Business Analysis and Feasibility Report
Context
Bike sharing is a service in which bicycles are made available for shared use to individuals on a short-term basis for a price. Schemes come in two varieties: docked and undocked. A docked scheme is one in which a bike is electronically secured in a special bike rack, hired and then returned to another dock belonging to the same system. The user enters payment information, and the computer unlocks a bike. Undocked schemes rely upon the user to leave the bike in a safe place and a GPS unit will inform customers where one is available for use. For many systems, smartphone mapping apps show nearby available bikes and open docks. Demand for Australia’s various public bike sharing schemes have not been as great compared to other countries which has led to new private entrants in the market.
Lime is a technology-based mobility company that is in the growth stage of the business life cycle. It has entered the Australian market by offering motorised bicycles and scooters on the sudden and unexpected exit of many of these new entrants. Lime is also experiencing difficulties with the implementation of its growth strategies by entering the Australian market.
Task
Create a feasibility report for the regional directors of Lime investigating continued growth in Brisbane. Your report should analyse, interpret and evaluate one marketing and one operational strategy for Lime in the growth stage of the business lifecycle. Examine these growth strategies to improve competitiveness and stakeholder satisfaction.
To complete this task, you must:
Use the stimulus material and some additional research about Lime and its associated industry to:
- describe business facts and characteristics for Lime, including:
- the position in the business life cycle
- external operating environmental factors
- target market
- total product concept
- explain the marketing mix implemented by Lime, e.g. price, product, place and promotion
- select data and information from the stimulus and other research, relating to:
- the environmental factors for Lime and analyse the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT analysis)
- the marketing mix and customer service of one competing business to analyse unique selling proposition (USP analysis)
- interpret the relationships and patterns from the SWOT and USP analyses to draw conclusions about the implications for Lime’s continued market growth
- using the criteria of competitiveness and stakeholder satisfaction, evaluate one marketing and one operational strategy implemented by Lime to make a decision and propose a recommendation for the business in the growth stage
- create a feasibility report using features of the report genre
- cite sources using in-text referencing in the body and provide a source reference list
- sequence and organise ideas, supported by visual representations
- use language conventions to communicate business growth strategies.