market structure – choose any company

• Market Structure Paper and Presentation (Paper = 165 points; Presentation = 35 points):

Each student is asked to complete a Market Structure Paper during Week 5; and is worth 165 points. The student will briefly present their papers in Class 5; and the presentation is worth 35 points.

The purpose of the Market Structure Paper and Presentation is to encourage the application of concepts, theories and decision-making processes covered in the course. In addition, the assignment is designed to provide practice in formal written and verbal communication.

The Market Structure Paper will require the student to write a paper that is approximately 6-7 pages in length that will examine a chosen company’s market structure that demonstrates your understanding of the differing degrees of competition firms may face and to determine the market structure in which your chosen company aligns. Students should research their firm’s market environment and identify the profit-maximizing strategies your company is using within that market structure. The following questions should be addressed.

• What is the market structure of your chosen company and why?
• What is the short-term and long-term profit-maximizing strategy your company is using within this market structure?
• What are your recommendations regarding your company’s strategy? Would you keep it or change it and why?
• Please utilize the follow elements in making your recommendations:

o What are the demand and supply factors impacting the equilibrium price and equilibrium quantity of the product produced and sold in the market?

o What is the degree of price elasticity of demand for the company’s product and what impact does this on its pricing strategy to increase its revenues?

o What strategies is the firm pursuing to minimize its costs?

o Which market structure is the firm operating within?

o What is the best strategy for the firm to pursue to maximize it profits or to minimize its losses?

o How profitable is the firm now? Under what conditions should the firm shut-down?

o What strategies should the firm pursued over time to maximize its success?

• Presentation of the Market Structure Paper

The purpose of the presentation of the Market Structure Paper is toprovide practice in formal verbal communication. In the oral presentation of the Market Structure Paper the goal is to be brief and clear, presenting the critique of the paper and any recommendations as concisely and persuasively as possible. The time of each presentation should be approximately 5 minutes long. Each student’s presentation will be evaluated based on the following criteria. Crutches (“ums”, “uhs”, “you know”…DON’T READ YOUR PRESENTATION!), body control, voice and delivery, speed of delivery, vocabulary, clarity, use of visual aids, sentence structure and grammar, as well as content.

Presentation of the Market Structure Paper will be given during Class Six; and worth 35 points.