Polarization of Polar Bears

BUSINESS GAME

1. INTRODUCTION

This component of assessment requires a group of young entrepreneurs ("the YEs") to make an application to the Bank for financial support to develop a small business opportunity which has been identified by the YEs as a ‘goer'. The Bank is represented by the Entrepreneurial Development Team ("the EDT"). The EDT will either reject or support – conditionally or unconditionally – the proposals of the YEs.

2. THE BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY

The YEs met whilst studying at the Lincoln Business School. They each had an interest in small business development and entrepreneurship and often found themselves competing against each other during the course of simulated business games as part of their degree programme.

In their last year at University, the YEs agreed that after graduation, they would set themselves up as a group of management consultants specialising in the revival of small businesses which had hitherto been very successful but had ceased trading between the late 1980s and the late 1990s.

The YEs' business objectives are to identify such businesses and assess the viability of their revival in 2012 and to seek support from the Bank.

The YEs' have identified the following small businesses and wish to put forward proposals to develop these businesses:

 Black Water Rafting (Rafting in New Zealand)

 Empire Hotels (London based hotel chain with aspirations to become ‘ boutique' designated)

 Ski Zico (development of affordable skiing holidays)

 World View Travel (development of business / corporate travel)

 Alexandra Hotel (trouble at t' mill)

However, the economic climate is such, that Banks are reluctant to support small business development and require a lot of convincing that the proposals advanced by the YEs are sound and accompanied by minimum risk.

The YEs have at their disposal a total sum of £150,000 and ‘themselves' as resources to progress their proposal. They anticipate a 3 year timeframe.

3. THE PREPARATION

Teams (which have been self-selected by 5 December 2011), will be assigned the role of either YE or EDT. The assignment of roles to groups will be made during the course of the Briefing session scheduled for Friday 27 January at 1200 noon. Students without a group will be placed in a group by the Tutor or under the rules of ‘hiring and sacking'.