Critical Analysis of A Case Study in Account and Finance Terms

EE5301: REVISION of CW1 and Guidelines to the Answer Requirements

ASK EXPERT TUTORS FOR HELP IN FIBERCOM BUSINESS PLAN HOMEWORK

• ASSESSEMNT METHODS 1
• THE AIMS OF THE MODULE ARE TO TEACH YOU TO BECOME SUCCESSFUL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY ENTREPRENEURS
• TO TAKE A NEW SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGY IDEA AND PRODUCT CONCEPT TO THE MARKET.
• THE CORE CONCEPT FOR THIS IS THE WRITING OF A PROFESSIONAL BUSINESS PLAN TO SEND TO INVESTORS TO SEEK MONEY FOR YOUR START-UP COMPANY …THIS IS TESTED IN CW1 AND CW2
• CW1 Fibercom Business Plan
• The CW1 is about a Business Plan written by two entrepreneurs in the USA to seek investment from investors in a new technology start up company at the early stages of the optical fibre revolution. The company is not doing well , and has run out of cash to keep going. The entrepreneurs wrote a business plan which they took to several banks and investors to ask for an investment in their company , in exchange for a percentage ownership of their company. The investors all turned down their request. They are upset.
• WHAT IS WRONG WITH FIBERCOM PLAN??
• The two entrepreneurs visit their old business professor and tell him their experiences. He tells them to show him their business plan to see what’s wrong and if he can help them. Τhis is the Business Plan for Fibercom start up company you have been given in order to criticise and find out what may be wrong with it. By doing so you will learn a huge amount about Business Plans and what you need to do when you are writing a business plan as in your CW2.
• WHAT YOU ARE ASKED TO DO IN CW1
• The Case-study provides important insights and learning about how to take a new technology start-up to the market and successfully grow.
• The Questions ask you to examine how these entrepreneurs took their technology to the market step by step …Criticise them , did they get it right?
• And to criticise their Business Plan which describes what they did and what they plan to do in the future : what did they say and what is wrong with it?
• THE QUESTIONS
• You are asked to assess what is good and what is bad about this business plan.
• It is mainly about your judgement on what they are trying to do.
• Remember it is a critique of how they wrote it, the presentation, but mainly the substance of the plan and the content of their arguments .
• THE QUESTIONS TO ANSWER
• What was the business and technology opportunity at the time?
• You can do some research about the market and technology in that market at the time and give a good description.
• There were many directions they could have taken. Did they choose the right option?
• Did they protect their technology and products..??
• Look carefully at their products , and their arguments that they have superior knowledge , and that this will protect them.
• Judge their statements carefully. Are they based on true facts? Are they misleading the investors? There are serious things wrong with their claims and you must find them out and report them.
• Is this why investors rejected them?
• How about their Marketing and Sales?
• What was their sales and marketing expertise?
• Did they use it to their advantage?
• Do they need more marketing expertise in the Team?
• Check their future market claims. What are they based on? Did they already clinch some deals?
• Did they study their competitors? Are you happy with what they say about the idea that they can outcompete their competitors, because of their special, proprietary knowledge??
• What about their financing requests ??
• How did they manage the money they had? Their cash-flow?
• How did they burn their cash?
• How much do they want now? Is it enough for their expansion plans ? How long will this money last ?
• Where will they get money from?
• Would you give them the money they ask?
• How much ownership do you think they will have to give in exchange of this money?
• What is Good and what is bad in their business plan? What is your view and why?
• Having identified the problems , how would you improve things to increase their chances of getting money?
• Not just in writing and presentation but in substance ..so that they raise enough money, build their technology and machines and grow in the future.
• SUGGESTED STRUCTURE OF SLIDES
• Slide 1: The Market and Technology Opportunity
• Slide 2: What was Good about their Plan?
• Slide 3: What was Bad about their Plan?
• Slide 4: Critique of their IPR protection claims.
• Slide 5 : Critique of their Marketing Projections.
• Slide 6 : Critique of their response to Competitors
• Slide 7 : Critique of their finance use and plans.
• Slide 8: How you would improve their plans?
• FINAL GUIDELINES for CW1
• PRESENTATION: prepare 8-12 slides answering the questions asked , in clear , logical order , and rehearse many times to deliver them in 15 Minutes (15%)
• Submit slides on Moodle.
• REPORT : Write a report , ( 1500-2000 words) which explains more fully what you are saying in the slides , in more detail , answering questions fully.(15%)
• Submit the Report.