Business case presentation | Computer Science homework help

Assessment item 3

Business Case Presentation

 

Length: 2500

 

Task

Listen to the audio file provided carefully (download it from Resources).

Please select one current, key IT/business topic from the list below and prepare a comprehensive management briefing in how you will be able to expand the company’s operations in the following areas:

– Crowdfunding
– Rapid Prototyping (eg. 3D Printing)
– The Internet of Things

Part 1 – Provide an overview of the topic selected; identify its strategic importance to the organisation and/or to industry; discuss the opportunities and benefits it can bring to the organisation and/or industry; and give a considered overview of the issues and potential problems associated with its use. You should also include any other factors that you believe are relevant to your management report on the topic.

Part 2 – Recommend a broad implementation plan for the introduction and implementation of the selected key IT/business topic within your selected organisation.

The overall aim of the report is to bring your management audience completely up-to-date in all aspects of your selected key IT/business topic. Case study examples of how other organisations have used the selected topic/technology should be a helpful part of your report. Your recommended implementation plan should be a high-level management plan for the organisation, not a detailed project plan. [Financials and technical specifications are not required.]

Rationale

This report relates to this subject’s third and fourth learning objectives:

Be able to critically analyse and select appropriate innovative information technologies that can be used to strategically transform organisations.

Be able to critically evaluate an organisation’s strategic IT management processes; and create procedural knowledge documentation for continued improvement recommendations

 

 

Presentation

Readers of business reports expect certain information to be in certain places. They do not expect to search for what they want and the harder you make it for them the more likely they are to toss your report to one side and ignore it. So what should you do?

1. Follow the generally accepted format for a business report: Title/Table of Contents, Executive Summary, Introduction, Main Body, Recommendations, Conclusion and Reference List.

 

2. Organise your information within each section in a logical fashion with the reader in mind, usually putting things in order of priority – most important first.

 

Report Title/Table of Contents. This is simply the front cover page identifying the report and a Table of Contents page showing each key section of the report and the page number where it can be found in the report.

 

Executive Summary. Give a clear and very concise account of the main points, main recommendations and conclusion. Keep it very short, a few percent of the total length. Some people, especially senior managers, may not read anything else so write as if it were a stand-alone document. It isn’t but for some people it might as well be. Keep it brief and free from jargon so that anyone can understand it and get the main points. Write it last, but do not copy and paste from the report itself; that rarely works well.

 

Introduction. This is the first part of the report proper. Use it to paint the background to ‘the problem’ and to show the reader why the report is important to them. Then explain how the details that follow are arranged. Write it in plain English.

 

Main Body. This is the heart of your report, the facts. It will probably have several sections or sub-sections each with its own subtitle. It is unique to your report and will describe what you discovered about ‘the problem’. These sections are most likely to be read by experts so you can use some appropriate jargon but explain it as you introduce it. Arrange the information logically, normally putting things in order of priority — most important first. In fact, follow that advice in every section of your report.

 

Recommendations. What do you suggest should be done? Don’t be shy; you did the work so state your recommendations in order of priority, and in plain English. Avoid short, dot points that don’t carry your thoughts well.

 

Conclusion. Present the logical conclusions of your investigation of ‘the problem’. Bring it all together and maybe offer options for the way forward. Many people will read this section. Write it in plain English.

 

References. As your business report must be academically sound as well as making good business sense, it is essential that your report is supported by accurate APA 6^th edition in-text referencing and the inclusion of a reference list. Although some business reports in the workplace do not require full referencing (and some students may be used to this), it is a requirement in the academic environment and in Assignment 2 (please refer marking guide). This is equitable for all students.

 

Marking criteria

 

Criteria	HD & DI  (75-100%)
Evidence and depth of research: 20%	Extensive reading of more than 11 appropriate and relevant journal titles. Newspaper and magazine reports limited to a maximum of 2.
Relevance of content: 20%	Detailed analysis of the likely causes of all of the problems experienced by the project. Preventive, relevantframeworks and/or concepts identified for all problems.
Application of concepts and principles: 20%	Analysis is well supported with relevant case study examples and practical statistics. All assumptions made are clearly noted.
Clarity of Structure: 10%	The report structure is clear, easy to read and logical, directly addressing the question. Suitable headers used throughout. Good use of graphics and charts.
Writing to the audience: 15%	Minimal use of technical jargon. Terminology used is appropriate to a management team. No spelling, punctuation or grammatical errors.
Correct referencing: 15%	APA 6th edition referencing applied to a range (11+) of relevant resources. No referencing errors. Direct quotes used sparingly. Sources all documented.