Assignment: Innovation Project
Companies worldwide are continually challenged with the need for sustainable growth in order to improve their bottom line and keep investors and stockholders happy. These companies utilize internal expertise as well as consider acquisitions and mergers to accomplish this growth. Examples range from Whole Foods adding a Tap Room, Amazon developing a drone delivery system, and Walt Disney adding a Harry Potter theme park.
Project Idea: The Intrapreneur
Task: Each student will adopt one of the companies listed below (only one person per company) and creatively develop a strategic business unit (SBU) in order to improve the health of the company. You should consider your major and include the perspective of your major.
Students will use the provided outline (see below) that considers each relevant topic studied in BA 1101. This project requires further researching and exploring topics in the business school curriculum including accounting/finance, information technology, operations, human resources, marketing, global business, and more.
Step 1: Provide the instructor with your choice of company. Begin doing secondary research on your company. (See instructions on the DB)
Step 2: Conduct necessary research about the chosen company to better understand the health of that company. This should include company history, current situation, and financial status.
Step 3: Develop an idea that will impact the growth of the company. Detail the idea and how it will need support from and affect the other areas of the company (accounting, IT, HR, marketing, etc.).
Southwest Airlines
IBM
Wal-Mart
Whole Foods
Costco
Red Cross
General Electric
Sony
Hilton Hotels
Norwegian Cruise Lines
US Army
Marriott Hotels
Ariat
Lands End
DSW
Mercedes
Toyota
Tiffany's
Revlon
Proctor and Gamble
Cesar's Casino, Las Vegas
Target
Pottery Barn
Barnes and Noble
Walgreens
Budweiser
Yankees (baseball team)
Converse
Aeropostle
Harley Davidson
CocaCola
Papa John's
Disney
Regal Cinemas
Microsoft
Amazon
Sodexo
Virgin Galactic
ImBev
Outline
Internal Report to the CEO
Proposal of New SBU
Cover sheet, Table of Contents with page numbers, all pages numbered, headings for all sections, proper spelling, grammar, and capitalization.
A. Executive Summary
a. Introduce Company
b. Introduce Idea/SBU
B. Company Overview
a. History
b. Current Situation
c. Financial Status (include financial statement found through secondary research)
C. New Idea - Strategic Business Unit
a. Outline of Idea (clear, concise, complete)
b. Production of Product/Service
c. Operations (where, when, how)
D. Marketing
Marketing Mix (4Ps) ; include E-marketing, web presence; social media.
E. Human Resource Implications for New SBU
a. Management model
b. Personnel (can you use current or will expansion be necessary)
F. Financial Implications
Estimate of potential revenue (make sure to use proper terms)
G. Global Business Implications
How will this apply to the company's global market; include cultural aspects.