AGR377 Agribusiness Planning (16)

Agribusiness Planning is a 16 point capstone 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 agribusiness will operate. Students will also reflect on the development of their capabilities relative to the subjects learning objectives and to the agribusiness planning process, and plan for ongoing personal development.

Availability

* Offering has a residential school. Please view following information for further details.

Year-long Period 1 (31)
On Campus
Wagga Wagga Campus
Online *
Wagga Wagga Campus

Continuing students should consult the SAL for current offering details: AGR377. Where differences exist between the Handbook and the SAL, the SAL should be taken as containing the correct subject offering details.

Subject Information

Grading System

HD/FL

Duration

One session

School

School of Agricultural, Environmental and Veterinary Sciences

Enrolment Restrictions

Not available to students who have successfully completed AGR375.

Assumed Knowledge

It is assumed that students have already completed at least the equivalent of two years full time of their degree studies, including successful completion of, or equivalent study in:

  • AGR237 Property Planning and Development
  • AGB310 Agricultural Marketing
  • AHT231 Agricultural Finance and/or AGB450 Agricultural Business Risk and Investment
Subject Relationships

AGR375 replaced by AGR377
AGB577 .

Incompatible Subjects

AGB377, AGB575, AGB577, AGR375, MGT361

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this subject, students should:
  • be able to use a holistic model 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 undertake a situation analysis examining the feasibility of the revised strategic direction by conducting an audit of the external and internal environments;
  • be able to review the mission, goals and outcomes by undertaking an issues analysis based on SWOT;
  • 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;
  • be able to develop a marketing, operations and human resource plan based on new opportunities that are tailored to the specific industry context of the agribusiness;
  • be able to prepare and analyse the production and financial forecasts of the business plan; and
  • be able to conduct a risk assessment of financial; human; environmental; and marketing and production factors, plan contingency strategies for risk events and undertake scenario analysis from a whole of business perspective.

Syllabus

This subject will cover the following topics:
  • 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
  • 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 2 day Compulsory Residential School.

The residential school is of a 2 day duration. The purpose of this residential school is to guide and assist students with the development of their business plans, meet face-to-face with their business plan mentor and engage in peer-to-peer learning and support not possible in an on-line forum due to confidentiality associated with their individual business cooperators. Students will also be assisted with the complexity of financial modelling which they will need to undertake following the residential school.

Special Resources

Students attending compulsory residential schools on Charles Sturt University campuses will incur costs associated with travel, accommodation and required resources.

The information contained in the CSU Handbook was accurate at the date of publication: June 2022. The University reserves the right to vary the information at any time without notice.

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