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AGB575 Agribusiness Planning PG (16)

Abstract

AGB575 Agribusiness Planning is a post graduate level subject.  It is a 16 point subject in which students prepare an indepth 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. Students will also critically analyse and explore deeper engagement of agribusiness planning as part of the postgraduate level development relative to agribusiness planning strategies and personal development. There is a compulsory residential school of 2 days duration in both sessions 1 and 2.

+ Subject Availability Modes and Location

Session 1
Distance*Orange Campus
Session 2
Distance*Orange Campus
*This subject offering contains a residential school. Please view following information for further details.
Continuing students should consult the SAL for current offering details: AGB575
Where differences exist between the Handbook and the SAL, the SAL should be taken as containing the correct subject offering details.

Subject information

Duration Grading System School:
Two sessionsHD/FLSchool of Agricultural and Wine Sciences

Enrolment restrictions

Related subject(s)
AGR375 Paired Subject

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this subject, students should:
  • Be able to demonstrate the use of an 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, analyse and document the strategic direction of an agribusiness and assess opportunities that can achieve improved financial, human, environmental, and marketing and production outcomes
  • Be able to design 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 analyse, explain and review the mission, goals and outcomes by undertaking an issues analysis based on Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities & Threats ('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 design and 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 nominated by the students project supervisor
  • Be able to compare the financial and other outcomes of the contingency strategies using the proposed business plan as the benchmark
  • Be able to explain and 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 design, prepare and present a business plan
  • Be able to discuss, analyse and report on the development of their capabilities and using integrated engagement 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

Residential School

This subject contains a compulsory 4 day residential school. The purpose of this residental school is to guide and assist students with the development of their business plan, particularly with the relevant specific disciplines. The residential school applies to both session 1 and session 2 in the calendar year of enrolment. The residential school is of 2 days' duration in both session 1 and session 2.

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The information contained in the 2015 CSU Handbook was accurate at the date of publication: 01 October 2015. The University reserves the right to vary the information at any time without notice.