Mission Statement
Company Description and Mission Statement Attachment
Throughout this course, you will develop assignments that you will later combine into a complete business plan for your chosen company. That final assignment is due in Week 10.
You have a choice between writing a business plan for:
A snack food company.
A startup company of your choice (instructor approval required).
Read the guidelines for each option. Once you select an option, you will work on that company during this entire course.
Snack Food Company Guidelines [DOCX].
Company of Your Choice Guidelines [DOCX].
All discussions and assignments in this class will focus on the company you select and describe in the Week 1 discussion.
Your faculty member will approve your selection in a reply to your Week 1 discussion post.
This Week’s Discussion Post
For this week’s discussion, please respond to the following:
Create your company name and explain its significance.
Describe the product or service you will produce or sell.
If you are focusing on the snack food company, clarify the key ingredients and any flavors you plan to offer.
If you choose your own company, and it is a service company, clarify the service options you plan to offer.
If you choose your own company and product, specify the options (flavors, versions of the product, et cetera) you will offer to consumers.
Develop your company’s mission statement.
Enclose your mission statement within quotation marks.
Reminder: After submitting your post, watch for your faculty member’s approval in a reply to your post. You must have this approval to proceed.
Post at least one substantive comment to another student’s post.
Notes
Use headings for each section of this posting.
Textbook Chapter 5, “Company Description,” pages 67–86, provides additional detail about this topic.
You will revise this week’s discussion posting as part of your Week 3 assignment, Company Description and SWOT Matrix.
BUS599 Strategic Management
Week 2 Discussion
SWOT Matrix Attachment
Complete the SWOT Matrix [DOCX] to highlight the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of the company (as approved by the instructor) you described in the Week 1 discussion.
Your selected company may be a startup company of your choosing or it may be based on the snack food company scenario provided to you.
Include four items in each category.
As you complete each quadrant of the SWOT Matrix, consider these questions:
Strengths.
What are your selected company’s likely strengths?
Is your product or service in a growing industry and does it lack an entrenched competitor?
Are you in a niche market with great potential?
What strengths do you and other team members bring to the company?
Weaknesses.
What are your chosen company’s likely weaknesses?
How entrenched is the competition in your industry segment?
Is your management team inexperienced?
How challenging will it be to produce the product or offer the service and maintain quality?
Opportunities.
What are your company’s opportunities?
Does your segment have more demand than supply?
Have larger corporations stopped serving smaller or niche markets that you could enter?
Is a new market emerging because of demographics, immigration, changing tastes, et cetera?
Threats.
What are your company’s threats?
Does a clear market leader exist that will be hard and expensive to displace?
Are downward-pricing pressures in the segment making profit margins slim?
Are there few or no barriers to entry for new competitors?
Post at least one substantive comment to another student’s post.
Notes
Textbook Chapter 9, “Strategic Position & Risk Assessment,” pages 143–162, provides additional detail about this topic.
You will revise this week’s discussion post as part of your on the Week 3 assignment, Company Description and SWOT Matrix.
Important notes:
1. Complete the SWOT matrix in Word and then copy from there and paste it in the discussion window.
2. DO NOT attach the Word document to the discussion window.
3. Include your company name and a brief description of what business you are in, as well as the product(s) and service(s) you offer for sale. Provide this information in your response for this week to remind everyone about your business.
BUS599 Strategic Management
Week 3 Discussion
Target Market Attachment
For this week’s discussion, please respond to the following:
Describe the target market for your chosen company, whether it’s based the snack food company scenario or a start-up company of your choosing. Be sure to include the following:
Demographic Description: Age, income range, gender, family size, education, occupation, et cetera.
Example: A likely user for X product is a male aged 25–34 who earns between $35,000 and $55,000 per year and has a four-year college degree.
Geographic Description: Area you would like to serve, density (urban, rural), nature of location (mall, business center, et cetera), climate condition.
Example: Atlanta.
Lifestyle Description: Where do your customers shop, what do they do for leisure, what kind of clothes do they wear, what type of cars do they drive, et cetera?
Psychographic Description: How would you describe your target market, for example, socially responsible, trendsetters, or fun-seeking?
Purchasing Pattern Description: How will your target market use the product, how many times will they buy it, where do they buy the product, how do they pay for it, et cetera?
Buying Sensitivities Description: What factors are important to the customer before they buy (price, quality, customer service. packaging, et cetera)?
Post at least one substantive comment to another student’s post.
Notes
Textbook Chapter 7, “Target Market,” pages 105–122, provides additional detail about this topic.
You will revise this week’s discussion post as part of your work on the Week 5 assignment, Marketing Plan and Budget.
BUS599 Strategic Management
Week 4 Discussion
Marketing Strategy Attachment
For this week’s discussion, please respond to the following:
Complete the Marketing Vehicles Table, identifying the marketing vehicles you will use to reach your customers.
Be sure to include the cost of each marketing vehicle.
Add any additional notes under the table.
Delete the italicized examples.
Marketing Vehicles Table
Marketing Vehicle
Frequency
Cost/Month
Example 1
Social Media: Facebook and Instagram
2–3 times per week
$600 per month
Example 2
TV Stations: Local Station, WTC
1 time per week
$1,000 per month
Example 3
Free Samples
2 events
$500 per month
Copy and paste the Marketing Vehicles Table into the discussion area.
Complete the Setup worksheet in the Business Plan Financials Excel Template according to the instructions in the guidelines.
Snack Food Company Guidelines [DOCX].
Company of Your Choice Guidelines [DOCX].
Input the marketing vehicles’ costs into the appropriate areas of the Marketing Budget worksheet in the Business Plan Financials Excel Template.
Attach the entire Business Plan Financials Excel Template to the discussion thread before clicking Submit.
Post at least one substantive comment to another student’s post.
Notes
Textbook Chapter 10, “Marketing Plan & Sales Strategy,” pages 163–194, provides additional detail about this topic.
You will use the:
Marketing vehicles information from this post in your Week 5 assignment, Marketing Plan and Budget.
Information from the Setup and Marketing Budget worksheets in Section 2 of your Week 5 assignment.
If you are new to Excel, you may want to view these LinkedIn Learning courses on working with Excel. These courses focus on performing data entry in Excel.
Build Your Foundation in Excel [Video].
Getting Started with Microsoft Excel [Video].
You may also find these LinkedIn Learning courses on how to interpret a business’s financials useful:
Finance Essentials for Small Business [Video].
Finance for Non-Financial Managers [Video].
Finance Foundations for Solopreneurs [Video].
You may also find Stephanie Morrow’s article “Cost of Marketing: What Is the Average Budget?” on how to set up a marketing budget helpful to complete this discussion and your Week 5 assignment.
Important notes:
1. Complete the table in Word and then copy from there and paste it in the discussion window.
2. DO NOT attach the Word document to the discussion window.
3. With your response, include a brief description of your company: name, what business you are in, and the products or services you offer for
BUS599 Strategic Management
Week 5 Discussion
Operations Attachment
Before working on this discussion post, review the appropriate guidelines for your selected company:
Snack Food Company Guidelines [DOCX].
If you are focusing on the snack food company, use the information contained in the guidelines first. Then add to the information according to your specific product.
Company of Your Choice Guidelines [DOCX].
This Week’s Discussion Post
For this week’s discussion, please respond to the following:
Describe how your business operations will work. In other words, you want to explain the day-to-day flow of activities necessary to deliver your product or service to customers. Wherever applicable, identify costs. Be sure to address the following, if applicable to your chosen business, in the post:
Facilities.
Describe the facility, including its location.
Specify whether it is rented or owned; include any associated costs.
Estimate the cost of utilities, such as water/sewer, gas, electricity, and trash removal.
Production Process.
Describe the production process (how you will produce the product) or describe how your business will operate if retail or service company.
Identify the equipment you will use and associated costs.
Describe the capacity to produce the product.
Explain your approach to quality control.
Explain your approach to inventory, as applicable.
Where do your supplies come from?
What is your turnaround time to produce your product once you have received an order?
Research and Development.
Explain how you will stay abreast of new industry developments.
Describe the new products or services that are in development.
Personnel Needs in Operations.
Specify the number of operations employees you plan to have.
Describe their roles.
Post at least one substantive comment to another student’s post.
Notes
Textbook Chapter 11, “Operations,” pages 195–224, provides examples, worksheets, and a sample operations plan.
You will be using the information from this discussion post and the feedback you receive in your Week 8 assignment, Operations, Technology, Management, and Social Responsibility Plan (With Financials), to complete the Operations section of your business plan.
Note:
With your response, include a brief description of your company: name, what business you are in, and the products or services you offer for sale.
BUS599 Strategic Management
Week 6 Discussion
The Triple Bottom Line Attachment
The concept behind the triple bottom line is that companies are responsible to all their stakeholders. This includes everyone involved with the company, whether directly or indirectly. It also includes the planet on which we all live. This approach views shareholders as very important stakeholders. This approach also recognizes the need for companies to consider other important stakeholders in the company, including employees, customers, vendors, and the larger community.
Before writing this week’s discussion posting, review this MindTools article, “The Triple Bottom Line: Measuring Your Organization’s Wider Impact,” for more details on the triple bottom line.
This Week’s Discussion Post
For this week’s discussion, please respond to the following:
How would you implement the triple bottom line (people, planet, profit) concept at your chosen company, whether you are using the snack food company scenario or the company of your choice?
Keep the following format in mind as you complete this week’s discussion:
Profit: When looking at profit from this theory’s perspective, the idea is that profits will help empower and sustain the community as a whole. Profits are more than just a benefit for shareholders. Briefly explain your approach.
People: Describe your approach to caring about suppliers, customers, employees, and the community. For example, one way to care about employees is to provide a good working environment, training and development opportunities, and health care.
Planet: Explain your approach to minimizing your company’s impact on the environment. For example, your company might develop a process to minimize waste or reduce energy usage, such as using recycled materials in its production process.
Post at least one substantive comment to another student’s post.
Notes
Textbook Chapter 14, “Social Responsibility & Sustainability,” pages 259–270, provides additional detail on this topic.
You will use the information from this discussion post and the feedback you receive in the Social Responsibility section of your Week 8 assignment, Operations, Technology, Management, and Social Responsibility Plan (With Financials).
Note:
BUS599 Strategic Management
Week 7 Discussion
The Business Plan Financials Attachment
This week’s discussion is worth 70 points. Before completing this discussion post, review these resources:
Textbook Chapter 16, “The Financials,” pages 289–332.
Your business plan.
Also review the appropriate guidelines:
Snack Food Company Guidelines [DOCX].
Company of Your Choice Guidelines [DOCX].
This Week’s Discussion Post
For this week’s discussion, please respond to the following:
Complete all worksheets in the Business Plan Financials Excel Template using your business plan and the appropriate set of guidelines for the company, whether it is a startup company of your choosing or based on the snack food company scenario.
If you are working with the Snack Food Company, input the applicable numbers from the guidelines.
Completing all these worksheets will enable you to finalize the Income Statement, Cash Flow Projections, and Balance Sheet worksheets in the Business Plan Financials Excel Template.
Attach the Business Plan Financials Excel Template to the discussion submission area and click Submit.
To do this, choose one of these options:
Click on the Browse the Computer button under the discussion area.
Select the Attachment option within the discussion window.
No additional text needed.
Post at least one substantive comment to another student’s post.
BUS599 Strategic Management
Week 8 Discussion
Plan Assumption and Financials
Before beginning work on this discussion post, review Chapter 16, “The Financials,” in your textbook. You have already read this chapter during the previous week. With your review this week, specifically examine:
“Assumption Sheet,” pages 323–324 and “Sample Plan: Assumptions,” page 332.
“Sources and Use of Funds,” page 317 and “Sample Plan: Sources and Use of Funds,” page 331.
“Break-Even Analysis,” pages 320–321.
The financial plan must be based on decisions and facts. Investors want to know whether your business plan is realistic.
For This Week’s Discussion, Please Respond to the Following
Provide a written overview of the plan assumptions and key financials based on the information contained in your business plan and your Business Plan Financials Excel Template.
Use headings (bold) to address each required topic.
Key Financial
Specific Worksheet in the Business Plan Financials Excel Template where the information can be found
Projected Sales
Sales Projections worksheet
Personnel Overview
Setup and Staff Budgeting worksheets
Financing to Date and Funds you plan to raise from investors
Capital Investments worksheet
Use of Funds
Capital Expenditures worksheet
Break-Even Analysis
Break-Even worksheet
Projected Profits
Income Statement worksheet
BUS599 Strategic Management
Week 9 Discussion
Elevator Pitch Attachment
To prepare for this week’s discussion post:
Watch these LinkedIn Learning videos from the series Giving Your Elevator Pitch with Todd Dewett (use your student login for LinkedIn.com if prompted):
Benefits to an Elevator Pitch.
Making an Initial Connection.
Structuring Your Pitch.
Read Robert W. Bly’s article “The 3-Part Elevator Pitch Formula You Need to Know.”
This Week’s Discussion Post
For this week’s discussion, please respond to the following:
Develop a 30-second elevator pitch for your selected company (whether you’re working with the snack food company scenario or the company of your choice), using the tips provided in the videos and article.
Enclose your elevator speech within quotation marks.
Provide a rationale for the components included in your pitch.
Optional: Week 9 Video Response Challenge
You may choose to make a video of your elevator speech if you wish, but this is not required. This will give you excellent practice for doing a “live” elevator speech someday!
Reminder: If you do choose to make a video of your speech, you still need to provide your written elevator speech that includes a rationale for the components included in your pitch.
You will find this resource, Kaltura Help [PDF], useful when recording your video and uploading it to the discussion thread.
BUS599 Strategic Management
Week 10 Discussion
Presenting Your Business Idea Attachment
Before beginning work on this week’s discussion post, complete these preparatory activities:
See “12 Critical Slides,” pages 349–352 of your text, for a sample PowerPoint presentation to investors.
View Shark Tank pitches for ideas on how to create a brief but compelling presentation of a business.
This Week’s Discussion Post
For this week’s discussion, create a brief presentation addressing the following:
Your business plan is now complete. Imagine you are in front of a group of investors, presenting your business idea and encouraging them to invest in your chosen company.
Title Page with the company name and your name.
Outline of What You Do.
Target Market.
Market Size.
How big is the market or industry on which you’re focusing?
What are the growth opportunities?
Competition.
Who are your key competitors?
Your Management Team.
Who runs the business?
What are their roles and key skills?
Business Model.
How will your business make money?
Financials.
What key financial information does your audience need to decide whether to invest in you and your business?
Funding You Are Seeking.
Why Will Investors Want to Invest in This Business and in You?
Formatting
Select one of these formats:
PowerPoint with notes; no more than 10–12 slides.
Audio over PowerPoint.
Video presentation over PowerPoint
Storytelling (video recording)—no Power Point needed for this option.
Reminder: You have been working with the information for this presentation all quarter in the discussion and assignments. This is not new information. Now is your chance to succinctly show investors what your chosen business is all about and why they should want to invest in you and your company.
Post at least one substantive comment to another student’s post.
Notes
If you select one of the PowerPoint formats, include bullets, relevant images, and the like; do not include paragraphs or full sentences on the slides.
Your presentation needs to impress the investors; make it creative and interesting, while including all the relevant information.
You may find this resource on Kaltura Help [PDF] useful to you if you decide to do a video recording.
BUS599 Strategic Management
Week 11 Discussion
Reflection Attachment
You have learned a great deal this term! You can now bring so much more to the table as a strategic manager. With the knowledge you’ve gained over the last eleven weeks, you’re also better prepared to contribute to the overall success of your team, project, or business.
This Week’s Discussion Post
For this week’s discussion, please respond to the following:
What have you learned in this course and program?
What would you have liked to learn in this class or program that was not covered?
Share three strengths you’ve acquired or existing skills in which you’ve become more proficient during this course.
Post at least one substantive comment to another student’s post.
BUS599 Strategic Management
Week 1 Assignment
COMPANY DESCRIPTION AND SWOT ANALYSIS
Overview
In this first course assignment, you will create a description of your selected company and a SWOT matrix that includes trends, strategic positioning, distribution channels, and risks. You’ve already begun this assignment in your discussions.
In the Week 1 discussion, you chose a company (whether your own or the snack food company scenario) and created a description and mission statement for it. In this assignment, you will need to revise your selected company’s description and mission statement based on the feedback you received in the discussion thread. You will also include a brief narrative that provides the rationale for including each component of the mission statement.
Likewise, in the Week 2 discussion, you began work on your SWOT (strength, weakness, opportunity, threat) matrix. Your task in this assignment is to revise your SWOT matrix based on the feedback you received in the discussion thread. You will also summarize the key learnings from your SWOT matrix.
Reminders and Notes
Before beginning this assignment, you may find it helpful to review textbook Chapter 3, “Making Your Plan Compelling.” This chapter provides useful information about how to organize the information in your business plan.
Your chosen company will operate in a 100-mile radius from your home address. Your goal is to reach $1 million in sales by the end of the second year.
Be sure to follow the guidelines whether you are using the snack food company or the company of your choice.
Snack Food Company Guidelines [DOCX].
Company of Your Choice Guidelines [DOCX].
Requirements
The specific requirements for this assignment are to write a 3–5 page paper in which you:
Describe the product or service on which the company is focusing, including the company’s name and its significance.
Revise the company’s mission statement based on feedback received in the Week 1 discussion thread, including the rationale for each component of the mission statement.
Place the mission statement within quotation marks.
Use the Mission Statement Worksheet on pages 72–73 of your textbook as a guide.
Describe the trends in your specific industry, focusing on your particular type of product or service.
Research and outline industry trends. Be sure to consider the size and growth rate for the overall industry and for the specific product or service on which you are focusing.
Search the Strayer Library, industry associations, and reliable websites for recent data.
Select the strategic position from the course text (pages 146–147) that you believe is the best one for your chosen company and explain how you will implement it to distinguish your product or service from the competition.
Consult Chapter 9, “Strategic Position & Risk Assessment” of your text for help in crafting this portion of your business plan.
Describe the company’s distribution channels and provide the rationale for your selection.
Sample questions to ask when choosing distribution channels:
Will you sell your product in grocery stores, restaurants, or sports venues?
Will you sell your product online or as a subscription?
Where will the service be offered?
Revise your selected company’s SWOT matrix based on feedback from the Week 2 discussion thread and summarize the key learnings from your matrix.
Be sure to use the SWOT Matrix [DOCX] (table) when revising your SWOT matrix.
Formatting
Format your assignment according to these requirements:
This course requires the use of Strayer Writing Standards (SWS). For assistance and information, please refer to the Strayer Writing Standards link in the left-hand menu of your course.
Typed, double-spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides. You may single-space the information included in the SWOT Matrix.
You must include headings in your paper for each major topic.
Include a cover page containing the assignment title, your name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page is not included in the required page length.
Include a source list page. Citations and references must follow Strayer Writing Standards format. All sources used must be listed in the source list page and have a corresponding in-text citation. The source list page is not included in the required page length.
Note: There is no minimum requirement for the number of resources used in this assignment.
Learning Outcomes
The specific course learning outcome associated with this assignment is:
Develop a company overview and SWOT analysis that include trends, strategic positioning, distribution channels, and risks.
BUS599 Strategic Management
Week 5 Assignment
Marketing Plan and Budget
Overview
This assignment consists of two sections:
Marketing plan and sales strategy (an MS Word document).
Marketing budget (using the Business Plan Financials Excel Template).
To successfully complete this assignment, you must attach both documents to the submission area as separate files and then click Submit.
Reminders
Your company, whether it’s a startup you created or one based on the snack food company scenario, will operate in a 100-mile radius from your home address. Your goal is to reach $1 million in sales by the end of the second year.
Be sure to follow the guidelines, whether you chose the snack food company or your own startup company.
Snack Food Company Guidelines [DOCX].
Company of Your Choice Guidelines [DOCX].
Section 1: Marketing Plan and Sales Strategy
In MS Word, write the 3–5 page marketing plan and sales strategy section of your business plan, in which you:
Revise the company’s target market based on the feedback received in the Week 3 discussion thread.
Be sure to include demographic, geographic, lifestyle, psychographic, purchasing patterns, and buying sensitivities in the target market description.
Assess your chosen company’s market competition.
Use the factors listed in the graphic in your textbook labeled “Assess the Competition” (page 125), to assess the company’s market competition.
When assessing the competition, specify the exact company and particular product or service you are competing against. For example, Coca Cola offers a portfolio of products, such as water, fruit juice, and cola. Are you competing against Coca Cola’s fruit juice product? Or its cola product?
Be sure to detail your plan to differentiate yourself from the competition.
Outline the company’s value proposition and create a marketing slogan/tagline for the product.
The value proposition tells your customers why they want to do business with you.
You need to know what message you want to convey in your marketing slogan before selecting the marketing vehicles in the next step.
Specify the marketing vehicles you will use to build your chosen company’s brand and justify the key reasons they will be effective.
Marketing vehicles are ways to promote your product. Examples include social media, sponsored events, trade shows, and sampling. You will use a combination of these tactics.
Planning to use online marketing tactics? Consult the “Online Marketing Tactics” worksheet on page 177 of your textbook to guide your response.
Formatting
Format your assignment according to these requirements:
This course requires the use of Strayer Writing Standards (SWS). For assistance and information, please refer to the Strayer Writing Standards link in the left-hand menu of your course.
Typed, double-spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides.
You must include headings in your paper for each major topic.
Include a cover page containing the assignment title, your name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page is not included in the required page length.
Include a source list page. All sources used must be listed in the source list page and have a corresponding in-text citation. Citations and references must follow SWS format. The source list page is not included in the required page length.
Note: There is no minimum requirement for the number of resources used in this assignment.
Section 2: Marketing Budget
In this portion of your assignment, you will develop a marketing budget. This budget is critical to helping you determine how much it will cost you to reach your market and achieve your sales goals. To create your marketing budget, you will use the Business Plan Financials Excel Template. This is the document you downloaded using the access code you purchased from the Strayer Bookstore.
Reminders
You will complete only the Setup and Marketing Budget worksheets for this assignment; be sure to submit the entire Excel Template, however.
You have already worked on your marketing budget in the Week 5 discussion. Incorporate information from your post and the feedback you received into this section of your assignment.
Instructions
Develop a marketing budget, supporting your marketing plan and sales goals, in which you:
Prepare the Setup worksheet for your selected company based on the appropriate guidelines instructions.
Prepare the Marketing Budget worksheet for your selected company based on the appropriate guidelines instructions. When filling out the Marketing Budget worksheet in the Business Plan Financials Excel Template, do the following:
Begin with the current year and complete a marketing budget for the business’s first two years.
Leave at zero any marketing vehicles you do not plan to use.
Reminder: All marketing activities involve costs. If social media represents a significant portion of your marketing plan, assume you will incur advertising costs; reflect these in your marketing budget. Even if a social media site charges nothing to use it, you will need to use company resources to manage the site, execute your social media marketing campaigns, and most likely pay for ads on that site.
Do not leave the Marketing Budget worksheet blank assuming you will not have any marketing costs.
Do not complete all the rows; only fill in the costs for the marketing vehicles you will actually use. These must match the content you described in Item 4 of Section 1 of this assignment.
Learning Outcomes
The specific course learning outcome associated with this assignment is:
Create a marketing plan for a company that identifies a target market, market competition, a company message, marketing vehicles, and a budget.
BUS599 Strategic Management
Week 8 Assignment
Operations, Technology, Management, and Social Responsibility Plan (With Financials)
Overview
In this assignment, you will focus on these sections of your business plan:
Operations.
Technology.
Management.
Social Responsibility.
Financials.
You will revise the Operations, Social Responsibility, and Financials sections based on the feedback you received in the discussion threads and any changes you want to make to your business plan.
The Technology and Management and Organization sections are new. You have not worked on these sections in your discussion threads.
The assignment consists of two parts:
The business plan (an MS Word document).
Business plan financials (using the Business Plan Financials Excel Template).
To successfully complete this assignment, you must attach both documents to the submission area as separate files and then click Submit.
Reminders and Notes
Your chosen company will operate in a 100-mile radius from your home address. Your goal is to reach $1 million in sales by the end of the second year.
Be sure to follow the guidelines, whether you use the snack food company scenario or the company of your choice:
Snack Food Company Guidelines [DOCX].
Company of Your Choice Guidelines [DOCX].
You are not starting this assignment from scratch. You have already worked on these sections of your business plan in the weekly discussions:
Operations (Week 5 discussion).
Social Responsibility (Week 6 discussion).
Financials (Week 7 discussion).
Part 1: Business Plan
Write a 4–8 page paper, in MS Word, in which you provide the specified information in each section.
Operations Section (1–2 pages)
Notes:
Chapter 11, “Operations,” pages 195–218, provides information about developing an operations plan. The chapter also provides a sample operations plan. You’ve already read this chapter in Week 5. Refer to it on an as needed basis as you work on this section of your business plan.
Assign a dollar amount to each operational cost you find; you will need these figures for your financials (Business Plan Financials Excel Template).
If you are working with the snack food company scenario, be sure to use the information and costs provided in the Snack Food Company Guidelines.
Revise your post and the feedback you received on it in the Week 5 discussion thread to create your operations plan.
Instructions:
Create an operations plan for your selected company expanding on each of these topics:
Facilities.
Consider questions such as these regarding facilities:
Will you rent or buy your facilities, or will you outsource production to an existing company?
If you are renting or buying your facilities, what utilities will be required to run the operation?
What will be the costs associated with any necessary utilities?
Production Process or Description of How Your Business Will Operate If Retail or Service Company.
Include any equipment you plan to use, if applicable.
Research needed equipment, such as machines, refrigerators, burners, ovens, and so on.
Will you rent or buy needed equipment?
How will you maintain and clean the equipment?
How will you ensure quality control?
What capacity do you intend to reach?
If you have a retail or service business, consider any equipment you might need in your process.
Explain your approach to inventory, as applicable.
Where do your supplies come from?
What is your turnaround time to produce your product once you have received an order?
Research and Development.
How will you stay abreast of new developments in the industry?
What new products or services are in development?
Personnel Needs in Operations.
How many operations employees do you plan to have?
What will their roles be?
Technology Section (1–2 pages)
Notes:
Chapter 12, “Technology Plan,” pages 225–234, provides information about developing a technology plan. The chapter also provides a sample technology plan. You’ve already read this chapter in Week 5. Refer to it on an as needed basis as you work on this section of your business plan.
Assign a dollar amount to each technology cost you find; you will need these figures for your financials (Business Plan Financials Excel Template).
If you are working with the snack food company scenario, be sure to use the information and costs provided in the Snack Food Company Guidelines.
Consider the type of technology your selected company will use to conduct activities, such as managing personnel; taking, fulfilling, and tracking orders; managing inventory; communicating with customers and providing customer service; and producing your product or providing your service.
Instructions:
Create a technology plan for your selected company expanding on each of these topics:
Software Needs.
Examples of software you might need include: graphics, customer relationship management, accounting, inventory, and office suite.
Hardware Needs.
Examples of hardware you might need include: computers, monitors, servers, routers, and tablets.
Telecommunication Needs.
Examples of telecommunication equipment you might need include: phones, Internet, fax, and mobile phones.
Personnel Needs in Technology.
Will your technology personnel be in-house or outsourced?
Management and Organization Section (1–2 pages)
Notes:
Chapter 13, “Management & Organization,” pages 235–258, provides information about developing a management and organization plan. The chapter also provides a sample management and organization plan. This chapter was part of the assigned reading for this week. Refer to this chapter on an as needed basis as you work on this section of your business plan.
Be sure to include the salary costs associated with the management personnel; you will need these figures for your financials (Business Plan Financials Excel Template).
Instructions:
Create a management and organization plan for your selected company expanding on each of these topics:
Key Management Employees.
List key management team members along with a several sentence description of each person’s relevant business background and responsibilities.
Advisors.
List any people you will use as advisors for your business; include a several sentence description of these individuals’ areas of expertise and their expected contribution to the business.
Management Hierarchy.
Outline your company’s management hierarchy using the flow charts on page 248 of your text as a guide.
Import/include all charts or diagrams into the MS Word document.
Social Responsibility Section (1–2 pages)
Notes:
Chapter 14, “Social Responsibility & Sustainability,” pages 259–270, provides information about developing your social responsibility plan. The chapter also provides a sample social responsibility and sustainability plan. You’ve already read this chapter in Week 6. Refer to it on an as needed basis as you work on this section of your business plan.
Revise your post and the feedback you received on it in the Week 6 discussion thread to create your social responsibility plan.
Instructions:
Create a social responsibility plan for your selected company expanding on each of these topics:
Impact on Stakeholders.
Describe the ways your chosen company will impact stakeholders, such as employees, customers, suppliers, and the community. This is the people section of the triple bottom line.
What types of benefits (such as health care, flexible work hours, and opportunities for advancement and education) will your company offer employees?
What types of opportunities (such as classes, sponsored events, and assistance to causes and charities) will your company offer the community?
Environmental Impact.
Explain how your company’s activities will affect the environment.
Identify the steps you will take to mitigate any negative impacts.
How will you minimize your ecological footprint in your operations? Consider energy usage, waste disposal, recycling, using recycled materials, et cetera.
Formatting
Format your assignment according to these requirements:
This course requires the use of Strayer Writing Standards (SWS). For assistance and information, please refer to the Strayer Writing Standards link in the left-hand menu of your course.
Typed, double-spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides.
You must include headings in your paper for each major topic.
Include a cover page containing the assignment title, your name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page is not included in the required page length.
Include a source list page. All sources used must be listed in the source list page and have a corresponding in-text citation. Citations and references must follow SWS format. The source list page is not included in the required page length.
Note: There is no minimum requirement for the number of resources used in this assignment.
Part 2: Business Plan Financials
Revise the Business Plan Financials Excel Template based on feedback from the Week 7 discussion thread and changes you make to your business plan.
Be sure the numbers in the Business Plan Financials Excel Template match any numbers included in the Operations, Technology, and Management and Organization sections of your business plan narrative.
Remember that the guidelines, whether for your own startup company or for the snack food company scenario, provide helpful information on completing the worksheets within the Business Plan Financials Excel Template.
Snack Food Company Guidelines [DOCX].
Company of Your Choice Guidelines [DOCX].
BUS599 Strategic Management
Week 10 Assignment
Overview
At this point in the course, you have completed all the necessary sections of your business plan. Your task in this assignment is to create the final version of your plan. You will include all the previous assignments you have been working on and attach the financials.
The key to this assignment is to use the feedback you have received throughout the course to polish your plan to the point that you could confidently show it to investors and potential partners or customers. One new piece you will be including is a 1–2 page executive summary.
This assignment consists of two parts:
Your final business plan (an MS Word document).
Your final business plan financials (using the Business Plan Financials Excel Template).
To successfully complete this assignment, you must attach both documents to the submission area as separate files and then click Submit.
Reminders and Notes
Your company, whether a startup company of your choosing or based on the snack food company scenario, will operate in a 100-mile radius from your home address. Your goal is to reach $1 million in sales by the end of the second year.
Be sure to follow the guidelines, whether you chose the snack food company scenario or the company of your choice:
Snack Food Company Guidelines [DOCX].
Company of Your Choice Guidelines [DOCX].
Part 1: Business Plan—Final
Notes
The executive summary is a critical aspect of this assignment. Your ability to condense and highlight critical information about your chosen company to investors will determine whether they decide to invest in you and your company or not.
Chapter 4, “The Executive Summary,” pages 53–66, provides information about writing the executive summary. You may write either a synopsis or a narrative summary. Pay particular attention to the:
Executive Summary Plan Preparation Forms on pages 58–61.
Sample Plans on pages 62–66.
Instructions
In MS Word, construct a 10–20 page business plan in which you:
Write a 1–2 page executive summary highlighting key aspects of each section of the business plan.
Incorporate feedback to produce a comprehensive business plan for the product or business. Specifically, you will be combining all of the previous assignments and revising them to build your business plan:
Week 3 Assignment: Company Overview and SWOT Matrix.
Be sure to include all the headings from the assignment.
Week 5 Assignment: Marketing Plan and Budget.
Be sure to include all the headings from the assignment; the budget part of this assignment will be addressed in Section 2.
Week 8 Assignment: Operations, Technology, Management, and Social Responsibility Plan (With Financials).
Be sure to include all the headings from this assignment; the financials part of this assignment will be addressed in Part 2.
The written section of the financials from the Week 8 discussion thread.
Be sure to include any financial information that will help to convince the investors.
Formatting
Format your assignment according to these requirements:
This course requires the use of Strayer Writing Standards (SWS). For assistance and information, please refer to the Strayer Writing Standards link in the left-hand menu of your course.
Typed, double-spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides.
You must include headings in your paper for each major topic.
Include a cover page containing the assignment title, your name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page is not included in the required page length.
Include a source list page. All sources used must be listed in the source list page and have a corresponding in-text citation. Citations and references must follow SWS format. The source list page is not included in the required page length.
There is no minimum requirement for the number of resources used in this assignment.
Part 2: Business Plan Financials—Final
Using the Business Plan Financials Excel Template, incorporate feedback from previous submissions to produce a comprehensive set of business plan financials the business’s first two years.
Be sure to refer to the appropriate guidelines for valuable information about how to complete the business plan financials section of your assignment:
Snack Food Company Guidelines [DOCX].
Company of Your Choice Guidelines [DOCX].
Specifically, you will want review and make sure you’ve thoroughly incorporated feedback you received from:
Weeks 7 and 8 discussion threads.
Part 2 of the Operations, Technology, Management and Organization, and Social Responsibility Plan (With Financials).
Learning Outcomes
The specific course learning outcome associated with this assignment is:
Construct a business plan with an executive summary that justifies a clear concept, a management structure, a market need, competitive advantages, and financial projections.
By submitting this paper, you agree: (1) that you are submitting your paper to be used and stored as part of the SafeAssign™ services in accordance with the Blackboard Privacy Policy; (2) that your institution may use your paper in accordance with your institution’s policies; and (3) that your use of SafeAssign will be without recourse against Blackboard Inc. and its affiliates.
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