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Report Outline

Project Content. The projects must consider both business and engineering points of view. The paper has four major sections. I) Introduction and Overview of the group's company, II) Decription of the company you visited including an Industry Analysis, III) Description of how your company fits into the global economy, and IV) Evaluation of the impact the global industry has on business and engineering and how it is changing these professions in the United States today and in the future.

  1. INTRODUCTION - OVERVIEW
    This section should be approximately 1000 words and should discuss how and why does the company have a competitive edge, with respect to the following factors:
    • Why is the company located here?
    • What is the fit with its national environment?
    • What is the fit within its industry?
    • What is the appropriateness and success of its competitive strategy?
  2. THE FIRM AND ITS SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT
    This section should be approximately 1500 words and discuss the conditions your firm faces in its broad social environment at the following levels:
    1. What national and global Political, Economic, Social and Technological factors affect your firm?
    2. Industry Analysis - Industry Overview: Describe the industry. In this description include information about the product categories produced, major world players and their market shares, major production locations and major market locations in the world. Describe the manufacturing process or industry operations.
    3. Firm Analysis - SWOT Analysis: What specific environmental factors does your company face, that are internal to the company (Strengths or Weaknesses)? What environmental factors does your company face that are external to the company (Opportunities and Threats)?
  3. THE FIRM'S COMPETITIVE STRATEGY
    This section should be approximately 1500 words and discuss how your company is responsive to the various conditions that it faces? Specifically, what is the firm's competitive strategy, and how does it "fit" with the various environmental conditions it faces globally/nationally, in its industry, and with respect to the various strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats it faces?


    Overview of the Company and Its Broad Competitive Strategy:

    • Who owns it?
    • How long has it been in business?
    • Where are its headquarters?
    • What products does it produce?
    • What geographic markets does it serve?
    • How many employees does it have or appear to have?
    • What percentage of the work force are professionals (engineers and/or business)?
    • What type(s) of engineering and business is (are) used in the manufacturing?
    • What differences do you see between your company and a similar one in the United States?
    Company's Strategic Fit Within Its Global/National Environment:
    Does your firm have any comparative advantages with respect to other global competitors because of its fit with the conditions of the country/region in which it operates?

    Company's Strategic Fit Within Its Industry:
    What is your firm's position within its industry with respect to cost leadership, differentiation or focus?

  4. ENGINEERING PRINCIPLES
    This section should be approximately 3000 words and discuss the basic engineering principles used in the company. Look at the company from the perspective of the different fields of engineering. What would a Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, Chemical, Industrial, or Bio Engineer see if they evaluated the company. What basic engineering applications did you see? How does the company fit into the environment? Describe the process, the raw materials involved, the supply chain and intra structure needed to support the company. Finally how does the system work, how do they make whatever they make, and/or what is the science principle behind the product.

  5. SUMMARY AND EVALUATION

    This section should be approximately 500 words and should summarize and evaluate the firm's level of innovation, business practices, use of technology or other engineering practices.

    Pros
    What are the main things (fit within global/national environment, fit within its industry) that your firm is doing well in order to be innovative and compete successfully?

    Cons
    Which areas (fit within global/national environment, fit within its industry) are not fully developed in your firm, or, are not being addressed adequately?

    Recommendations for Continued Competitive Success and Further Innovation
    What can your firm do to continue and even further its competitive advantage? What should your firm do to address its competitive weaknesses?

  6. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
    This section should be approximately 2500 words and should summarize the five professional development topics discussed by everyone in their journals. Thus, take the comments from each member of the team and summarize the groups view on:
    1. Ethical Issues in My Profession:
    2. Educational Breadth as Professional Development:
    3. Lifelong Learning, Continuing Education as Professional Development:
    4. The Social Environment of Professional Life:
    5. Functioning on Multi-Disciplinary Teams:

    Each topic area should be approximately 500 words.

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