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Iot Manufacturing

Description

As the IoT (Internet of Things) market continues to grow, Company X needs to find a way to penetrate the market and establish larger market share. The problem with Company X's current strategy and cost structure lies in the fact that the fastest growing portion of the IoT market is…

As the IoT (Internet of Things) market continues to grow, Company X needs to find a way to penetrate the market and establish larger market share. The problem with Company X's current strategy and cost structure lies in the fact that the fastest growing portion of the IoT market is microcontrollers (MCUs). As Company X currently holds its focus in manufacturing microprocessors (MPUs), the current manufacturing strategy is not optimal for entering competitively into the MCU space. Within the MCU space, the companies that are competing the best do not utilize such high level manufacturing processes because these low cost products do not demand them. Given that the MCU market is largely untested by Company X and its products would need to be manufactured at increasingly lower costs, it runs the risk of over producing and holding obsolete inventory that is either scrapped or sold at or below cost. In order to eliminate that risk, we will explore alternative manufacturing strategies for Company X's MCU products specifically, which will allow for a more optimal cost structure and ultimately a more profitable Internet of Things Group (IoTG). The IoT MCU ecosystem does not require the high powered technology Company X is currently manufacturing and therefore, Company X loses large margins due to its unnecessary leading technology. Since cash is king, pursuing a fully external model for MCU design and manufacturing processes will generate the highest NPV for Company X. It also will increase Company X's market share, which is extremely important given that every tech company in the world is trying to get its hands into the IoT market. It is possible that in ten to thirty years down the road, Company X can manufacture enough units to keep its products in-house, but this is not feasible in the foreseeable future. For now, Company X should focus on the cost market of MCUs by driving its prices down while maintaining low costs due to the variables of COGS and R&D given in our fully external strategy.

ContributorsKadi, Bengimen (Co-author) / Peterson, Tyler (Co-author) / Langmack, Haley (Co-author) / Quintana, Vince (Co-author) / Simonson, Mark (Thesis director) / Hertzel, Michael (Committee member) / Department of Supply Chain Management (Contributor) / Department of Finance (Contributor) / Department of Information Systems (Contributor) / Department of Marketing (Contributor) / School of Accountancy (Contributor) / W. P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)

Created2016-05

Substrate Industry Dynamics and Price Implications

Description

This paper serves as an analysis of the current operational conditions of a real-world company – referred to as “Company X” – with respect to the IC substrate industry. The cost of substrates, a crucial component in the production of Company X’s product, has recently diverged from Company X’s predictions…

This paper serves as an analysis of the current operational conditions of a real-world company – referred to as “Company X” – with respect to the IC substrate industry. The cost of substrates, a crucial component in the production of Company X’s product, has recently diverged from Company X’s predictions and is contributing to declining profitability. This analysis aims to discover the underlying cause for price divergence and recommend potential resolutions to improve the forecast of substrate costs and profitability. The paper is organized as follows: Chapter 1 is an introduction to IC substrates and the industry as a whole, Chapter 2 is a breakdown of the specific factors responsible for substrate prices, and Chapter 3 delivers a final recommendation to Company X and concludes the paper.

ContributorsGuillaume, Riley (Author) / Aggarwal, Bianca (Co-author) / King, Camden (Co-author) / Fares, Ari (Co-author) / O'Loughlin, Connor (Co-author) / Simonson, Mark (Thesis director) / Hertzel, Michael (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of Finance (Contributor) / Department of Supply Chain Management (Contributor)

Created2023-05

Addressing Company X’s Diminishing Leadership in the Global Server Chip Market

Description

Company X once dominated the server chip market, but its share has begun to diminish due to numerous competitors, product delays, and smaller profit margins. This market will only keep growing as advancement and demand for server technologies continues to expand, therefore, regaining market share is of utmost importance for…

Company X once dominated the server chip market, but its share has begun to diminish due to numerous competitors, product delays, and smaller profit margins. This market will only keep growing as advancement and demand for server technologies continues to expand, therefore, regaining market share is of utmost importance for Company X. This project analyzes how Company X can look into regaining server market share through a diversion of funds into emerging markets. The paper highlights the importance of being an early entrant into a relatively untapped, promising regional market by addressing the economics, potential consumers, and competition. Analysis of these factors shows the potential net present value (NPV) that can be achieved by increasing investments in India.

ContributorsNguyen, Andre (Author) / Kam, Manton (Co-author) / Amundson, Tegan (Co-author) / Johnson, Tyler (Co-author) / Simonson, Mark (Thesis director) / Hertzel, Michael (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of Finance (Contributor) / Department of Economics (Contributor)

Created2023-05

Addressing Company X’s Diminishing Leadership in the Global Server Chip Market

Description

Company X once dominated the server chip market, but its share has begun to diminish due to numerous competitors, product delays, and smaller profit margins. This market will only keep growing as advancement and demand for server technologies continues to expand, therefore, regaining market share is of utmost importance for…

Company X once dominated the server chip market, but its share has begun to diminish due to numerous competitors, product delays, and smaller profit margins. This market will only keep growing as advancement and demand for server technologies continues to expand, therefore, regaining market share is of utmost importance for Company X. This project analyzes how Company X can look into regaining server market share through a diversion of funds into emerging markets. The paper highlights the importance of being an early entrant into a relatively untapped, promising regional market by addressing the economics, potential consumers, and competition. Analysis of these factors shows the potential net present value (NPV) that can be achieved by increasing investments in India.

ContributorsKam, Manton (Author) / Nguyen, Andre (Co-author) / Johnson, Tyler (Co-author) / Amundson, Tegan (Co-author) / Simonson, Mark (Thesis director) / Hertzel, Michael (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of Finance (Contributor) / Department of Information Systems (Contributor) / Economics Program in CLAS (Contributor)

Created2023-05

An exploration of the impact of regulatory sentiment on investment-based crowdfunding globally

Description

This paper investigates the influence of regulatory sentiment on investment-based crowdfunding across various global markets. Crowdfunding, a capital-raising method where individuals collectively invest in projects, businesses, or causes, has significantly evolved with the advent of digital platforms. The emergence of lending-based and investment-based crowdfunding has led to the development of…

This paper investigates the influence of regulatory sentiment on investment-based crowdfunding across various global markets. Crowdfunding, a capital-raising method where individuals collectively invest in projects, businesses, or causes, has significantly evolved with the advent of digital platforms. The emergence of lending-based and investment-based crowdfunding has led to the development of diverse regulatory frameworks worldwide. This study focuses on the relationship between regulatory sentiment and two critical dimensions of crowdfunding markets: investment volume and platform count. By conducting a multivariate analysis using data from the Cambridge Center for Alternative Finance and GDP statistics from the OECD, the paper examines whether investor sentiment about regulation impacts these two variables across seven developed markets. The research centers around three primary questions: the existence and nature of any statistically significant relationships between regulatory sentiment and investment volume/platform count; and which type of sentiment (adequate, excessive, or inadequate) has the strongest relationship with these variables. The analysis includes a detailed review of regulatory frameworks in the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, and Malaysia. The findings reveal a statistically significant relationship between adequate and excessive regulatory sentiment and both investment volume and platform count, with adequate sentiment showing a positive impact and excessive sentiment demonstrating a negative effect. The results highlight the importance of balanced regulatory frameworks in fostering healthy crowdfunding ecosystems and provide insights into how investor perceptions of regulation can influence market dynamics. Future research could further explore these relationships, potentially using more objective measures of regulations and examining the bidirectional influence between market performance and regulatory sentiment.

ContributorsKonstantinov, Phillip (Author) / Lindsey, Laura (Thesis director) / Hertzel, Michael (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of Finance (Contributor) / Computer Science and Engineering Program (Contributor)

Created2023-12

Company X Collaborative Thesis: Entry Level Processors

Description

This project examines entry-level processors for Company X. Analyzing their current position and creating recommendations for their future positioning in regard to entry-level processors. Utilizing financial models, our group worked to determine the most effective way to optimize NPV and gross margin for this segment. With extensive step models and…

This project examines entry-level processors for Company X. Analyzing their current position and creating recommendations for their future positioning in regard to entry-level processors. Utilizing financial models, our group worked to determine the most effective way to optimize NPV and gross margin for this segment. With extensive step models and sensitivity analysis, we analyzed potential paths that Company X could take. Continuing to be mindful of the limitations that certain projected paths would entail. Through our analysis, we were able to form a comprehensive suggestion that had a positive 8-year NPV and an improved gross margin percentage.

ContributorsJones, Ciara (Author) / Kuo, Ian (Co-author) / Mathias, Chase (Co-author) / Huseinovic, Ayla (Co-author) / Simonson, Mark (Thesis director) / Hertzel, Michael (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of Finance (Contributor)

Created2024-05

GPU vs CPU: AI and the Xeon Business

Description

The rapid expansion of artificial intelligence has propelled significant growth in the GPU market. In the evolving data center landscape, Company X faces challenges due to its lag in entering the GPU market, which jeopardizes its competitive advantage against industry players like Nvidia and AMD. To address these issues, our…

The rapid expansion of artificial intelligence has propelled significant growth in the GPU market. In the evolving data center landscape, Company X faces challenges due to its lag in entering the GPU market, which jeopardizes its competitive advantage against industry players like Nvidia and AMD. To address these issues, our thesis aims to analyze market dynamics between CPUs and GPUs-whether they present distinct markets or compete against each other. We seek to guide Company X in maximizing profitability and sustaining its pivotal role in the semiconductor industry amidst the AI revolution. Specifically, we discuss optimizing their GPU offering, Falcon Shores, towards specific markets and doubling down on the production of CPUs.

ContributorsKujawa, Brennan (Author) / Ulreich-Power, Cameron (Co-author) / Mostaghimi, Dunya (Co-author) / Livesay, Thomas (Co-author) / Simonson, Mark (Thesis director) / Hertzel, Michael (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of Finance (Contributor)

Created2024-05

Evidence on the value of director monitoring: a natural experiment

Description

I examine the determinants and implications of the level of director monitoring. I use the distance between directors' domiciles and firm headquarters as a proxy for the level of monitoring and the introduction of a new airline route between director domicile and firm HQ as an exogenous shock to the…

I examine the determinants and implications of the level of director monitoring. I use the distance between directors' domiciles and firm headquarters as a proxy for the level of monitoring and the introduction of a new airline route between director domicile and firm HQ as an exogenous shock to the level of monitoring. I find a strong relation between distance and both board meeting attendance and director membership on strategic versus monitoring committees. Increased monitoring, as measured by a reduction in effective distance, by way of addition of a direct flight, is associated with a 3% reduction in firm value. A reduction in effective distance is also associated with less risk-taking, lower stock return volatility, lower accounting return volatility, lower R&D; spending, fewer acquisitions, and fewer patents.

ContributorsBennett, Benjamin (Author) / Coles, Jeffrey (Thesis advisor) / Hertzel, Michael (Committee member) / Babenka, Ilona (Committee member) / Custodio, Claudia (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)

Created2014

Executive labor market segmentation: how local market density affects incentives and performance

Description

I study how the density of executive labor markets affects managerial incentives and thereby firm performance. I find that U.S. executive markets are locally segmented rather than nationally integrated, and that the density of a local market provides executives with non-compensation incentives. Empirical results show that in denser labor markets,…

I study how the density of executive labor markets affects managerial incentives and thereby firm performance. I find that U.S. executive markets are locally segmented rather than nationally integrated, and that the density of a local market provides executives with non-compensation incentives. Empirical results show that in denser labor markets, executives face stronger performance-based dismissal threats as well as better outside opportunities. These incentives result in higher firm performance in denser markets, especially when executives have longer career horizons. Using state-level variation in the enforceability of covenants not to compete, I find that the positive effects of market density on incentive alignment and firm performance are stronger in markets where executives are freer to move. This evidence further supports the argument that local labor market density works as an external incentive alignment mechanism.

ContributorsZhao, Hong, Ph.D (Author) / Hertzel, Michael (Thesis advisor) / Babenko, Ilona (Committee member) / Coles, Jeffrey (Committee member) / Stein, Luke (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)

Created2017

Downward wage rigidity, corporate investment, and firm value

Description

Firms reduce investment when facing downward wage rigidity (DWR), the inability or unwillingness to adjust wages downward. I construct DWR measures and exploit staggered state-level changes in minimum wage laws as an exogenous variation in DWR to document this fact. Following a minimum wage increase, firms reduce their investment rate…

Firms reduce investment when facing downward wage rigidity (DWR), the inability or unwillingness to adjust wages downward. I construct DWR measures and exploit staggered state-level changes in minimum wage laws as an exogenous variation in DWR to document this fact. Following a minimum wage increase, firms reduce their investment rate by 1.17 percentage points. Surprisingly, this labor market friction enhances firm value and production efficiency when firms are subject to other frictions causing overinvestment, consistent with the theory of second best. Finally, I identify increased operating leverage and aggravation of debt overhang as mechanisms by which DWR impedes investment.

ContributorsCho, DuckKi (Author) / Bharath, Sreedhar (Thesis advisor) / Hertzel, Michael (Thesis advisor) / Bessembinder, Hendrik (Committee member) / Wang, Jiaxu (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)

Created2017

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