Title page
Assessment
Assessment I
Brief summary
a. Regulatory and legislative outline
The legislative and regulatory framework of BBQfun emphasizes on adoption of environmentally sound business practices. The organization is operating in Australia and abide by all laws that comply with the legislation and influence business activities. The company fulfills the legal and ethical requirements that increase future opportunities for BBQfun. Company’s disengagement from related environmental issues and strong corporate social responsibility makes it strong among competitors. The company exhibits accurate financial information and fair prices reflecting the company's ethical concerns. Australian Consumer Law (ACL) 2011 is incorporated for consumer rights on goods and services, unfair contract term laws and product safety laws.
b. Policies and procedures
The sales and marketing policies focus on complying with the ethical and legal standards in advertising. It adheres with the Advertising Standard Bureau (ABS) code of conduct. Employee policies provide guidance about their duties and code of conduct. The procedures ensure that the management carries its operations fairly and transparently according to the organizational requirements. The Human Resource policy focus on adopting procedures for monitoring the performance of employees according to the designed metrics.
c. Operational plan
The company earned a gross profit of $6,67,000 in the year 2013. The sales of BBQfun recorded for the same year are $11,000,000 while the company spends $8,000 on marketing opportunities. The profits increased compared to the previous year’s indicating the improved condition of BBQfun in the retail business. Organizational profile and client’s response indicates the standing of the company. The company profile of BBQfun increased by 20% with enhanced client satisfaction of 25%. Increased sales and profits depict the capacity for increasing operations.
The company lacks an online presence that affects customers' trends and profitability. BBQfun can increase its online presence by investing in e-commerce facilities. E-commerce provides a practical solution to target new customers outside Queensland. The digital existence of BBQfun can target more customers in urban and suburban areas. E-commerce is also advisable for international expansion.
c. Setting goals
To adopt B2B for allowing the firm to manage operations and supplies more efficiently. The process minimizes the risks of ordering products of low-quality or raw materials. The overall efficiency of the firm improves through B2B.
investments in advertising across different platforms for increasing customer base. Competitors of retails lifestyle goods at Queensland spend huge amounts on advertising. Through online advertising, the firm increases its market share. Ad inserts and PR campaigns are important tools for deriving revenues.
Adopting telemarketing as a more influential tool for addressing customers at east Queensland. The household survey provides an idea about the potential customers that the company can use for targeting them for product sales.
The company aims at enhancing its digital media presence by creating an impressive website. The company can hire the services of digital businesses for representing amazing ideas. Digital website will influence the presence of the company by targeting online users. Youth interacts with social sites and sites regularly that provide increased the incentive to BBQQfun. The company will assess the digital capabilities of competitors in the field of a retail lifestyle product. The company reviews its online presence and impact of innovative strategy on the client-organizational relationship.
To build an innovative strategy that a company adopts for enhancing online selling.
The online existence of the company provides convenience and reduced cost to customers. Increased efficiency improves business operations.
E-commerce reduces direct and indirect costs involved in business operations. It also helps in establishing strong connections with suppliers.
Using e-commerce activities in the management of office space and making resources more efficiently.
Performance monitoring
The performance will be evaluated on the basis of growth and profits. Two marketing opportunities selected by BBQfun include the production of high-quality products and affordable pricing. The company attains many benefits through the chosen strategies. Marketing opportunities have a significant role in building customers loyalty. The company expects an increase in customer loyalty by 16,000 customers.
Effect on sales volume
Quality directly influence the purchase decisions of customers. BBQfun has loyal customers due to import quality. The sales comparing prices of BBQfun with competitors depicts customers to find them more favorable. Sales are expected to increase under the influence of marketing opportunities.
Offering reasonable prices and good quality at new marketplaces will encourage customers to buy products that increase revenues and profits of BBQfun. Marketing opportunities have direct relevance to the growth potential of the company. BBQfun experienced a growth rate of 7 percent due to the adoption of affordable pricing strategy.
Market share
Pricing and quality have a positive association with market share. Irrespective of the existence of competitors the company maintains dominance due to fair pricing policy. BBQfun's focus on offering differentiated products at an affordable price resulted in customers increase. The long-term impact of marketing opportunities involves an increase in market share by 7 percent.
Profitability
The profit analysis of BBQfun during the year 2013- 2014 depicts the significant impact of marketing opportunities. The company earned a profit of $667,000 indicating an increase of at least 5 percent from the previous year. Targeting new markets with the two opportunities will raise profits of the company.
Consultation roles
a. Sales and marketing manager
Sales and marketing manager will be responsible for the selling strategy by offering products in the online store. Stocks will be maintained without extra costs in existing stores. The aims will be to own sale brand, sell products through e-commerce and at bargaining prices.
b. Technology consultant
The technology consultant defines the technologies needed for the business such as database system, improved internet connections and assist in designing efficient software systems. Technology consultant will improve the online inventory control and develop an effective online system for customers.
The action plan of e-commerce
The implementation of the e-commerce strategy depends on physical and human resources.
a. Physical resources
Milestone: action/ objective
Date
Person responsible
Budget/ resources
Tangible resources
Buying computing devices such as a server, workstation, and mobile devices.
10-03-2019.
Investors, financial manager.
$10,000
Electronic media: transient media, cable-based medium, wireless medium.
15-03-2019
Investors, financial manager.
$10,000
Building network infrastructure: internet, extranet, intranet.
25-03-2019
Investors, financial manager.
$15,000
Intangible resources
Specification for storing documents on a persistent electronic medium.
10-04-2019
Investors, financial manager.
$10,000
Electronic payment method
20-04-2019
Investors, financial manager.
$15,000
License and intellectual property
15-05-2019
Investors, financial manager.
$10,000
Software for completing infrastructure system level.
25-05-2019
Investors, financial manager.
$5,000
Server operation system DBMS.
10-06-2019
Investors, financial manager.
$5,000
b. Human resources
It provides an abstraction of the people, employees and their roles. For the e-commerce activities, BBQfun will require employees that will be responsible for executing and electronically supporting the business process.
Milestone: action/ objective
Date
Person responsible
Budget/ resources
He will be responsible for installing and maintaining the information system.
10-03-2019
System administrator
$5,000
He must be capable of building an efficient database management system (DBMS).
15-03-2019
Database administrator
$5,000
Responsible for the installation and maintenance of a corporate network (LAN)
15-03-2019
Network administrator
$5,000
Responsible for developing, installing and maintaining business services.
Implement services that can be accessed through the internet.
20-04-2019
Developer
$5,000
Involved in trade of knowledge regarding procurement, distribution of services.
20-04-2019
Operational employee
$5,000
Planning and organizing tasks.
21-04-2019
Employee in administration
$5,000
Performance indicators
Balanced Scorecard
KRA (Key Result Area)
Target
KPI
Result
E-commerce for the provision of personalized services
Engaging customers through marketing.
Conducting surveys on customer satisfaction.
Improved performance and client satisfaction
Quality products/ services
Raising organizational profile Improving performance and client satisfaction
Determining market opportunities.
Growth and profitability
Sales
Marketing campaigns
Training to the marketing staff
Increase in sales
Cost minimization
Direct and indirect costs of operations
Reducing overstock
Minimization of product obsolesce
Contingency plan
Contingency plan
Company name: BBQfun
The developer of the plan: Mark Robert
Who was consulted in the plan?
Network administrator
Developer
System administrator
Operational administrator
Risk identified
Strategies to minimize risks
When
By whom
Network security threats, malicious activities.
When a company starts e-commerce.
Network administrator
Risks of connection failures
Developer
Threats of viruses, worm, and spyware.
System administrator
Employee’s incompetency, difficulty in performing tasks.
Operational administrator
Third party risks, illegal entity
Manager
Assessment II
Plan and implementation of physical resources
Review of physical resourcing activities
The physical resourcing activities are crucial for the e-commerce of BBQfun. Physical resources include tangible and intangible resources. The tangible items are essential for the conduction of business and are essential for operations. It includes facilities and materials such as computing devices including server, workstation, and mobile devices. These devices are required for building the online existence of BBQfun. It also includes electronic media: transient media, cable-based medium, wireless medium. Building network infrastructure: Internet, extranet, the intranet is also tangible physical resources.
The intangible assets are not visible; they include a specification for storing documents on a persistent electronic medium. It also includes licenses and intellectual property rights that will give the company exclusive rights for creating an online website and using it for the e-commerce activities. The license will ensure that the company is capable of conducting business legally. The company will buy all essential software for completing infrastructure system level. The persistent electronic media will be used for storing data and use devices like hard disk and medium speed DVDs. Electronic medium acts as a carrier of digital information. It performs the function of transmitting information from one device to another. The company can store medium scale information through workstations. The server provides immediate responses to changing conditions and is highly adaptive.
Strategies for acquiring resources
BBQfun will require an official website for the running of e-commerce activities. The recourses acquisition strategies include money bonds, credibility bonds, intellectual bonds and new market bonds CITATION Gha11 \l 1033 (GhasemZaefarian, C.Henneberg, & PeterNaude, 2011). The bonds will function as a loan between BBQfun and its investors.
Risk management strategy
The risk management strategy emphasizes on eliminating the possible threats faced by BBQfun in its e-commerce business. The network administrator will remove the network related threats such as network security threats and malicious activities. The employee administrator will eliminate the risks of employee incompetency by monitoring work performance. The manager will deal with the IP related risks such as ones arising from the illegal entity and third-party.
Plan and implementation of human resourcing
Review of human resourcing activities
BBQfun must invest in human resource planning for the recruitment of an efficient workforce. The company will hire a system administrator, database administrator, developer and employee administrator for the management of e-commerce activities. Employee administrator will be responsible for managing the organizational tasks and monitor the performance of employees. The operational administrator will perform activities related to the procurement and distribution of services. The web-developer builds new e-business supported processes. He provides e-business solutions and incorporates concepts of emerging technology.
Strategies for recruiting people
The strategies adopted for recruiting people include placing job ads for the e-commerce staff. The company will need to hire e-commerce manager, developer, network administrator, employee administrator, and operational employee. The HR will conduct job interviews for hiring the competent staff. The process will include a competency-based interview for determining the skills and capabilities of applicants. The recruitment team will ask different questions and engage applicants in different scenarios. This will reveal their ability to respond to stressful situations. The total duration of the interview will be of 30 minutes. Each question will be of 10 marks, and the applicants can score according to their competency. Qualifications and experiences will also be considered for the selection of employees. The responses of the applicants to the interview questions will be evaluated for identifying the best person.
Incorporation of IP requirements
Intellectual property is required by BBQfun for the creation of e-commerce. It is important for the company to protect its IP for preventing others from benefiting from it. "Having IP rights is similar to putting an electric fence around your property as this both protects your assets and deters others from trespassing." The company will start by choosing the most suitable IP for online business. IT will then register for the online website while the factors that affect the decision include market size, competitors reaction, and potential of profitability. The registered official website is a commercial asset and capable of growing in business. This will give BBQfun the exclusive rights of using the website and prevent others from copying it. The registration remains valid across Australia CITATION IPA12 \l 1033 (IPAus, 2012).
Preparing interview
Planning aspect
Description
Time
1. Type of interview
Competency-based interview
30 minutes
2. Objectives
To identify skills, abilities, and talent of the applicants.
30 minutes
3. Approach and style
Stress interview for hiring people on the positions that involve stress
15 minutes
4. Schedules
Flexible
5. Topics and suggestions
Assessing the ability of problem-solving. Assessing their ability to remain calm.
30 minutes
e. Recommendations on potential recruits
Questions
Ideal answers
Number of possible points
Score
How would you define innovative marketing?
Explains the significance and the need for innovation. Identify possible ways of innovation.
15
10
What strategies would you adopt for successful implementation of e-commerce?
Customer must regard innovation in the marketing field.
15
10
How would you respond to the negative feedback of customer on the product?
Is the client capable of dealing with negative press or not.
15
10
Your strategy of marketing a product successfully?
The candidate must be able to deal with the failure.
15
10
What would you do when you are assigned the task of creating a new branding campaign for the product?
The candidate must be able to change the course of the brand.
15
10
Assessment III
Plan for monitoring performance
a. Milestone/ action
Person responsible
Budget/ resources
b. Financial/ budgetary performance
The focus will be on generating revenues. The market share of BBQfun shows a growth rate of 7 percent. The company currently holds a market share of 52% in east Queensland market of retail outdoor lifestyle items. The growth rate of new dwellings and customer potential remains 10% according to estimation. The growth potential for renovations in the coming years remains 7%.
Financial officer
BBQfun
c. Productive performance
The company will emphasize on improving productivity. The company emphasizes on building new capacity for business expansion. Enhanced productivity is dependent on employees capacity to perform. It is also linked with growth.
Manager
BBQfun
d. Employee performance
The supervisor and manager will assess the performance of employees. They will deal with the policy and procedures of the e-commerce strategy.
Manager/ supervisor
BBQfun
e. Dates for monitoring activities
A timeline will be followed for ensuring the completion of tasks on time.
Project manager
BBQfun
f. Milestone achievements
Survey results of 2009 indicate that the outdoor lifestyle market reached $300. The growth in outdoor sales was 6% during the last few years. Increase in disposable incomes of households also indicates opportunities for the new market. Adorability and high-quality increase the customer base for upcoming years.
Investments in innovation and technology allow the company to create differentiated products. Improving product and new designs can influence customers that provides an edge to BBQfun. Diversification in areas of renovation and replacement provides a more effective solution.
Manager, employee administrator
BBQfun
g. Progress reporting
Surveys and financial reports will be used for evaluating the performance. The company sees wider opportunities for market expansion of South-east Queensland. Value creation and high-quality products provide more scope for growth. BBQfun finds more scope of expansion in new builds as the forecast shows increased demand by 225,000 customers. The forecast reveals that 125,000 customers demand renovators and 100,000 for replacements.
Project manager, analyst
BBQfun
h. Regular performance management
Set of processes will be adopted for improving the performance of employees.
Manager, employee administrator
BBQfun
Areas of employee underperformance
Position
Manager
Review period
Reference from the operational plan
Key result area
Indicator of success
Status report
Conflict among employees
Workplace disagreements, disputes
Understanding the factors of cause
Needs to be resolved
Low productivity
Inability to manage tasks within time
Need training
Needs to be resolved
Inefficiency
Difficulty in meeting deadlines.
Explaining the company's expectations
In progress
Negligence
Creating an information plan
Explaining what will happen if their performance doesn't improve
In progress
Manager comments: Creating and effective training plan that will explain the company's expectations and identify the issues. The manager will attempt to resolve the problems by understanding employees concerns. Feedbacks will be taken from employees.
Coaching plan
Employee:
Coach/ manager
Date of session: 30-03-2019
Questions
Goals
The goals will depend on the employee's strengths and weaknesses.
Employee underperformance will be improved by counseling/ coaching.
To build day-to-day interaction between the supervisor and employee.
To uncover the performance issues that affect the quality of work.
To resolve the issues that cause great distractions and affect productivity.
To identify the employees that need performance improvement plan.
To increase the level of productivity and attain organizational efficiency.
To provide a positive work environment to the employees.
To resolve conflicts arising between employees CITATION Sim16 \l 1033 (Grover & Furnham, 2016).
Employees will be asked questions;
Do you want to improve your performance?
What causes distractions at the workplace?
Do you comply will firm’s policies and procedures?
How can you improve performance?
Are you motivated towards your job and firm’s goals?
Reality
Do you know that your underperformance can affect a company's business?
Can you identify the issue or behavior that require improvement?
What would be the possible way of removing conflict from the workplace?
What are your ideas for dealing with the problem?
How do you think the barriers can be removed?
What are the possible causes of a lack of motivation?
Options
What solutions will you accept for resolving underperformance?
Counseling
Training
Action plan for encouraging employees
Will
The manager will assess the willingness of the employees for solving the problem.
Are you able to improve performance within the given deadline?
What strategy will you adopt for avoiding the conflicting situation?
How would you comply with policy procedures?
What steps will you take for timely completion of tasks?
Operational performance
Plan goal
Implement e-commerce strategy
Department
Operations
Objectives
Redeveloping website, acquiring physical resources
Recruit and train staff
Achieve profit targets
Adhere to budget
Adhere to timelines
Person responsible
Project officer
Key performance indicators
Current status
Comments
Desired outcome
Satisfactory
The process of innovation involves identification of potential markets and specifications of building a new product. Creativity emphasizes on building customer loyalty with existing clients and targeting new clients.
Increasing customer base
Satisfactory
The company can target aspires in different strata such as the rich and middle class. Creating a range of products for different customers with different price range and style can target more customers. Unique products for the rich can influence a company's sales. BBQfun focuses on traditional style while manufacturing goods with a modern and versatile appearance can also capture a wider audience.
To increase sales revenue by 5% in the first year
Satisfactory
The company will focus on targeting a wider audience. Advertising and marketing will be used for product awareness.
Increase in profits by at least 5%
Satisfactory
The common advertising platforms used for increased marketing include direct mail, magazine and television ads. Promotions influence the profits of the company. The profits will increase by at least 5 percent due to aggressive advertising. Marketing campaigns emphasize of raising revenue and profits.
The strong presence of BBQfun
Satisfactory
Digital website will influence the presence of the company by targeting online users. Youth interacts with social sites and sites regularly that provide increased the incentive to BBQQfun.
To attain high efficiency in operations
Satisfactory
Hiring competent staff having skills and experience will affect the business.
Attaining high employee performance
Satisfactory
Adopting adequate training materials will give guidance to the employees. They will be provided awareness about organizational expectations.
Employee motivation
Satisfactory
Adopting policies of reward and appreciation will improve employee morale and commitment towards the organization. Chances or growth is also positively associated with work performance.
Reference
BBQfun. (2014). Marketing opportunities. BBQfun.
GhasemZaefarian, C.Henneberg, S., & PeterNaude. (2011). Resource acquisition strategies in business relationships. Industrial Marketing Management, 40 (6).
Grover, S., & Furnham, A. (2016). Coaching as a Developmental Intervention in Organisations: A Systematic Review of Its Effectiveness and the Mechanisms Underlying It. PLoS ONE, 11 (7).
IPAus. (2012). Make Your Mark.
