Business Profile Report

BUSINESS PROFILE PROJECT

BACKGROUND:

The Business Profile project is worth 40% of your final grade. This course-long research and writing assignment serves as way for you to demonstrate your comprehensive knowledge and understanding of multiple core business concepts. It also gives you the opportunity to develop and reinforce your ability to apply these ideas while you analyze and evaluate the evolution, structure, dynamics, and prospects for success of a real company. Finally, the assignment allows you to explore in some depth the types of businesses, industries, or market sectors that personally appeal to you or otherwise resonate with your career aspirations.

Business decision makers use business profiles (sometimes called “company profiles”) to educate themselves about a particular company’s prospects for success, failure, profitability, growth potential, etc. A good business profile briefly provides an understanding of company’s structure and shows how its management strategies, marketing activities, and financial decisions will impact the business in the future. For that reason, business profiles are often used by, e.g., private businesses during the government contract bidding process; by companies looking to raise funds from private investors or banks; by companies seeking productive partnerships with other firms; or by a firm submitting its tender offer in a merger/acquisition situation.

To sum up,  the two major practical benefits of this assignment include [1] the chance to learn more about a business that could be your future employer; and [2] the opportunity to create a formal business tool you might be expected to produce while employed in many different types of businesses.

INSTRUCTIONS & FORMAT:

There are two separate graded assignments which make up the Business Profile Project: 

• Part 1, Business Profile Report: The written Business Profile Report (300 points possible)
  • A formal, professional writing
  • Worth 300 points to of your final grade in the course
• Part 2, Slide or multimedia presentation (100 points possible)
  • Summarizes the main points and findings presented in the Report
  • Use of Google Slides, PowerPoint, Prezi, YouTube, animation, etc., is strongly encouraged  

PROCESS FOR REPORT: 

Step 1:  First, identify one company (preferably in the Bay Area or California) that you would like to learn more about. Ask yourself whether that company would present a good employment opportunity, either at the present time or after your graduation, completion of your certificate, transfer, etc. After researching your company during the next few weeks, you will ultimately draft Business Profile Report and corresponding presentation providing an overview of your findings.

Then, you should begin researching online. Familiarize yourself with the variety of information you can locate about the company you choose. Most companies list on their Web pages much of the types of information listed below.

Step 2:  Outline & Approval:  By Sunday, September 20, 11:59p, be sure to share your selected company with the class in that week’s discussion board assignment. The Instructor will provide feedback, coaching, and point toward research sources as appropriate.

Step 3: Final Draft & Presentation: The due date for the Report and the Presentation is set for  November 22, 2020, 11:59p.

The business world highly values employees with solid collaboration and communication skills. In this course, students are encouraged (but no required) to work in teams on the Business Profile project. To find a teammate, can post a message in the discussion room named Students Questions and Feedback.

FORMAT FOR REPORT: 

INTRODUCTION:  Describe the purpose and contents of the report          .

COMPANY BACKGROUND:  Introduce your company.

• Company name and form of business organization (legal entity)
  • sole proprietorship, limited partnership, corporation, etc.
• Company logo, key trademarks, etc.
• Company slogan
• Head office address (may include number of franchises)
• Company status
• Brief history on the formation of the company: who, when , why, how, where
• Number of employees
• List of products
• References
• Success stories
• Certifications (LEED, USDA organic, B-Corporation, etc. )
• Type of industry (retail, restaurant, service organization, manufacturing, etc.)
• Company mission, vision, values philosophy, etc.
  • Ethical Considerations: Has the company recently faced any ethical/social responsibility challenges? If so, what is the present status?
• Types of positions (jobs) available within the company
• Education level preferred/required for each type of job
• Number of employees employed (locally & nationally-if applicable)
• Types of benefits available to employees at each staffing level
• Average salary for each position level
• Company’s Accomplishments or Awards received
• Pertinent Financial information:
  • Profits/Losses,
  • Revenues/Expenses, other sales figures
  • Stock options/stock dividends
  • NOTE: If the company’s financial data is difficult to locate, consult with the Instructor or move on if you get stuck
• Interesting facts about the company or other related company information that would be beneficial to share with people who are interested in acquiring a job with that company.

MANAGEMENT:  

• Strategic Planning: What major strategic initiatives has the company recently undertaken? Why?
  • Mergers, acquisitions
  • Entry into new markets
  • Sale of major assets
  • Elimination of jobs
  • How has the company responded to recent changes in the global economy?
• Leadership:

Does the company have distinctive corporate culture?

How would you describe the leadership style of the CEO/upper management?

MARKETING:

• What forms of marketing does this company use?
  • radio, television
  • newspaper
  • mail, web, flyers, etc.?
  • can you get access to any examples?
• what is the budget used for marketing compared to other companies of similar products and or services?
• which representatives or celebrities are used to promote or endorse the company?
• what type of market share do they have?
• what is the target audience?
• how would you describe the company’s brand image and why? (positive, negative, contributor to the community, etc.)

FURTHER GUIDANCE:

• FONT:  The report must be typed in 12-point font for the body of the paper. Headings can be 14-point font.
• LENGTH:  600—1200 words (i.e., 2—4 double-spaced, typed pages
• CONTENT:  Please closely consult the assignment rubric as you outline and draft your Report. The rubric requires you to analyze a minimum number of  concepts within each listed section (company background, management, and marketing).
• CITATION:  The Report must cite all sources you use using APA or MLA format.
  The Report must include in-text citations to appropriately give credit to sources immediately after quoting or paraphrasing information derived from those sources.
  • Note: In-text citations are required after each sentence or paragraph where the Report relies on facts, data, statistics, quotes, paraphrases, or other supporting evidence that is not personally known by the author (i.e., you had to look up that information somewhere).
• PROCESS, PUNCTUATION, GRAMMAR & MECHANICS: 
  • The Report should be proofread. It must contain minimal errors to be considered professional and acceptable within the workplace.
  • Section headings and sub-headings are required to help the reader navigate the report and guide your own thinking.
  • The Report can include images like infographics, tables, graphs, charts, pictures, logos, etc. to enhance its visual impact.
• SLIDE DECKS & MULTIMEDIA: 
  • If you submit a slide presentation, it should consist of 4—6 slides and should outline and summarize key information detailed in the Report. For example, you might create slides which match the headings and subheadings in your report such as: company overview, positions available, salaries, benefits, major management initiatives, current marketing campaigns, sector growth, etc.
  • If you are submitting a video, recorded slide show, or using other multimedia modes, be sure that the final presentation is no longer than 3—5 minutes.