Business Analysis
Objectives
This Business Analysis assignment gives you the opportunity tostudy a real business and how it coincides with concepts we study in thiscourse. This activity will make the course “come alive” throughapplication of the principles from the textbook, course materials, anddiscussions. Assignments such as this also help you develop business-orientedanalytical and communication skills.
The development of this Business Analysis is an integral part ofthe course. It will give you the opportunity to demonstrate a goodunderstanding of what it takes to be a successful business today. Completingthis analysis will require several weeks of research, critical analysis,critical thinking, and writing.
The way to do well on this project is to begin early and work onit consistently throughout the entire course as we cover the topics each week.
Overview of Assignment
The BUSN315 Course Project is preparation of a Business Analysisreport of an existing company of your choice. You will research and study allaspects of your chosen company determining if and how the company follows theconcepts and recommended strategies for today’s businesses to remainsuccessful. In Week 1, you will submit a proposal for the company that you wantto be the subject of your analysis; in week 5, you will submit a draft of youranalysis covering topics studied in the course up to that point; and in week 8,you will submit your final report adding topics covered in weeks 5 through 7 aswell as your final analysis of the company.
Companies often hire outside consultants to give them freshperspective on what they are – or are not – doing right in the company. In thisanalysis, you can consider yourself looking at this company, analyzing it fromthe perspective of an outside expert consultant. Your final report mightconclude that the company is doing everything right and should continue as itis, or your final report might reveal areas that could be improved in some way,giving your recommendations on what changes to make and how to make them.
Assignment Details
Conduct research online, on the company’s website, and/or in theDeVry Library, and write a Business Analysis Report studying your chosencompany, following the topics outlined in the Milestones and Deliverablesbelow.
First, identify a company that you would like to study. Thismust be a company that has information you can access either on the internet,or possibly one where you work or have worked in the past. You will need toidentify factors about how the company operates; therefore, you might searchfor available information before you choose a specific company. Most largecorporations will have all company information you need on their internet site.Be sure you can find information on your company before you submit it forapproval in week 1. Your Business Analysis will be much easier for you toprepare if you can easily find the information.
All submissions must follow APA formatting with title page,reference page, matching citations, and APA requirements for the body of thepaper.
Milestones
The Course Project has deliverables in Weeks1, 5, and 8.
|
WEEK |
DELIVERABLE |
|
Week 1 |
Business Analysis Company Proposal Submit a one-page document naming and describing the company that you would like to be the subject of your business analysis course project. Explain why you have chosen this company, what is your interest in this company. |
|
Week 5 |
Business Analysis Draft In weeks 1 through 4, we will study: How businesses have changed over time Environmental factors that impact businesses and cause them to change Global business Business ethics and social responsibility Types of business forms (sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation) Accounting, finance, financial markets In your draft, research and describe the following topics as related to your chosen company: 1. Include an introduction of your company, describe it, when it was established, and what the company provides to consumers. 2. Has the company changed what it offers over the years? Does it sell exactly the products; has it changed what it offers; has it added products? If it has changed or added products, describe the changes or additions. Do they seem to fit with the overall concept of the company as it was when initially started? 3. Does the company take part in global business? If so, in what ways? 4. What is the form of this business? For example, if it is a corporation, what type of corporation? 5. Describe the company’s published code of ethics. 6. Does the company take part in any social responsibility efforts? 7. Does the company sell stock on the open market? |
|
Week 8 |
Business Analysis Final Paper In weeks 5 through 7, we will study: Marketing Management and leadership Operations management Quality management Technology In your final report, complete your analysis by adding these topics that you have researched: 1. Describe the marketing strategies of the company, addressing all four Ps of the marketing mix: what is the company’s product and all attributes; what are the company’s strategies pertaining to place (distribution), price, and promotion? 2. What type of management does the company appear to have? What type of management structure and chain of command are indicated by the company’s organizational chart? 3. What type of leadership does the company appear to have? 4. Can you learn from your research any details of the company’s operations management? 5. Can you learn from your research the extent to which technology and/or automation is used by this company? 6. What type of quality management programs does this company have? What emphasis does it put on quality management? If you cannot find information pertaining to questions 3 through 6, state that you cannot determine this from research available, and then give your recommendation as to what would work best in this company. For example, if you cannot determine the type of leadership in place, describe the type of leadership that you believe would work best in this company. In the conclusion of your final report, give your overall analysis of this business. Does it demonstrate the recommended strategies covered in the course? If not, what strategies are different, and what recommendations would you provide? Ultimately, do you believe this company is on track for long-term success, or do you see problems in its future? |
Weeks 1, 5, and 8 Rubrics: Course Project Paper Proposal, Draft,and Final Report
Week 1 Rubric: Proposal
|
Week 1 Proposal |
Points |
% |
Description |
|
Quality content, clarity of proposal |
15 |
75 |
Proposed company is appropriate for the study; justification for choosing the company is clear. |
|
Editing and formatting |
5 |
5 |
Submission was carefully revised, edited, and proofread. Follows APA guidelines. |
|
Total |
20 |
100% |
A quality paper will meet or exceed all of the above requirements. |
Week 5 Rubric: Business Analysis Draft
|
Week 5 Draft |
Points |
% |
Description |
|
Content |
60 |
60 |
Relevant and high-quality data and ideas presented as a result of thorough research and analysis. Covers all sections listed in Milestones Chart. Follows Course Project guidelines. |
|
Organization and cohesiveness |
20 |
20 |
Report is well organized in a logical sequence and provides a clear, cohesive analysis. |
|
Editing |
10 |
10 |
Report was carefully revised, edited, and proofread. |
|
Content Documentation and formatting |
10 |
10 |
Report includes title page, reference page, citations, and all required APA formatting. |
|
Total |
100 |
100% |
A quality paper will meet or exceed all of the above requirements. |
Week 8 Rubric: Business Analysis Final Report
|
Week 8 Final Report |
Points |
% |
Description |
||
|
Content |
96 |
60 |
Relevant and high-quality data and ideas presented as a result of thorough research and analysis. Covers all sections listed in Milestones Chart including topics in draft and final report. Follows Course Project guidelines. |
||
|
Organization and cohesiveness |
32 |
20 |
Report is well organized in a logical sequence and provides a clear, cohesive analysis. |
||
|
Editing |
16 |
10 |
Report was carefully revised, edited, and proofread. |
||
|
Content Documentation and formatting |
16 |
10 |
Report includes title page, reference page, citations, and all required APA formatting. |
||
|
Total |
160 |
100% |
A quality paper will meet or exceed all of the above requirements. |
||
|
Presentation |
Points |
% |
Description |
||
|
Engagement |
45 |
1. undefined5 |
Slides have been developed that inform and engage the audience. |
||
|
Editing |
45 |
1. undefined5 |
Slides were carefully revised, edited, and proofread. |
||
|
Content |
110 |
55 |
Relevant and high-quality data and ideas presented as a result of careful analysis and creative interpretation, manifesting in a practical implementation plan and given in an effective presentation. Summarizes all sections of the marketing plan. |
||
|
Total |
175 |
100% |
A quality presentation will meet or exceed all of the above requirements. |
||
Paper Guidelines
The BUSN315 Course Project is the creation of a BusinessAnalysis Report (proposal, draft, and final version).
Paper Requirements
Every draft (and the final version) of theassignment must be formatted per ,written in the third person, and include the following:
Running head
Page numbers
Double-spacing
Times New Roman,12-point type font
Headings andsubheadings
In-text citations
Title page
Table of contents page
Reference page
There must be at least one in-text citation for each of thereferences on your reference page. A minimum of five references is required inaddition to the course textbook.
Submit your paper as a Microsoft Word document that is 10-15pages in length, not including the title and reference pages. (The title andreference pages are required but are not counted as part of the 10-15 pages.)
