Focus Competencies In this project, you will demonstrate your mastery of the following competencies: Determine how an organization gains a competitive advantage Determine organizational risk and growth opportunities in order to develop a strategic plan Defend business decisions in support of an organization’s strategic plan Scenario It’s the moment of truth: your opportunity to demonstrate why your new product or service is worth funding. You have done the research and know that the funding you seek can be a game changer for the company. Not only will it produce revenue and profitability, but more importantly, it will strategically set the company apart from its competition. You just have to convince senior management. In preparation, you have created a checklist for yourself to use in compiling information that includes research, feasibility of the idea via the BMC, scope of project (timeline included), project risk mitigation, DEI, CSR, and 24-month pro forma. You know that anything can happen in a funding pitch. With this in mind, you are prepared to answer questions that encompass all aspects of the project. Directions Create a pitch for funding. In this pitch, you will have to convince senior management to greenlight the new product or service. Aspects of the pitch that must be addressed: Value proposition: Describe the company’s current value proposition in the market. Describe the selected company’s main product or service. Discuss the company’s overall strategic plan. Competitive advantage: Describe the competitive advantage the company will gain by funding the project. Describe how you discovered an opportunity to do something better than your competitors. Determine how the new product or service shifts the value proposition of the company. Risks and opportunities: Establish the risks and growth opportunities of the company. Determine if the new product or service could disrupt the current industry. Identify the risks associated with the development of this new product or service. Growth opportunities: Describe the areas of potential growth for the company. Identify the growth opportunities within the company. Explain how the competitive advantage allows for growth. Distinguish as a new product or innovation: Distinguish the new product/service as an innovation or improvement on an existing product/service. Determine if the product or service fits within the capabilities of the company. Note: a company’s SWOT analysis or 10-K is an indicator of whether the new product or service could be feasible. Explain how the new product or service adds to the portfolio of the company. Target segment: Describe the targeted segment. Identify the target customer. Explain your blue ocean strategy. Note: The new market is identified here. Speculate sales: Speculate on the projected sales. Justify your product or service by the numbers; discuss your projected revenue gain. Note: it MUST have an ROI that justifies the project for investors and/or senior management. c CSR plan: Outline the plan to service the community or customers that purchase the product or service. Discuss how the idea demonstrates corporate social responsibility (CSR). Identify what the company has invested in as it relates to the communities they serve. Discuss how a good CSR plan helps the company gain competitive advantage. DEI plan: Summarize how the project will include a variety of perspectives to get a better unique value proposition. Determine if the company has a corporate culture built on DEI. Discuss how the project’s DEI plan fits into the company’s overall strategic plan. What to Submit To complete this project, you must submit one of the following: Funding pitch video or audio recording Film a 15-minute camera facing or audio only recording. It must be submitted as one of the following file types: SWF, MPG, MPEG, RM, MP3, MP4, M4V, M4A, AVI, WAV, RAM, ASF, MOV, RA. You must also submit a speech outline in a Word document with the topics listed in order and a References page. Sources should be cited according to APA style. OR Funding pitch script Your script should be written as if you were delivering the speech, submitted as a 7- to 8-page Word document. Sources should be cited according to APA style. Project Rubric Criteria Exemplary (100%) Proficient (85%) Needs Improvement (55%) Not Evident (0%) Value Value Proposition: Main Product or Service Exceeds proficiency in an exceptionally clear, insightful, sophisticated, or creative manner Describes the selected company’s main product or service Shows progress toward proficiency, but with errors or omissions; areas for improvement may include descriptions that are lacking in detail or inaccurate Does not attempt criterion 3 Value Proposition: Overall Strategic Plan Exceeds proficiency in an exceptionally clear, insightful, sophisticated, or creative manner Discusses the company’s overall strategic plan Shows progress toward proficiency, but with errors or omissions; areas for improvement may include incomplete or inaccurate descriptions of strategic plan Does not attempt criterion 5 Competitive Advantage: Opportunity Discovery Exceeds proficiency in an exceptionally clear, insightful, sophisticated, or creative manner Describes how you discovered an opportunity to do something better than someone else Shows progress toward proficiency, but with errors or omissions; areas for improvement may include descriptions that are cursory or incomplete Does not attempt criterion 4 Competitive Advantage: Value Proposition Shift Exceeds proficiency in an exceptionally clear, insightful, sophisticated, or creative manner Determines how the new product or service shifts the value proposition of the company Shows progress toward proficiency, but with errors or omissions; areas for improvement may include inaccurate or cursory explanations Does not attempt criterion 5 Risks and Opportunities: Industry Disruption Exceeds proficiency in an exceptionally clear, insightful, sophisticated, or creative manner Determines if the new product or service could disrupt the current industry Shows progress toward proficiency, but with errors or omissions; areas for improvement may include discussion that is incomplete or inaccurate Does not attempt criterion 4 Risks and Opportunities: Risks Associated With Development Exceeds proficiency in an exceptionally clear, insightful, sophisticated, or creative manner Identifies the risks associated with the development of this new product or service Shows progress toward proficiency, but with errors or omissions; areas for improvement may include risks that are inaccurate or lacking in detail Does not attempt criterion 4 Growth Opportunities: Company Growth Opportunities Exceeds proficiency in an exceptionally clear, insightful, sophisticated, or creative manner Identifies the growth opportunities within the company Shows progress toward proficiency, but with errors or omissions; areas for improvement may include growth opportunities that are inaccurate or lacking in detail Does not attempt criterion 5 Growth Opportunities: Competitive Advantage Exceeds proficiency in an exceptionally clear, insightful, sophisticated, or creative manner Explains how the competitive advantage allows for growth Shows progress toward proficiency, but with errors or omissions; areas for improvement may include explanations that are lacking in detail or inaccurate Does not attempt criterion 5 Distinguish as a New Product or Innovation: Fit Within the Capabilities of the Company Exceeds proficiency in an exceptionally clear, insightful, sophisticated, or creative manner Determines if the product or service suggested fits within the capabilities of the company Shows progress toward proficiency, but with errors or omissions; areas for improvement may include discussion that is inaccurate or cursory Does not attempt criterion 4 Distinguish as a New Product or Innovation: Overall Portfolio Addition Exceeds proficiency in an exceptionally clear, insightful, sophisticated, or creative manner Explains how the new product or service adds to the portfolio of the company Shows progress toward proficiency, but with errors or omissions; areas for improvement may include explanations that are fragmentary or incomplete Does not attempt criterion 4 Target Segment: The Customer Exceeds proficiency in an exceptionally clear, insightful, sophisticated, or creative manner Identifies the target customer Shows progress toward proficiency, but with errors or omissions; areas for improvement may include discussion of target customer that is lacking in detail or inaccurate Does not attempt criterion 5 Target Segment: Blue Ocean Strategy Exceeds proficiency in an exceptionally clear, insightful, sophisticated, or creative manner Explains blue ocean strategy Shows progress toward proficiency, but with errors or omissions; areas for improvement may include explanations that are cursory or inaccurate Does not attempt criterion 5 Speculate sales: Projected Revenue Gain Exceeds proficiency in an exceptionally clear, insightful, sophisticated, or creative manner Justifies your product or service by the numbers: discusses your projected revenue gain Shows progress toward proficiency, but with errors or omissions; areas for improvement may include justifications that are incomplete or inaccurate Does not attempt criterion 4 Speculate sales: Risks Associated With Sales Exceeds proficiency in an exceptionally clear, insightful, sophisticated, or creative manner Explains the risks associated with projected sales Shows progress toward proficiency, but with errors or omissions; areas for improvement may include explanations that are not associated with projected sales or fragmentary Does not attempt criterion 5 Speculate Profitability: Is the Project Profitable? Exceeds proficiency in an exceptionally clear, insightful, sophisticated, or creative manner Determines if the project is profitable Shows progress toward proficiency, but with errors or omissions; areas for improvement may include determinations that are incomplete or lacking in detail Does not attempt criterion 4 Speculate Profitability: Impact on Functional Areas Exceeds proficiency in an exceptionally clear, insightful, sophisticated, or creative manner Determines the impact to the functional areas of the business Shows progress toward proficiency, but with errors or omissions; areas for improvement may include discussion that lacks detail or does not assess the impact on functional areas of business Does not attempt criterion 5 CSR Plan: The CSR Data Exceeds proficiency in an exceptionally clear, insightful, sophisticated, or creative manner Discusses how the idea demonstrates corporate social responsibility (CSR) Shows progress toward proficiency, but with errors or omissions; areas for improvement may include discussions that don’t address CSR or are lacking in detail Does not attempt criterion 4 CSR Plan: Community Investment Exceeds proficiency in an exceptionally clear, insightful, sophisticated, or creative manner Identifies what the company has invested in as it relates to the communities they serve Shows progress toward proficiency, but with errors or omissions; areas for improvement may include explanations that are lacking in detail or don’t relate to the community being served Does not attempt criterion 4 CSR Plan: Increasing the Competitive Advantage of the Company Exceeds proficiency in an exceptionally clear, insightful, sophisticated, or creative manner Discusses how a good CSR plan helps the company gain competitive advantage Shows progress toward proficiency, but with errors or omissions; areas for improvement may include discussions that are lacking in detail or are not targeted toward helping to gain competitive advantage Does not attempt criterion 3 DEI Plan: The Culture Exceeds proficiency in an exceptionally clear, insightful, sophisticated, or creative manner Determines if the company has a corporate culture built on DEI Shows progress toward proficiency, but with errors or omissions; areas for improvement may include descriptions that are lacking in detail or cursory Does not attempt criterion 3 DEI Plan: Overall Strategic Plan Exceeds proficiency in an exceptionally clear, insightful, sophisticated, or creative manner Discusses how the project DEI plan fits into the company’s overall strategic plan Shows progress toward proficiency, but with errors or omissions; areas for improvement may include discussion that is missing key components or is inaccurate Does not attempt criterion 5 Articulation of Response Exceeds proficiency in an exceptionally clear, insightful, sophisticated, or creative manner Clearly conveys meaning with correct grammar, sentence structure, and spelling, demonstrating an understanding of audience and purpose Shows progress toward proficiency, but with errors in grammar, sentence structure, and spelling, negatively impacting readability Submission has critical errors in grammar, sentence structure, and spelling, preventing understanding of ideas 5 Citations and Attributions Uses citations for ideas requiring attribution, with few or no minor errors Uses citations for ideas requiring attribution, with consistent minor errors Uses citations for ideas requiring attribution, with major errors Does not use citations for ideas requiring attribution 5 Total: 100% Proceed with this script Your script should be written as if you were delivering the speech, submitted as a 7- to 8-page Word document. Sources should be cited according to APA style.
