AGB356 Agricultural Business Planning (8)

CSU Discipline Area: Agribusiness/Farm Management (AGFAR)

Duration: One session

Abstract:

Agricultural Business Planning is a subject in which students prepare a business plan for an agribusiness. It is a project-based study where students will analyse an existing agribusiness and create a strategy for its improvement; or develop and evaluate a new agribusiness proposal through to a steady state position. In each case, the focus will be on the achievement of pre-defined goals. Analysis and planning will be strategic and holistic, taking account of the multiple contexts in which the business will operate.

+ Subject Availability Modes and Locations

No offerings have been identified for this subject in 2013.Continuing students should consult the SAL for current offering details prior to contacting their course coordinator: AGB356

Where differences exist between the handbook and the SAL, the SAL should be taken as containing the correct subject offering details.

Enrolment restrictions:

Student who have completed AGR375 are not eligible to enrol into this subject

Objectives:

Upon successful completion of this subject, students should:

- Be able to use a holistic model such as 'sustainable agri-management system'(SAMS)(as modified)to analyse financial, human; environmental; and marketing and production issues that need to be factored into holistic and strategic business planning
- Be able to review the strategic direction of an agribusiness and assess opportunities that can achieve improved financial; human; environmental; and marketing and production outcomes
- Be able to define a mission and set of goals for the agribusiness
- Be able to undertake a situation analysis examining the feasibility of the revised strategic direction by conducting an audit of the external and internal environments for each of the four SAMS influences
- Be able to review the mission, goals and outcomes by undertaking an issues analysis based on SWOT
- Be able to assess personal capabilities to implement the plan and identify areas of personal development or professional assistance to make the plan achievable
- Be able to develop a marketing plan based on new opportunities that are tailored to the specific industry context of the agribusiness
- Be able to develop a physical management plan which provides the basis for achieving defined SMART goals for the financial; human; environmental; and marketing and production activities of the agribusiness
- Be able to prepare enterprise activity budgets for the analysis of enterprise performance and compare the budgeted outcomes to industry key performance indicators
- Be able to conduct a financial analysis of the business plan up to a 'steady state' position using financial ratios and internal rates of return
- Be able to conduct a risk assessment of financial; human; environmental; and marketing and production factors and plan contingency strategies for risk events
- Be able to compare the financial and other outcomes of the contingency strategies using the proposed business plan as the benchmark
- Be able to review the project outcomes relative to the business mission and goals and suggest changes to the business plan in the light of this review
- Be able to prepare and present a business plan
- Be able to reflect on the development of their capabilities and prepare a plan for personal development

Syllabus:

The subject will cover the following topics:

- Holistic agri-management systems, focusing on the sustainable agri-management systems (SAMS) model - Review of strategic directions of an existing agribusiness - Evaluation of potential opportunities including the opportunity of setting up a new agribusiness - Mission, goals and objectives that balance the four influences of the SAMS model - Auditing of internal environment of the agribusiness including natural resources - Auditing of external environment that will impact on the achievement of goals and objectives - Managing change - Benchmarking - Marketing plans - Physical management plans - Financial management plans - Financial, environmental, marketing and production, and human performance indicators - Risk assessment and contingency planning - Scenario comparison on whole business performance - Formatting of the agribusiness plan - Capability reflection and personal development relative to the agribusiness planning process

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