Please submit an Individual Report which will consist of your answers to the two questions which
have been outlined below. Question 1 is divided into four different questions which are relatively
short and are based on your experience working in a group on your Group Business Plan.
Question 2 is a much longer question and requires you to write an essay on a title which you will
find below. The overall length of this piece of work is 3000 words.
The list of references that you will include at the end of both Question 1 and Question 2 is not
included in the word count.
Question Ia – Summary of your Group’s Business Idea (250 words)
You should outline, in your own words, the context and features of the business idea that was
developed by your group in the Group Business Plan. Outline what you feel to be the strengths
and weaknesses of the plan (include in this section, and in your bibliography, any academic or
other references to small businesses and the start-up process that you feel are relevant. You
can also include in this section information on any points that you have learnt from existing
entrepreneurs, including visiting speakers to the university)
Question 1b – Team Work (250 words)
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Please reflect on the roles, specializations, and contributions of team members during your
Group Business Plan work. The team forming process, the efficiency of team work + how the
experience of working in teams can aid your future career development (include in this section,
and in your bibliography, any academic or other references to team working that you feel are
relevant in this section).
Question 1c – Presentation Experience (250 words)
Why is it important to present the business plan instead of just submitting paper documents?
Please provide concrete examples of what you learned, both in terms of presentation
effectiveness and issues concerning your business idea, from presenting the idea during the
Dragons’ Den sessions (include in this section, and in your bibliography, any academic or other
references to pitching a business and delivering effective presentations that you feel are
relevant).
Question 1d – Alternative Scenario (250 words)
You have predicted the growth of your business in the business plan. Looking back, do you think
your prediction was optimistic, pessimistic or just about right? Have you considered alternative
growth trajectories in your business plan? If not, how would the inclusion of alternative scenarios
help to make a better plan?
At the end of Question 1 you need to include a reference list, using the Harvard system, for all of
the references that you have referred to whilst answering the various parts of this question.
Question 2 – Essay Question (2000 words)
Please write an essay with the following title:-
One of the growth strategies a small business might consider is becoming a franchisor. Critically
assess the advantages and disadvantages of franchising as a growth strategy and outline two
tensions that might arise between a franchisor and a franchisee and what strategies could be
used to resolve these tensions?
The answers to Question 2 should be written as an essay with a length of 2000 words. Please
remember that when writing an essay you should include an introduction and conclusion and use
paragraphs, rather than headings, as the way to divide up your work. Please also use relevant
examples when writing your essay which can be from material that we have covered on the
course or from elsewhere.
At the end of Question 2 you need to include a reference list for all references that you have
referred to whilst answering this question. In addition to using online sources you should also
refer to relevant books that have been included in the module handbook, or additional relevant
books that you have found. When using books please reference the page number (or page
numbers) that have been consulted in your in-text referencing. An example of how you should do
this is as follows:- (Barringer and Ireland, 2016 p 236-237).