Complete a report (with a minimum of five pages with references) for the assigned firm using the directions and section outlines provided below. (Be sure to cover all the issues in the outline below in six separate flowing, but connected sections. Notes are notes NOT acceptable. Be certain to use the language of business managers – using suitable jargon or any appropriate business terms you have been exposed to for this, your in-depth report.) Use the hyperlinks to help you navigate those business and management terms that you may not be too familiar with on first encountering them.
Write your report strictly according to the sections outlined below. A company name will be listed alongside your name on BlackBoard.
1. Introduction and Brief Company History
2. Go to www.fortune500.com by clicking on the hyperlinked company name next your own name, on the list on Blackboard.
1. Find out how that company is listed and under what letters it is trading in the stock market (e.g., the symbol used) by typing the name of the company or its trading symbol in the search box in www.bloomberg.com . This may be on the first page of the website.
2. Copy and paste the graph showing the current price of the company’s stock for any day of the week ending last Fridays as a start of the graphics section, which is to be placed at the end of your report (The Appendix). You must give a range of the trading price of the stock, covering minimally a period of four separate weeks.
2.2.1. The stock price. This tends to reflect the business or financial performance of the business and management’s efforts. Make logical and reasonable comments on: (a) the behavior of the stock price over the time period; and (b) what economic, business, social and weather event(s) may have caused that performance to change (up or down) over the period covered. These reasons will or should appear or be based on online stories/articles (the PR sections of the company websites) from the various online resources given at end of this document, for example, Bloombergtv.com (extra credit will be given for correct/appropriate use of jargon, and reasonable/credible and especially very insightful management-type comments).
3. Identify or determine the industry or industries to which this company generally belongs (e.g., auto, software, aircraft, beverage, airline, technology, etc)
4. Identify the CEO of the company (Find out whether s/he came from another domestically-headquartered company and/or another country, with a view to showing your understanding of the impact of globalization). Find this out either by: (a) calling the company from information found in its “Contact us” section on its own website, or (b) reading company stories from the major online business sources given below for example, http://money.msn.com/business-news/. Identify the remainder of the management team or those in the so-called “C-Suite” , listing the section (division) heads of the company (from the company’s own website or the Fortune 500 listing.
5. Identify how the company:
2.5.1. Recruits,
2.5.2. Trains, and
2.5.3. Develops its employees (human capital).
2.5.4. Is any one of these processes or a combination designed to, or has helped management to achieve for the company gain a sustainable competitive advantage?
6. Is there a labor union or trade union presence? If so, what role does the union play in the company’s life? When is the next time any existing labor contract or collective bargaining agreement (CBA) that must be renewed or renegotiated or is in some stage of that process? Will this positively or negatively impact the operations and/or profitability of the company? (NOTE: Not all companies have a union presence or ALL of its workers unionized.)
7. Identify and/or determine the extent and type of company’s use of IT (information technology). Where in the company (section or functions) is this most observable?
8. Indicate how the
