Overview
The assignments in this course are framed around a scenario in which you are hired by a company as a consultant to provide recommendations on solving a problem or capitalizing on an opportunity. You will draw upon your knowledge and skills around operations, finance, marketing, leadership, etc. for each assignment. The assignments will be completed in a PowerPoint presentation template and will be combined into a final pitch deck for your business consulting plan that you can add to your portfolio.
In your course discussions so far, you’ve been asked to choose a company for your assignments and to start gathering data related to a challenge or opportunity the company is facing. Now you will assume the role of a consultant and provide critical data and insights that can inform your future recommendation for an effective business strategy for the company. This assignment is the first part of your business consulting plan pitch deck for the company leadership.
Instructions:
The assignment must be completed in the provided PowerPoint template.
Download and save the Week 3 Assignment Template [PPTX] Download Week 3 Assignment Template [PPTX].
Follow the guidelines provided in the Strayer Library: SWS Guidelines for Slideshow Presentations.
Review the rubric carefully before you begin working on the assignment.
Review your discussions and feedback from Weeks 1, 2, and 3. (These discussions provided specific directions on how to choose a company and how to gather important data)
Using the template, create a seven-slide presentation that will be part of a pitch deck for the company that hired you as a business consultant. Each slide should include 1-2 paragraphs of speaker notes that will be utilized to explain the content to the company leadership during your presentation. (Note: A video tutorial has been provided under the resources section below)
For Slide 1: Title slide: add the name of the company as a subtitle and your name and the date.
For slides 2 and 3 use the information and feedback from your Week 1 and 2 discussions:
Slide 2. Describe the company. When it was founded, what it does, who it serves, and its mission, and vision statements. (Detailed explanations should be placed in the speaker notes.)
Slide 3. Explain the company’s operations, including its location, the number of employees, and the key internal executives. (Detailed explanations should be placed in the speaker notes.)
For slide 4 use the research and feedback from your Week 3 discussion:
Slide 4. Summarize the company’s key financial data. For example, the annual revenue, cash flow, if they are operating net positive or negative, etc. In the speaker notes, clearly explain what the financial data tells you about the company. For example, what relevant insights does the data offer that could inform your recommendation in the next assignment?
For slides 5 and 6 locate or create a SWOT analysis for the company to assess its performance. (see the resources section below for help):
Slide 5. Provide a SWOT analysis for the company that can be used to assess what the company does well and where they could improve their product or service offering. The SWOT can be from an external resource or one you create. (Detailed explanations should be placed in the speaker notes.)
Slide 6. Using the SWOT analysis determine at least two challenges or areas of opportunity the company may be experiencing. Provide supporting evidence as to why the company needs to address the challenge or opportunity. (Detailed explanations should be placed in the speaker notes.)
Slide 7. Sources slide. Use at least three quality sources to support your writing. Choose sources that are credible, relevant, and appropriate. Cite each source listed on your source slide at least one time within your assignment.
For help with research, writing, and citation, access the library.
Upload your completed assignment template as a PowerPoint presentation file (PPT or PPTX) and submit using the file upload function in the Week 3 Assignment.
Note: Speaker notes are not visible in the Canvas preview but will be visible when the instructor downloads them for grading.
Produce writing that is clear and well organized and applies appropriate Strayer Writing Standards (SWS) style. Writing contains accurate grammar, mechanics, and spelling.
This course requires the use of Strayer Writing Standards (SWS). The library is your home for SWS assistance, including citations and formatting. Please refer to the Library site for all support. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.
Resources
SWS Guidelines for Slideshow Presentations
The following tools available in the Strayer Library will help you with your research:
Company, Industry, and Market Research using Business Source UltimateLinks to an external site. (This resource will provide custom guidance for your research in this assignment.)
Business Source Ultimate Library Guide
Business Source Ultimate Database (Tip: Search for case studies as a document type, could also add a NAICS code based on industry and then type the type of issue into the search bar.)
Market Line Company Profiles – Type the company name in the 2nd field. (Note: Your company may or may not be listed here.)
SWOT analyses can often be found under publication type
Library of Congress Research GuidesLinks to an external site. (See their left-hand menu.)
Strayer Library: SWOT Analysis Guide
Sample SWOT Analyses: (Click “PDF Full Text” in the left menu for each item)
Amazon.com, Inc.
Apple, Inc.
The following websites can provide helpful data on budgets and spending:
U.S. National Debt: Implications for Organizations
Government spending (Mind map)
Fiscal Data US Treasury Dept.Links to an external site.
USA SpendingLinks to an external site.
There are also many other relevant internet resources (e.g., Yahoo Finance).
Video tutorial on how to add speaker notes to a PowerPoint presentation:
The specific course learning outcome associated with this assignment is the following:
Analyze a business challenge or opportunity using data related to management, operations, finance, and/or marketing.
View RubricWeek 3 Assignment – Business Consulting Plan Part 1: Gathering the DataWeek 3 Assignment – Business Consulting Plan Part 1: Gathering the DataCriteriaRatingsPtsDescribe the company, including when they were founded, what they do, who they serve, their mission and vision statements. Speaker notes are used correctly for detailed explanations.12.5 to >11.25 ptsExemplaryDescribed the company and their operations including when they were founded, what they do, who they serve, and their mission and vision statements.11.25 to >10 ptsCompetentDescribed the company and their operations including when they were founded, what they do, who they serve, and their mission and vision statements. Description lacked necessary detail or scope for clarity.10 to >8.75 ptsSatisfactoryDescribed the company but did not include all required components. Description lacked necessary detail or scope for clarity.8.75 to >7.5 ptsNeeds ImprovementIdentified 1-2 aspects of the company, but not all and did not provide necessary details.7.5 to >0 ptsUnacceptableDid not submit or did not describe the company./ 12.5 ptsExplain the company operations, including where they are located, number of employees, and the key internal executives. Speaker notes are used correctly for detailed explanations.18.75 to >16.87 ptsExemplaryExplained the company operations, including location, number of employees, and key internal executives. The explanations were detailed and clear.16.87 to >15 ptsCompetentExplained the company operations, including location, number of employees, and key internal executives. The explanations lacked the necessary details or scope for clarity.15 to >13.12 ptsSatisfactoryExplained the company operations, including location, number of employees, or key internal executives. Did not explain all required factors and/or explanations lacked necessary details or scope to be clear.13.12 to >11.25 ptsNeeds ImprovementIdentified one of the aspects of company operations but did not address all requirements in a detailed explanation.11.25 to >0 ptsUnacceptableDid not submit or did not explain the company operations./ 18.75 ptsSummarize the company’s key financial data and explain what this data tells you about the company. Speaker notes are used correctly for detailed explanations.18.75 to >16.87 ptsExemplarySummarized the company’s key financial data and clearly explained how the data provides relevant insights about the company.16.87 to >15 ptsCompetentSummarized the company’s financial data and explained how the data provides insights about the company. Parts of the summary or the explanations lacked clarity, relevance or accuracy.15 to >13.12 ptsSatisfactorySummarized some of the company’s financial data, but missed key data points that are relevant to the assignment. The explanations lacked clarity and/or insights about the company.13.12 to >11.25 ptsNeeds ImprovementIdentified some of the company’s financial data but did not explain what the data tells you about the company.11.25 to >0 ptsUnacceptableDid not submit or did not summarize the company’s key financial data./ 18.75 ptsProvide a SWOT analysis for the company that can be used to assess what the company does well and where they could improve their product or service offering. Speaker notes are used correctly for detailed explanations.31.25 to >28.12 ptsExemplaryProvided a SWOT analysis for the company that can be used to assess what the company does well and where they could improve their product or service offering. Analysis is accurate and includes enough details to make an informed assessment.28.12 to >25 ptsCompetentProvided a SWOT analysis for the company that can be used to assess what the company does well and where they could improve their product or service offering. Analysis is accurate but does not include enough details to make an informed assessment.25 to >21.87 ptsSatisfactoryProvided a SWOT analysis for the company that can be used to assess what the company does well and where they could improve their product or service offering. Analysis has errors and/or is lacking key details that would prevent an informed assessment.21.87 to >18.75 ptsNeeds ImprovementProvided a SWOT analysis that is incomplete or is not related to the company.18.75 to >0 ptsUnacceptableDid not submit or did not provide a SWOT analysis for the company./ 31.25 ptsUsing the SWOT analysis, determine at least two areas of opportunity or challenges the company may be experiencing. Provide supporting evidence as to why it is important for the company to address the challenge or opportunity.31.25 to >28.12 ptsExemplaryUsed the SWOT analysis to determine two or more areas of opportunity or challenges for the company and provided detailed supporting evidence for the need to address them.28.12 to >25 ptsCompetentUsed the SWOT analysis to determine two areas of opportunity or challenges for the company but did not provide detailed evidence to support the need to address them.25 to >21.87 ptsSatisfactoryDetermined one area of opportunity or challenge for the company but did not make a clear connection to the SWOT analysis or did not provide detailed evidence to support the need to address it.21.87 to >18.75 ptsNeeds ImprovementOpportunities or challenges identified are irrelevant or not clearly articulated.18.75 to >0 ptsUnacceptableDid not submit or did not determine two or more areas of opportunity or challenges for the company./ 31.25 ptsUse at least three quality sources to support your writing. Choose sources that are credible, relevant, and appropriate. Cite each source listed on your source page at least one time within your assignment.6.25 to >5.62 ptsExemplaryCited three or more credible, relevant, and appropriate sources.5.62 to >5 ptsCompetentCited two credible, relevant, and appropriate sources.5 to >4.37 ptsSatisfactoryCited one or two sources or one source was not credible, relevant, or appropriate.4.37 to >3.75 ptsNeeds ImprovementCited sources that are not credible, relevant, or appropriate.3.75 to >0 ptsUnacceptableDid not cite any sources./ 6.25 ptsProduce writing that is clear and well organized and applies appropriate SWS style. Writing contains accurate grammar, mechanics, and spelling.6.25 to >5.62 ptsExemplaryProduced writing that is clear and well organized and applies appropriate SWS style. Writing contains accurate grammar, mechanics, and spelling. Errors are minimal (0–3).5.62 to >5 ptsCompetentProduced writing that is clear and well organized and applies appropriate SWS style. Writing contains accurate grammar, mechanics, and spelling. There may be minor errors (4–5), but they do not impact the ability of the reader to understand the writing.5 to >4.37 ptsSatisfactoryProduced writing that attempts to be clear and well organized and to apply appropriate SWS style. Writing contains some errors in grammar, mechanics, and spelling. Overall, errors are moderate (6–7) and have some impact on the ability of the reader to understand the writing.4.37 to >3.75 ptsNeeds ImprovementProduced writing that has noticeable issues with clarity, organization, and the application of SWS style. Errors in grammar, mechanics, and spelling detract from readability. Overall, errors are major (8–9) and have a definite impact on the ability of the reader to understand the writing.3.75 to >0 ptsUnacceptableProduced writing that lacks clarity, organization, or does not apply SWS style. There are significant issues with grammar, mechanics, and spelling. Overall, errors are significant (10 or more), and the reader will have difficulty understanding the writing.