An Overview of the Channels Retail Project

Your team (2-3 students) will first choose and then be assigned one of the following industries (based on your choice):

• Office Supply
• Home Improvement
• Consumer Electronics
• Department Stores
• Specialty Clothing

Within each of these industries, specific companies have been chosen for review. Again, you will be asked to choose and be assigned one of the companies within your chosen industry:

• Office Supply
  1. Staples, Inc.
  2. Office Depot, Inc.
• Home Improvement
  1. The Home Depot, Inc.
  2. Lowe's Companies, Inc.
• Consumer Electronics
  1. Best Buy Co., Inc.
  2. Circuit City Group
• Department Stores
  1. Sears Holdings
  2. Federated Department Stores, Inc.
• Specialty Clothing
  1. Abercrombie & Fitch Co.
  2. American Eagle Outfitters, Inc.

This project requires a complete strategic analysis of the company and should draw upon the entire set of readings and discussions of the course.

The format of the paper can be broken down into three sections, with two of these sections due during the semester -- check the calendar for due dates:

• Company Overview
• Industry Analysis
• Critical Issues Facing the Company (and recommendations for addressing these critical issues)

Company Overview

One of the best sources for company information is a recent annual report. Go to Quintessential Careers: Guide to Researching Companies and use the Internet resources listed there to download the information you need. (You can usually download annual reports directly from the company's Website.) While gathering the information you need for this report, remember that the annual report is basically a marketing/public relations document; thus, most teams will also need to go to outside sources to get a complete picture of the company.

Consolidate all the information on the company to produce a two to three page document of your own. Your team's report should include a description of the company's progress in the last year (minimum 250 words), key marketing strengths (brands, distribution, location, etc.), a spreadsheet(s) with any data you deem relevant (sales figures work well here), and at least two charts in support of the spreadsheet or written material (in appendix).

Be sure to use references and cite your work!

For some guidance on reading annual reports, go to:

• Tips for Reading Annual Reports for Investors

Industry Analysis

Once you are experts on your company, the next step is to have a complete understanding of the competitive industry structure and dynamic. Once again, you'll find excellent sources of industry information in the Guide to Researching Companies. The reference area of the library also has some good sources.

Develop a picture of the industry and write a report no longer than four pages that details the key players (including revenue/profits/market share analyses), trends, and opportunities and threats to the entire industry (including things such a economic factors, consumer preferences, barriers to entry, etc.). Be sure to include charts and tables to support your information -- again putting the supporting material in your appendix.

Be sure to use references and cite your work!

Critical Issues Facing the Company

It's in this section of the report, no more than three to four pages in length, that you will let your marketing brains shine. Now that you've compiled all the information you need on the company and the dynamics of the industry, it's time to showcase your analytical and creative thinking processes by identifying three critical issues facing the company (detailed in about one paragraph for each issue) and suggesting creative solutions for each of the issues (detailed in three to four paragraphs). Be sure that the problem is specific to the company and that your suggestion has a viable chance at solving the problem.

This section of the project is the meat of it. The first two parts help you learn to do comprehensive research and analysis, but this section forces you to step outside the research and play the role of marketing consultant -- helping your client company achieve their goals.

Grading

Projects will be graded according to the following criteria: thoroughness of secondary research, appropriate use of analytical tools and techniques, quality of analysis, comprehensiveness of recommendations, writing clarity and form, presentation clarity and quality, and organization of written report.

There is no page limit on the written analysis, but you should try and limit papers to 10 pages, not including appendices.

Go back to Dr. Hansen's Channels and Physical Distribution Syllabus.