SBM Final

BCN 15039 SMALL BUSINESS MANAGEMENT Task brief_Midterm_Simulation Game_ & rubrics

Task

The task is based on a simulation game. The main objective of the simulation is to allow students to experience the challenges of building and managing a Small

Business in a given market under certain circumstances.

In this simulation, students play the role of a Small Business Manager which is thinking on setting up a business in an emerging sector: the clean tech sector.

In concrete, the student will be the future manager of a start-up which will offer clean and affordable energy to the final customers (on B2C basis).

Thus, the student is expected to work in the following points:

1) Can you explain the main elements that you should contemplate to set up a new small business into that sector?

You must set up and explain:

✓ The purpose of the company and the need to operate into that sector (therefore, the opportunity).

✓ The geographical market where you plan to operate and its relationship with the definition of any Small Business that wants to operate into that specific

market.

✓ A description of your potential customers and their main needs.

✓ Based on the previous, a first approach and design of the strategic line that will lead your business to grow in the upcoming 5 years.

2) Can you define the plans that you will consider to develop when it comes to capturing the previous points and the derived conclusions?

This in an individual work and it will be delivered in the shape of a report which will be submitted in pdf format.

Formalities:

• Wordcount: 2.500 words

• Cover, Table of Contents, References and Appendix are excluded of the total wordcount.

• Font: Arial 12,5 pts.

• Text alignment: Justified.

• The in-text References and the Bibliography have to be in Harvard’s citation style.

Submission: Week 5 – Via Moodle (Turnitin). Deadline: Sunday 31/10/2021 23:59 CEST

Weight: This task is a 40% of your total grade for this subject.

It assesses the following learning outcomes:

• Outcome 1: Distinguish the characteristics, competences and contributions of small businesses, as well as their challenges.

• Outcome 2: Explain key components of the strategic management of growth to small business contexts.

• Outcome 3: Conducting a Small Business Using the Strategic Elements.

Rubrics

Exceptional 90-100 Good 80-89 Fair 70-79 Marginal fail 60-69

Knowledge & Understanding

(20%)

Student demonstrates excellent understanding of key concepts and uses vocabulary in an entirely appropriate manner. The strategic development considers all the elements that a Small Business manager must consider.

Student demonstrates good understanding of the task and mentions some relevant concepts and demonstrates use of the relevant vocabulary. The strategic development is right, yet it could contain more elements.

Student understands the task and provides minimum theory and/or some use of vocabulary. The student understands the importance of a strategy for a Small Business, but it is unable to complete the strategy with the required elements.

Student understands the task and attempts to answer the question but does not mention key concepts or uses minimum amount of relevant vocabulary. / Student does not understand the task or what a strategy means for a Small Business.

Application (30%) Student applies fully relevant knowledge from the topics delivered in class.

Student applies mostly relevant knowledge from the topics delivered in class.

Student applies some relevant knowledge from the topics delivered in class. Misunderstanding may be evident.

Student applies little relevant knowledge from the topics delivered in class. Misunderstands are evident.

Critical Thinking (30%)

Student critically assesses in excellent ways, drawing outstanding conclusions from relevant authors and including the conclusions in the development of the task.

Student critically assesses in good ways, drawing conclusions from relevant authors and references. Yet, student is not able to match conclusions with its own reasoning.

Student provides some insights but stays on the surface of the topic. References may not be relevant.

Student makes little or none critical thinking insights, does not quote appropriate authors, and does not provide valid sources.

Communication (20%)

Student communicates their ideas extremely clearly and concisely, respecting word count, grammar and spellcheck

Student communicates their ideas clearly and concisely, respecting word count, grammar and spellcheck

Student communicates their ideas with some clarity and concision. It may be slightly over or under the wordcount limit. Some misspelling errors may be evident.

Student communicates their ideas in a somewhat unclear and unconcise way. Does not reach or does exceed wordcount excessively and misspelling errors are evident.