Integrated Business Analysis of Farmlands

COMM 301 Integrated Business Analysis
Assessment  Value of this assignment: 15%
This is an individual assignment
Assessing
Knowledge: K1 Understand the contributions of various commerce disciplines to creating
value and sustaining superior performance.
Skills: S1 Investigate the root causes and various dimensions of a problem
Preamble and Assignment Task:
Preamble:
You have recently been hired as an assistant to Farmlands Cooperative’s Director Strategy, Colm
Hamrogue. He has given you the task of working towards a proposal for a strategic approach to new
and emergent information technology use at Farmlands Cooperative.
You bring with you a basic understanding regarding which new and emerging information
technologies are currently discussed in the fields of Supply Chain Management, Marketing, or
Management Accounting (your choice from Assignment 1).
Now you have to understand how Farmlands operate and how they currently use information
technology in their processes, including their supply of inputs to farmers, their provision of extension
services and their use of their “Farmlands Card” data. What is their value proposition, and which
parts of the processes actually add value? How does information flow within their value chain?
As you are aware from the lecture, this task requires you to be on the spot and ask staff how things
are done. The field trip to a Farmlands store on July 26th (3pm-6pm) therefore is a crucial source of
information for you.
Your task:
First of all, Colm asks you to give a short description of the company as you understand it– its
history, mission, vision, legal form, position in the value chain, size, organisational structure
(business unit) as well as its and financial performance. Your next step then is to map Farmlands’
processes with regards to farm supplies, extension to farmers (TFOs), and the use of the Farmlands
Card (map material or service flows, as well as information and monetary flows associated to this, at
an appropriate level of detail). What is Farmlands’ value proposition in each of these processes?
Which departments / functions of the company are involved in the processes?
Give an indication of which information technology is used in different steps of the process.
Conclude with a proposal for the next steps which should follow from your process mapping exercise
in order to work towards a strategic proposal to the CEO regarding technology use.
Document your findings in a report to Colm Hamrogue. Your report should not exceed 1500 words,
excluding the cover page and references page and potential appendices.
COMM 301 Integrated Business Analysis Assessment 2, 2017
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Note: This task does not require you to make proposals for change, but to document the current
state.
Marking Guide
Marking areas %
contribution
to total
Achieved %
Company overview 15
Map and verbal description for processes in farm supplies1 25
Map and verbal description for processes in extension (TFOs) 1 25
Map and verbal description for processes regarding Farmlands
Card1
25
Formulation of next steps of analysis 10
Overall mark 100%
1 This includes the written presentation of ideas (clear and concise writing in own words, no jargon, meaningful
transitions between paragraphs)
Note: This is a marking guide and while marks are allocated above, a holistic view of the assignment
will be considered as much as individual sections.
Assessment
The Faculty of Agribusiness and Commerce expect all work presented for grading to meet academic
and professional standards. Markers are to consider the following and apply the appropriate
reduction in marks where necessary.
1. Plagiarism
Markers: Lincoln University does not tolerate plagiarism.
2. Academic and Professional Standard
Poor Academic and Professional Standards will result in assignments receiving reduced
marks. The following guide is to be used by Markers.
Academic and Professional Standards Area -5 -4 -3 -2 -1
Conformance to the Faculty Style Guide
Conformance to Referencing – APA
Level of English usage, including spelling,
grammar, etc.
Total Lost Marks
5 = Absolute non-compliance. 4 = Significant non-compliance. 3 = Major non-compliance. 2 =
Moderate non-compliance. 1 = Minor errors. 0 = Full compliance
3. MARK SUMMARY
Assignment Content Mark
Less Academic and Professional Standards Mark
OVERALL ASSESSMENT GRADE
Appendix:
– Supporting materials
COMM 301 Integrated Business Analysis Assessment 2, 2017
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Appendix: Supporting materials
Lecture materials and provided recommendations for further readings.
Farmlands Cooperative’s Annual Reports of last years
Information provided and gathered through own questions during the field trip to
Farmlands’ store on the 26 July.

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