HSC Business Studies

Teaching Resource

‘Adopt-a-business’

Case Study - Public Company

Prepared by Stephen Chapman

HSC Business Studies

‘Adopt-a-business’

Case Study - Public Company

Part A: The business in context

1. Business name ______

2. Product(s)/service(s) offered ______

______

3. Industry sector: Primary, Secondary, tertiary, Quaternary, Quinary

______

4. Country of origin ______

5. Head Office address ______

6. Web address ______

7. Vision/mission statement ______

______

8. Does the business’s mission statement relate to:

· profit or return to shareholders?

· growth or expansion?

· customer service?

· employee welfare?

· other ______

(Tick appropriate response)

10. List any subsidiaries owned by the parent business ______

______

9. Provide examples of:

(a) Vertical integration ______

______

(b) Horizontal integration ______

______

Part B: Statistical profile

11. Number of shareholders ______

12. Number of employees ______

13. Countries of operation (if applicable) ______

14. Number of operational sites ______

15. Value of total assets______

16. Current market capitalisation ______Date ______

17. Total revenue (current and previous year) ______

18. Percentage change from previous year ______

19. Net profit (current and previous year) ______

20. Percentage change from previous year ______

21. Comment on the organisation’s performance over the past twelve months

(Compare the net profit from one year to the next)

______

22. What other measurements does the organisation use to determine its

performance? ______

23. Names of the five largest registered shareholders and the percentage of their

shareholding

Name / % of shares
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
(iv)
(v)

Part C: Business management and change

24. Read the chairman/managing director’s comments. Briefly comment on the main

points contained in this section ______

______

25. Identify future growth areas for the business ______

______

26. Describe the make-up of the ‘Board of Directors’ and the ‘Senior Management

Team’ ______

______

27. Describe the management style(s) adopted by the ‘Senior Management Team’

______

28. Draw and describe the business’s organisational structure

29. Is the organisational structure hierarchical or flat? What eveidence did you use to

answer this question? ______

______

30. Identify and list the sources of change in the business

Internal External

______

31. Briefly outline the business’s social responsibility and socio-economic

sustainability programs ______

______

32. Identify an area of community involvement of the business ______

______

33. Outline the main points of the business’s ‘Code of Conduct’ ______

______

34. Complete the following mind map showing the major changes that have occured to the business during the last year. (You may need to add more pointers.)

35. Identify any threats to the organisation’s future performance. ______

______

36. Briefly outline any mergers or acquisitions this business has undertaken.

______

Part D: Financial planning and management

Balance Sheet (Statement of financial position)

37. Total current assets ______

38. Total non-current assets ______

39. Total current liabilities ______

40. Total non-current liabilities ______

41. Calculate the current ratio

42. Comment on the liquidity of the business.______

______

43. Total shareholders’ equity. ______

44. Explain the difference between:

(i) share capital ______

(ii) reserves ______

(iii) retained profits ______

45. Calculate the debt to equity ratio

46. Comment on the solvency of the business.______

______

Profit and Loss Statement (Statement of financial performance)

47. Operating revenue (sales). ______

48. Operating profit before income tax. ______

49. Operating profit after income tax. ______

50. Calculate the operating profit before income tax as a percentage of operating

revenue.

51. Retained profits at the end of the financial year. ______

52. Calculate the gross profit ratio, net profit ratio and return on owners’ equity.

53. Comment on the profitability of the business. ______

______

54. Final dividends paid or provided. ______

______

55. Calculate the expenses ratio and accounts receivable turnover ratio.

56. Comment on the efficiency of the compnay. ______

______

57. Name the auditors and outline their role. ______

______

58. Explain the purpose of the ‘Notes to the financial statements’. ______

______

Part E: Marketing

59. What marketing strategies does this business implement? ______

______

60. Identify the differnet target markets for the business’s products.

a) primary ______

(b) secondary ______

61. What evidence can you find of new product development? ______

______

62. Construct a table showing the business’s product mix width and product mix depth.

63. Conduct a basic SWOT on the business.

Strengths / Weaknesses
Opportunities / Threats

64. Provide a brief summary of the business’s marketing mix. (Select one product or service from the business’e range)

(a) Product (s)

______

(b) Price

______

(d) Place

______

65. Identify any ethical issues in relations to the business’s marketing startegies.

______

66. Discuss the ways in which the Annual Report and the Wesite are used as marketing strategies ______

______

67. List the different marketing techniques for a product used by the business.

(a) Product enhancement ______

(b) Product differentiation ______

(d) Product developemnt ______

(e) Product niche focus ______

(f) Product pricing ______

Part F: Employment relations

68. List the rlelevant stakeholders in the employment relations process.

______

69. What human resource issue(s) does the organisation highlight?

______

70. What does the business write about its:

(a) OH&S responsibilities? ______

______

(b) human resources ______

______

71. Provide a breakdown of the compan’y workforce according to:

(a) Gender ______

(b) Geographical location ______

72. Identify and describe the key influences on employment relations.

(a) Social ______

______

(b) Legal ______

______

(d) Economic______

______

73. Examine the business’s past industrial relations performance. ______

______

74. Examine the impact of the Work Choices Act 2005 on the business’s employment relations process. ______

______

Part G: Global Business

75. List the countries the business is exporting to and importing from? ______

______

76. What factors will inhibit/encourage future export sales? ______

______

77. Describe the different methods of internatiopnal expanison the business has used. ______

78. Provide a summary of the reasons the business expanded globally.

Reasons for global expansion
·
·
·
·
·
·

79. Is there any evidence of financial risk management? If so, what types?

______

80. Provide evidence of global branding. ______

81. Complete a summary of the specific influences on the business’s global activities.

Financial / Political
Legal / Social/cultural

82. Identify any ethical issues in relations to the business’s global operations.

______

Part H: Share market analysis

83. Imagine you have $50 000 to purchase shares in your organisation. Using the stockmarket report in a newspaper or the website for the Australian Stock Exchange (www.asx.com.au), complete the following database to record your transaction. After ten weeks, sell your parcel of shares to determine your gain or loss.

Business name
…………….
Week/date / Buying price
$ / Selling price
$ / Parcel (Number of shares bought) / Total outlay
(Selling price X parcel)
$ / Total receipts
(Buying price X parcel)
$ / Gain (+) or loss (-)
$
1. / 50 000 / 50 000 / 0
2. / 50 000
3. / 50 000
4. / 50 000
5. / 50 000
6. / 50 000
7. / 50 000
8. / 50 000
9. / 50 000
10. / 50 000

Total outlay week 1: $ ______

Total receipts week 10 $ ______

Gain or loss $ ______

Business Studies in Action HSC Course: Adopt-a-business case study tool Page 1