Effective Decision-Making in the Age of Cloud Computing

A library guide to the best resources for the study of cloud computing and science-workplace decision making

Assignment 3: Company SWOT Analysis: Choose Two (2) Primary Companies and Two (2) Competitors

Assignment Summary. In Assignment 2, your Virtual-Team chose two of the three NAICS codes that were assigned to your team. These NAICS codes will be used to create lists of SWOT reports found in BSP/BSC.

In Assignment 3, your Virtual-Team will identity the SWOT - (S)trengths, (W)eaknesses, (O)pportunities and (T)hreats for 4-companies (two "primary" companies, and two "competitors"). For each of the NAICS Codes chosen by your Virtual-Team, you will have a "primary" company, and a"competitor" company. Summarize the SWOT competitive environment in the Executive Summaries your team prepares, and post those Executive Summaries to your Virtual-Team's Sub-Site in the Cloud Course Portal.

What is SWOT? Four elements—(S)trengths, (W)eaknesses, (O)pportunities, (T)hreats - when used by a firm to gain competitive advantage, is called SWOT analysis. SWOT was developed by Ken Andrews in the early 1970s. An assessment of strengths and weaknesses occurs as a part of organizational analysis - it is an audit of the company's internal workings, which are relatively easier to control than outside factors. Conversely, examining opportunities and threats is a part of environmental analysis - the company must look outside of the organization to determine opportunities and threats, over which it has lesser control. From Encyclopedia of Management. Detroit: Gale Group, 2006, p771-773.

Assignment 3: Database Search Tips

Make sure the two search limiters are set: 1) COMPANY REPORT check box, below search boxes; and 2) Insert your NAICS CODE into the NAICS/Industry Code search box located below the Document Type categories.

Truncate your NAIC code with an asterisk to broaden the search. If a 5 or 6 digit NAICS code search fails to retrieve results, truncate the code, like this: change 45211 to 4521* or 452*.

Select competitors carefully. There may be "false-positives" in the results - companies assigned to the same industry code, but they are not competitors. Try to avoid non-competitor comparisons.

Assignment 3: Performance Goals

Utilizes database search limiters:	Uses database search limiters for *document type* and *NAICS industry classification*.
Understands SWOT/NAICS concepts:	Students can explain the origin and purpose of these concepts.
Identifies and selects competitors:	Virtual-Team members accurately select two competitor reports for two industries.
Writes an Executive Summary:	Explains the competitive environment for 2 industries.
Exports relevant results:	Uses output options to post, print, download, or export Executive Summaries and articles.

Assignment 3: Instructions

1.	Go to BSP/BSC, Advanced Search screen. Connect: NUI - Galway; UMass Amherst; AU - Cairo; Chiao Tung U
2.	Click the COMPANY REPORT check box, located under the DOCUMENT TYPE heading.
3.	Insert an industry code in the search box, then select NAICS CODE from the drop-down menu.
4.	Companies in one industry will be listed. Select SWOT reports for your Virtual-Team's "primary" and "competitor" companies.
5.	Search with the second industry code. Select SWOT reports for your Virtual-Team's "primary" and "competitor" companies.
6.	Review each SWOT analysis. Write Executive Summaries about the competitive environments your companies operate in.
7.	When your Virtual-Team completes the main portion of your Executive Summary, be sure to add a Cultural Addendum to the Executive Summary (100 words in length) explaining how the Assignment 3 Topic might be impacted by cultural norms in their particular Country.
8.	Post your Executive Summary to your Virtual-Team's Sub-Site in the Cloud Course Portal.

Assigned NAICS Codes

What is a NAICS Code? NAICS refers to the North American Industrial Classification System - which classifies the economies of Canada, Mexico and the United States into more than 700 official industries (e.g,. NAICS Code 45211 - Department Stores). NAICS was established in 1997 through a trade agreement between the three countries. Business Source Premier indexes company reports by NAICS code. More on NAICS.

Team A:	339112 (Surgical and Medical Instrument Manufacturing)
	312120 (Breweries)
	541711 (Research and Development in Biotechnology)
Team B:	541712 (Research and Development in the Physical and Life Sciences)
	446110 (Pharmacies and Drug Stores)
	325412 (Pharmaceutical Preparation Manufacturing)
Team C:	621511 (Medical Laboratories)
	334111 (Electronic Computer Manufacturing)
	325414 (Biological Product [except Diagnostic] Manufacturing)
Team D:	311111 (Dog and Cat Food Manufacturing)
	517210 (Wireless Telecommunications Carriers)
	325414 (Biological Product [except Diagnostic] Manufacturing)
Team E:	325412 (Pharmaceutical Preparation Manufacturing)
	339112 (Surgical and Medical Instrument Manufacturing)
	517210 (Wireless Telecommunications Carriers)

LARGEST COMPANIES

Ireland

1.	CRH plc
2.	Accenture Ltd.
3.	Covidien Ltd.
4.	Ingersoll-Rand Co.
5.	Bank of Ireland plc
6.	Allied Irish Banks plc
7.	Cooper Industries Ltd.
8.	Willis Group Holdings Ltd.
9.	Irish Life & Permanent plc
10.	Shire plc

Based on revenue, profit, asset, market cap. Forbes, 05.10.10

United States

1.	J. P. Morgan Chase & Co.
2.	General Electric Co.
3.	Bank of America Corp.
4.	Exxon Mobil Corp.
5.	Wells Fargo & Co.
6.	AT & T Inc.
7.	Wal-Mart Stores Inc.
8.	Berkshire Hathaway Inc.
9.	Chevron Corp.
10.	Goldman Sachs Group Inc.

Based on revenue, profit, asset, market cap. Forbes, 05.10.10

World's Largest (by Asset)

1.	BNP Paribas (France)
2.	Royal Bank of Scotland
3.	HSBC Holdings plc (UK)
4.	Credit Agricole SA (France)
5.	Bank of America Corp (US)
6.	Barclays plc (UK)
7.	Deutsche Bank (Germany)
8.	J. P. Morgan Chase (US)
9.	Mitsubishi Group (Japan)
10.	Citigroup Inc (US)

Ranked by assets, Forbes, 05.10.10