UNIV 102: Business and Economics FIG COMPANY AND CAREER RESEARCH PAPER This research assignment will allow you the opportunity to explore a career and a company of your choice in depth while learning how to be skillful users of the rich and varied resources of the SSU library and Career Center. You will be assigned to work in groups of three people to research, organize and present this project. The company research is to be done as a group, but the career research is to be done individually. Your final product then will reflect a group effort of the company research plus three individual efforts of the career research. An oral presentation of the project to the class will be due on December 5, 2001. A written presentation will be due on your final exam date. STEPS: 1. Identify an industry and a company to research. Go to the homepage of the library website. Click on Searching the Internet and then Useful Websites. Scroll down to By Subject and click on Business. Next, click on Business Researcher's Interests, Business and Technology and Company and Industry Information. Click on the Hoovers site (www.hoovers.com) also, which will give you excellent information on industries. Click on industries, and go to The Industry Masterlist. Search through the list of industries, and select one that interests your group as a whole. Click on this industry to find companies that market a product or service in this area. Choose a company. Check out the website of the company you choose. Remember that some of the information found here may be biased. Required information for this part of your paper: capsule or profile information on your company products or services it markets head office location stock ticker (symbol), stock exchange, stock chart (trading price for last 6 months) competition (names of companies and products/services) current news about the company (two articles minimum) 2. To find current news about the company, click on the Journals and Databases link found on the library's homepage. Click next on Databases List. Scroll down to the Business and Economics databases and begin your search. Try ABI/Inform or Business & Company ASAP. Or, start with the database titled EBSCO (an interdisciplinary or general database, not a Business one)). Search for articles on the company using the natural language search if you like. Find at least two recent (within the last year) articles, retrieve them (email to your home or print out in the library), read them and incorporate information from them into your presentation/report. 3. Next, research a career of interest to you. Each person in the research group will complete this portion of the paper separately. Suggested sites: On the Hoover.com website, check out Career Development. Look under Research Employers for some interesting information. Return to homepage of our library, click on Searching the Internet and then Useful Websites. Explore the pages titled Jobs and Careers. Follow the links to JOBSTAR, Career Guides, and Guides for Special Careers. You will find extensive information on careers, specific jobs, etc. Go back to the homepage of the library website. Click on Searching the Internet, then Useful Websites, By Subject, and Business. Click on Occupational Outlook Handbook for excellent career and job information. Search under Multiple Occupations. Check out the company website. ****Utilize the resources of the Career Center. This is mandatory, not suggested! Required information for this part of your paper: identify an occupation that interests you (accounting, finance, marketing, etc.) research this occupation or field identify a specific job in this field write a detailed job description that includes responsibilities , tasks, and roles find out what education and training is needed for this job include a salary range for this job search your company website for career opportunities: find a position in the field of your interest research the skills, experience, and education needed for this job find out the salary explain why you would want to hold this job at your company (what do you like about the company? Why work for them?) 4. Now, work together as a group to talk about, organize, and prepare your oral presentation and written report. Write the company and industry information jointly. Attach to this each of your individual career and job research papers. 5. Start now! You will need time to familiarize yourselves with the electronic research process. You are not limited to the sources above. As you research, you will find other helpful sources. Use them, too. 6. As noted in your syllabus, progress checks will be made periodically throughout the semester. Keep up with the schedule, and consult your EMT and the SSU librarians for help as needed.