Writing Assignment: Shark Tank
Assignment Background
This assignment addresses learning outcomes including:
CLO1: Overview of business organizations and management
CLO2: Interrelationships between business management, finance, and marketing
CLO3: Exploration of business career options
CLO4: Recognize leadership styles
CLO5: Compare global cultures
CLO6: The role of government in the free enterprise system
Watch any Shark Tank episode (the more recent, the better!). Shark Tank airs on ABC and is available on YouTube and in many other places such as Hulu, On Demand, etc.
Prepare a written assignment (typed and double spaced) which addresses each of the following requirements. All written assignments should follow APA guidelines.
Part of the grading rubric is the quality of your writing so please proofread carefully and pay close attention to proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation. It is encouraged to utilize Grammarly.com and/or the Writing Centers available on each FSW campus. Note: APA format requires using numerals to express numbers 10 and above and numbers that represent statistical or mathematical functions, fractional or decimal quantities, percentages, and ratios. Therefore, use numerals labeled as a $ or %, as necessary (i.e. $100,000 or 20%).
STRATEGIC PLANNING USING SWOT ANALYSIS:
Planning is the management function that drives all other functions. It must come first in the management cycle as all other functional decisions are based on the plan. As a result, it is the most important function. Strategic planning is what determines the long-term goals and the course(s) of action that the firm will take to accomplish its objectives. Because strategic planning is such an important issue it is usually reserved for the most senior management. One of the most widely used tools by management is the SWOT analysis. This tool directs the manager to data and questions that can then be worked into strategic plans. The chart below gives a visual representation of a SWOT Analysis.
Source: Clark, D. R. (2010). Performance, Learning, Leadership & Knowledge. Retrieved from http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/leader/SWOT.html (Links to an external site.)
For more information, read the article below:
http://www.quickmba.com/strategy/swot/ (Links to an external site.)
Assignment Guidelines
In a minimum of two pages, in paragraph form, address each of the following questions:
REQUIREMENTS:
1. A description of the show. What is its purpose? Which season/episode did you view?
2. A summary of one of the deals presented that includes a brief business description, the amount of funding requested, the percentage (%) of equity offered to the venture capitalists (the Sharks) by the owner(s), and what deal was ultimately accepted (or rejected).
3. Include qualitative assessments about the deal using SWOT analysis (see below) to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the management team and business strategy as identified by the Sharks. What was positive about the business or deal? What were the issues raised by the Sharks? How will this deal or the planned business strategy affect the roles of the management, finance, and marketing functions in the business?
4. What did you learn from this assignment?
Assignment Instructions
Please review the Rubric for additional information regarding grading criteria. Grading will be based on content, format, and demonstration of weekly reading assignments, learning objectives, and outside research. Direct quotes are not permitted.
A minimum of 2 full pages – not including the title page and reference page.
Do not use direct quotes. Be sure to paraphrase. Do not copy and paste. The FSW Writing Centers offer assistance with writing through virtual meetings. Grammarly.com is also helpful.
Support your discussion with course concepts and at least two additional scholarly source from the FSW library databases or reputable internet locations in addition to a third reference for the location where you found the episode that you watched.
Use APA to properly cite all sources.
Make sure your paper begins with a Level One Heading: Introduction (Do not confuse an Introduction with an Abstract)
Include a properly formatted APA cover sheet.
Include a properly formatted APA reference page.
Use 12 point Times New Roman font.
Double-space the entire paper.
Accurate In-text citations must be included.
APA documentation and formatting style used appropriately (including in-text citations, reference entries, and format).
A thorough analysis of the topic in relation to business management, leadership, and course learning outcomes.
Spelling, grammar, and writing style
Write in the third person – such as, “This researcher…”, “This student…”, Do not use “I”, “we”, “our”, “you”, or any other forms of indefinite you.
Avoid bullet points.
Submit your own original work. Do not submit work previously submitted to any course – including your own work, that of other students, or any work that is purchased or traded from the online cheating sites, such as coursehero.
Be sure to review your assignment after submitting it in Canvas in the assignment link. Submitting an assignment that cannot be viewed, or submitting the wrong file do not constitute valid excuses for re-submitting after the due date.
