1. Summarize each of the proposed projects using a simple tableformat suitable for presentation to top management. Include thename of each project, identify how each one supports businessstrategies, assess the potential financial benefits and otherbenefits of each project, and provide your initial assessment ofthe value of each project. Write your results in a one- to twopagememo to top management, including appropriate back-up informationand calculations.
Economic inequality is a huge issue. A recent study found thatthe world’s 80 wealthiest individuals own as much as the entireworld’s poorest 3.5 billion people. The richest 1 percent of theworld’s population control half of the world’s total wealth.15 Manyindividuals, corporations, charities, and government agencies haveprojects and programs in place to attempt to tackle this and otherimportant global issues such as sustainability, but there are manyopportunities to do more. A grassroots group of college studentshas decided to work together to do their part in making the world abetter place. The students are from many different countries, andseveral of them met at global conferences, through study abroadexperiences, or on various Internet groups. Strategic goals of thisgroup include developing skills for both college students and forneedy populations, sharing information on existing products andservices that promote economic growth and sustainability, andpromoting entrepreneurship. Leaders of this group were reviewingsome ideas for projects (all with a significant IT component) thatthey could do to support their strategic goals:
1. Global Treps: Many people are familiar with the televisionshow called Shark Tank where entrepreneurs (sometimes called“treps”) present their business ideas to a group of investors orsharks. Several colleges, high schools, and even elementary schoolsthroughout the world hold unique versions of a shark tank likeevent.You believe that creating a non-profit organization with onecentral mobile-friendly website/application to assist groups inorganizing these types of events would spark even moreentrepreneurs throughout the world.You would plan to hold severalshark tank like events during the term of the project and create asite and applications to help continue developing more globaltreps. This site/application would include the followingcapabilities:
• Provide guidelines and templates for running a shark tank typeof event
• Accept donations from potential investors targeted towardspecific schools or organizations wishing to host an event (similarto the popular DonorsChoose.org site where people can fundteacher’s requests)
• Accept ideas for needed new products or services
• Provide the ability for organizations to create their owncustom site to solicit local participants and sharks, acceptapplications, and promote the winners as well as losers
• Research ideas for a mechanism where a certain percentage ofall donations and profits earned by contestants are donated back tothe Global Treps organization
• Provide an online version of the events by showing videos ofcontestants and live reactions of the sharks while also gettinglive inputs and donations from viewers
2. Change the Laws Campaign: Launch a global campaign to changelaws to reduce further income inequality and promote socialresponsibility. This project would also involve creating amobile-friendly website/application that would include informationabout current and proposed laws, allow discussions of potentialideas to change laws, organize people to contact appropriatelawmakers, etc.
3. Wealthy Unite: Develop a system to enable the richest peoplein the world to provide their input on how they can make the worlda better place. Provide information on what several people arecurrently doing (i.e., Bill Gates, Warren Buffet, famouscelebrities, etc.) to promote philanthropy. Allow others to donateto suggested causes and recommend other ways to reduce economicinequality.
4. Global Smart Shoppers: Develop a mobile app and website thatrecommends products and services produced by organizations thatpromote social responsibility. Customize the app so it works in anycountry in the user’s desired language. Work with large companiesthat do not currently sell products or services in certaincountries to expand to regions in need. Allow small companies toeasily add their products and services to the shopping network.