Overview
Case Study: Data Analysis Assignment Instructions
Overview
The Human Resource Management function of any organization must be in strategic alignment with the organization. This set of assignments will provide you with an opportunity to analyze an assigned organizational model, its current market position and how it is supported by the HR function. You will have an opportunity to recommend a change to the strategic HR activities of the organization to assist it in improving its ability to meet its organizational objectives and ultimately its mission.
Complete a case study for the selected corporation.
A formal, in-depth case study analysis requires you to utilize the entire strategic management process. Assume you are a consultant asked by the corporation to analyze its external/internal environment and make strategic recommendations. You must include exhibits to support your analysis and recommendations.
There will be three portions for the Case Study each submitted during a different Module: Week.
| Module: Week | Assignment |
| 2 | Case Study: Company HR Business Model |
| 4 | Case Study: Data Analysis |
| 6 | Case Study: HR Strategy |
Instructions
This portion of the case study assignments will require you to conduct an analysis of the assigned organization through the use of various tools/matrices.It is important to conduct this analysis to better understand where the organization is positioned in the marketplace and identify areas in which it may need to improve, change, focus and so forth to gain a competitive advantage and be better positioned to ensure it achieves its organizational mission and objectives.
The following analysis must include an analysis of the company’s current HR activities.
You will need to complete and submit the following:
- SWOT Matrix and Analysis (comes from researching the firm (to include the HR function) industry, and competitors).It is important to know the difference between causes and effects in the SWOT analysis. Causes are important, not effects.
- Once the SWOT Matrix and Analysis is created, construct the TOWS also known as the Bivariate Strategy Matrix. [Note: Follow the same guidelines as above.]
- Group Map – create this based on the firm as a whole or a specific SBU, clearly identify which method you chose and why. Include the chart and a narrative description with research support.
- Competitive forces analysis:
- Focus on internal and external analysis when completing this matrix.
- This matrix should be based on research and contain quantifiable metrics.
- Use the format for a SWOT analysis followed by a narrative with research support describing the items listed in each quadrant.
- Each quadrant should include a bullet list of 8-10 items including an analysis of the HR activities.
- Every bulleted item must contain an in-text citation.
- Each bulleted item should contain some element of quantifiable data/information.
- None of the included items can be a personal opinion or personal experience.
- Note: While it is not required (and will not impact your grade for the assignment)…If you are confident analyzing the company’s financial statements, go to the next section of these instructions for more information. Utilize the course textbook to assist you in calculating the needed ratios. In doing this analysis, you will be better able to accurately identify the strength of the company’s market position and its capacity and/or need for change. (See the additional information below for your assistance.)
- Use PESTLE & Porter’s Five Forces as the foundation for this analysis.
- Clearly identify the factors that are impacting the firm, research is required to support the position taken in your narrative.
Place the results of the Case Study: Data Analysis Assignment in a single document and post it to the Case Study: Data Analysis Assignment submission link. The document should be in current APA format.
Note: Your assignment will be checked for originality via the Turnitin plagiarism tool.
[Not Required]
Additional Analysis Option: Historical Financial Statements (Use the last 3 years.)
- Income Statement
- Balance Sheet
- Statement of Cash Flows
- These can be downloaded from the SEC website.
- The financial statements should include horizontal (shown between the years) and vertical analysis (shown to the right of the last year of historical data).
- Ratio analysis for the ratios shown on Table 1 in the Guide to Case Analysis (CA) of the textbook:
- Profitability ratios
- Liquidity ratios
- Leverage ratios
- Activity ratios
- Price-to-earnings ratio
- The changes between years are included in the calculations.
- Competitor ratios to compare with the ratios that were calculated in item 2.These should be included on the same tab as the ratio analysis for the firm.
- Financial analysis should include comparisons to the firm’s main competitor as well as to the industry.
- How does the financial position of the firm influence the strategic direction of the company?
- This analysis should not be used to define what each ratio is rather it should clearly provide analysis based on the calculations as to the strategic choices and implications of the firm’s financial position.
- A compare and contrast with the main competitor should be included in this section of narrative if included.
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Options to Download SEC Financial Data into Excel Spreadsheets:
There are two ways to pull financial data in Excel format from the SEC site, depending on how recent the information is.
OPTION 1: For filings that are a year or two old
- Go to www.sec.gov.
- On the next screen, select the appropriate filing or filter by filing type (10-K).
- Newer filings have two button options: Documents and Interactive Data. Select Interactive Data if that is an option.
- Once in Interactive Data, select financial statements. A drop-down box will appear in the left-hand column. Select the statement that you want. Then, click View Excel Document above the left-hand column.
OPTION 2: For older filings
- Follow the steps in Option 1 to get to the company filing screen.Since Interactive Data will not be available, click on Documents.
- There will be several options. Find the link containing the full filing. This is usually the first link but not always. For a 10-K filing look for a link titled 10-K.
- Open Excel. Click on the Data tab in the ribbon and select From Web, the second icon from the left.
- A web browser will open up. Copy the link from the company 10-K and insert it into the New Web Query browser that opened up. Click Go to be taken to the filing. (Note: The browser sometimes runs slow.)
- Find the financial tables you wish to import. Above the tables you should see a yellow box with a black arrow pointing to the right. Click on each box corresponding with each financial table that you wish to import. The box will turn green with a check mark.
- Once all desired tables are selected, click the Import button at the bottom right of the web browser.
- You will be taken back into the Excel spreadsheet with an Import Data box open. To import the data, select either a cell in the existing worksheet or New Worksheet and click OK.
- Data will be uploaded into Excel. Note that this process does a poor job of formatting the tables. Brackets indicating negativity and currency symbols are often placed in adjacent cells, necessitating manual entry. For year-over-year analysis across multiple filings be careful to ensure that financial sheet items line up with one another.