Marketing I – Assignment #1

“The Small Business Discovery”

Project Outline:

Congratulations! As the Senior Business Analyst at M1 Consulting Inc., you have been asked to
provide the senior management team with an analysis of a specific small business the firm may
be looking to invest in, or purchase.

The format of your analysis can be one of three forms. It is your choice:

 Traditional report written in full paragraphs and sentences (no more than 5 pages)
 Video with references included (no longer than 10 minutes)
 Audio with accompanying notes and references (no longer than 10 minutes)

Since this is a busy time for the company, you will work individually or in groups of no more
than two (2) and submit your report. If you plan to work in a group of 2, you must inform me
no later than the end of week 2.

You will choose the small company to analyze, and my recommendation is that you choose a
company that:

1. You are interested in, or think you might want to work for in the future;
2. Has information readily available – either online as a public company, through media, a
rich website, or through other personal means; and
3. Has been established for at least 3-5 years.

My other recommendation is that you select a company from one of the following lists:

The PROFIT magazine Hot 50 list

Companies featured on the CBC Dragons’ Den
Canada’s Top Small and Medium Employers of 2017

If you are have any concerns that your company may not meet these criteria, please let me
know early on.

You are expected to research this company, using at least 3 different resources. You will include
a list of these references at the conclusion of the document. These can include:

 The company’s website

 Other websites
 Books, journals, magazines, newspapers
 Interview with employees or other stakeholders
 Other reputable sources as found
Your manager has asked that this report contain the following sections, at minimum:

1. Title Page to include the name of the company, and your name, instructor name, and
date (not included in page count)
2. Description of the company and business ~ 1 page
Written or described in complete paragraph format, a description of your company
by answering the questions below:
 What type of business are they – profit/non, public/private, industry, ownership
type, etc.? How long have they been in business?
 What is the company’s core business? Product, service, or both?
 What other secondary businesses are they involved in?
 Who are the main customers? What key utility (usefulness) do the company’s
products provide to its customers?
 Where do they do business and/or where are their customers?

3. Industry Analysis ~ 1 page

 Define the industry or industry segment (a more detailed definition of the industry –
i.e. ‘fast food burger’ vs. ‘food’) they are in.
 Who are their main competitors in this industry/segment?
 What is the economic outlook for the industry – and why? Statistics to support?
 Which of the 5 categories of environmental forces will influence future expansion or
contractions of the industry? Include the ones most influential.

4. Marketing Mix ~ .5 to 1 page

 Describe the 4 P’s of the company’s marketing mix in summary.

5. Ethics & Corporate Social Responsibility ~ .5 page

 What is one way that this company demonstrates positive ethical behaviour or
corporate social responsibility? What effect do these examples have?

6. SWOT Analysis ~.5 to 1 page (preferably in table format)

 Assess the company’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats in their
environment. Ensure your internal and external points are accurately categorized.
If the company has control, it is internal….
 Should be summarized or described in point form in a 4 box table, and briefly
described in a short paragraph.

7. References and Bibliography* – final page (not included in page count)

List all references used, including publications and websites

*Please note: please cite/footnote any content that is not your own creation. It is expected
that the vast majority of this report will be in your own words. Use a minimal amount of direct
quotes – only where absolutely necessary. If material is not cited and is not original it will be
considered plagiarism. Please consult your professor if you have any questions or concerns
about this. **There is no required citation format required in this course – use your own
judgement.**
Report Notes:

 The plan should be about no more than 5 double-spaced pages (in MS-Word format
only) or 10 minutes long – not including the title page, tables, charts, or references
page. Headings should be emphasized, and please use a 12 point business font with
page numbers in reports. Please also label each new section using the section
names above!
 The marking rubric is attached for your review
 Electronic copy or link to a video or audio file is to be submitted through
Blackboard ‘Assessments’ (the instructions for submission are in the
‘Assessments’ section) before the due date by midnight. (Please do not send full
audio or video files, links only please)
 DUE DATE: Friday, February 23rd, midnight
 Value = 15% of your final mark

***Late submissions will be subject to a penalty of 3 marks (out of 15) per calendar day
deduction. For example, any reports submitted 5 days late will not be accepted and receive a
grade of 0/15. There will be no exceptions of any kind to this policy.

Be sure to submit early to avoid misadventure.