One vehicle for acquiring an understanding of the entrepreneurial process is through the preparation of a start-up business plan. The focus of this TMA is to select a business idea and create a complete and persuasive mini- business plan. Writing a business plan requires you to ask tough questions about the nature of the business.
The Written Plan: The body of the written business plan should be no more than 10 pages including the executive summary and all financial statements. Plans must include an explanation of the offering to investors that indicate the investment required, marketing plan, operations plan, Financial plans, and management team description.
Analysis of Competition: How Many? Strengths and Weakness?
Market Penetration Projections and Strategies
Marketing Plans
How Sales Are to Be Made
Advertising and Sales Promotion
Manufacturing Plans
Financial Plans
This TMA consists of 20% of your total course grade. It is a team project. Each team will consist of 4-5 students.
Plagiarism: It’s imperative that team members write the TMA using their own words. Plagiarism will be penalized depending on its severity and according to AOU plagiarism policy.
Format: team members are expected to write their answer in an essay format: introduction, body paragraph(s) and a conclusion. Failing to do so could result in the deduction of up to 2 marks from the total TMA paper mark.
Word count: TMAs are expected to be within the specified word count. A 10% deviation from word count limit is acceptable. Not adhering to specified word count could result in the deduction of up to 2 marks of the total TMA paper mark.
Referencing: team members are expected to use the Harvard referencing style for in-text referencing and list of reference at the end. Failing to do so could result in the deduction of up to 2 marks of the total TMA paper mark.
E-Library: team members are expected to use E-library sources to support their answers. A minimum of 3 sources is required. Failing to do so could result in the deduction of up to 2 marks of the total TMA paper mark.