BMI801 Summer 2015

Research Assignment (Individual project) (35% of total evaluation)

Due date: Class 9 (August 5, 2015)
The following table shows the top 20 of Fortune Global 500 for 2005 and 2014.

Sources:
Fortune Global 500 listing, 2014: http://fortune.com/global500/
Fortune Global 500 listing, 2005:
http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/global500/2005/index.html
These companies can be divided into 3 groups
Group 1 - Companies remain in the top 20 between 2005 and 2014 (yellow ones)
Group 2 - companies that were in the top 20 in 2005 are no longer in the top 20 in
2014 (red ones)
Group 3 - new entrants to the top 20 (green ones)
You are required to pick one company from each group (i.e. 3 companies, one green, one
red, and one yellow, preferably from different industries), and perform a research on :
1. their performance and the issues facing these companies during this period (2005
2014), and
2. the challenges / opportunities going forward.
Your research and analysis should include at least the following:
A strategic review (e.g. SWOT and 5 forces analysisetc.)
Financial performance (e.g. revenue, profitability, stock price, market share.etc.)
Shift in the industrys operating and competitive environment during this period
Analysis of relevant contemporary business issues that impacted their relative
position in the top 20 list during this period
Issues that will continue be challenging or opportunities for the company to improve /
sustain their performance for the next 10 years, and

Any business mega-trends, or issues that pose new challenges / opportunities going
forward
Your recommendation to resolve these issues and exploit the opportunities

Marking Rubric
Your submission should include 2 parts:

Research Report (80%) Class 9, August 5, 2015

Class presentation (20%) 10-15 minutes, to be presented in Class 11, August 12,
2015

The research report should be no less than 2,500 words (excluding the Executive Summary),
in a neatly printed and presentable format.

Section

Mark

Presentation

/20

Executive Summary

/10

Background Description

/10

Identification of key issues

/15

Analysis

/15

Application completeness and relevance of course

material

/10

Recommendations

/10

Conclusions

/10

Case Total

Comments:

/100

Industry listing
A
B

D
E

G
H

Aerospace and Defense

Airlines
Banks: Commercial and Savings
Beverages
Building Materials, Glass
Chemicals
Computer Services and Software
Computers, Office Equipment
Consumer Food Products
Diversified Financials
Electronics, Electrical Equipment
Energy
Engineering, Construction
Entertainment
Food & Drug Stores
Food Production
Food Services
Forest & Paper Products
General Merchandisers
Health Care
Homebuilders
Hotels, Casinos, Resorts
Household and Personal Products
Industrial & Farm Equipment
Insurance: Life, Health (mutual)
Insurance: Life, Health (stock)
Insurance: P & C (mutual)
Insurance: P & C (stock)

J
K
L
M

Mail, Package, Freight Delivery

Metals
Mining, Crude-Oil Production
Miscellaneous
Motor Vehicles & Parts
Network and Other Communications
Equipment

O
P

Petroleum Refining
Pharmaceuticals

Publishing, Printing
Q
R
S

Railroads
Scientific, Photo, Control Equipment
Securities
Semiconductors and Other Electronic
Components
Shipping
Specialty Retailers
Telecommunications
Temporary Help
Tobacco
Trading
Utilities

V
W

Wholesalers: Electronics and Office

Equipment
Wholesalers: Food and Grocery
Wholesalers: Health Care