Critical thinking assignment

Part 1. Industry Analysis with Porters Five Forces

Your task: Pick an industry you might want to work in one day and analyze it. (My choice is Human Resources in Payroll)

Steps:

• Choose your industry explain why you are interested in it.
• Define the industry what counts as part of it, what doesnt.
• Analyze the five forces for each force, list 25 players and decide if the force is strong (hurts profitability) or weak (helps profitability):

1. Rivalry among competitors
2. Threat of new entrants
3. Threat of substitutes
4. Bargaining power of buyers
5. Bargaining power of suppliers

• Conclude is this an attractive industry to enter? Why or why not?

Part 2. Firm-Level Analysis with the Resource-Based View

Your task: Select one company in your chosen industry that you would like to work for.

Steps:

• Introduce the company who they are, what they do.
• Apply the VRIN test does the company have resources that are:
• Valuable (help the firm compete?)
• Rare (few competitors have them?)
• Inimitable (hard to copy?)
• Non-substitutable (no easy replacements?)
• Connect to you explain how your skills and experiences could add value at this company.

Part 3. Impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Your task: Consider how AI trends will affect your industry, company, and future role.

Steps:

• Industry level how might AI disrupt or transform the industry?
• Company level what challenges or opportunities does AI create for your chosen firm?
• Career level what does AI mean for your dream job and your long-term career path?

Due by 11:59 PM, Feb 22, 2026.

Formatting Requirements

Please make sure to follow the guidelines below when submitting your assignment:

1. Your analysis should be double-spaced, with 1-inch margins on all four sides, and typed in Times New Roman font of size 12.
2. Your analysis should be approximately 5 pages in length, including tables, figures, and references.
3. Any papers or other sources you use must be properly referenced using the . Failure to do so may result in a deduction of points from your grade.
4. Please upload your assignment on Canvas. Turnitin, a plagiarism detection software, will log your submission time, as well as track your usage of AI tools, such as ChatGPT and other similar software (iA Writer, Marmot, Botowetc., etc.).
5. Please ensure that your Turnitin score is below 10%. You may revise and resubmit your paper as often as necessary without penalty by the deadline.
6. Turnitin software will also generate an AI usage index (not shown to student users). A high AI index rating will be treated as plagiarism.