Apply IB Business Management HL concepts to entrepreneurship, business sectors, resource combinations and the opportunities and risks facing start-ups.
A hotel combines human resources such as managers, receptionists, housekeeping and catering staff with physical resources such as the building, rooms, beach, restaurant, equipment and ICT, and financial resources such as investment, revenue and working capital. Martin read statistics and secondary market data, conducted a marketing audit and constructed a position map; he realized that The Imperial could attract travellers interested in safaris or cultural tourism. Jomo Kimathi moved from Kenya to the UK for a work permit and hotel career before returning to Kenya; Martin was born in London, studied and worked across cultures before returning to Kenya; Craig Chapman moved from Liverpool to Kenya to run an orphanage and remained there. These examples show domestic and international labour mobility driven by work permits, careers, personal heritage, family and humanitarian motivations.
Describe how a hotel such as The Imperial combines human resources, physical resources and financial resources for its business activity.
Suparman Fish ( SF )
Gepa Suparman owns and operates four fishing boats in Indonesia. There is a growing demand for canned (tinned) food, including cans of fish. Gepa wants to enter the secondary sector by opening a small factory producing cans of fish.
Gepa's business will be called Suparman Fish ( S F ) and will be a private limited company. Gepa will own all of the shares. The factory will be located in a village three miles from the harbour. Because unemployment is high in the village, Gepa should easily find workers for the new factory. In addition to the manager's salary, workers' wages, and the cost of fish, supplies, and cans, S F will have the semi-variable cost of electricity.
Gepa has prepared a four-month cash-flow forecast based on the following information:
- opening balance month 1: .
- month 1 : sales revenue of increasing by 20 % per month.
- manager's salary: per month.
- workers' wages: per worker per month.
- variable costs (fish, supplies, and cans) are equal to 40 % of sales revenue.
- semi-variable cost of electricity: fixed cost of per month, plus a variable cost of per kilowatt hour (kwh). Month 1 usage: 100 kwh , increasing by 10 % each month.
Although S F would create several jobs in the village, many residents are not happy about the new factory. The new factory would use chemicals, which cause pollution. Residents are concerned about the unpleasant smells from the factory. A representative from the local employment office is concerned whether Gepa's factory will provide a safe working environment.
Define the term secondary sector.
Healthy Start (HS)
Tom Donat started Healthy Start (HS), a national chain of stores preparing and selling healthy snacks, which are produced in batches. HS's target market is teenagers and young adults. Tom was concerned about high levels of fast food consumption and youth unemployment. His vision statement for HS is: "To encourage life-long healthy eating habits and to train school leavers (drop outs) in acquiring work skills".
HS hires many school leavers without qualifications. Because of the valuable social service that HS provides, an independent online media provider will feature HS in a new online reality TV show.
All employees, including managers, start at the lowest level of the organizational hierarchy and train on the job. Job enlargement, job enrichment and intrapreneurship opportunities are available. 20 % of all profits earned are put back into HS to finance these opportunities. Staff turnover is lower than the industry average.
Competition from global fast food restaurants has intensified. Their economies of scale mean that HS struggles to increase its market share. Online reviews indicate that some customers perceive HS's snacks as healthy but overpriced and with small-sized portions.
Tom is considering two options:
- Option 1: Implement flow production. HS will buy new technology and assign each employee to a specific job on the production line. HS will increase portion sizes and keep prices the same.
- Option 2: Implement a new social media marketing campaign linked to the new online TV show. The campaign will focus on the health benefits of HS's snacks.
Explain how the following can benefit H S :
intrapreneurship.