M1 ASSIGNMENT (READ CAREFULLY) 

Assignment 3: Business Plan Breakdown 1—The Choice of Business

This is the first milestone of your business plan—the choice of business.

Tasks:

Complete the following tasks:

Using the Internet or the Argosy University online library resources, research different projects or initiatives that could be implemented in the business areas covered by the program you are registered in (Master of Science in Management [MSM], Master of Science in Organizational Leadership [MS_OL], Master of Science in Non-Profit Management [MS_NPM], or Master of Science in Human Resource Management [MS_HRM]).

1. Read through the final LASA project (Module 5) and identify an appropriate project or initiative on which to complete the LASA project.
2. Create a 4- to 5-page research paper that includes:
   • An explanation of the initiative, its mission, its vision, its core beliefs and culture, and its social responsibility commitment, if applicable.
   • A comprehensive venture description, including the industry in which it will be participating, the type of organization it will be, the needs to be satisfied by this initiative, the strategic advantage it has, and the legal structure it will take.
   • A justification of the choice of this initiative for your final project. (You can use what you have learned throughout the program.)
   • A description of the research methods used to assess the feasibility of this opportunity (e.g., surveys or statistics), including a succinct strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) analysis, to address industry trends, environmental trends, the target audience, and the competition.

M5 LASA (THIS IS JUST A REFERENCE FOR M1 ASSIGNMENT)

Assignment 2: LASA: Business Plan

As discussed in the LASA: Working Ahead section, you will prepare a business plan on a specific project or an initiative to be implemented in the business areas covered by your respective MS program of study.

In Modules 1, 2, 3, and 4, you submitted individual assignments that will be part of the final document. The final document needs to be submitted as the course LASA. In this module, you will consolidate all the information collected throughout the course, organize the information, and prepare your business plan.

Tasks:

Prepare a business plan in a Microsoft Word document with an accompanying Microsoft PowerPoint presentation containing the key points of your plan to serve as a presentation to a group of potential investors. The business plan should focus on a specific project or initiative to be implemented in the business areas covered by your respective MS program of study.

The Microsoft Word document (official plan) should have a minimum of 12 pages, and the presentation should be of 12–15 slides.

The business plan for this initiative should include the following:

• Cover page
• Table of contents
• Executive summary: The executive summary should not be more than two pages and should include the following information:
  • Name of the venture
  • Business idea
  • Target market
  • Type of organization
  • Marketing and sales strategy
  • Key success factors
  • Short-and long-term business goals
  • Management skills and resources
  • Ownership
  • Sources and uses of funds
  • Summary of the financial projections
• Mission, vision, and culture
• Company description
• Opportunity or feasibility analysis
• Marketing strategy and plan
• Simplified financial analysis and projections
• Management and operations (including legal, risk, human resource management [HRM], ethics, etc.)

Note that you can use any business plan template as an aid for preparing the final document. At a minimum, the plan/presentation must include:

• Executive summary
• Mission, vision, and culture
• Company description
• Opportunity or feasibility analysis
• Marketing strategy and plan
• Simplified financial analysis and projections
• Management and operations (including legal, risk, human resource management [HRM], ethics, etc.)

Make sure to expand as necessary to ensure your audience can have a full understanding of your proposed plan.

Submission Details:

• By the due date assigned,  save your business plan as M5_A1_lastname_firstinitial.doc and your presentation as M5_A1_lastname_firstinitial.ppt and submit these to the Submissions Area.