Site Visit Preparation

1
Site Visit Preparation
BU113 Foundations of Business Administration Prof
. Bauer-Ramazani
2
Assignment

• As a group, meet with a business and learn about
  its
• form of ownership
• mission, ethical guidelines
• organizational structure
• management
• basic marketing strategies.
• Prepare a written, single-spaced memo addressing
  the above (see guidelines for writing memo
  assignments). Include an organization chart in
  the memo or as an attachment to the memo.
• Present your findings to the class in a
  PowerPoint presentation (uploaded to eCollege) of
  approximately 7-9 minutes. Attach a handout of
  your presentation (format 6 slides per page) to
  your memo.

3
Setting up a meeting

• State your name
• Purpose
• Request
• Time
• What might they want to know from you?
• What information do you need from them?
• Call to confirm the meeting on the morning of the
  meeting.
• Other considerations

• SMC students taking beginning business class
  our assignment is to
• would like to meet with
• 30-45 minutes ( take about ½ hour of your time
  )
• Questions you will ask (form of business
  ownership, management, organizational structure,
  marketing) What happens to the information Memo
  and presentation for class
• Time, date, location, directions, name of
  manager
• Dress appropriately for the visit you represent
  SMC. Send a Thank You card (shows appreciation
  professionalism).

4
Topics

1. The Companytype of organization/form of
   ownership (Chapter 3)
2. Management (Chapter 5)
3. Organizational Structure of the business (Chapter
   6)
4. Marketing Strategy (Chapter 11)

5
The Company

• Type of business organization owner?
• sole proprietorship?
• partnership?
• corporation?
• LLC?
• Number of employees
• History
• Competitors
• Main products

6
Management

• Mission statement
• What is the purpose of your business? What
  business are you in?
• Code of Ethics/Social Audit
• Available? Published?
• Strategic planning
• Long-term goals?
• Short-term goals?
• Types of managers / levels of management / areas

7
Organizational Structure

• Organizational chart ? explain how the company is
  organized
• Positions and structure reporting relationships
  responsibilities chain of command
• Organization/departmentalization by function,
  product, process, customer type, or geography
• Span of control, line vs. staff
• Centralization vs. decentralization
• How/where are the decisions made, and who makes
  them? (top, by corporate headquarters, regional
  manager, store?)
• Recent changes in the organizational structure?
  (reasons)
• Corporate culture

8
Marketing

• Target Market
• Who is the customer? Who are you trying to sell
  to?
• Who are your competitors?
• How do you differentiate yourself from your
  competitors?

9
Marketing the 4 Ps

• Product
• What are you producing / selling / offering?
• What makes your product / service unique?
• At what stage in the product life cycle is your
  product?
• Price
• How did you set your price(s)? How do you go
  about pricing? (skimming, penetration) How do
  your prices compare to your competitors prices?
• Promotion
• What forms of promotion do you use?
  (telemarketing, personal selling, direct
  marketing, PR, sales promotions, advertising)
• Place / distribution
• Where are you offering your products? What
  distribution arrangements do you have? What modes
  of transportation do you use?

10
Other considerations

• Hand a list of questions to the company
  representative.
• Take notes and/or use a recording device.
• analog tape recorder digital voice recorder
  Sound Recorder on laptop
• Get permission from the interviewee to use a
  recording device.
• Proofread the memo and slide show (quality
  control).