SBM421S Test 1

1)

25th March 2013

SURNAME: STUDENT NO:

Imagine that you are the owner-manager of a private higher education enterprise in Windhoek. You are providing education, training and development to young prospective entrepreneurs. You have established your business a number of years ago, but you wish to secure the sustainability of your business now. a) Perform a SWOT analysis on your business. List at least 4 factors for each of the four categories in the SWOT analysis. Your SWOT analysis should address the following aspects: Business model clarification; student centeredness; funding of the enterprise; quality of assessments; institutional management; lecturers effective training styles; course contents & relevance. (max 8) b) From the SWOT analysis above select and re-formulate the seven most critical success factors (CSF) for this business, each with a corresponding key performance indicator (KPI). Rank these CSFs in order of importance and justify your decisions in this regard. (max 22) MEMORANDUM guidelines: a) A possible approach could be (amongst others) to formulate a strength; weakness; opportunity & threat to each of the following highlighted aspects: (Business model clarification; student centeredness; funding of the enterprise; quality of assessments; institutional management; lecturers effective training styles; course contents & relevance ). There would therefore be seven strengths; seven weaknesses; seven opportunities & seven threats. From the latter formulations the four most important strengths; weaknesses; opportunities & threats could be retained. It should however be emphasized that the formulations need to be clear and specific whilst also being contextual (private higher education & training enterprise). Two marks should be allocated to each acceptable category formulations (strengths; weaknesses; opportunities & threats respectively).(8) b) The seven most important factors (formulations) from the SWOT analysis should be selected and ranked (to determine which is the most important and continuing until the seventh and least important amongst them all has been identified). The ranking could alternatively also be done by assigning a relative weight to each of the seven factors in which case the cumulative rankings should not exceed 1 (one). The formulations need to be clear and specific whilst also being contextual (private higher education & training enterprise). An associated key performance indicator (KPI), (quantification/measureable) has to be linked to each critical success factor (CSF) listed. One mark should be allocated to each of the selected CSFs (only when relevant & acceptable within context of the enterprise); one mark should b e allocated for the ranking of the CSFs (or alternatively for assigning an appropriate weighting); one mark should be allocated for each of the seven justifications (reasons to list these seven CSFs & KPIs as the most important ones). One final mark should be allocated for overall quality of this effort/formulations/rankings/justifications.(22) TOTAL MARKS: 30

Answer all questions on the page(s) provided.

Time: 40 minutes