LO1: Compare and contrast a variety of strategic models to develop and critically evaluate business start-up ideas.

Your assignment should include a title page. This should include:

• Module Name:
• Module Code:
• Student ID:
• The exact Word Count of the submitted document.

The submission should also include:

• Reference List according to APA referencing
• Appendices if relevant.
• Submission should be in a Word document

The Report submission should not include your name because of anonymous marking.

Word Count: This includes everything in the main body of the assignment (including in-text citations or other in-text references).

The word count does not include a reference list, Appendices, or footnotes.

LO1: Compare and contrast a variety of strategic models to develop and critically evaluate business start-up ideas.

Assessment Criteria: You must consider the Assessment Criteria in answering the assessment. You must underpin the analysis and evaluation of the brief with academic research, utilising APA referencing within the reference list. In-text referencing should be utilised. References should be relevant and accurate concerning the brief.

5 Minute Business Concept Pitch Video Presentation 

You are required to produce a 5-minute business concept pitch video using Panopto.

The Business Concept Pitch should be for an enterprise idea relating to a product or a service which has a USP.

Your initial enterprise idea should describe the product or service with an emphasis on the USP.

The Pitch should include the following:

• Description of Product/Service (USP)
• An outline of the target market
• A competitor analysis
• A SWOT Analysis of the business idea
• A realistic view of where you see the business within a year.  

The pitch should be creative and informative to generate interest and potential investment in the idea.

Dragon’s Den Business Plan Presentation 

You are required to present a 10-minute presentation to your tutor on your final business concept and sell the venture to potential investors. 5 min for Q & A.

You will need to provide the “highlights” and key elements of final business plan.  

Emphasize the feasibility of the business and include realistic assessments and projects for at least one year’s trading.

Your presentation should include:

• The business’s USP with identification of a market gap and how the product/service would fulfil a proposed solution.
• The market for the product/service and competitor analysis
• Business Concept/Model
• An appropriate marketing strategy 
• Competition and Differentiation Strategy
• Financial Aspects- A realistic outline of how the product or service is to be priced, and include all relevant start up and ongoing costs, sales estimates, and an outline of potential profit growth.
• Resources and potential capital request – what are you seeking?
• Projected financial cash flow estimates and timeframe for the investment that clearly shows the break-even point and Return on Investment.

Your presentation should demonstrate:

• A need to sell the proposed venture to potential investors.
• The feasibility of the business is based on realistic assessment and projections.
• The use of recommended resources and materials to provide evidence and support the business idea.
• A clear articulate outline of what the proposed enterprise will do.
• The main elements of the final business plan.

Final Business Plan

Based on your Dragon’s Den pitch to business entrepreneurs, an investor has become very interested in your business idea and has requested that you produce a business plan for further consideration.

LO2: Appraise the impact of various environmental/market/competition factors on the development of a new business.

The Business Plan should cover all the main aspects of starting a business. See the following as a guide:

Executive Summary

• This provides an overview of the whole business plan and its various aspects.
• The New Business Concept/Model
• Identification of the market gap and vision/mission statements based on this.
• SMART business Objectives derived from vision/mission statements.
• How the new business model/concept will be sustainable within the competitive environment  (using competitor analysis and SWOT).

Market and Competitive Industry Analysis

• The external competitive environment should be examined (consider target market, segmentation, positioning and targeting strategy together with competitor analysis.

Marketing Strategy

• Marketing plan, Marketing Mix, Market entry, positioning and differentiating strategy and sales      process.

Operational Strategy

• Operations Approach, business location, facilities, equipment, legal form, sales plan etc.

Business Financial Strategy and Risks

• Start Up costs, sales forecasts, sources of finance, financial statements (Cashflow statements, balance sheets and income statements).

VII. Summary

• Key conclusion from business plan; indicate why the investors should invest.

Word Count:

The word count for written assessments is as noted above, +/- 10% is allowed. This does not include the references list, bibliography list, or appendices list. If you exceed the word limit, any work after the allowed word count will not be marked. Whilst you are not penalised for being under the word count, work that is substantially under the word count will be more limited in meeting the programme learning outcomes.

Late Submissions:

Where there is no agreed request for an extension, a deduction of 5 marks will be made for assignments which are submitted in the 24 hours immediately after the deadline. This means that work submitted one minute after the submission time will lose 5 marks. Subsequent deductions of 5 marks will be made for assignments submitted during subsequent 24-hour periods (not including non-working days), down to a mark of 40% for work of a pass standard and 0% for work of a failure standard. Work submitted more than 5 working days after the deadline will not be marked and a mark of zero will be returned.

Extension Request:

You may apply for an extension request through Envision.

Mitigating Circumstances:

You may request that your late submission be excused by the university. For this, you will have to apply for Mitigating Circumstances.

Please submit a completed Mitigating Circumstances Form and evidence (which covers the dates of the assessment) to the AA for your campus:

Dudley Campus: Savera Kiran - skiran@ldtraining.ac.uk 

Nottingham Campus: Matin Ahmed - mahmed@ldtraining.ac.uk 

Stanmore Campus: Budhathoki Dor Bikram - Please note that the circumstances in which mitigating circumstances apply are contained in the Mitigating Circumstances Policy. You can obtain the policy and a form from the AA for your campus.

Academic Misconduct

If your work is suspected to have breached the Student Academic Misconduct Policy- your work will be graded with the code 11 and you will be contacted by email in relation to the next steps.

Please see the handbook for further details in relation to the Academic