Overview

The assignments in this course are framed around a scenario in which you are hired by a company as a consultant to provide recommendations on solving a problem or capitalizing on an opportunity. You will draw upon your knowledge and skills around operations, finance, marketing, leadership, etc. for each assignment. The assignments will be completed in a PowerPoint presentation template and will be combined into a final pitch deck for your business consulting plan that you can add to your portfolio.

In your course discussions so far, you've been asked to choose a company for your assignments and to start gathering data related to a challenge or opportunity that the company is facing. Now you will assume the role of a consultant and provide critical data and insights that can inform your future recommendation for an effective business strategy for the company. This assignment is the first part of your business consulting plan pitch deck for the company leadership.

Instructions:

The assignment must be completed in the provided PowerPoint template.

• Download and save the Week 3_AssignmentTemplate [PPTX] Download Week 3_AssignmentTemplate [PPTX].
• Follow the guidelines provided in the Strayer Library: SWS Guidelines for Slideshow Presentations
• Review the rubric carefully before you begin working on the assignment.
• Review your discussions and feedback from Weeks 1, 2, and 3. (These discussions provided specific directions on how to choose a company and how to gather important data)
• Using the template, create a seven-slide presentation that will be part of a pitch deck for the company that hired you as a business consultant. Each slide should include 1-2 paragraphs of speaker notes that will be utilized to explain the content to the company leadership during your presentation. (Note: A video tutorial has been provided under the resources section below)

For Slide 1: Title slide, add the name of the company as a subtitle and your name and the date.

For slides 2 and 3 use the information and feedback from your Week 1 and 2 discussions:

• Slide 2. Describe the company. When they were founded, what they do, who they serve, and their mission, and vision statements. (Detailed explanation should be placed in the speaker notes.)
• Slide 3. Explain the company operations, including where they are located, the number of employees, and the key internal executives. (Detailed explanation should be placed in the speaker notes.)

For slide 4 use the research and feedback from your Week 3 discussion:

• Slide 4. Summarize the company's key financial data. For example, the annual revenue, cash flow, if they are operating net positive or negative, etc. In the speaker notes, clearly explain what the financial data tells you about the company. For example, what relevant insights does the data offer that could inform your recommendation in the next assignment?

For slides 5 and 6 locate or create a SWOT analysis for the company to inform your responses (see the resources section below for help):

• Slide 5. Assess what the company does well and where they could improve their product or service offering. Provide supporting evidence. Note: This is the internal environment. (Detailed explanation should be placed in the speaker notes.)
• Slide 6. Determine at least two challenges or areas of opportunity the company may be experiencing. Provide supporting evidence as to why it is important for the company to address the challenge or opportunity. Note: This is the external environment. (Detailed explanation should be placed in the speaker notes.)
• Slide 7. Sources slide. Use at least three quality sources to support your writing. Choose sources that are credible, relevant, and appropriate. Cite each source listed on your source slide at least one time within your assignment.
  • For help with research, writing, and citation, access the library.

Produce writing that is clear and well organized and applies appropriate Strayer Writing Standards (SWS) style. Writing contains accurate grammar, mechanics, and spelling.

This course requires the use of Strayer Writing Standards (SWS). The library is your home for SWS assistance, including citations and formatting. Please refer to the Library site for all support. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.

Resources

• SWS Guidelines for Slideshow Presentations

The following tools available in the Strayer Library will help you with your research:

• Company, Industry, and Market Research using Business Source UltimateLinks to an external site. (This resource will provide custom guidance for your research in this assignment.)
• Business Source Ultimate Library Guide
• Business Source Ultimate Database

• • Market Line Company Profiles - Type the company name in 2nd field. (Note: Your company may or may not be listed here.)
  • SWOT analyses can often be found under publication type

• Library of Congress Research GuidesLinks to an external site. (See their left-hand menu.)

The following websites can provide helpful data on budgets and spending:

• U.S. National Debt: Implications for Organizations
• Government spending (Mind map)
• Fiscal Data US Treasury Dept.Links to an external site.
• USA SpendingLinks to an external site.
• There are also many other relevant internet resources (e.g., Yahoo Finance).