Minor project 1 and minor project 2 are to prepare you for the final major project. Throughout the three projects, you are expected to use the same company of your choice – this company could be your own business, a business idea that you have, a friend’s business, a client’s business, the business/organization for which you work, or a public firm. You may use a for-profit or a not-for-profit organization. It is important that you use a small business as a large business will likely be too complex. Minor Projects 1 and 2 are assessments only. Conduct thorough research of the organization, the environment, the market, and other aspects that will aid in formulating a management plan in the Major Project. You may use interviews with organizational staff, collect organizational data from the firm, and conduct research from outside sources to assist in gathering the needed information. Please keep in mind that the more effort you put into the minor projects, the easier it will be for your major project.The paper should be a minimum of 6 pages, single-spaced, with a minimum of eight references. Below is the outline to be used in the conduct of the assessment: Management Plan – Organizational AssessmentMinor Project 1 Outline

1. Executive Summary
2. General Information – Mission/Vision/Values Statements
   1. Name of Company
   2. Business Structure (sole proprietorship, limited liability corporation, partnership or corporation)
   3. Industry (healthcare, automotive, construction, aerospace, etc.)
   4. Segment (specific area within an industry)
   5. Number of Employees
   6. Products/Services offered
   7. Number of years in business
   8. Location(s)
   9. Public/Privately held
   10. Parent Corporation/Company
   11. For-Profit/Not-For-Profit
   12. Ownership type
3. Mission Statement
4. Vision Statement
5. Stated organizational goals
6. Internal Analysis
   1. Current Strategy – What is the company doing (acquisition, market expansion, new product development, etc.)? The strategy may include low-cost leadership, differentiation, strategic alliances, etc. Other strategies may include vertical integration, retrenchment, joint venture, diversification, focus, etc.
      1. When was strategy last changed? – Has the strategy changed often? Has it been steadfast? If it has changed recently, why did it change?
   2. Corporate Culture – Describe the atmosphere (innovative, competitive, cost-conscious, customer-focused, employee-focused, etc.). Use adjectives to describe the culture.
   3. Planned change programs – Producing new products/services, new technologies, new processes?
   4. Constraints – Any impositions on the company that may hinder changes? May include Owner or board constraints, fiscal, legal, etc.
   5. Quality of control and decision making – Is the organization hierarchical or organic?
   6. Provide Organizational Chart
      1. Provide the lines of authority and communication.
      2. Describe the decision-making process?
7. Core Competency Assessment
   1. Capability - Core competencies provide a competitive advantage and firm performance.
   2. Capability Type – What is the core competence
      1. Valuable capabilities create value by exploiting opportunities or neutralizing threats.
      2. Rare capabilities are possessed by almost no current or potential competitor.
      3. Costly to imitate capabilities are those that other firms cannot easily develop.
      4. Non-substitutable capabilities are that that have no strategic equivalent.
   3. Competitive Consequences – Choose from: Competitive disadvantage, Competitive Parity, Temporary competitive advantage, Sustainable competitive advantage
   4. Performance Implications – Choose from Below average returns, Average returns, Average-to-above average returns, Above average returns

CapabilityType of Core CompetenceCompetitive ConsequencesPerformance Implications                 7. Environmental Analysis (trends/changes)a. Economicb. Regulatory/Legislativec. Demographicd. Attitude/lifestylee. Socio-culturalf. Political/ Legalg. Technologicalh. Other trends i. Provide a description of the trend/change as it relates to the market for the firm

1. Market analysis/summary
   1. Who is the market? – Who is the firm’s customers? Describe concisely (geographically, demographically, etc.)
   2. Who is the target market? – Subset of the total market, who does the firm intend to target for the next 3 years?
   3. What is the size of the target market? – Put a quantity here.
   4. How fast is the market growing (%/yr)?
   5. How far is the market penetrated? – Not just by the firm, but by the entire industry.
   6. What are the customers’ current needs? – What are they seeking? What do they want/expect?
   7. What are the customers’ future needs?
   8. What are the current distribution channels? -  How do the products/services reach the customers (retailers, sales reps, wholesalers, etc.)?
   9. How price-sensitive are customers?
   10. What is the current pricing strategy?
   11. What are some market/customer trends? – What changes are occurring with your customers?
2. Summary