ENT552 SMALL BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

GROUP PROJECT: PREPARATION OF THE CASE STUDY

Students Guide
The purpose of this project is to enhance your understanding to the nature of small business, to
practice interpersonal communication skills and to provide an opportunity to utilize your
speaking skills.
The Group
Each group is to consist of 2 members for the purpose of preparing a case study of the small
enterprise of your choice. Groups cannot be changed or rearranged after they are formed.
The grade for the group work will account for 30 percent of the course grade (written 20%, oral
presentation 10%). This will be a group grade, shared by all members of the team. The dynamics
of the group interaction are part of this assignment. How you work out problems and issues to
fulfill the requirements of the presentation is part of the learning process.
The Case Study- Bootstrap Financing Strategies
Your group will be responsible for developing and creating a written report and a brief
presentation on a bootstrap financing case study for the small business. All members of the
group will be expected to participation all phases of the project. Group projects are due a week
before the oral presentation day.
The written and oral presentation portions of this project will be graded. Your oral presentation
should be well organised and professionally presented for about 25-35 minutes. While not
required, the use of MS-PowerPointTM is advised to effectively supplement your presentation.
The oral presentation must contain the following:
1.
A succinct introduction to the case study;
2.
A clear explanation of the various aspects of the bootstrap financing strategies;
3.
An equal distribution among group members;
4.
A display of collaboration;
5.
A creative style and format (not a series of individual speeches);
6.
Provision of opportunities for interaction with the panel;
7.
A conclusion that justifies the content of a case study.
Each group will submit one case study-it is to be handed in using double-spaced typing, font-size
12, typestyle Times New Roman (hard and soft copies). Relevant appendices can be included.
Please spell-check your work before submission. There will be one grade for the group written
report, and one grade for the groups oral presentation-all group members will share this grade
equally.

Criteria for grading the case study

The followings are criteria used for grading your case study. The allocation of marks is just a
guide. You may want to keep these criteria in mind when working on your project. Remember
that the learning process is most important in the group interaction and this is involved in this
group project. Your cooperation, commitment, communication and discipline in this group
project will reap you good rewards at the end.
Written Report
Criteria
Preliminary Materials
Cover & title Page
Executive summary
Table of contents
Main Body
Introduction
Objective of the case study
Company profile
Bootstrap financing strategies usage
Conclusions
Appendices
Overall
Writing style, grammar and spelling
Originality and conciseness
Consistency
TOTAL

Marks
10%

60%
10%
5%
15%
100

On average, how frequent do you used the following strategies in managing your
business for the last 12 months? Please indicate your number of choice
based on the scale given.
1
No use at all

2
Rarely

3
Sometimes

4
Always

Bootstrap Financing Strategies

1

Entrepreneurs resources
Savings Accounts
Sale of Personal Property

1
1

2
2

3
3

4
4

Entrepreneurs Borrowing
Credit Cards Usage
Loan from Government Agencies

1
1

2
2

3
3

4
4

Relationship Resources
Contribution from Family Members

6
7
8

10

11

12

Contribution from Relatives

Contribution from Friends

1
1

2
2

3
3

4
4

Barter
Service Exchanges
Goods Exchanges

1
1

2
2

3
3

4
4

Quasi-equity
Partnership with Others
Funding from Investors (Individuals)
Funding from Investors (Groups)

1
1
1

2
2
2

3
3
3

4
4
4

Cooperation Resources
Equipment Sharing

Customer Financing
Advances Payment from Customers

Cash or Asset Management

Delayed Payment to Suppliers
Deferred Taxes
Overdraft Privileges
Inventories Minimisation
Used-equipment
Factoring

1
1
1
1
1
1

2
2
2
2
2
2

3
3
3
3
3
3

4
4
4
4
4
4

Leases
Lease the Equipment
Lease the Vehicles

1
1

2
2

3
3

4
4

Outsourcing
Professional Services ie accountant
Temporary Employees

1
1

2
2

3
3

4
4

Incentives
State Government
Federal Government

1
1

2
2

3
3

4
4

Grants
Federal Grants