Name: Date:

Business Plan Presentation Rubric

GRADE:

/48

Business Plan Presentation Rubric

Introduction The Marketplace simulation is designed around a new venture situation. At the midpoint of the exercise, it is recommended that the teams prepare a Business Plan and present it to a group of venture capitalists in order to obtain additional funding to grow their firm. This rubric will be focused on an oral presentation of the Business Plan. In short, each team must deliver an oral presentation of their Business Plan. The team is expected to make a professional presentation using an assortment of visual aids. Moreover, the details of the market analyses and strategy must be carefully laid out in appropriate handouts.

1 WEAK Performance Review Assessment of current situation

Limited information provided regarding the firms performance. Limited coverage of the firms strengths and weaknesses and those of the competition.

2 NEEDS TO IMPROVE
Basic information was presented but the team glossed over the details. Provided a list of strengths, weaknesses, and competitive challenges, but did not fully understand what to do with this knowledge in terms of moving the company forward. Tentative business strategy. Objectives and key strategic thrusts were not well articulated or were not inspiring. Certain tactics were linked to strategic thrusts and integrated. However, others did not seem to reinforce the strategy. Also, key tactics were missing from the plan or were weakly implemented. The team has made a number of investments in the future, but not enough to be a serious competitor. The investors find some aspects of the plan to be appealing but remain doubtful about the overall plan. There are enough unresolved issues, unanswered questions, questionable assumptions, missing

3 EFFECTIVE
Good review of firms performance. However, the team focused more on good news, downplaying the bad. Good summary of strengths, weaknesses, and competition. The teams strategy and tactics addressed some of these issues, but not all of them. Sound business strategy. Concise statement of objectives and key strategic thrusts. Tactics flowed from strategic thrusts and were well integrated for good impact. The team made the obvious investments that would be needed to better serve its stakeholders. There is some concern about its ability to obtain/sustain a strong competitive advantage and deal with the unexpected. The investors have found the teams plan to be appealing. The investors believe in most of the information presented and think the team has a good chance of succeeding. There is very little risk that this team will

4 VERY EFFECTIVE/STRONG
Good review of performance. The team was candid in presenting both good and bad news. Candid assessment of strengths, weaknesses, and competition. The team also showed how its strategy and tactics were formulated to address each. Sound business strategy. Concise statement of objectives and key strategic thrusts. Tactics flowed from strategic thrusts and were integrated and synergistic to maximize impact. The team made both obvious investments in the future, plus some surprising ones. The team is doing what is necessary to obtain/maintain a competitive advantage. It also has sufficient capital to handle future surprises, setbacks and opportunities. The team has won the vote of the investors. The investors are very impressed and have complete confidence in the teams ability to succeed.

SCORE

Strength of Strategy

Assessment of risk

Limited strategic thinking. The team went through the motions of laying out its objectives, strategic thrusts and tactics. However, the linkages between them were not well developed and the tactical details did not seem to be well integrated or synergistic. The team did not make sufficient investments or the right ones (given its strategy) to sustain itself in the market. The Business Plan neither appeals to nor persuades the investors. The investors found little to encourage their investment in the plan. The risks of investing in this

Copyright Ernest R. Cadotte 2008

Name: Date:
company are great.

Business Plan Presentation Rubric

GRADE:

/48

Assessment of return Management by the numbers (using the tools of management)

There is a high probability that the investors will loose money on this investment. No data was presented to support the teams analysis, plans, investment decisions, financial request, etc.

details, etc to caution against a substantial investment. The risks make this a questionable venture. The return on investment is projected to be small. It might take years before investors will see a positive return. Limited use of data to support the teams arguments. Errors in the data presented. More or better quantitative information is needed.

fail. The return on investment should be good. Investors should see a financial return equal to or above the industry norm. Comprehensive use of quantitative data to support the teams analysis, plans, investment decisions, financial request, etc. but the team hesitated to use data during Q&A. The return on investment should be excellent. Investors should see a financial return well above the industry norm. Comprehensive use of quantitative data to support the teams arguments. The team effortlessly incorporated hard data when making a point or supporting a position.

1 WEAK Assimilation and Integration (depth and breadth of understanding)

The team does not have a grasp of its current situation, market conditions, strategy, future plans, financial projections or how all of these are linked together. They cannot answer questions in a meaningful way.

2 NEEDS TO IMPROVE
The team has a basic understanding of its current situation, market conditions, strategy, future plans, and financial projections. The integration of business activities is weak or not apparent. Answers to questions are fairly simple with little elaboration or integration The team appears to lack confidence in its knowledge and plan. The team applied various business concepts, principles and ways of thinking but did not demonstrate deep business insight. Only a few people made the presentation or interacted with the investors. It was not clear how the other team members were involved or how knowledgeable and helpful they were to the business. The Business Plan arguments were loosely connected. The presentation lacked clear transitions, with choppy flow and organization.

3 EFFECTIVE
The team has a good understanding of its current situation, market conditions, strategy, future plans, financial projections and how the parts fit together. However, the team has difficulty pulling together disparate ideas to address difficult questions. It may hesitate when required to think on its feet or deal with far ranging issues. The team was conversant with business concepts, principles, and ways of thinking and used them to effectively make arguments that supported its analysis and plans. All or most members participated during the presentation or discussion but there was a feeling that the teams success depended upon a few people and not the whole team. The Business Plan information was presented in a logical sequence and was generally very well organized. However, better transitions from idea to idea and medium to medium are needed.

4 VERY EFFECTIVE/STRONG
The team has demonstrated full knowledge of its business situation and plans for the future. The team is fluent in discussing all aspects of the firm. It is able to think on its feet and deal with far ranging issues. It can handle challenges in a meaningful way, even consider the value of a different point of view. It is confident yet reflective. The team was fluent in the use of business concepts, principles, and ways of thinking and could easily work many different ideas into its arguments. It was clear that this was a team effort and that any member of the team could have made the presentation and address the issues that were raised. The Business Plan was clearly stated and developed. The conclusions were clear. The presentation was succinct, with good flow and transitions.

SCORE

Business Acumen

The team utilized few business concepts, principles, and ways of thinking in presenting its case. Only one person participated in the presentation and discussion. There was no indication that others were involved or knowledgeable about the firm, market, or Business Plan. The presentation was choppy and disjointed. It did not flow. The development of the Business Plan was vague. There was no apparent logical order to the presentation.

Team Strength

Organization

Copyright Ernest R. Cadotte 2008

Name: Date: Format of presentation materials

Business Plan Presentation Rubric

GRADE:

/48

The Power Point presentation contained mostly text and tables; there were no visual aids to enhance communication. The slides contained too much or too little content to be useful. There may have been too many or too few slides to communicate relevant ideas.

The team had an appropriate number of slides but several were difficult to read and/or uninteresting. The slides and the presentation were not always synchronized and did not always support, illustrate or augment what was being said. Important information may have been missing or glossed over.

The team had an appropriate number of slides to address the relevant points of the presentation. The presentation and slides were well synched - they supported each other and added clarity to the argument. The team was not able to quickly provided backup slides or materials to deal with questions or issues raised by the investors.

The team effectively used the presentation materials to present ideas in a clear, persuasive and forceful way. The team could provide backup material at a touch of a button or with a handout when issues were raised that were not in the original presentation.

1 WEAK Delivery
The presentation had multiple grammatical errors. Handouts (Power Point, tactical plan and pro-forma financials) were not submitted. The team exceeded the time limit. Team members did not make eye contact with the investors while presenting.

2 NEEDS TO IMPROVE
The presentation had a few grammatical errors. Handouts (Power Point, tactical plan and proforma financials) were submitted but were incomplete, unorganized, or confusing. The team was not able to finish the presentation in the allotted time. Team members made minimal eye contact with the investors and mostly read notes.

3 EFFECTIVE
The presentation had no more than one grammatical error. Handouts were submitted and complete. The team was able to finish the presentation within the allotted time. Team members were able to consistently use direct eye contact with the investors and seldom referred to notes.

4 VERY EFFECTIVE/STRONG
The presentation was grammatically flawless. Handouts were submitted and complete. The team was able to finish the presentation within the allotted time. The team was able to hold the attention of the investors with the use of direct eye contact.

SCORE

Copyright Ernest R. Cadotte 2008