Business Development Proposal Project Assignment

AIM(S) - The module aims to:-

• Provide a critical overview of scenario planning contexts and Case Study Analysis and their application in the development of a viable Business Development Proposal to a "live", presentational, and business launch stage.
• Provide the student with specific opportunities to reflect upon and integrate the knowledge acquired in the modules forming the early stages of the programme within an employability and career development focused learning framework
• Provide the student with the opportunity to develop the skills to communicate proposed solutions and the rationale behind them to an audience of potential investors, peers, business professionals, and academic mentors;

Provide a formal experience in the preparation and delivery of a business venture and development proposal and presentation which is suitable for formal presentation to business investors and for submission for financial investment support.

LEARNING OUTCOMES -

Upon the successful completion of this module, the student should be able to demonstrate the ability to:

• Conceive and undertake, from initiation to completion, an autonomous and independently identified Business Development Proposal in an appropriate approved subject area of enquiry and demonstrate critical expertise, breadth, depth, and detailed knowledge of the subject area through the use of research, analysis, synthesis, evaluation and the formation of critical judgments and conclusions and present these within an approved Business Development Proposal format.
• Demonstrate and articulate a critical awareness and understanding of existing and emerging developments, theories, applications and insights in the subject chosen for their Business Development Proposal and critically analyse theories, concepts and problems, evidence and data, from a variety of sources and contexts using appropriate methodologies, and conceptual and interpretive frameworks.
• Prepare a critically conceived business development proposal at a professional level of presentation, incorporating a business case analysis and proposal; a business model and business plan; details of the context, vision, features and scenarios for the business; areas of innovation, invention or change addressed in the Business Development Proposal and in accordance with the scenario briefs required within the BDP Module.

INDICATIVE CONTENT

• Selection of scenario
• Statement of assumptions
• Review of current position
• Environmental analysis leading to SWOT analysis
• Statement of future desired position
• Gap analysis
• Bridging the identified gaps
• Requirements for implementation
• Outcomes for key stakeholder groups
• Resource implications
• The budget including investment and working capital requirements

Major Project Teaching and Supervisory and Tutorial Support Entitlement

Major Projects are benchmarked against the university regulations for the undertaking and completion of a masters level dissertation/major project. The requirements include the following:-

• Major Projects shall not normally be accepted for assessment unless they have undergone a process of tutorial supervision. The nature and demands of such tutorial supervision shall be made explicit in the Programme of Study Handbook or other formal information provided for students.
• A Major Project study and completion contract should be prepared for each student prior to and confirmed at the start of Part Two in order to formally agree the choice of mode of presentation for the Major Project, the terms of the Major Project supervision arrangements and the time scales for completion and scope of the Major Project .
• The student and the supervisor are expected to form an agreement based on partnership, with both parties providing inputs and having responsibilities. This section is intended to offer guidance to students and to supervisors regarding the amount of support that a supervisor can be expected to provide during the course of a student's Major Project.
• Students must be provided with clear guidelines regarding the assessment criteria for the Major Project.
• The total amount of supervision should not normally exceed 25 hours, including any preliminary work in identifying a Major Project topic, field of enquiry, focus for the Major Project. Tutors are required to keep a record of the supervision time spent with each student, using the university model Postgraduate Taught Supervision Record Form This will include time spent on providing support by different means including phone, e-mail, letter, skype or other form of communications and supervisory support.
• A proportion of the total amount of Major Project supervision as specified in university regulations, may take the form of group tutorials. Such supervision should not exceed 15 hours in total.
• The maximum amount of individual Major Project supervision should not exceed 10 hours per student.
• Within the Major Project contract, it should be agreed that students are required to report to their supervisor at regular intervals, and are also required to produce draft versions of the Major Project, or reports on progress and activity.
• Supervisors are required to monitor student progress on a Postgraduate Taught Major Project Supervision Record Form, reporting absences from tutorials and taking any appropriate subsequent action.

Assessment Component 1 -

Coursework: - Research Reflective Report - 2000 words maximum (In Formal Template Presentation Format)

Assessment Component 2 -

Coursework: - Business Development Proposal - 12000-13000 words maximum.

RESEARCH ETHICS AND RISK ASSESSMENT -

Your research must give due respect to current research ethics which must ensure the consideration of the following issues:

• Scientific objectivity
• privacy-impartial reporting
• confidentiality
• findings reported fairly and accurately

It is absolutlely necessary to ensure that you have undertaken a risk analysis prior to commencing a research project at any level.

This concerns your own safety in all respects, and full security and ethical treatment of your subjects (sources of evidence, by interview, questionnaire survey, business, government and agency concerns as well the rights and regard of individuals who may be contacted or whose data may be used during the course of the project).

The information below requires you to think,  to consider how your gathering of data, approaches and any use made of sources, and yourself may be influenced in the course of the work.

This includes

- respect for sources and their owners intentions and requirements for them, as well as

- your own personal safety and acknowledgement of the work of any contributors, and

- the respect for the anonymity of any providers of information as well as the acknowledgement where their permission to use their evidence has been agreed, and on what terms.

Please submit the Ethics Form as a part of your research proposal. Check each item, consider its relevance. Please seek advice from your supervisor if there are any queries.

Eg: You may be at risk in situations of meeting people.

Others may be at risk in situations of your approraching them for data, and in  terms of restricted information that you must only use on careful agreement with them.

You must allow informants (subjects) to withdraw from investigations if they wish

You must endanger neither yourself or your informants in the process of The work.

You must not deceive any informants.

NOTE - ALL QUESTIONNAIRES THAT ARE BEING SENT EXTERNALLY SHOULD BE CHECKED AND HAVE THE PRIOR AUTHORITY OF THE DISSERTATION SUPERVISOR BEFORE BEING SENT OUT.

Attachment:- Assignment Files.rar