Small Business Management

For this assignment, conduct an in-depth study of a small business of your choice. The business can be small (1,500 employees or less) but it must have at least 5 full-time employees with a formal organizational structure and division of responsibilities (no single self-employed individuals). The case study draft must be a minimum of 1 and a maximum of 2 typed pages, not including title and reference pages. Part 2 if awarded is extend that page count to 3 – 4 pages maximum of 4 typed pages.

If you choose a franchise, please report on a single site, NOT on the overall corporate franchise. For a franchise, you would need to interview the franchisee or a manager of the specific site.

Items to be reviewed in your analysis include the following:
Part 1
1. Description of company and titles/positions of those interviewed. (10 points)
2. Mission/Vision of the business. (10 points)
3. Company history (10 points)

Part 2 to think about
4. Detailed Situation Analysis: (Total Points 105)
a. SWOT: The company’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats 60 points
b. Analysis of internal and external environmental forces impacting the business 15 points
c. Impact of regulation, technology 15 points
d. Competitive analysis 15points
5. Marketing strategy (10 points)
6. Organizational structure and management (10 points)
7. Company’s perceived competitive advantage (10 points)
8. The company’s future plans (10 points)

You should also give your opinion of the small business, including its competitive advantage, its practices, and its prospects for the future.

Some of this information you will obtain directly from interviews with company owners and management. Other information can be researched using a library’s reference sites. The case study draft must be a minimum of 1 and a maximum of 2 typed pages, not including title and reference pages. Part 2 if awarded is extend that page count to 3 – 4 pages maximum of 4 typed pages.

General Formatting guidelines
 Please use headings to separate topics within the paper. Headings can only be in bold and no cheating do not use extra spaces or font size on the headings.
 Double spaced
 One-inch left, right, top and bottom margins
 Times New Roman font style 12-point font size
 Outline
 Title Page
 Page numbers APA style format
 Reference Page in APA style format (Interviewee must be listed on reference page)