Overview
The final project for this course is the creation of a global business plan. Based on the knowledge obtained in this course and previous coursework, you will examine the entire process of entrepreneurial activities in the global arena, including fundamentals and identifying opportunities, evaluation and risk management, mobilizing resources, managing contingencies and changing contexts, and growth, harvesting, and the exiting of businesses.
You will create an international business plan for a product to be introduced into a foreign country either as a new product or as an extension of a product by an existing company.
You may complete the project individually or as a team of no more than two to three people. You will have access to a group area with your group members and instructor to discuss, edit, and lay out project details. If working individually, you should use this area to discuss the project with your instructor. Each group member must submit a paper for each milestone of the project and the final draft. Although they may differ slightly, the final product should reflect unanimously the group's rationale and philosophies. The presentation may be put together as a group, with each member contributing slides and narration.
While some students may have a specific opportunity in mind that they want to pursue as an actual venture, others may simply work through the project to learn how to apply the various resources and tools that are available to entrepreneurs.
The project is divided in to nine milestones, which will be submitted at various points throughout the course to scaffold learning and ensure quality final submissions. These milestones will be submitted in Modules Three through Ten.
Main Elements
Your Global Business Plan should consist of the following elements:
- Executive Summary
- The mission statement: The mission statement briefly explains the thrust of your business. It could be two words, two sentences, a paragraph, or even a single image. It should be as direct and focused as possible, and it should leave the reader with a clear picture of what your business is all about.
- Date the business began
- Names of the founders and the functions they perform
- Number of employees
- Location of the business and any branches or subsidiaries
- Description of plant or facilities
- Products manufactured/services rendered
- Banking relationships and information regarding current investors
- Summary of company growth including financial or market highlights (for example, your company doubled its worth in a 12-month period; you became the first company in your industry to provide a certain service)- Summary of management's future plans
- Industry Analysis
- Country Attractiveness Assessment
- Market Database and Assessment
- Product/Service Need and Product/Service Value Worksheets
- Financials (breakeven analysis, the 12-month cash flow statement, the 12-month profit and loss projection, and the 12-month sales forecast)
- Assessing Risks worksheets
- Management PlanFormat
Milestone One: Industry Analysis
In 3-4 Final Project: Industry Analysis, you will submit an industry analysis for the selected industry. See the Industry Analysis document attached to the assignment for details. This milestone is not graded separately, but as part of the Milestone Submission element of the Final Project Rubric.
Milestone Two: Country Attractiveness Assessment
In 4-5 Final Project: Country Attractiveness Assessment, you will submit a country attractiveness assessment. It should include the following:
A. Country Overview - This section should provide an overview of the country with attention paid to the external factors that influence how business in conducted within the country. This includes assessing the economic, political, cultural, legal and technological factors. What is the impact that these factors will have on the entrepreneurial venture? Do these factors present an opportunity or threat to the firm?
B. Applying Porter's Diamond - This section will cover the four parts of the diamond model.
1. Factor endowments - discuss how the advanced factors of production can be used to create competitive advantage for the firm
2. Supporting and Related Industries - Identify spillover effects that create opportunities in the market that firms can use to their advantage. Using SIC, NAICS or SITC codes find the key supporting industries that support the industry for your product or service.
3. Demand condition - Assess the home demand for the firm's product or service.
4. Firm Strategy, Structure and Rivalry - discuss the conditions within the nation that govern how firms are created, structured and managed. All using SIC, NAICS or SITC codes identify local competitors and their position with it the industry.
C. Summary - In the summary section you will want to discuss the how the firms will take advantage of the opportunities made available by the country resources as well as discuss how the firm will deals with threats and risks to doing business in the country.
This milestone is not graded separately, but as part of the Milestone Submission element of the Final Project Rubric.
Milestone Three: Market Database and Assessment
In 5-4 Final Project: Market Database and Assessment, you will submit a market database and assessment. You will need to find at least 10 competitors in the country market that you will operate your business. Remember to search for competitors using SIC, NAICS, or SITC codes to ensure that you have direct competitors. Using the Market Database Excel worksheet (attached to the assignment) identify 15 factors to collect data. Decide on factors that will allow you to gain a competitive view of the market and help you determine your strategy in the marketplace. You should consider both primary and secondary sources for gathering the information. Do not forget that government websites can provide some information that can assist you. Be sure to identify the source of the information on the worksheet. Finally, write a one-page assessment of what you have gained from the data collected that will assist you in creating an entrepreneurial venture in the chosen country. This milestone is not graded separately, but as part of the Milestone Submission element of the Final Project Rubric.
Milestone Four: Product/Service Need Worksheet and Product/Service Value Worksheet
In 6-4 Final Project: Product/Service Need Worksheet and Product/Service Value Worksheet, you will submit product/service need and product/service value worksheets. Use the worksheets attached to the assignment. This milestone is not graded separately, but as part of the Milestone Submission element of the Final Project Rubric.
Milestone Five: Financials
In 7-4 Final Project: Financials, you will submit the breakeven analysis, the 12-month cash flow statement, the 12-month profit and loss projection, and the 12-month sales forecast. Use the forms in the website link provided in the assignment. This milestone is not graded separately, but as part of the Milestone Submission element of the Final Project Rubric.
Milestone Six: Assessing Risk
In 8-4 Final Project: Assessing Risk Factors, you will submit the assessing risks worksheets where you will assess three types of risk: general business risks (internal), economic/financial. This milestone is not graded separately, but as part of the Milestone Submission element of the Final Project Rubric.
Milestone Seven: Management Plan
In 9-3 Final Project: The Management Plan, you will submit the management plan. Identify the type of governance structure that will oversee the operational aspects of your business. Also include the type of ownership structure to be used. Finally, create an organizational chart for the firm, including position titles, brief responsibilities/duties, and proposed salaries for the individuals. This milestone is not graded separately, but as part of the Milestone Submission element of the Final Project Rubric.
Milestone Eight: Global Business Plan
In 10-2 Final Project: Global Business Plan, you will submit the final business plan. It should be a complete, polished artifact containing all of the main elements of the final product. It should reflect the incorporation of feedback gained throughout the course. This milestone will be graded using the Final Project Rubric.
Milestone Nine: PowerPoint Presentation
In 10-3 Final Project: PowerPoint Presentation, you will submit a 12-slide presentation of the business plan, with narration. You may create the presentation as a group. This milestone is graded using the Presentation Rubric.
Attachment:- project-milestone.rar