This research paper is an industry analysis and as such should focus on the industry, not the specific company. If you find yourself writing “This force affects Verizon Communications Inc. because….” you are wrong. The correct approach is “This force affects the industry because….” This is a research paper and what you write should be backed by facts. If you write about “economic growth” or something like that then you need numbers to back up that statement.
I. Give your company’s name and identify the industry in which it competes. The company will be Verizon Communications Inc. and is publicly traded.
II. Strategic Group Map
A. List all current companies in the industry.
B. Create a Strategic Group Map of your industry using the listed companies. The map goes in the appendix. Example will be attached.
C. Explain how/why you chose the axes for your map. If your map shows a diagonal line, you’ve chosen axes that are the same (e.g., sales and market share; quality and price). This is not good, choose again.
D. Analyze the nature of competition in the industry using the map. Don’t just describe the map, analyze what the map reveals about competition in the industry as a whole. If you’ve done this correctly, no company will be by itself in a circle, thus the term “group” map.
III. Industry Environment Analysis
A. Analyze all of the Five Forces: Rivals, Buyers, Suppliers, New Entrants, Substitutes. Use headings. The below bullets are how I want it done; they are not individual sections.
• Within its relevant section, specifically identify the buyers, supplier groups, and substitute industries.
• Conclude each force section with your assertion of the force as a positive or a negative (you must pick
one, it can’t be “both”) for industry profitability (not company) and why.
• Provide a paragraph that summarizes all 5 of your assertions and what the 5 in total mean for industry
profitability as a whole.
Writing/Typing Requirements:
– Use heading/subheadings to separate your paper.
– Use good writing style – introductory/ conclusion sentences for paragraphs, complete sentences, transitions between paragraphs/sections. Essay, no bullet points.
– References – you should have at least 6 references and you should put them at the end of the paper.
Be sure you indicate in the body of the paper where information from a reference is used.
Some possible references:
a. IBIS World – industry information
b. Business Insights Essentials –financial reports for U.S. companies
c. Statista –quantitative data
d. International Directory of Company Histories
-Ten pages maximum, typed, and double spaced. Page max does not include appendices.
