This is complete write up of your portfolio formation in a Word file, with calculations copied and pasted in it from your Excel file.

1.      Select the stocks of 3 publicly traded companies from different industries. State the criteria for selecting those securities.

2.      Retrieve monthly data on adjusted closing prices of your securities from Yahoo Finance for the past 10 years and calculate the monthly rate of return of the stocks for every month.

3.      Calculate the mean, variance, and standard deviation of the stocks monthly returns.

4.      Calculate the correlation coefficient between every possible pair of stocks returns.

5.      Decide what percentage of your money (weights) you want to invest in each stock and state the criteria you used to select those weights.

6.      Now calculate your portfolios mean monthly return, variance, and standard deviation.

7.      Assuming your portfolio return follows a normal distribution, calculate the chance that your portfolio loses 10% of its value during any month?

8.      Assuming you have invested $100,000 in your portfolio, what is value at risk (VaR) of your portfolio at any particular month at 99% confidence level?

9.      Now randomly change your portfolios weights 100 times (note total weights should always be 100%), for each weight combination calculate the mean and standard deviation of your portfolio, and then draw the efficient frontier.

10.  For each item mentioned above explain your rationale and cite peer-reviewed and/or seminal sources.

Part I:

1. Summarize the article (harvard business review) in your own words.

2. Relate this article to a topic (use article the balance of good administration) that we discussed.

Part II:

1. What did you find most helpful about this topic (use article the balance of good administration) and why?

Question 1 (10 Points): Porters Five Forces Industry Analysis

Use theory from the course and evidence from the case to demonstrate your understanding and the importance of an Industry Analysis using the Porters Five Forces framework.

Analyze the industry the firm is operating in using the Porters Five Forces framework.
Determine the attractiveness of the industry and the key success factors (KSFs).
Based on your findings make recommendations to the firm.

Question 2 (10 Points): Resources, VRIO and Competitive Advantage

Use theory from the course and evidence from the case to demonstrate your understanding and the importance of resources, the VRIO model and competitive advantage.

Describe the firms resources in each category.
Determine which 5+/- resources you consider most important and use the VRIO model on these to determine if it there are any sustainable competitive advantages.
Make recommendations to the firm based on your findings.

Question 3 (30 Points): Strategic Alternatives

Create and describe three viable Strategic Alternatives to solve the key issue/opportunity in the case.

Each alternative should be unique and each should solve the key issue/opportunity.
For each alternative, describe it thoroughly, rationalize why it makes sense based on your analysis and the case.
For each alternative list its pros and cons.

Question 4 (10 Points): Evaluation and Recommendation

Use a table (or similar) to evaluate your Strategic Alternatives against criteria.

Criteria should be determined and weighted.
Provide a rationale on criteria and weighting based on your analysis and evidence from the case.
Explain your ratings for each alternative, calculate the optimal alternative, and make a clear recommendation to the firm.

Select a company and describe its total global strategy in terms of its core business strategy, its internationalization strategy, and its globalization strategy. How successful has this company been in each aspect of its total global strategy?

Based on chapters 1 and 2 in attached material

The purpose of this assignment is to demonstrate a practical understanding of key legal or societal concepts and to
facilitate further analytical exploration of contemporary trends and challenges in human resources. The paper should
critically examine a position on an emerging trend or challenge affecting HRM, and the impact on current practices
and/or activities.
THE TOPIC OF THE PAPER WILL BE CHOSEN AND COMMUNICTED TO STUDENTS BY THE INSTRUCTOR
The paper will likely be about 5 to 8 pages in length (excluding the references list and any other appendices), and
should include a significant amount of analysis and original thought, supported by research from four or more outside
sources. The following components should be evident in your paper:
I. Introduction and thesis (25 pts):
Identify the trend(s) or challenge(s) to be analyzed; explain rationale for choice of topic. Present a clear, wellthought-out thesis statement(s). Preview key points and arguments to be addressed.
II. Analysis of position on HR/Legal trend/challenges (75 pts):
Provide arguments that justify your choice of topic as a current and relevant HR trend and that support your
position on the trend or challenges. In developing your arguments, you should:
Explain how/why the trend has a significant impact on HRM policies, procedures, or practices.
Consider potential causes, as well as effects on individuals, groups, & the organization as a whole
Address the HR perspective! What are an HR departments roles and responsibilities in dealing with the
trends/challenges and their affects?
Consider how the trend or challenges affect an organizations ability to maintain competitive advantage.
III. Recommendations, Applicability, and Alternative Positions (25 pts):
Based on your arguments (and the honest evaluation of alternative positions), offer several recommendations for
HR departments, managers, employers, individual employees, etc. in dealing with the trend/challenges. Consider
recommendations described in the literature, as well as your own suggestions. Evaluate the potential advantages
& disadvantages of the various recommendations, andif appropriatedetermine the best overall solution.
IV. Conclusion (25 pts):
Briefly recap how your arguments and evidence from the research support your original thesis. Generalize the
findings of your research/analysis and your recommendations to universal applicability. Identify objections to your
position; provide arguments for several alternative positions; give rebuttal arguments that maintain your position
and reasoning. Balance your own analysis, interpretations, opinions, etc. with support from academic research.
Include specific examples from your workplace and/or personal experiences.
V. Integration of course concepts and outside sources (20 pts):
Reference concepts from the course and text to support analysis. Utilize current books, journal or magazine
articles, HR organizations, web sites, etc. to support your analysis and opinions expressed. If possible and
applicable, include real-world perspectives of employees and HR professionals.
VI. References (10 pts):
Identify any/all ideas or information borrowed from an outside source (use parenthetical documentation). Include
list of references cited in the paper.
VII. Style/format (10 pts):
Demonstrate articulate, academic writing. Organize information in a clear, concise, and logical format. Adheres
to APA style.
VIII. Attention to proper mechanics (10 pts):
Spelling, grammar, punctuation