Description: An intelligence/business report.
Your standpoint is that you are a researcher hired by an investor to provide a detailed analysis of
a particular UK company and its competitive position in the industry it operates in or, in the case
of a diverse company, one of its key sectors. You will choose a company to work on from the list
provided on Blackboard, and there will be a limit on the number of students who can choose
each company. The final report should include a synthesis and integration of your research, and
also conclusions and recommendations.
You will select the appropriate analytical technique(s) to examine and analyze the company’s
situation. Resources from online databases, the web, expert opinions, and any other appropriate
print or online resources may be used. You will have to review and evaluate the materials you
find, extract what you think are important trends, and analyse and synthesize information to
construct a final report. Students willneed to familiarize themselves with their chosen company
as soon as possible.
Your report must contain the following sections
Executive Summary outlining the main points that you have included in your report. (*This is not
included in the word count)
Introduction to the company including an overview of the key products or services, where the
company operates and the size and shape of its operations (This section should be no more than
200 words)
Key financial information including for example:
– A visual representation (i.e. graphs) showing the last five years of the company’s financial
performance drawing data from FAME / the annual report;
– Your analysis of the financial health of the company drawing on the published financial results,
financial news sources, and key commentators;
– Use of financial ratios to compare the company with its competitors (if possible, or meaningful)
Industry and competitor analysis including for example:- Overview of the industry sector in which
your company is active, including an outline of the closecompetitors (If your company has diverse
interests, select one aspect to focus on, preferably the one in which it is most active).- Analysis of
the industry as a whole and your company’s position in it.- What Social, Political and Economic,
Legal and Environmental (sustainability) factors affect this industry?- How does your company’s
social media presence compare with its competitors?
Key issues affecting the company at the present time including for example:
– An analysis and synthesis of at least 5 current news stories about the company, focusing on how
this company has been affected by COVID, plus any other interesting events or activities that youcan find innews sources.
– Have there been any official investigations into this company?
– What are the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats? If a SWOT analysis framework
is used, the evidence for the points should be sourced primarily from news sources.
Consumer market analysis including for example:- What is the target market for this
organisations products/services e.g. who buys these products or uses these services?- What do
we know about these people? What are their characteristics?- What insights about these
consumers are relevant to the profitability of the company?- What social trends affect this
market?
Brief Conclusion summarising the main points of analysis.
Recommendations for a potential investor: Is this a good company to invest in based on the
company’s strength of position within its industry or key market? Will this company survive the
COVID-19 pandemic?
You are expected to synthesize material from a wide range of resources such as news stories,
market research, official statistics and the trade press. You MUSTuse appropriate authoritative
sources of business information e.g. Nexis, Mintel, Business Source Premier, Euromonitor and
FAME. Reports that simply summarise information from the company website and the annual
report will receive a fail grade.
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