BUS 495 & MG 495: Team Project Research Guide

Overview

In this course, you are required to develop and present a strategic plan on a publicly-traded company (or other company pending instructor approval). This strategic plan contains many components, all of which are outlined in the template provided in your course. Two of the main sections of this plan, the internal and external assessment, require extensive research. This guide is designed to walk you through that research process, as well as provide tips and tricks on how to think critically about the resources you gather and apply them in meaningful ways.

NOTE: Before you begin looking through this guide, please review your Team Project: Develop and Present a Strategic Plan assignment, as well as the corresponding template, both of which can be found in your online course. If you cannot find these documents or otherwise have questions about the expectations for this assignment, please reach out to your course instructor.

Guide Objectives

By the end of this guide, you will be able to

• Locate resources that support an internal assessment of a publicly-traded company
• Locate resources that support an external assessment of a publicly-traded company
• Avoid common mistakes or errors when working through your strategic plan 
• Cite common business resources using APA style

Ask a Librarian

When conducting research on this project, it is highly recommended that you work directly with a librarian. They can answer any questions you have about the content of this guide, help you develop a search strategy, evaluate resources, and access materials through the library collection, as well as on the open web. You can contact a librarian directly through the below link.

Schedule a Consultation with a Librarian

If you would like to schedule a one-on-one (or Team) Zoom consultation with a librarian, please do so below. When scheduling, please include as much detail about your chosen business as possible, as well as what information you are specifically interested in locating. This allows the librarian to better prepare for the meeting and use the consultation time most effectively.