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. 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). Setting up a meeting

4. Topics • The Company—type of organization/form of ownership (Chapter 3) • Management(Chapter 5) • Organizational Structure of the business (Chapter 6) • 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 P’s • 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).