Alone or with a partner, go online to research a publicly traded U.S. firm in which you’re interested.

Focus on information that will help you understand the company’s structure. If you research Ford Motor Company, for example, you should look for information about different types of vehicles, different regions in which Ford products are sold, and different functions that the company performs. (Hint: The firm’s annual report is usually available online and typically contains a great deal of helpful information. In particular, take a look at the section containing an editorial message from the chairman or CEO and the section summarizing financial information.

In many cases, “segment” data reveal a lot about divisional structure.)