Essay Instructions: Headings should be used in each section.Bullet lists should also be used. If something listed does not apply, still touch base and say why it does not apply.
must cite sources within text using MLA.
Introduction: Introduce the tire manufacturing industry in 2-3 sentences. Should define what is been analyzed, and what is not.
1) The Industry's dominant economic features (~3pages)
Must Include:
-Market Size
-Scope of Rivalry
-Growth rate and what stage of the life cycle is the industry in.
-Number of rivals and their relative size
-Prevalance of Forward/Backwards intergration, channels of distribution, pace of process and product technology change.
-whether products are highly differentiated or very similar
-to what extent are economies of scale in purchasing, distribution, advertising, etc. Important
-to what extent do learning curves exist
-Are high rates of capacity utlization important for profitability
-what are the historical levels of profitability.
Further, are there any segments within the industry? If so, what are they and how do their presence effect firms, strategies, competition, and levels of profitability within each segment?
2) Porters Five Forces (~3 pages)
-The rivalry amoung competiting sellers in the industry
-The potential entry of new competitors
-The market attempts of companies in other industries to win customers over their own substitute products
-The competitive pressures stemming from supplier-seller collaboration and bargaining
-The competitive pressures stemming from seller-buyer collaboration and bargaining.
Industry Analysis Paper
For each force, go through the issues that represent high or low power. Determine whether or not, collectively, the force affects the attractiveness of the industry. After you have gone through all five forces, be sure to include a summary of your analysis and what it means for the industry. If the industry is segmented, be sure to include a brief discussion of that fact and how the forces might differ across the different segments.
3. The Drivers of Change in the Industry and Impact They Will Have (~1-1 1/2 pages) USE BULLETS IN PAPER
Most common drivers include: Long term growth rate, Who buys the product and how they use it, Product innovation & technological change, Marketing innovation, Entry/exits of major firms, Diffusion of technological know-how, Globalization, Changes in costs and efficiencies, Emerging buyer preferences (shift towards differentiation or commodity), Regulatory influences, Changes in societal concerns, attitudes, lifestyles, and Reductions in uncertainty and risk in the industry over time.
4. Companies in the Strongest/Weakest Positions - 3PAGES
Identify at least three different firms (or types of firms) in your industry and discuss how each has positioned, or tried to position, themselves, in their industry. Are there positions in the industry that are more attractive than others? What strategies do each of these rivals pursue?
Strategic Group Mapping is just one tool to help you here - Identify characteristics that differentiate - quality/price, geographic coverage, vertical integration, product line breadth, distribution, or service, to name a few.
5. Key Success Factors for Competitive Success - 15 percent
What are the 3-4 key issues/factors that have the strongest relationship with success and profitability? Do these KSFs vary by segment? How are these KSFs likely to vary over time and what are the implications of this evolution?
6. Industry?s Attractiveness and Prospects for Long-Term Profitability - 2 PAGES
Examples may include: growth potential, will competitive forces strengthen, will driving forces increase/decrease profitability, which company?s strategic position will improve/decline, how can firms insulate themselves from the unattractive forces in the industry, degree of uncertainty and severity of problems confronting industry, which types of firms/strategies seem to be most lucrative, is this an attractive industry in which to participate? In this section, you must integrate all the information from your prior sections and provide a reasoned forecast of the future attractiveness of this industry (CONCLUSION).
Paper Format
? Double space, using a 12-point font ? Times Roman or Arial please. No Courier fonts.
? 1 inch margins all around
? It should take about 10-12 pages of text to do a thorough job on this analysis. You can provide appendix material like charts, graphs, etc. but these should not be considered part of the 10-12 pages of text.
? Use headings and number each page. Include a table of contents (this page is not considered part of your 10-12 pages of text)
? Grammar and punctuation count. You will lose points for your errors.
? Clear writing reflects clear thinking.
? Papers must follow the MLA citation format within the text and on the works cited page.
