Strategic Business & Market Context Analysis

This course is part of AI-powered Financial Research with Perplexity Specialization

Instructor: Perplexity Coursera

Included with Learn more

7 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

Beginner level

Recommended experience

1 week to complete

at 10 hours a week

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

7 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

Beginner level

Recommended experience

1 week to complete

at 10 hours a week

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

What you'll learn

Research industry size, growth drivers, TAM signals, and regulatory factors using Perplexity.
Build a peer comparison set and analyze competitor metrics, multiples, and strategic positioning.
Examine a company's business model, revenue streams, cost structure, and operating leverage signals.
Retrieve macroeconomic indicators via Perplexity and apply them to company and sector analysis.

Details to know

Shareable certificate

Add to your LinkedIn profile

Assessments

27 assignments

Taught in English

See how employees at top companies are mastering in-demand skills

Learn more about Coursera for Business

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Build your subject-matter expertise

This course is part of the AI-powered Financial Research with Perplexity Specialization

When you enroll in this course, you'll also be enrolled in this Specialization.

Learn new concepts from industry experts
Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
Earn a shareable career certificate

There are 7 modules in this course

Strategic business and market context analysis helps you connect company results to industry, competitor, business model, and macroeconomic conditions. You will use Perplexity to gather evidence and organize findings into clear research insights, building toward a structured company fundamentals view.

By the end of this course, you will be able to: - Gather industry size, growth drivers, TAM-related signals, and regulatory context for a sector analysis. - Build a peer comparison set and analyze competitive positioning across growth, profitability, and valuation. - Analyze business model strength by linking customer economics, scalability, and operating leverage to financials. - Retrieve and apply macroeconomic data, GDP, inflation, and interest rates to company and sector analysis.

Learn to use Perplexity to research a company's operating sector systematically, gathering industry size, growth rates, demand drivers, regulatory factors, and Total Addressable Market (TAM) - related signals to build an evidence base for company analysis.

What's included

5 readings5 assignments

5 readingsTotal 18 minutes

Industry Data Categories Reference3 minutes
Gather Industry Data for a Sector Analysis Memo5 minutes
From Industry Data to Company Implications2 minutes
Opportunity and Pressure Assessment Framework3 minutes
Assess Industry Trends for a Company Briefing5 minutes

5 assignmentsTotal 53 minutes

Hands-on Activity: Build an Industry Research Summary15 minutes
Knowledge Check: Industry Data Gathering5 minutes
Hands-on Activity: Analyze Industry Impact on a Target Company18 minutes
Knowledge Check: Industry Impact Analysis5 minutes
Graded Quiz: Survey Industry Trends10 minutes

Learners use Perplexity to identify competitors, screen candidates for relevance, and gather comparative financial data to build a defensible peer comparison set for a target company.

What's included

5 readings5 assignments

5 readingsTotal 18 minutes

Why Peer Comparison Is Central to Financial Research2 minutes
Peer Screening Criteria Reference3 minutes
Use Perplexity to Build a Peer Comparison Set5 minutes
Peer Comparison Metrics Reference3 minutes
Build and Interpret a Peer Comparison Summary5 minutes

5 assignmentsTotal 53 minutes

Hands-on Activity: Assemble a Peer Comparison Set15 minutes
Knowledge Check: Peer Identification and Screening5 minutes
Hands-on Activity: Draft a Peer Comparison Summary18 minutes
Knowledge Check: Competitive Positioning5 minutes
Graded Quiz: Compare Competitor Metrics10 minutes

Learners identify the four core components of a business model (revenue streams, cost structure, customer segments, and value proposition) from AI-retrieved company materials.

What's included

5 readings4 assignments

5 readingsTotal 19 minutes

Business Model Components Reference4 minutes
Identify Business Model Components from AI-Sourced Materials5 minutes
Why Business Model Strength Predicts Financial Sustainability2 minutes
Business Model Strength Indicators Reference3 minutes
Evaluate Business Model Strength from Financial Data5 minutes

4 assignmentsTotal 38 minutes

Knowledge Check: Business Model Components5 minutes
Hands-on Activity: Assess Business Model Strength18 minutes
Knowledge Check: Business Model Strength5 minutes
Graded Quiz: Examine Business Models10 minutes

Learners apply a structured fundamental analysis checklist that combines financial, operational, market, management, Learners apply an evidence-based reporting structure to summarize company research findings, assumptions, risks, and analytical outputs with source citations.

What's included

5 readings5 assignments

5 readingsTotal 50 minutes

Fundamental Analysis Checklist Template10 minutes
Compile a Fundamental Analysis Checklist for a Company10 minutes
From Checklist to Conclusion10 minutes
Fundamental Assessment Decision Framework10 minutes
Assess Fundamental Strength from Collected Data10 minutes

5 assignmentsTotal 126 minutes

Hands-on Activity: Complete a Fundamental Analysis Checklist18 minutes
Knowledge Check: Fundamental Analysis Checklist30 minutes
Hands-on Activity: Determine Fundamental Strength18 minutes
Knowledge Check: Fundamental Strength Assessment30 minutes
Graded Quiz: Compile Fundamentals30 minutes

Learners build a foundational understanding of five core macroeconomic indicators and the mechanisms through which each influences company research.

What's included

8 readings4 assignments

8 readingsTotal 80 minutes

Macro-to-Company Transmission Reference10 minutes
Summarize Macro Impact on a Company's Performance10 minutes
Why Current Data Matters for Company Research10 minutes
Macro Data Retrieval Quick Reference10 minutes
Retrieve and Document Macro Data for a Sector Review10 minutes
From Data Points to Impact Assessment10 minutes
Impact Assessment Template and Examples10 minutes
Write a Macro Impact Assessment for a Company10 minutes

4 assignmentsTotal 120 minutes

Knowledge Check: Macroeconomic Indicators30 minutes
Knowledge Check: Macro Data Retrieval30 minutes
Knowledge Check: Macro Impact Analysis30 minutes
Graded Quiz: Interpret Economic Data30 minutes

Learners apply an evidence-based reporting structure to summarize company research findings, assumptions, risks, and analytical outputs with source citations.

What's included

7 readings4 assignments

7 readingsTotal 70 minutes

Report Section Templates and Citation Formats10 minutes
Draft a Financial Research Summary with Citations10 minutes
The Research Brief as Your Professional Calling Card10 minutes
Research Brief Writing Checklist10 minutes
Prepare a Research Brief from AI-Sourced Data10 minutes
Perplexity Computer Reporting Capabilities Reference10 minutes
Identify Computer-Assisted Reporting Opportunities10 minutes

4 assignmentsTotal 120 minutes

Knowledge Check: Reporting Structure30 minutes
Knowledge Check: Writing Research Briefs30 minutes
Knowledge Check: Perplexity Computer for Reporting30 minutes
Graded Quiz: Report Research Findings30 minutes

Learners create a comprehensive company and market context brief that integrates industry, competitive, business model, fundamental, macroeconomic, and reporting skills into a stakeholder-ready research document.

What's included

2 readings

Earn a career certificate

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Instructor

Perplexity Coursera

Perplexity

7 Courses2 learners

Offered by

Perplexity

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Frequently asked questions

To access course materials, assignments, and earn a Certificate, you'll need to purchase the Certificate experience when you enroll in a course. Eligible learners may also have the option to start with a Free Trial. Some courses may also offer a Full Course, No Certificate option. This lets you access course materials, submit required assessments, and receive a final grade, but you won't be able to earn or purchase a Certificate.

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Strategic Business & Market Context Analysis

Strategic Business & Market Context Analysis

What you'll learn

Details to know

See how employees at top companies are mastering in-demand skills

Build your subject-matter expertise

There are 7 modules in this course

Survey Industry Trends

What's included

Compare Competitor Metrics

What's included

Examine Business Models

What's included

Compile Fundamentals

What's included

Interpret Economic Data

What's included

Report Research Findings

What's included

Project: Company and Market Context Brief

What's included

Earn a career certificate

Instructor

Offered by

Explore more from Business Essentials

Core Financial Analysis

AI and Information Retrieval

Financial Modeling and Risk Valuation

Why people choose Coursera for their career

Felipe M.

Jennifer J.

Larry W.

Chaitanya A.

Unlock access to 10,000+ courses with a subscription

Advance your career with an online degree

Join over 4,700 global companies that choose Coursera for Business

Frequently asked questions

When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?

What will I get if I subscribe to this Specialization?

Is financial aid available?

More questions