Tesla Inc. Tesla’s Mission Statement. Threats Tesla is Experiencing

TERM PAPER ASSIGNMENT:
The term paper is due on November 26, 2019, the early submission date is November 19, 2019. (The last class session is December 5, 2019). Late papers will be penalized by one letter grade.
Analyze the marketing strategy of one of the following companies: eBay, Costco, Home Depot, Tesla, and TJX. Cover the following topics: line of business (organization mission), target markets, SWOT, marketing strategy (4Ps), marketing department organization, value proposition, competitive environment, global operations, social responsibility/sustainability, and marketing metrics (assessing failure or success through sales, market share , profits, sales return on equity).
Your paper should be a combination of analysis of library-based research, evaluation of material from the firm's 10-K, and your own observations (store visits, test drives, consumer interviews, etc.)
Special Topics to be covered:
eBay—Guarantees, handling of customer complaints, gray market goods, selection (width/depth), top-rated seller program, worldwide marketplace, counterfeit surveillance.
Costco--gray market, intelligent loss of sales, importance of membership fees, low gross profit margins, low Web sales, high customer service ratings despite low sales assistant, leased departments
Home Depot – Web—store interface, in-store classes, big box store, rationalized retailing, multiple private brands (TJX, Glacier Bay, Husky, Commercial Electric, Hampton Bay), compare with Lowe’s, contractor sales
Tesla—image, direct versus indirect distribution, dealer lawsuits, chargers versus car sales (chicken vs. egg), market capitalization, difficulties meeting production targets, importance of U.S. and China as a marketplace
TJX – opportunistic versus traditional buying, off price strategy, TJ Maxx, Marshalls, Home Goods, high margins and low Selling, General & Administrative expenses (overhead)

Your paper should be a combination of analysis of library-based research, evaluation of material from the firm's 10-K, Standard & Poor's Industry Analysis, and your own observations (store visits, test drives, consumer interviews, etc.)
I will not accept topics on alternate papers.
You will need to upload your term paper to Turnitin.com. Turnitin.com reviews your paper against published research and a database of prior papers (including paper mills) in an effort to discourage plagiarism. I will receive a full report on each paper submitted. You will also receive a full report.
To upload your paper, follow these directions:
Login to the Hofstra University portal, select this Semester” then your “class” and then select "Assignments." Choose "Term Paper," then "View/Complete," and lastly "Submit Single File Upload."
I will grade papers that are handed in on or before November 19, 2019 (one week prior to regular due date). You can then at your option, resubmit the corrected paper for review for a possible higher grade. THIS OPTION IS NOT AVAILABLE FOR PAPERS FIRST SUBMITTED AT THE DUE DATE.
Your paper should reflect current sources, current practices, have a balanced perspective (pros versus cons), examine the differences between domestic and international strategies (if applicable), and have a scholarly tone. Factors which differentiate an excellent from a fair paper include: currency, extensive use of footnoting, the number and quality of sources used, the use of figures and tables to synthesize material, the effective integration of material from diverse sources and perspectives, and the development of a well-thought conclusion.
TERM PAPER HINTS:
(1) Use the social science form (e.g., Brown 2018a) Please include a full bibliography. For Web sites, use the Web address and date accessed for the source line. (www(dot)dell(dot)com/us/investor.htm as of August 15, 2018).
(2) Start your paper early. This will enable you to obtain all of the necessary data, to properly reread your paper, to incorporate the latest developments, and to properly study for your finals.
(3) Here are some hints in better consulting academic and trade sources:
• Hofstra’s library contains the following online databases:
o These are the online commercial databases you should use: Business Source Premier, Factiva, LexisNexis Academic, and Mergent Online.
• Look up Standard and Poor’s NetAdvantage for the respective industry analysis.
• Use the World Wide Web for the most current sources. Distinguish between company sites, and articles accessed through the web.
• Get the company’s 10-K from www(dot)sec(dot)gov. (EDGAR). A large proportion of firms also place financial reports on their web site (many require that you first download and install a recent version of ABODE ACROBAT).
(4) Your paper should be as current as possible. The vast majority of your footnotes should be from 2017 or later.
(5) Back up your paper frequently (every half hour or so).
(6) The ideal page length of this paper is 10 pages (using a 12 point font and 1 inch margins).
(7) You may do the term paper as a team of two students, it you desire. Each student needs to put their name next to each section to reduce "free-riders." A two-person team will be held to a higher standard than a single authored paper.