For example, you might discuss the effects of rational and irrational consumer decision making on demand for this product and how it impacts this outlook.

b. Opportunities: What opportunities exist that would appeal to potential investors based on your analysis? What factors support these opportunities?

c. Strategies: What pricing strategies would you recommend to improve firm profitability? For example, should you match what your competitors do? Is the product or service specialized? Would you bundle the product or services? Would you use price discrimination? Explain why you chose this strategy.

d. Implementation: How can these strategies be effectively implemented based on market conditions? This is where you would describe examples of effective implementation specific to different market conditions.

e. Capitalizing on Government Policy: How can the new venture take advantage of government policies to maximize profitability?

Milestones

Milestone One:Topic and Background In/ormation

In task 2-2, you will submit a 2-3-page paper on the background and demand of the investment opportunity you identified for your final project. This milestone is graded with the Milestone One: Topic and Background Information Rubric.

Milestone Two:Production and Resources

In task 4-4, you will submit a 2-3-page paper that analyzes your investment opportunity production and resources factors by costs, constraints, and effects of technology. This milestone is graded with the Milestone Two: Production and Resources Rubric.

Milestone Three:Market Competition and Firm Strategies

In task 7-2, you will submit a 3-5-page paper on market competition and firm strategies. This milestone is graded with the Milestone Three: Market Competition and Firm Strategies Rubric.

Final Submission: Investment Opportunity Analysis

In task 9-2, you will submit your final project, a ID-12-page analytical document informed by key advanced microeconomic theories and principles, which will assist with the decision to implement a product or service for a start-up company. This paper will be graded using the Final Product Rubric (below).

Deliverable Milestones

Milestone

Deliverables

Module Due

Grading

1

Topic and Background Information

Two

Graded separately; Milestone One Rubric

2

Production and Resources

Four

Graded separately; Milestone Two Rubric

3

Market Competition and Firm Strategies

Seven

Graded separately; Milestone Three Rubric

Final Submission

Nine

Graded separately; Final Product Rubric

Final Product Rubric

Requirements of Submission: 12 Point Times New Roman font, double spaced, adhering to all appropriate writing conventions, including APA style citation format and a scholarly tone. Page-length requirements: 10-12 pages not including title and references pages

This activity uses an integrated rubric in Blackboard. Students can view instructor feedback in the Grade Center. For more information, review

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

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

7

includes economic concepts that

investment opportunity

investment opportunity but with

an investment opportunity

enrich and extend the summary

including company, product line,

gaps in addressing critical

and proposed product specific to

aspects of company, product

this opportunity that informs

line, and proposed product

audience

specific to this opportunity that

informs audience

(7)

(6.3)

(4.9)

(0)

Demand

Meets "Proficient" criteria and

Evaluates key non-price

Evaluates key non-price

Does not evaluate key non-price

7

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

(7)

(6.3)

(4.9)

(0)

Costs

Meets "Proficient" criteria and

Analysis of key non-price

Analyzes key non-price variables

Does not analyze of key non-

7

qualifies with economic

variables addresses how these

but with gaps in how these

price variables

concepts that enrich and extend

aspects can be leveraged to

aspects can be leveraged to

the claims

improve upon organizational

improve upon organizational

costs

costs

(7)

(6.3)

(4.9)

(0)

Constraints

Meets "Proficient" criteria and

Analysis of constraints addresses

Analyzes constraints but with

Does not analyze constraints

7

qualifies with economic

how these aspects can be

gaps in how these aspects can

concepts that enrich and extend

leveraged to improve upon

be leveraged to improve upon

the claims

organizational costs

organizational costs

(7)

(6.3)

(4.9)

(0)

Effects of Technology

Meets "Proficient" criteria and

Assesses effects of potential

Assesses effects of potential

Does not assess effects of

7

qualifies with economic

technology for how these

technology but with gaps for

potential technology

concepts that enrich and extend

aspects can be leveraged to

how these aspects can be

the claims

improve upon organizational

leveraged to improve upon

costs

organizational costs

(7)

(6.3)

(4.9)

(0)

Market Competition

Meets "Proficient" criteria and

Assesses market competition for

Assesses market competition but

Does not assess market

7

qualifies with economic

impact on firm strategies and

with gaps on their associated

competition

concepts that enrich and extend

profitability

impact on firm strategies and

the claims

profitability

(7)

(6.3)

(4.9)

(0)

Firm Strategies

Meets "Proficient" criteria and

Assesses potential firm price and

Assesses potential firm price and

Does not assess potential firm

7

qualifies with economic

non-price strategies for their

non-price strategies but aspects

price and non-price strategies

concepts that enrich and extend

relationship to the market

of their relationship to the

the claims

structure

market structure are unclear

(7)

(6.3)

(4.9)

(0)

Policies

Meets "Proficient" criteria and

Identifies policies or regulations

Identifies policies or regulations

Does not identify policies or

7

qualifies with economic

at the local, state, or national

at the local, state, or national

regulations at the local, state, or

concepts that enrich and extend

levels that may affect business

levels that may affect business

national levels that may affect

the claims

explaining the reasoning for

but with gaps in explaining

business

these policies

reasoning for these policies

(7)

(6.3)

(4.9)

(0)

Effects of

Meets "Proficient" criteria and

Describes the potential effects of

Describes the potential effects of

Does not describe the potential

7

Interventions

qualifies with economic

the identified government

the identified government

effects of the identified

concepts that enrich and extend

policies or regulations on the

policies or regulations but with

government policies or

the claims

firm's goals and performance

gaps on how aspects impact

regulations on the firm's goals

firm's goals and performance

and performance

-

(7)

(6.3)

(4.9)

(0)

--- ------

_.

Outlook:

Meets "Proficient" criteria and

Evaluates risks that would

Explains risks but with gaps in

Does not evaluate risks

7

Risk

qualifies with economic

negatively impact the firm based

evaluating how they would

concepts that enrich and extend

on analysis

negatively impact the firm

the claims

(7)

(6.3)

(4.9)

(0)

Outlook:

Meets "Proficient" criteria and

Explains opportunities that

Explains opportunities that

Does not explain opportunities

7

Opportunities

qualifies with scholarly examples

appeal to potential investors

appeal to potential investors but

supported by factors that

with gaps in addressing factors

support these opportunities

that support these opportunities

(7)

(6.3)

(4.9)

(0)

Outlook: Pricing

Meets "Proficient" criteria and

Explains and analyzes pricing

Explains pricing strategy but with

Does not explain pricing

7

Strategies

qualifies with economic

strategies that would improve

gaps in how aspects would

strategies

concepts that enrich and extend

firm profitability

improve firm profitability

the claims

(7)

(6.3)

(4.9)

(0)

Outlook:

Meets "Proficient" criteria and

Explains how the recommended

Explains how the recommended

Does not explain recommended

7

Implementation

qualifies with economic

pricing strategies can be

pricing strategies but with gaps

pricing strategies

concepts that enrich and extend

effectively implemented based

in how they can be effectively

the claims

on market conditions

implemented based on market

conditions

(7)

(6.3)

(4.9)

(0)

Outlook:

Meets "Proficient" criteria and

Explains how the new venture

Explains how the new venture

Does not explain how the new

7

Government

qualifies with economic

can leverage government policy

can leverage government policy

venture can leverage

I

Interventions

concepts that enrich and extend

to maximize profitability

but it is unclear how aspects

government policy

the claims

would maximize profitability

(7)

(6.3)

(4.9)

(0)

Articulation of

Submission is free of errors

Submission has no major errors

Submission has major errors

Submission has critical errors

2

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

(2)

(1.8)

(1.4)

(0)

Earned Total

100