Project 10

Outcomes addressed in this activity:

Unit Outcomes:

 Understand the purpose of and what to include in an IT consulting project proposal.

Course Outcome:

 IT402-3: Create project proposal

Project Instructions:

The assignment for Unit 10 is to create a project proposal which builds upon the case study from Unit 8 and the ideas you created for the Unit 9 assignment. For the Unit 10 proposal, assume that the client wants the “merge some functionality” solution, and is looking for you to propose a consulting project for it. Submit a minimum-2-page Word document which contains your consulting proposal, using the format shown in Chapter 3, Exhibit 3.1 of the course textbook. For easy reference, here is the Unit 9 assignment:

Part 1 of your assignment for Unit 9 is to create four pyramids of ideas, one for meetings with IT, one for Manufacturing, one for Distribution, and one for Marketing, based on the case study discussed in Unit 8. In each pyramid, the ‘big idea’ should be “Acquire the soft-candy company,” but the subsequent boxes for “means of achievement,” “logic,” and “evidence” are to be filled in by you. For example, the “means of achievement” boxes could be filled in with strategic options such as “merge nothing – operate as separate businesses,” “merge some functionality,” or “merge all functionality.” You may choose other strategic

options, these are meant only as examples. For the “logic” boxes, fill them in with brief descriptions of the rationale for choosing the possible strategic option. For the “evidence” boxes, identify what type(s) of information and research will needed in order to support each strategic option.

Part 2 of the Unit 9 assignment is to provide a 3 to 5 page single spaced Word document in which you explain your rationale for how you filled in the boxes. For easy reference, here is the Unit 8 case study: Your client, a leading manufacturer of chocolates, cookies, and hard candies, has acquired a company which manufactures all sorts of soft candies, such as gummy bears, candy corn, circus peanuts, etc. Initially, this was thought to be an ideal acquisition, as the products of both companies were sold in the same channels, and the merger/acquisition was expected to lead to economies of scale in the storage and

distribution of the combined product line, as well as opening additional markets for the soft candies, which were not currently available in all the stores which sold the products of the larger, acquiring manufacturer. Initially, you were called in to perform an analysis of the IT systems of the acquired company, to determine how to migrate them most efficiently into the IT systems of the acquiring company. You had planned to review such things as data record layouts (to see how to convert product numbers and employee numbers, consolidate customer numbers and addresses, etc.) and analyze functionality. However, in recent days, some issues have cropped up which challenge the initial assumptions regarding how good of a fit the soft candy product line would be and whether the anticipated operational efficiencies could be achieved. For example, it was recently determined that the fleet of trucks owned by the soft candy company were not refrigerated, and therefore they could not be used during hot temperature months for distributing candies and cookies which contained chocolate. This cast doubts on the practicality of storing the combined product lines in the same distribution centers and delivering them in one truck in one stop to the same customers. Also, it has been determined that a significant portion of the sales of the soft candy company had been to different customers than those of the acquiring company. Much of the soft candy was sold to rebaggers who then sold the soft candy in bulk packages under a variety of brand names, or to large supermarket chains, which then packaged and sold the candy under their private store brand labels. Currently, these marketing channels are not used by the acquiring company, which has no plans to use them, as this is contrary to their branding strategy. You are now wondering if the merger/acquisition assumptions were valid, and if any other issues will be discovered soon. Now, you have been asked to conduct a six-week consulting engagement to recommend how to proceed with the merger/acquisition. You have decided that you will need meet with teams of IT, Manufacturing, Distribution, and Marketing people from both companies, to get their input and to determine the recommended next steps.

Review the grading rubric below before beginning this activity. Project 10 grading rubric =100 points. Project Requirements Points possible for satisfactory completion of task Points earned by student.

1. State the requirements for the project 0-10 points

2. Describe the overall aim of the proposed project 0-5 points

3. Define of at least four objectives for the project 0-20 points

4. Define at least four outcomes for the project 0-20 points

5. Describe the approach to be used in this project 0-20 points

6. State the time plan for this project 0-5 points

7. Identify the key personnel for this project 0-10 points

8. State the costings for this project 0-10 points

Total (Sum of all points) 0-100 points