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Pages:
7 pages/β‰ˆ1925 words
Sources:
10 Sources
Style:
APA
Subject:
Business & Marketing
Type:
Case Study
Language:
English (U.S.)
Document:
MS Word
Date:
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Topic:

Business Environment: Evaluate A Case Study For Potential Solutions lutions

Case Study Instructions:

Evaluate a Case Study for Potential SolutionsCaseBlackBean is a tea and dessert company based in Hanoi, Vietnam. Established in 2008, BlackBean has expanded from 20 stores in Vietnam to 40 more locations throughout Asia. To support regional growth, BlackBean wanted better insight into business operations.Each store sent point-of-sale (POS) data to the corporate headquarters, where managers manually entered the information into spreadsheets. They also monitored other sources such as social media, but it was difficult to make connections between the disparate sources of information. “Our main challenge involved reporting,” says Mark Smith, Senior Manager at BlackBean. “There were a lot of questions that we have about customer behavior. Without insight into regional demand, it’s very difficult to grow our business.”In addition to wanting to more targeted promotions, the company wanted to improve product distribution. BlackBean had built its reputation on the quality of its highly perishable ingredients, and getting them to the right place at the right time was critical to the company’s success. “We use a lot of fruits in our desserts, and if they don’t taste right, then we lose our competitive advantage,” says Smith.To meet its goals, BlackBean knew it needed tools capable of pulling together disparate sources of information. However, it also wanted to implement a solution without the burden of purchasing and maintaining additional on-premises infrastructure. BlackBean operates with a small IT team and has little interest in building out a data center. Instead, the company wants a solution that will be easy to use and manage. As Smith points out, “Our employees are not IT professionals, so a highly complex system will not work out for us.”Write a business proposal for Mark Smith at BlackBean that outlines the following:1. Analyze the current state of BlackBean. What are the company’s strengths and weaknesses?2. What kinds of functionality does BlackBean need? What kinds of considerations are there? (i.e. building competitive advantage, better decision-making capabilities, etc.)3. What kinds of tools would you recommend?4. Research and evaluate potential solutions for BlackBean.5. Choose the optimal solution for BlackBean. Justify your choices.You may make assumptions about the resources and other features of BlackBean as necessary to fill in the gaps for your proposal.Aside from using APA format for references and coversheet, do not structure your assignment as an academic report.  Structure your assignment as a business proposal.  Support your proposal with at least ten scholarly or industry references.Length: 7 – 10 pages not including front and back matter

Case Study Sample Content Preview:

BlackBean Business Plan
Name
Institutional Affiliation
BlackBean Business Plan
General Company Description
BlackBean is a hospitality business that offers tea and dessert. The company was started in 2008 in Hanoi, Vietnam. The company has 20 stores in Vietnam and has expanded to other locations in Asia, opening 40 more outlets. The company uses Point-Of-Sale (POS) to gather data from all its outlets. Data is also gathered through social media. The company seeks to improve the business operations by engaging in data-based decision making, understanding customer behavior, conducting target promotions and enhancing product distribution. Insights from corporate reports and studies show that these business strategies can be facilitated through the implementation of appropriate information systems that are integrated with other business undertakings and focused on meeting the organizational objectives. Recent technological advancements have offered opportunities for businesses to engage in ecommerce, where information systems are used to create competitive advantage by uniting the physical and virtual aspects of the business (Dahlman, 2007). BlackBean has already established the fundamental framework that can be used to propel the effective use of technology to create competitive advantage and foster success.
SWOT Analysis
The SWOT analysis offers insights on the position of the company by highlighting how the internal and external environment impact the business.
Strengths
Significant data outlets from 60 stores. BlackBean has sixty established stores that can provide a significant amount of data that can be implemented to advance the business using data-driven approaches.
Social media presence. The company has exploited the power of social media as a marketing and information tool.
Experience. The company has been in operation for the past decade, which gives the management insights on its capabilities and market demands.
Weaknesses
Lack of effective information management systems. The company faces challenges in data management. For instance, manual input of data compromises the effective use of the available systems to generate effective results.
Challenges in the supply chain. The company faces difficulties in product distribution
Opportunities
Implementing effective information management systems. Investment in modern technologies can effectively incorporate virtual aspects that facilitate effectiveness in the use of data to make appropriate business decisions.
Technological solutions for the supply chain. The company can benefit from technological management of distribution to ensure that the consumer needs are met with improved distribution.
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