Here is a recommended guide to assembling this project.
A detailed paragraph describing the artifact. How much information
can you pack into a paragraph?
Where was it produced?
How many components? What kinds? Who produced them, where?
With what machines and processes?
How many companies are involved?
What kinds of agreements do they have?
Countries? Labor?
Distribution
What is between production and final point of consumption
(you)?
Means of transportation, distribution, oversight, inventory?
Companies, labor?
International distribution?
Regulations, patents, etc.
Regs on production?
Regs on sales and distribution?
Who oversees this artifact? (and go beyond/inside of the FCC,
FDA, FTC)
Standards? How decided? How measured? How do consumers find
out?
Marketing, How is it a commodity?
Who is it marketed to? (everyone? Targeted to certain groups?
Countries?)
By whom? (companies involved in marketing?)
How else is the artifact discovered? (what/who else functions
to get the artifact to you and others like you?)
Consumption (not a big section, okay)
How does the company keep making a profit?
How are you kept buying the product, or ones like it?
How are your values, identity, way of life supporting it?
Political Economy (Support)
Who is supported by supporting you directly?
What professionals/experts depend on this product for their
jobs?
How large are these supporting industries?
What other parasitic industries depend in part on this artifact?
History
What different inventors of it are there?
How international is its invention?
What industry is it a part of? What is its history within
that industry?
You will probably want to do a little research. Some librarians
and information experts are into this kind of research. Make it
interesting: speculate on the above questions and allow your curiosity
to guide you. And keep a record of your search strategies.
Feel free to add questions. And please proofread your analysis
before handing it in (or trade and have someone else do it).