Reference no: EM132704818 , Length: 6455 words

Strategic Enterprise Plan Assignment

Task Requirements

Working individually or in a groups with a maximum of three students, you are required to develop a fully integrated strategic business plan-from initial research through to final implementation/review, etc. of the actual plan.

This will require all keys facets to be considered and of course, to include the key area of implementation and performance measurement. It is not just about the direction but also a sense of how the firm/organisation can successfully implement the plan. Inherent in this is the need to address key risk areas and associated risk mitigation measures the organisation might need to have in place.

Here are some options that could be considered:

1. Start-up Business/Organisation-developing a business case for a non-existent firm. This might be the ‘blue print' for a business you want to start after graduation; and
2. Existing Business-developing a future strategic direction for an existing firm/organisation. Examples might include firms where you have access to good information/data or an ability to develop a VERY sound base understanding.

• High profile/publicly listed firms where there is a wide range of public domain information. Has rarely been done-results were poor mainly because students had far less understanding of the organisation and industry than they thought.
• Case studies-firms where RECENT case studies provide a good base understanding. Has never been done as access to appropriate cases is highly restricted.
• Prior/inside knowledge-it may be a firm that you are working in, or have worked in.

Be realistic about the firm you select. Unfortunately, students have chosen firms, e.g. a global electronics manufacturer based in Japan, when they have absolutely no inside knowledge of the firm. Consequently, the paper is ‘all theory' with no practical insights/strategies.

Examples from recent semesters are:

1. A start-up for a Ballarat-based family run restaurant specialising in African food.
2. A plan for a division of a major regional hospital.
3. A plan for a family business to help its transition the leadership from the founders to the next generation of the family.
4. A plan for an existing regional-based café that employs people living with disabilities.
5. A plan for a new revenue stream for a major not-for-profit organisation.
6. A start-up for an online sports clothing, equipment and entertainment retailer.
7. A plan for the commercialisation of a new, more sustainable building material.
8. A plan for a new Domino's Pizza outlet in Sydney.
9. A start-up for a home-based Indian food delivery and takeaway business.
10. A start-up for a health food café in a Victorian regional town.
11. A start-up for a new maternity and obstetrics health care business in rural India.
12. A start-up for a Ballarat-based retailer specialising in children's shoes.
13. A three year plan for an existing sole proprietor in the funeral services industry.
14. A three year plan for an existing sole proprietor in the domestic cleaning services industry in suburban Melbourne.
Your choice of organisation/firm MUST be approved by your lecturer PRIOR to beginning this task.

A term that is frequently used today is BUSINESS MODEL but there does not seem to be universal acceptance of just what this means. There appears to be some overlapping of terms such as business model, business strategy and business plan which only adds to the confusion. However, putting that issue aside, you should consider how to incorporate a business model into your strategic enterprise plan.

The Proposal

In the early stages of this course you are required to submit a written proposal outlining key factors such as (but not necessarily limited to):

1. Selected firm/organisation;
2. Underlying issues to be addressed, span of the project;
3. Research methodology;
4. Information/data sources;
5. Likely/possible key challenges in developing the plan, etc.; and
6. Key outcomes and timeframes.
This is very similar to a business consultant proposal to a firm-done in response to a request by the firm to have some business planning/business plan developed. This is typically done prior to any detailed work being undertaken and prior to any approval being given. In a commercial situation, this proposal would also include information on costs, etc.

It is hoped that students will agree to the lecturer sharing their proposals on discussion boards in Moodle so that all students have the chance to provide class mates with additional feedback. This is not compulsory but insights from fellow students could benefit the final plan.

On Moodle there are two samples from Mt Helen students for the second semester 2018. They are noticeably different, with one providing far more information but they both address the basic requirements as laid out in the relevant Assessment Criteria Sheet-see the end of this paper. Do NOT just ‘copy' these-they are guides only-they represent the minimum standard I am expecting from final semester MBA students doing a capstone course.

Attachment:- Strategic Enterprise Plan Assignment.rar