The content in Module 2 includes the study of frameworks that may be used to assist in industry analysis. The discussion this week centers on frameworks and their usefulness, attributes, and strengths.

Table 2.1 in your textbook, Foundations of Strategy, shows a listing of profitability of U.S. industries. Pick an industry of interest to you, and research leading Middle Eastern companies in that industry. Develop a convincing argument that Porter’s Five Forces Model would or would not be a useful tool for this industry.

Tip: Using the Saudi Digital Library search engines, and key words such as industry analysis framework, industry analysis comparison, nonprofit strategy, 4 Ps model, Porter’s Five Forces, and others, will yield plenty of credible resources to use in this discussion.

• Embed course material concepts, principles and theories, which require supporting citations along with at least one scholarly peer-reviewed reference in supporting your answer unless the assignment calls for more. Keep in mind that these scholarly references can be found in the Saudi Digital Library by conducting an advanced search specific to scholarly references.
• You need to reply to at least two peer discussion question post answers to this weekly discussion question. These post replies need to be substantial and constructive in nature. They should add to the content of the post and evaluate/analyze that post answer. Normal course dialogue doesn’t fulfill these two peer replies but is expected throughout the course. Answering all course questions is also required.
• Use Saudi Electronic University academic writing standards and APA style guidelines.

I need 3-4 paragraphs only to answer this question

Fin 321
For this assignment each student will select a company whose ticker symbol begins with the same letter as
their last name. You will be accessing performance data via the SEC website EDGAR. You can work in
groups of two for this project.

1. In a Word or PDF document describe the company you have been assigned including their ticker symbol,
fiscal year, major line(s) of business, history, financial projections for the future, corporate
insiders/executives, and any conglomerate, horizontal, or vertical affiliations currently existing. Make
sure to include a works cited page indicating the source of your information. Good sources include Yahoo
finance and EDGAR but you are free to use others as well. This question should be answered in no more
than 2 pages of narration.

2. Using the 10-K reports create an Excel spreadsheet (label 2 to indicate the sheet corresponds to question
2) with a column for Fiscal Years (i.e. 2015, 2014, etc.), Fiscal Year Sales, and Fiscal Year Net Income.
You will need this data to complete question 3.

3. Using the 10-Q reports create an Excel spreadsheet (label 3 to indicate the sheet corresponds to question
3) with a column for Quarters, (i.e. Q1-2015, Q2-2015, etc.), Quarter Number (40, 39, 38, etc.), Quarterly
Sales, and Quarterly Net Income. Complete a total of 40 quarters (10 years of data) with the last quarter
of 2015 representing quarter 40. Since the 10-Q reports are not released for the 4th quarter of each year
you will need to use the information from question 2 to derive 4th quarter data (e.g. if you find that for
fiscal year 2012 ABC Inc. made 1.5 million in net income and you calculate that the sum of quarters 1, 2,
& 3 net income equals 1.2 million, then it stands to reason that the 4th quarter net income must be 300K).

4. Using Excel’s scatterplot function, estimate two linear trend equations [similar to Y = α + β t], one for
Sales and one for Net Income (label 4 to indicate the sheet corresponds to question 4). Plot each time
series data (two separate graphs): X-axis = Quarters (lowest to highest); Y-Axis: Sales or Net Income;
show the trend line and regression metrics in each graph. Given the equations for sales and net income,
forecast Sales and Net Income for Q= 41 (Q1-2016).

5. Using Excel’s Data Analysis Regression function create a spreadsheet that provides the computergenerated
statistical details (i.e., ANOVA: R2, t-Stat, SS, etc.) (label 5 to indicate the sheet corresponds to
question 5). The resulting coefficients should mirror those calculated in question 4 with the scatterplot. If
they don’t then you may have reversed your dependent and independent variables so you will need to
correct this before proceeding.

6. Create a new Excel spreadsheet (label 6 to indicate the sheet corresponds to question 6) and use each
trend equation from questions 4 or 5 (should be the same) to derive the predicted values for Q = 40, 39,
38, 37….1); in a table create a column with the actual values of sales and compare to the predicted values
based on the trend equation. In another adjacent table do the same for Net Income.

7. Using both Excel’s Scatter Plot and Data Analysis Regression functions, estimate the relationship
between Net Income and Sales by using a regression:
Net Income = α + β Sales (i.e., Y=α + β X).
Forecast Net Income for the 1st quarter of 2016 based on this equation (for X41 use the sales
trend forecast you obtained in part “4” above).

8. In the Word or PDF document you started in question 1, briefly summarize your results for each question
above. As for the regression metrics, you only need to explain R-Square, coefficients, t-stats, and the 95%
confidence interval for your results. Once completed upload one excel and one Word/PDF file into the
appropriate Blackboard portal. If you are working with a partner only one of you will need to upload the
document and indicate who you are working with in the comments section.

Suppose that the Fabulous Hotel hires you as head chef under a two-year employment contract. After two years, another hotel wants to hire you. However, in the original employment contract you signed with the Fabulous Hotel, the following paragraph appears:

“The below-signed agrees not to work as a chef for another hotel in the same metropolitan area for a period of two years after leaving our employ.”

• Describe and analyze the five elements of a contract that must exist for this agreement to be enforceable.
• Explain why this contract is governed by common law or the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC).
• Examine at least two circumstances in which this non-compete agreement would be unenforceable.

Submit a four- to five-page paper (not including title and reference pages). Your paper must be formatted according to APA style as outlined in the approved APA style guide and must cite three scholarly sources in addition to the textbook

Weekly Reaction Paper, 2 pages

Each reaction papers should:

1.) Demonstrate that you have completed and understood the main themes of the week’s readings by summarizing the most significant ideas.

2.) Connect the readings’ themes to broader course themes, lectures, and other readings.

3.) Present your reaction to the readings, informed by course materials and your own experiences.

You have freedom in how you approach reaction papers, but here are a few suggestions:

• Compare and contrast the authors’ arguments in the week’s readings.
• Draw connections between the reading and your own experience or the experience of people you know.
• Discuss how you agree or disagree with the author’s point of view and why.
• Explain the strengths and weaknesses of the author’s argument.
• Describe why you find the author’s argument interesting, compelling, problematic, etc.
• Explain how the reading fits into our past or current discussions of urban society.
• Each reaction paper should contain the same basic information. It should begin with a thesis statement that communicates your focus (i.e. comparing and contrasting authors’ arguments, explaining how the readings are related to your personal experiences, etc.) Your thesis statement should tell the reader what you will be discussing. Your reaction paper should then contain a brief (one paragraph) summary of the main argument of each reading for that week. You should conclude with a 1-2 paragraph reaction to the readings that can take any approach, including the suggestions listed above.