Question: A company does not live in a vacuum. Its performance is influenced by its internal forces such as production capacity and management decisions. It is also influenced by external forces.

Research the industry news related to the company you selected for the course project. For example, Apple's price has peaked in 2012 and is steadily declining in 2013.

A few factors may be at play. Apple enjoyed explosive growth in the last decade due to constant introductions of new products such as the iPhone and the iPad. Since the introduction of the iPad, however, it has not released a major category product. The growth may have peaked because of market saturation. Still, Apple seems to enjoy market confidence due to its loyal users and solid management, so it is expected to maintain the current share price or even increase the price when it releases the next iPhone.

Research some factors that may be affecting your company's performance. Using them, explain your analysis. What is happening in the industry? What does your company stand compared to its peers? Do you see an upswing or downswing in the near future? Explain your reasoning.