Assignment: Examining Business Strategy and the Five Forces Model: The Challenges Facing eBay; Time for Changes in Strategy? This week we look at strategic thinking in the business environment. Your assignment this week is to:

1. First, research, and create, a Porter’s Five Forces Model of eBay in either Visio, Excel, of PowerPoint format. Use external sources to assist in populating your model.

Next, report and analyze your findings, touching on the following questions;

1. What does your five forces analysis reveal about the nature and strength of the various competitive pressures eBay faces? Are the competitive pressures facing eBay and other online auction company’s conducive to earning good profits? Why or why not?

2. Based on your analysis of the industry and eBay’s situation, what problems and issues does eBay’s top management need to address? Which ones are top priorities?

3. What do you see as the key success factors for firms in the online auction industry?

You are to use, and cite, no less than 3 outside sources for your report portion. This will be in APA format and a minimum of 2 pages. That is, the BODY of your paper is to be a minimum of 2 pages. Title pages, Abstract and resource pages do not count to the total.