Instructions

BMGT 364 Project 1 Business Analysis (Week 4)

NOTE: All submitted work is to be your original work. You may not use any work from another student, the Internet or an online clearinghouse.  You are expected to understand the Academic Dishonesty and Plagiarism Policy, and know that it is your responsibility to learn about instructor and general academic expectations with regard to proper citation of sources as specified in the APA Publication Manual, 6th Ed. (Students are held accountable for in-text citations and an associated reference list only). 

Project 1 is due Sunday at 11:59 p.m. eastern time of week 4 unless otherwise changed by the instructor.

Purpose  

In this project, you will complete an external and internal analysis for Great Start Nutrition and the industry in which it operates.  You will research the infant formula industry and use the Company Profile as one resource to complete the project.  

Skill Building: 

You are also completing this project to help develop critical thinking and assessing the external and internal business environment. 

Skills:  Research, Critical Thinking, Writing 

Outcome Met by Completing This Assignment: employ effective planning processes to develop strategies, goals, and objectives in order to enhance performance and sustainability 

Business Plan:

The team lead for Mayberry Consultants has been asked by Warren Pfife to put together, and present in a report format to him, a business strategy that will be a guide for the next year as the new division moves forward.  Mayberry Consultants will be working over the next 5 weeks and will be delivering this comprehensive business plan. The final plan will be laid out as outlined below and developed in two phases. In the first phase (this project), Section II, Section III  and Section IV will be completed.

Section I – Executive Summary

Section II – Environmental Analysis

Section III – Goals and Objectives

Section IV – Competitive Analysis

Section V – Description of Organizational Structure and Culture

Section VI – Breakdown of Product and Services

Section VII – Human Resources Plan 

The business plan will provide the organization an opportunity to explain the goals and objectives of the new division and help with the development of the strategy to achieve them.  The analysis will allow the company to gain insight into the current status of the industry it is venturing into using internal and external analysis tools, and then use this analysis to design its division’s business environment.  In addition, the plan will be used to form the team that will bring the vision for this division to reality. 

This week, the group from Mayberry Consultants has been tasked with conducting an internal and external analysis of the infant food industry, assessing Great Start Nutrition’s future within in the industry and developing the business strategy for Great Start Nutrition as they move forward. You will need the Great Start Nutrition Company Profile to complete the analysis.

External and Internal Environmental Analysis

You have been tasked with conducting a SWOT Analysis of Great Start Nutrition and the infant formula industry; a PESTLE analysis using the location identified in Week 2 Exercise  (You must use the location identified in week 2); and a Porter’s Five Forces analysis for the industry. The group lead has requested that the analysis tools be accompanied with explanations that will breakdown the results of each analytical tool’s discoveries.  With the results of this analysis, Great Start Nutrition leadership should be able to make critical decisions on the types of products (and their corresponding ingredients) the company will use during its initial product line launch.

In addition to the internal and external analysis, you have been tasked with identifying four (4) major business goals that Great Start Nutrition should initially be focused on as it ventures into the infant formula industry.  These goals should focus on defining the entry strategy that the organization should follow as it tackles moving into an industry new to the organization.  These goals should be robust but also attainable.  Having clear attainable goals is great, but the goals also need to have clearly defined and explained objectives that will measure the progress to achieve these goals.  Meeting these objectives should result in the future success of their corresponding goals.  When writing these objectives, ensure they can clearly be related to the four goals established as critical during entry into the infant formula industry.  

Instructions 

Step 1: Course Material

Although you are required to research information for this project, you are also accountable for using the course material to support the ideas, reasoning and conclusions made.  Course material use goes beyond defining terms but is used to explain the 'why and how' of a situation.  Using one or two in-text citations from the course material and then relying on Internet source material will not earn many points on an assignment.  A variety of source material is expected and what is presented must be relevant and applicable to the topic being discussed.   Avoid merely making statements but close the loop of the discussion by explaining how something happens or why something happens, which focuses on importance and impact.  In closing the loop, you will demonstrate the ability to think clearly and rationally showing an understanding of the logical connections between the ideas presented in a case scenario, the course material and the question(s) being asked.

Step 2:  Write an Introduction Paragraph 

The Introduction paragraph is the first paragraph of the paper and will be used to describe to the reader the intent of the paper.  This intent should be understood prior to reading the remainder of the paper so the reader knows exactly what is being covered in the paper.

HINT:  (Consider writing the introduction last to help ensure the main topics are captured.)

Step 3:  PESTEL Analysis

You will develop a PESTEL analysis by completing the following tasks: Discuss Great Start Nutrition's general environment Develop a PESTEL analysis of the infant formula industry that has an impact on Great Start Nutrition;   Provide explanations for the results of each element of the PESTEL using research and the course material.  The analysis will provided specific details that include explanation of why and how – generalizations are unacceptable.

Note:  You may not use a PESTEL analysis that is already completed and available on the Internet.  A zero will result if used as the analysis has to be the result of your research and your own development.

HINT:  Make sure to review the key elements that are covered under each of the six letters of the PESTEL.  You will want to understand and make sure to cover the key elements relevant to the Great Start Nutrition.  The analysis has to discuss the general environment and Great Start Nutrition.

Step 4:  SWOT Analysis

You will develop a SWOT analysis by completing the following tasks: Create a SWOT Table setting it up as follows.  Make sure to cite each item in the table.  Insert the table into the paper.  Note that the table template can be found under the Syllabus module.

   

SWOT

 

Strengths

Weaknesses

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Opportunities

Threats

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Analyze Great Start Nutrition (SW) and the infant formula industry (OT).  The weaknesses and threats should draw from the PESTEL analysis;  Provide explanations for each of the elements of the SWOT using course material and the research done on the PESTEL.  The analysis will provided specific details that include explanation of why and how – generalizations are unacceptable.

Note:  You may not use a SWOT analysis that is already completed and available on the Internet.  A zero will result if used as the analysis has to be the result of your research and your own development.

HINT:  Make sure to review what key elements are covered under each letter of the SWOT.  You will want to understand and make sure to cover the key elements relevant to the Great Start Nutrition for the (SW) and the industry from the PESTEL (OT). 

Step 5:  Porter’s Five Forces Analysis

You will develop a Porter’s Five Forces Analysis by completing the following tasks: Develop the Porter’s Five Forces Analysis providing explanations for the results of each of the Five Forces using research and the course material.  The analysis will provided specific details that include explanation of why and how – generalizations are unacceptable.

Note:  You may not use a Porter's Five Forces analysis that has been completed and available on the Internet.  A zero will result if such an analysis is used as the analysis has to be a result of your research.

HINT:  (Porter’s Five Forces is about the global industry so make sure you understand the industry in which Great Start Nutrition resides.  Also make sure to review the key elements associated with each force.  You will want to understand and make sure to cover the key elements relevant to the industry and Great Start Nutrition. 

Step 6:  Goals and Objectives

Using the results of the PESTEL, SWOT, and Porter’s Five Forces Analyses Identify and discuss four (4) major goals that Great Start Nutrition should look to attain, with explanations as to the importance of each goal and why the goals are relevant to the company’s strategy; Identify how each goal is associated with the PESTEL, SWOT or Porter's Five Forces Identify a minimum of 3 objectives (per goal) necessary to accomplish each goal.  Explain why the objective fits the goal.  Note:  Three is the minimum so to earn additional points, more objectives are needed. Make sure the goals and objectives are not general in nature.  They need to be specific to Great Start Nutrition entering the infant formula industry.

Step 7:  Competitive Analysis

You will perform a competitive analysis by completing the following tasks: Identify Great Start Nutrition’s three major competitors; Using Great Start Nutrition's three competitors, analyze the competition's products and services explaining features, value, targets, etc.  What are the competition's strengths and weaknesses and what is the market outlook for the competition?

Step 8:  Review the Paper 

Read the paper to ensure all required elements are present.  Use the grading rubric to ensure that you gain the most points possible for this assignment.  

Proofread the paper for spelling and grammatical issues, and third person writing.   Read the paper aloud as a first measure; Use the spell and grammar check in Word as a second measure; Have someone who has excellent English skills proof the paper; Consider submitting the memo to the Effective Writing Center (EWC).  The EWC will provide 4-6 areas that may need improvement. 

Step 9:  Submit the paper in the Assignment Folder (The assignment submitted to the Assignment Folder will be considered the student's final product and therefore ready for grading by the instructor.  It is incumbent upon the student to verify the assignment is the correct submission.  No exceptions will be considered by the instructor).

How to Set Up the Analysis

Create a Word or Rich Text Format (RTF) document that is single-spaced, with double spaces between paragraphs.  Use 12-point font.  The final product will be 7-9 pages in length excluding the title page and reference page.  Write clearly and concisely.   Do not exceed 9 pages.

Completing the Analysis

In order to complete this Business Analysis, you will want to first read the module, Learn How to Support What You Write, as this assignment requires you to use the course readings and research to support what you write.  Also,   Read and use the grading rubric while completing the exercise to ensure all requirements are met that will lead to the highest possible grade.   Third person writing is required.  Third person means that there are no words such as “I, me, my, we, or us” (first person writing), nor is there use of “you or your” (second person writing).  If uncertain how to write in the third person, view this link:  http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/first-second-and-third-person.  Contractions are not used in business writing, so do not use them.   Paraphrase and do not use direct quotation marks.  Paraphrase means you do not use more than four consecutive words from a source document.  Instead put a passage from a source document into your own words and attribute the passage to the source document.  Not using direct quotation marks means that there should be no passages with quotation marks and instead the source material is paraphrased as stated above.  Note that a reference within a reference list cannot exist without an associated in-text citation and vice versa.   You may not use more than four consecutive words from a source document, as doing so would require direct quotation marks.  Changing words from a passage does not exclude the passage from having quotation marks.   If more than four consecutive words are used from source documents, this material will not be included in the grade and could lead to allegations of academic dishonesty. You are expected to use the case scenarios and weekly course material to develop the analysis and support the reasoning.   There should be a robust use of the course material along with thorough analysis of potential location information.  Material used from a source document must be cited and referenced.  A reference within a reference list cannot exist without an associated in-text citation and vice versa.  Changing words from a passage does not exclude the passage from having quotation marks.   If more than four consecutive words are used from source documents, this material will not be included in the grade and could lead to allegations of academic dishonesty. Use in-text citations and provide a reference list that contains the reference associated with each in-text citation. You may not use books in completing this exercise unless part of the course material.  Also, do not use a dictionary or Wikipedia. Provide the page or paragraph number in every in-text citation presented.  If the eBook does not have pages, provide the chapter title and topic heading.  If using a video, provide the minutes and second of the cited material.

Self-Plagiarism: Self-plagiarism is the act of reusing significant, identical or nearly identical portions of one's own work.  You cannot re-use any portion of a paper or other graded work that was submitted to another class even if you are retaking this course.   You also will not reuse any portion of previously submitted work in this class.  A zero will be assigned to the assignment if self-plagiarized.  Faculty do not have the discretion to accept self-plagiarized work.