GROUP PROJECT Custom Essay

MGMT 2850 GROUP PROJECT

In the first week of class, your group will choose a company that you want to study. Please choose a company that you can easily collect information about. You will use this company as an example for the

rest of the course. As we discuss each unit, you and your team should be prepared to discuss the course material and how it applies to your chosen company.

Your group will also create an extensive report on that company that consists of six parts. The final report will be submitted during the final exam period, and your group will have no more than 15 minutes to

present your company to the class. Be sure to cite your sources appropriately and include a bibliography for each section.

You will write the paper in sections, submitting each part on the date indicated. The final, composite report, with Part 6 is due the day of the final.

Preliminary Report: (Max. 2 pages single spaced) DUE JAN 13
The preliminary project report includes
• The name of the company
• A one paragraph description of its activities
• Discussion of why you choose the company for your project.

Part 1: Corporate Citizenship: (Max 4 pages single spaced) DUE JAN 27.
Using the material in Chapter 1 and 2, assess your chosen firm in terms of its corporate citizenship. In particular, address the following:
• The 4 components of CSR
o Evaluate it against Figure 2 – 4: Top 20 Activities or Characteristics of Socially Responsible Companies
o Carroll’s CSP Model
o Stages of Corporate Citizenship
o Find a tool and assess your company (for example, see
http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/csr-rse.nsf/eng/rs00578.html?Open&pv=1 )

Part 2: Stakeholder Analysis: (Max 4 pages single spaced) DUE FEB 5
Identify, evaluate and discuss the key primary and secondary stakeholders in your chosen firm. Answer the following questions:
1. Who are our stakeholders?
2. What are our stakeholders’ stakes?
3. What opportunities and challenges do our stakeholders present to the firm?
4. What responsibilities (economic, legal, ethical, and philanthropic) does the firm have to its stakeholders?
5. What strategies or actions should the firm take to best address stakeholder challenges and opportunities?

The material in Chapter 3 will be helpful. Be sure to use the models and figures outlined in the chapter.

Part 3: Corporate Governance and Strategic Management Issues. (Max 4 pages single spaced) DUE FEB 12
Describe your chosen firm in terms of its governance and strategic management issues. The following are sample questions you may want to address. (you are not asked to address all of these.) You may find

this information in the company’s annual report and proxy statement.
• How many shareholders hold common stock according to the company’s annual report?
• What is the date of record for determining shareholders entitled to receive notice and to vote at the annual meeting?
• How are directors elected? What are the voting requirements for the election of directors? How would a shareholder propose a candidate for nomination to the board of directors?
• Who serves on the board of directors? What are their qualifications?
• How many directors are independent? Indicate which directors are “inside” directors and which directors are “outside” directors. Is this an appropriate mix? Are there any obvious conflicts of

interest?
• What board committees does the company have? Describe the function(s) of each committee as described in the company’s proxy statement.
• Who is the audit committee financial expert? What are his or her qualifications?
• What internal controls framework does the company use?
• Did management determine that the internal control over financial reporting was effective?
• Did the auditor find that management’s assessment of the effectiveness of the company’s internal controls was fairly stated?
• Where will the company disclose waivers to the Code of Ethics for the Senior Officers?
• Students should be encouraged to assess the corporate governance structure of the group’s selected company and note any deficiencies or suggestions that they may have for improvement in a

short presentation to the entire class.
• What is the total compensation for the three highest paid officers (including the value of stock options and other benefits)?
• What are the company’s compensation philosophy and objectives? How does the company set executive compensation?
• What are the components of the company’s compensation program (i.e., what “mix” of salary, benefits, stock, etc. does the company use to compensate its executives)? Do you think that the

company is using the appropriate compensation incentives? According to the compensation committee, is the current compensation of the top executive(s) justified based on the company’s past and/or current

performance?
• Review the Management’s Discussion and Analysis of the Financial Condition and Results of the Operations (the MD&A) in the company’s annual report. Based on the information in the MD&A,

is the compensation to top executives justified? Is it consistent with the compensation committees’ analysis?
• Based on the information in the proxy statement and the annual report, would any of the other executive officers be an appropriate replacement for the CEO? If not, who would you recommend as

an outside candidate (hint: you might review the profiles of top management in competitors’ annual reports)?
• Locate the company’s employment agreement with the CEO (usually listed as an Exhibit 10 in the 10-K). Describe any non-compete and severance arrangements in the employment agreement.

Part 4: Report on your chosen firm’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) performance. (Max 5 pages single spaced) DUE FEB 26
This section could address the company’s performance on:
• Business ethics
• Sustainability efforts and performance
• Green Building
• Corporate philanthropy/corporate contributions
• Diversity
• Employment and appointments
• Fair trade
• Health and wellness
• Human rights
• Natural/organic products
• Renewable/alternative energy
• Research reports and publication
• Responsible investing
• Voluntarism
• Workplace issues.

Please choose at least six CSR categories that apply to your specific company. For detailed explanation of those categories please visit http://www.csrwire.com/categories/.

Part 5: Government Intervention. (Max 5 pages single spaced) DUE MAR 12
Consider a specific government intervention faced by your firm (e.g., product labeling requirements, emission controls, trade restrictions), and analyze the impact of the intervention FROM THE

PERSPECTIVE OF SOCIETY. The intervention can be at any level of government, or can involve multiple levels. Your analysis of the regulatory intervention must explicitly include:
• The rationale for the intervention, (i.e., what is the societal problem, and why can’t we rely on the private sector to address it)
• The nature and history of the regulatory intervention (if relevant include a comparative perspective— e.g., what are other countries doing?)
• An assessment of the costs and benefits of the intervention for consumers, the firm, and society as a whole
• Your assessment of the wisdom on this particular intervention

Part 6: Satisfaction of Learning Objectives.(Max 3 pages single spaced) DUE MAR 14
Identify and describe how selected portions of this paper address selected/ relevant “Learning Outcomes” and “Learning Objectives” described in the course syllabus.

Part 7: Appendices (Optional)

Part 8: Bibliography
Web/Internet sources must be annotated, meaning a brief description of the source in your own words. Annotation must be “single spaced.”