Semester Project

Semester Project:

Overview of the Project	Grading of the Project	Work to be Done During Each Unit of Study in the Course
Topic Proposal Due	First Grading Due BEFORE FALL BREAK	Second Grading Due	Final Grading Due
Link to Reference Librarian Resources List covered in class	Business Writing Format Guidelines	General Guidelines for Writing	Extra Credit Opportunity

Overview of the Project: You will develop a database of information about one industry in which there are entrepreneurial opportunities and learn more advanced research strategies for developing financial information in a given industry. During the course of the semester, as we cover each topic in the course, you will find information about your chosen industry that relates to the topic. For example, when we discuss sources of short term credit, you'll examine balance sheets and industry averages to discern the most typical sources and costs of short term credit for that kind of company.

Grading of the Project: You will earn three grades on the semester project.

	Before midterm, you'll be turning in materials collected to date, with grading based on degree of information development, organization of material collected, referencing of sources.
	A second grade will be assigned mid-November, based on the same three criteria, as well as the improvements made in response to the comments on the first grading of the project.
	The third grade assigned will be based on the final project turned in at the end of the semester. The materials collected and analyzed will be posted to the class website as a resource for future students in this course.

Unit Work

Required Pieces:

Flexible Pieces:

To be done during Unit 1 study (DUE BEFORE FALL BREAK)

Written documentation:

a) 1-3 paragraphs discussion

b) 1-3 paragraphs discussion, plus the beginning of a reference list

c) 1-3 paragraphs discussion

d) 1-3 paragraphs discussion

e) discussion or spreadsheet data for at least one of the flex-topics in third column. (Here is certainly a place where you can demonstrate the "intellectual initiative" required for an A in the course!)

a) Choose an industry for research. The industry should be one in which entrepreneurial opportunities exist. It is unlikely, for example, that one could start (or run as a small business) a hospital or a passenger airline.

b) Identify the major trade/ professional organizations and publications used by entrepreneurs in your chosen industry. Find at least one or two that are accessible through the Creighton library system or a "friendly neighborhood entrepreneur" who will give you access to trade magazines they receive regularly. Spend some time reading and exploring articles and data sources.

c) What are the trends in your chosen industry? Sales growth rates? Typical small business balance sheets and income statements? Events in the world that are affecting the financial performance of entrepreneurial firms in your industry?

d) What does it take to get started in your industry (capital investment needed, skills, education, certifications)

e) Choose at least one of the following topics to research:

Typical business structure (LLC, franchise, mom-and-pop, corporation) Why?

Find an example firm with financial data available (could be on an internet site; could be a "friendly neighborhood entrepreneur", could be a classmate's parent's business, could be from a trade publication). Prepare simplified financial statements to illustrate the financial nature of this type firm.

Percentage of firms surviving for more than X years and reasons for survival/reasons for failure

Brainstorm on multiple ways to bring in revenue to this type business (Think about how you could operate differently from those already established in the business-- different customers, different markets, cross-selling of other services, etc.)

To be done during Unit 2 study

a) Major ethical questions facing entrepreneurs in your industry

b) Typical industry working capital requirements, NWC structure

c) Sources of short term credit usually used in your industry

d) More detailed information about one or more of the components of net working capital--things that are specific or peculiar to financial management in your chosen industry of study

e) Understanding the inventory issues in your industry

f) What are the types of insurance coverage needed in your chosen business area?

To be done during Units 3 and 4 study

a) Sources of long term financing in your industry

b) Most common exit strategies in your chosen field of endeavor

c) Go to http://www.startupjournal.com. Find at least one article that you feel would be very useful to someone starting a business in your chosen enterprise. Build the information into your project and add StartupJournal to your reference list and to your discussion of useful sources of information for entrepreneurs.

Final product preparation

Your final report should be in digital form, because it will be posted on the class website.

The only exception to this will be if you really are going to do this business and are concerned about the competition getting your game plan before you get a chance. In this case, you need to convince me that this is the case!

Incorporate the additional information for Units 2, 3, and 4

Note: there are 5 pieces of required info. There are also listed 4 optional additions for intellectual extension of your project (think "A" grade)

Refine the presentation of your material, be merciless in correcting grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, use business writing format rules.

A link to a spreadsheet should be tested to make sure it works.

Take your WORD file to another computer and open it. Try the link. If it works, then it works! If it doesn't then you need to move the spreadsheet file or change the structure of the link so that it DOES work. Ask for help if you can't get it to work.

Topic proposal: Due . Included should be:

	who: team members' names, email addresses, phone numbers to be published on the class website
	what: a short description of the entrepreneurial firm type you propose to study during the semester
	why: a paragraph or two explaining the source of your interest in this type of entrepreneurial firm (for example: represents your aspirations, to get a better understanding of your parents, an exploration of your heritage and your future, to leverage or dovetail with an assignment in another class, easy to find resources, you're trying to develop an expertise in this industry, etc.)

First grading: Due Before Fall Break. Included should be: Unit 1 based research on your industry.

Second grading: Due Before Thanksgiving Break . Included should be: Unit 2 based research

Final grading: Due Before NOON, WED., Dec. 11 . Included should be:

Extra Credit: If you wish to present your research or project to the class for extra credit, you may do so. Presentations will happen during the last week of classes and during the final exam period for the course. The lowest grade you have earned (or NOT earned, as the case may be) in the course will be raised by one unit. For example, if you have a C for your lowest score, that grade would be raised to a C+. The units are defined on the Grading page of this website and are the standard Creighton University definitions.