CASE ANALYSIS
Problem definition. A statement of the significant decision(s) the decision maker in the case must make and the major problem and the most significant issues faced by the firm and/or person in making the decision.
Situation analysis. This section should include: a. An internal analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of
the entrepreneur or enterprise; the entrepreneur’s and/or enterprise’s goals, objectives, values, preferences, etc.; financial situation, strategy, etc.; b. An external analysis of the markets, industry, competition, etc. in which the entrepreneur and his/her enterprise is operating or will operate.
Options & alternatives. The 2 or 3 most important options which the entrepreneur may take to solve or address his or her problem.
Evaluation. This section should include: a. Evaluative criteria i.e. What standards will be used to determine the viability of each alternative, both in general and relative to other alternatives? b. Actual evaluation of options/alternatives i.e. How does each alternative measure up according to the criteria you established? How do the alternatives compare? This section should help reveal, support and justify your recommendations.
Recommendation(s). A recommendation to the entrepreneur for the action he/she should take to resolve his/her problem or major issue.
Case Link: http://casenet.ca/segment/issue-what-issue-your-company-dealing-1
Trade Directories and Industry Associations
Source URL Why Canadian Careers.com
http://www.canadiancareers.co m/sector.html
List of links to Canadian Professional and Industry Associations
Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials
http://www.cicic.ca/en/profess. aspx?sortcode=2.19.21.21
List of National Professional Organizations. Offers occupational profiles, links to labour market information for each occupation, accredited academic in Canada and the regulatory authorities for each occupation and links to overseas bodies that recognize Canadian accreditation
Canadian Company Capabilities
http://www.ic.gc.ca/epic/site/cc c-‐rec.nsf/en/Home
Profiles of Canadian companies and industries.
Frasers http://www.frasers.com
Trade directory of Canadian industrial supply companies
Thomas Register
http://www.thomasnet.com Trade directory of U.S. and Canadian consumer and industrial goods and services
Canadian Trade Index
http://www.ctidirectory.com/ Canadian trade directory
Manta http://www.manta.com
Trade Directory of U.S. small business searchable by revenue, # of employees, location, product service & ownership
Weddles.com http://www.weddles.com/assoc iations/index.cfm
Weddle’s Association Directory – U.S. Industry Association
American Society of Association Executives (Gateway to Associations)
http://www.asaecenter.org/Co mmunity/Directories/associatio nsearch.cfm
An online source useful for identifying industry associations, common industry issues and industry lobbying initiatives. Primarily American with many international links.
Thomas Food and Market Place
http://www.foodmp.com
Trade Directory – Food Related
CN Marketplace http://www.thecnmarketplace.com Trade Directory – Food Related
Miscellaneous Business Sites Google News http://news.google.ca News Aggregator Motley Fool http://www.fool.com
Online discussion boards sorted by company and industry that offer rumours, speculation, and gossip
Union Facts http://www.unionfacts.com Union Profiles written with a decidedly anti-‐union slant
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
http://www.sec.gov
U.S. government online repository of corporate annual reports (10k), quarterly reports (10q) and business plans (S1).
SEDAR http://www.sedar.com
Online Repository of Financial Document for Canadian Publicly Traded Corporations
TSX http://www.tsx.com
Toronto Stock Exchange listing of Canadian companies whose shares trade in Canada
BizStats http://www.bizstats.com Business Statistics – Comparative data for a typical business ratios by financial statement type -‐ U.S. Data
Natural Resources Canada
http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/mms/c my/com_e.html
Minerals and Metals Commodities Review
Infomine http://www.infomine.com Information about mining companies and metals U.S. Geological Survey
http://minerals.usgs.gov/minera ls/pubs/mcs/
Minerals and Metals Commodities Review
U.S. Census Bureau
http://www.census.gov
Source of U.S. Demographic Data
Statistics Canada
http://www.statcan.gc.ca Source of Canadian Demographic Data
Canada Post Householder Counts
http://www.canadapost.ca/cpc2 /addrm/hh/doc/about-‐e.asp
Canada Post Householder Counts
Company, Industry and Sector Overviews and Descriptions
Reuters.com http://www.reuters.com
An online source of industry and company profiles, industry lists, competitor identification, ownership structure, financial performance and benchmarks, industry trends and key issues, and news sorted by M&A’s, alliances, restructuring and change initiatives, and new product development efforts. It also provides clues to value chain participants and activities
Biz.Yahoo http://finance.yahoo.com An online source of industry and company profiles, industry lists, gossip and speculation through access to discussion boards, competitor identification, ownership structure, news and financial documents.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
http://www.bls.gov
An online source of industry overviews and future trends from point of view of occupation and industry. The section entitled “Working Conditions” offers insight into corporate and industry cultures. (Occupational Outlook Handbook + Career Guide to Industries)
Investopedia http://www.investopedia.c om
Offers examples of Porter’s Five Forces analysis and key industry specific ratios in “The Industry Handbook
Agri-‐Food Canada
http://www.ats- sea.agr.gc.ca/pro/asso- eng.htm
Agri-‐Food Canada links to Industry Association
Canadian Trade Commissioner Service
http://www.tradecommissi oner.gc.ca/eng/market- report-access.jsp
International Market reports
High Beam Business
http://business.highbeam.c om/industry-reports
Industry Overviews
Valueline http://www.valueline.co m/Stocks/Industries.aspx
Industry Overviews
FranchiseHelp https://www.franchise help.com/industry- reports/industry- information/
Industry Overviews
Plunkett Research
http://www.plunkettresea rch.com/
Industry Overviews
Global Edge http://globaledge.msu.edu /Global-Insights
Business profiles of countries and global industries with a discussion of risks, trends, events, trade statistics, key companies
International Business Websites
Source Website Country Specifics Center for Intercultural Learning – DFAIT
http://www.intercultur es.ca
National Culture
Kwintessential http://kwintessential.c o.uk
National Culture
Geert Hofstede.com
http://www.geert-‐ hofstede.com
Communication Styles
World Health Organization
http://www.who.int/co untries/
Health
World Weather.org
http://www.worldweat her.org
Weather
U.S. Energy Information Administration
http://www.eia.doe.go v/emeu/cabs/contents. html
National Energy profiles
Earth Trends http://earthtrends.wri. org/
National Environment profiles
Funding Universe http://www.fundinguniv erse.com/company- histories/
Company Profiles and Histories
Yahoo! Finance http://finance.yahoo.co m
Industries & companies
Canada Business Centre
http://www.canadabus iness.ca/eng/88/194/
Country Economic and Business Information
Economy Watch http://www.economyw atch.com
Profiles and economic statistics for countries and companies
Population Reference Bureau
http://www.prb.org National Demographic figures
Global Property Guide
http://www.globalprop ertyguide.com
Global Real Estate
Prevention Web http://www.prevention web.net/english/countr ies/
Global Disaster Risks
World Mapper http://www.worldmap per.org
Maps of the world by subject
U.S. Geological Survey
http://minerals.er.usgs. gov/minerals/pubs/cou ntry/
National Mineral profiles
Export Development Canada
http://www.edc.ca/sea rch/CountryInformatio n.asp?slang=e
Country business profiles
U.S. State Department
http://www.state.gov/r /pa/ei/bgn/
Country Briefing Notes
Doing Business – World Trade Organization
http://www.doingbusin ess.org
National Business Regulations – comparative
Worldwide http://info.worldbank.or g/governance/wgi/sc_co
World Bank sponsored governance indicators for
Governance Indicators
untry.asp countries around the world
Business and Human Rights Resource Centre
http://www.business-‐ humanrights.org/Categ ories/
Issues by country, industry and company
Crocodyl http://www.crocodyl.or g/
Collaborative corporation watchdog information site. Company profiles and issues
Corporate Watch http://www.corpwatch. org
Corporate Watchdog
Labour Net http://www.labournet. org
Global labour network
Marketsize.com
http://www.marketsize .com
A small research company that reports on Market sizes of different industry. A pay service but with a free blog that offers that offer lots of examples of different industries. http://www.marketsize.com/blog/
Trading Economics
http://www.tradingec onomics.com/
Offers country level trade statistics
Global Edge http://globaledge.msu .edu/Global-‐Insights
Business profiles of countries and global industries with a discussion of risks, trends, events, trade statistics, key companies
Coface Trading Safely
http://www.trading-‐ safely.com/
Coface Country & Sector Risk Rating
Alexa.com http://www.alexa.com
Tracks website traffic. Helps to sources for online advertising
Google Insight www.google.com/tren ds
Tracks Google searches by geography. Enables target market identification
Internet World Statistics
http://www.internetworl dstats.com/
Usage and population statistics
Net Market Share http://www.netwmarket share.com
Market share reports for internet technologies such as browsers, operating systems, search engines
Wayback Machine http://www.archive.org /index.php
Internet Archive
Intellectual Property Source Website Description USPTO http://www.uspto.gov U.S. Patent, trademarks
and copyright
CIPO http://www.cipo.ic.gc.ca Canadian patents, trademarks and copyright
Patent Storm http://www.patentstorm.com Commercial patent source Patent Genius http://www.patentgenius.com Commercial patent source Patent Buddy http://www.patentbuddy.com
Patent search tool
Google Patents http://google.com/patents Google patent search tool
Cross Cultural Management
Source Website Description Center for Intercultural Learning – DFAIT
http://www.intercultures.ca
Canadian government profiles of national cultures
Kwintessential http://kwintessential.co.uk
Profiles of national cultures
Geert Hofstede.com http://www.geert-‐hofstede.com
Hofstede model profiles of national cultures
World Business Culture http://www.worldbusinessculture.com
Business culture profiles of selected countries
International Business Etiquette and Manners
http://www.cyborlink.com/besite/
Source of national business etiquette information
Economic Indicators
Source Website Description Forecasts.org
www.forecasts.org Economic and financial forecasts
Glass Door www.glassdoor.com Job search site with salary information
Bureau of Labour Statistics http://www.bls.gov/
Key Labour Indicators for the U.S
U.S. Census Bureau http://www.census.gov/cgi- bin/briefroom/BriefRm
Key Economic Indicators for the U.S.
Baltic Dry Index http://www.investmenttools.com/f utures/bdi_baltic_dry_index.htm
Global Shipping Traffic
*Exhibition Relations Co. www.ercboxoffice.com Weekend Movie Ticket Sales
*Association of American Railroads
www.aar.org
Railroad Traffic Report
*U.S Department of Labor www.dol.gov Initial Job Claims *Smith Travel Research www.smithtravelresearch.com Hotel Bookings *Mortgage Bankers Association www.mbaa.org U.S. Mortgage Applications
• Ad hoc indicators for U.S. economic performance
http://www.ready.gov/sites/default/files/documents/files/BusinessContinuityPlan. pdf http://www.ready.gov/risk-assessment http://www.ready.gov/business-impact-analysis http://country-facts.findthebest.com/ Planet Feedback