BusinessOperationsResearch.pptx

Business Operations

Introduction to the Project

 Research is done INDEPENDENTLY or in

PAIRS.

 Deciding whether to work alone or with a

partner could be the most IMPORTANT decision you will make in this project.

 IF you choose to work with a partner, you must be willing to accept that he/she will…

 _{(a) NOT do his/her fair share,}

 (b) miss considerable days of school, and/or  _{(c) do poor quality work.}

  _{If you choose to work with a partner you}

agree NOT TO COMPLAIN, and you agree to

Requirements of the Project

 Papers done INDEPENDENTLY = 15

pages recommended; 12 page

minimum – not including title page & table of contents (Arial or Times

New Roman 12-pt. font; double spaced; 1” margins); 30 page maximum

(including appendix).

  Papers done in PAIRS = 20 pages

recommended; 18 page minimum; 30

What is “Authentic Research?”

Your study is conducted on a REAL area business/organization:

 Your workplace

 A business owned/managed by

family/relatives

 A business owned/managed by

friends/neighbors

 A business/organization “of particular

Career Clusters

 _{Business Services includes human resources,}

information technology and personal and contracted services businesses.

 Buying and Merchandising includes retail and

wholesale businesses that provide consumer goods

 Finance includes banks, credit unions, accounting,

investments and other financial businesses

 Hospitality and Tourism includes hotels,

restaurants and tourism-related businesses

 _{Sports and Entertainment Marketing includes}

Your Assignment…

Develop a strategic plan that will

provide new and exciting ways to

restructure, change and update that

business’s website to create a wider

audience and/or generate more

Steps you will take…

1. Decide if you want to work alone or w/ a partner

(by today if possible).

2. Select an actual business/organization to study

(by tomorrow).

3. Find the actual name (with correct spelling) of

the owner and/or manager of your business (by Day 3 of the project).

4. Design a marketing research study (interviews &

surveys) to determine the existing website structure, products and services including a SWOT analysis of the business’s products,

Steps you will take…(cont.)

5. Conduct your secondary research (internet study

of websites; collect any data that already exists for the industry and/or the business/organization itself).

6. Develop instrument(s) to collect primary research

(assemble interview questions; develop survey).

7. Conduct primary research (conduct interviews;

administer surveys); then collect and analyze the results.

8. Develop a list of potential ways to restructure the

Steps you will take…(cont.)

9.

Develop a proposal to improve the

website, including revenue

streams for websites.

10.

Develop a cost analysis of

changing the website

11.

Develop a “presentation”

Guidelines for the Written

Project

I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY



One-page description of the plan

II. INTRODUCTION

A. Description of the Business or Organization—

_{Comprehensive background information about the business} _{basic information: name, location, ownership group/structure}

_{paint a clear picture for the reader about the business including}

its…

_{physical description}

_{primary products and services}

_{target market—describe the typical customer (primary & secondary markets)} _employees

_{primary operations}

_{explain the business’s positioning strategy & distinguishing}

qualities (what are they ‘famous’ for?)

_{mission, business philosophy, image} _{market share}

_{give any historical/background or other information you feel is}

II. INTRODUCTION (cont.)

B. Overview of the business’s current website structure, capabilities, offerings, etc.

 What does the website currently look like?

 Colors, logos, navigation system, homepage

 _{What are the capabilities of the website?}

 _{Can you order, search, browse using the website}  What type of information is provided about the

business, organization and/or it’s products

 _{Who currently uses the business’s website –}

III—RESEARCH METHODS USED IN

THE SWOT ANALYSIS

A. Steps taken to design the study and the instrument

 _{Discuss what you decided to do in order to collect/evaluate} data

 _{How you contacted the business in order to assemble and} analyze existing data

 _{How you conducted research to determine industry-wide data} that was available regarding website and website restructuring  _{Discuss the questions you felt you needed to ask in order to}

get the needed primary data

 _{Discuss how (and why) you designed the various instruments} (surveys, interviews, focus groups, etc)

 _{Discuss how you ‘pre-tested’ your survey instrument(s) to} ensure that your study would be valid and your findings reliable

III—RESEARCH METHODS USED IN

THE STUDY

B. Steps taken to conduct the study

 Discuss the step-by-step process that

you went through to..

 _{Collect and analyze data}

 _{Review of past/current website}

 Discussion of the business or organization's website’s

current audience

 _{Discussion of the business or organization's website’s}

current revenue stream

 _{Conduct interviews of management..}

 Administer the survey instrument(s) to collect primary data

Conducting Research

Information to Gather During

Owner/Manager Interview

Check out the company website (about us) in advance

 _{Begin by clearly explaining your task, and thank}

him/her in advance for being willing to meet/work with you!!

 _{Gather basic information about the business (mission,}

history, what makes them unique, etc.) that isn’t found online

 Review of past/current website

 _{Traffic to website}

 Revenue from website

 _{Current web tracking practices}

Information to Gather During

Owner/Manager Interview (cont.)

 Discussion of the business’s ‘positioning strategy’

(what the owner/manager wants the typical customer to “think” when they think of the business)

 _{Discussion of the business’s ‘market share’}

 _{Discussion of the business’s competitive strengths,}

weaknesses and those of major competition

 Discussion of potential goals management has for

your project (i.e. maintain vs. increase sales,

Conducting Research

Use Survey(s) to collect…

 Determine level customer awareness,

knowledge, preference, and personal use of the website

 Customers’ perception or opinion of the

website

 Customer’s online habits (time spent

online, frequency of online purchasing, frequency of visits to particular site, or types of sites)

 Use/value of website as a method for

researching products/services prior to making a buying decision

 What factors are most important to the

customer when viewing a website (i.e.

Use Survey(s) to collect…(cont.)

at the business (i.e. convenience, selection, service, quality, value,

warranty, brand, savings, promotions, other)?

 What is the primary reason for using the

website (i.e. convenience, selection, service, quality, value, savings,

promotions, other)?

 What does the customer perceive are

the strengths and weaknesses of the business and/or website?

 Buying behavior/spending patterns (% of

shopping done online, catalog, in-store). Amount of customers that use the

Use Survey(s) to collect…(cont.)

 Customer awareness, acceptance of and

preference for the business’s current website (make sure to list them on the survey!)

 Customer level of acceptance of (and

preference for) the business’s past

website(make sure to list them on the survey!)

 Customer level of acceptance of

potential website structures that you have

 Customer demographics

IV – FINDINGS & CONCLUSIONS OF

THE SWOT ANALYSIS

A. Strengths of the business’s or

organizations website

 Internal factors

 Web-site Analysis

 What’s working

 Use the survey results and interview results

IV – FINDINGS & CONCLUSIONS OF

THE STUDY (cont.)

B. Weaknesses of the business’s or organizations website

 _{Web Site Analysis}

 What isn’t working

 Use the survey results and interview results

IV – FINDINGS & CONCLUSIONS OF

THE STUDY (cont.)

C. Opportunities for the business’s or

organization’s website

 Use the survey results and interview results

IV – FINDINGS & CONCLUSIONS OF

THE STUDY (cont.)

D. Threats to the business's or organizations website

 _{EXTERNAL FACTORS}

 What might be a threat to your businesses

website?

 Use the survey results and interview results

V – PROPOSED STRATEGIC PLAN &

COST ANALYSIS

A. Develop a strategic plan to revise and improve the business’s website

 _{Explanation of your personal recommendation} for a strategic plan you have created along

with rationale

 How the plan will impact the business’s website  _Traffic

 _{Customer base}  _Revenue

 _{Any other potential advantages}

V – PROPOSED STRATEGIC PLAN

(cont.)

B. Create a timeline to implement the strategic plan

 Explain, in detail, the tasks that need to be

completed in order to implement each of the recommendations (think ‘from start to finish’)

 _{Explain, in detail, what changes/updates would}

need to be made.

 _{Consider including a ‘responsibility sheet’ showing}

which department/individual(s) will be responsible for completing each task

 Describe in detail exactly when, and for how long

V – PROPOSED STRATEGIC PLAN

(cont.)

C. Develop a cost analysis of revising the website, hosting fees and

technical support

 Discuss/list the costs associated with

each of your planed changes (consider using a table or ‘budget’ if appropriate)

 Carefully consider ALL ELEMENTS that

have a cost associated with them (don’t forget labor hours…including your

V – PROPOSED STRATEGIC PLAN

(cont.)

D. Identify revenue streams for the website

 What are the possible ways that the

website could generate revenue for the company

 List the revenue streams

 Consider using a table if appropriate

 Include the anticipated overall annual

VI – BIBLIOGRAPHY

 Websites from which you gathered any data, whatsoever

 Booklets/brochures describing the community, or business

 Sources of information on industry, economy, etc.

 Sources of information on social networking and the effectiveness of social media

VII – APPENDIX

 Letters sent / received

 Transcripts of interviews & questions  Copies of surveys & questionnaires

I – EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

(content of this section ‘reads’ more like a business letter…outlining your proposal —single-spaced, and needs to fit on one page)

  Start with a statement explaining what you were asked to do…

 Develop a new and exciting way to

restructure, change and update the business’s website to create a wider audience and/or

I – EXECUTIVE SUMMARY (cont).

 _{Briefly describe:}

 _{Your process for analyzing existing industry/company data}  _{Your process for studying}

 Your primary findings of above

 _{Objectives for the proposal (what you plan to accomplish)}  Basic timeline for your proposal

 _{Target audiences and summary of promotional activities}  _{Rationale for each major element of your proposal}

 _{Total cost of your proposed plan}  _{Desired outcomes (major benefits)}

 _{Finish with a sincere request to discuss your}

findings/proposal in person.