0 оценок0% нашли этот документ полезным (0 голосов)
74 просмотров11 страниц
This document provides a business plan summary for a company that develops microchip technology to monitor the health of cattle on farms. The company's vision is to help New Zealand farmers maintain the health of their cattle herds through easy-to-use nanotechnology and software. The business plan outlines the industry analysis, target customers and their needs, the product and services offered, key suppliers and partners, business strategy of focusing on the cattle farming market in New Zealand, important business processes for microchip development and product installation, and systems for product development and delivery.
This document provides a business plan summary for a company that develops microchip technology to monitor the health of cattle on farms. The company's vision is to help New Zealand farmers maintain the health of their cattle herds through easy-to-use nanotechnology and software. The business plan outlines the industry analysis, target customers and their needs, the product and services offered, key suppliers and partners, business strategy of focusing on the cattle farming market in New Zealand, important business processes for microchip development and product installation, and systems for product development and delivery.
This document provides a business plan summary for a company that develops microchip technology to monitor the health of cattle on farms. The company's vision is to help New Zealand farmers maintain the health of their cattle herds through easy-to-use nanotechnology and software. The business plan outlines the industry analysis, target customers and their needs, the product and services offered, key suppliers and partners, business strategy of focusing on the cattle farming market in New Zealand, important business processes for microchip development and product installation, and systems for product development and delivery.
Name Vitaliy Sudoplatov NetID Vsud640 Group Number: 307 Website Link: http://infosys1102014fcgroup307.blogspot.co.nz/ Tutorial Details Tutor: Day: Time: Nicholl Friday 9 am Time Spent on Assignment: 14 Hours. Word Count: 1641
2
2 MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY AND FARMING INTRODUCTION Farming as a profession dates back thousands of years, and advancements in the field that aid the job have progressed slowly. Cattle are prone to disease that shows up only when it is too late, and methods for detecting these are often inadequate. We believe that microchiping cows with chips that analyze blood samples and transmit the information to the farmers computer is a viable way to maintain a herd. It will save farmers time in the present and money in the future. 3. BUSINESS SECTION 3.1 Vision To aid New Zealands farmers in maintaining the health of their cattle via easy to use nanotechnology and software. 3.2 Industry Analysis: Agricultural Nanotechnology Industry Industry: Agricultural Nanotechnology Industry. The company aims at implementing its hardware within the agricultural sector and providing farmers with the software to run it. Force: High/Low: Justification: Buyer power: Low Farmers have no choice in other providers since this is a new product, but at the same time our product is not necessary for their job as they can perform without it (albeit less efficiently). Azonano.com reports that GPS and health tracking via microchip nanotechnology will soon be implemented in the USA (2005). This source was last updated in 2013, hence it must still be a relatively new phenomenon in the agricultural
3
3 industry. There is no satisfactory alternative once implemented, thus the aid that the microchip provides will retain buyers. Supplier power: Low We will require three main suppliers. First, software programmers to develop a comprehensive program. This is not a particularly difficult task as software engineers are expensive but easily attained. Second, the manufacturing of the central console that receives and sends information. This piece of hardware will not be difficult to attain since the technology is already used in vehicle cellphone-to-stereo adaptors. Finally and most troublesome is sourcing a nanotechnology company that will manufacture the microchips. Microchip.com features a variety of blood sampling microchips (2013). Callaghan Innovation is a Lower Hutt based nanotechnology engineering firm offering services in New Zealand, so adjusting the microchips for our purposes can be done within the country. Threat of new entrants: Low Callaghan and Watson discuss nanotechnology in New Zealand, pointing out that it is not yet fully implemented in the agriculture sector (7) hence the threat of new entrants will be low. Threat of substitutes: Low In the agricultural nanotechnology industry there is no current product that monitors cows blood samples. Hence substitution of the product
4
4 means retracting back to manually checking the animals. Once the farmer implements the device the amount of time saved by having the device monitor the herd will suffice in eliminating any substitute (if any). Rivalry among existing competitors: Low The difficulty in estimating the impact of nanotechnology in New Zealands agriculture as discussed by Callaghan and Watson dictates that there is a lack of it, hence a lack of competitors. Overall attractiveness of the industry: Nanotechnology is implemented in New Zealands agriculture, but not in the form of cattle monitoring. If we successfully manufacture and implement such microchips, they will be the first of their kind. The Agricultural Nanotechnology Industry focusing on cattle is one to run unopposed. 3.3 Customers and Thei r Needs The target market will be New Zealands farmers, specifically cattle farmers. Increasing the amount of milk and beef that the average cow produces is key to farmers (Macdonald et al., 225) since this is the key product that yields profitability. Minimization of effort in this area leads to a benefit for the farmer (Morris & Smeaton, 1). 3.4 The Product and Service Our product is a microchip implanted in each cow that monitors blood samples for illness, pregnancy or malnutrition. This information is transferred to the farmer via a central console, appearing within a database that identifies each cow and its status. From their computer the farmer makes executive decisions on which cow needs what medicine or treatment, and can devote specific attention to each animal instead of checking them individually. Hence each animals health is monitored closely leading to prolonged, healthier lifespans and yielding higher milk production. This increases profitability and decreases the effort that the farmer has to put in, making them able to manage larger herds.
5
5
3.5 Suppliers and Partners One supplier will have to be a company that provides the raw materials that manufacture the microchips. Microchip.com offers these services, where one can purchase components in bulk. Second supplier will have to be a company that manufactures the central consoles that are placed in the milking sheds. LS Research are an engineering company that specialize in radio frequency devices, so requesting the manufacture of such product would be feasible. First partner that we will require is a nanotechnology company to develop and work with microchips that specialize in bovine blood samples. Callaghan Innovation gives us the opportunity to keep the technology in NZ by developing it here. They offer services that collaborate with the buyers needs. The reason why they need to be a partner is to research, develop and maintain the microchip relevant to possible changes in cattle health, such as new virus strains. Second partner will have to be a software engineering company to develop a software program that identifies and groups the information received from the milking shed. Object Computing, Inc. offers software development and architectural services. With them as partners, the company will be able to develop an adequate program that farmers will be able to use and keep updating the software with the farmers feedback. 3.6 Strategy: Focused High Cost The market that we will be aiming for is based in New Zealands agriculture sector, but specifically for cattle farming, since the cows need to be hearded into milking sheds and that is where our data processing takes place. Thus cattle farmers are our target market, giving us a Narrow Market competitive scope. Due to the fact that creating this technology and implementing it requires having software and nanotechnology engineers as partners, the cost may prove to be rather high in the beginning. So our Cost Strategy will have to be High Cost.
6
6 The overall strategy is therefore Focused High Cost 3.7 Value Chain Activity: Product and Technol ogy Development. The most important value chain activity for this business is Product and Technology Development. Our aim is to develop a piece of technology that in the long run saves the farmer money and time, therefore we must ensure that it is indeed worth more in the long run than its purchase price. This will be done by a detailed development of the product. To ensure that it remains profitable for the farmer we must keep the software up to date, which will happen through market testing. 3.8 Business Processes 3.8.1. MI CROCHIP DEVELOPMENT PROCESS The development of the product is an essential process as it makes sure that we are able to pick up all possible diseases. The veterinary department collaborates with the IT department to make sure that all illneses are accounted for. Once it is updated, we contact the nanotechnology company to develop an adequate product. This process makes sure that the chip is up to date. If it is not, a new prototype is developed and once it is adequate we request its manufacture. The process finishes when we are certain that our current product is up to date. This process supports the product development and updating systems.
7
7
8
8 3.8.2. PRODUCT INSTALLATION PROCESS The microchip and software will have to be installed by their respective departments to make sure that the data is arriving from cow to computer. The veterinarian makes sure that the chip is appropriately placed, and the IT representative installs the software, checks that all animals are transmitting and makes sure that the farmer understands how to use the program. This process supports the product delivery system.
9
9 3.9 Functionalities 3.9.1. MI CROCHIP DEVELOPMENT PROCESS Creates the chip. Keeps the chip updated. 3.9.2. PRODUCT INSTALLATION PROCESS Installs the software and microchip. Makes sure that the customer can use the software. 3.10 Systems
3.10. 1. PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM Manufacturing the chip involves a large amount of ongoing research to track and define viruses. Creating a product that operates at maximum efficiency is key to minimizing the customers efforts. 3.10. 2. PRODUCT DELIVERY AND INSTALLATION SYSTEM Since the microchip needs to be implanted under the cows skin, a veterinarian will have to be on site to do so. An IT representative installs the software and makes sure that the customer can use it, making it as simple as possible. 3.10. 3. CUSTOMER SUPPORT SYSTEM If a customer has problems with keeping track on animals, whether its from chip failure or not knowing how to, then both the IT and veterinary department can return to make sure that all products are in working order. The customer need not attempt to fix it themselves.
10
10 3.11. Summary Table: Value Chain to Systems
Value Chain Activity Processes Functionalities Specific Information System(s) Broad Information System(s)
Product and Technology Development 1. Microchip Development Process 1. Creates the microchip.
2. Keeps the microchip updated. Product Development System
Supply Chain Management System
Enterprise Resource Planning cheese system 2. Product Installation Process 1. Installs the software and microchip
2. Makes sure that the customer can use the software. Product Delivery and Installation System
Customer Support System
Customer relationship management system
11
11 CONCLUSION Microchipping cattle is the most cost and time efficient process for farmers. The benefits of being able to track a virus down before it spreads will outweight any possible cons. By implemented nanotechnology and software in such an old profession we reinvent what it means to be a successful farmer. REFERENCES
Agriculture, Fishing and Veterinary Medicine How Nanotechnology Might Impact on These Industries. (2005). Retrieved from http://www.azonano.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=1331#_Using_Nanosensor_Networks_to Track Callaghan, P., & Watson, I. (2006). A Nanotechnology Initiative for New Zealand. Retrieved from http://macdiarmid.live.egressive.com/sites/macdiarmid.live.egressive.com/files/common/fi nalintro_web.pdf Contract Services Research, Engineering, Manufacturing, Testing | Callaghan Innovation SET Delivery. (2013). Retrived from http://www.irl.cri.nz/contract-services-research- engineering-manufacturing-testing MacDonald, K.A., Penno, J. W., Nicholas, P. K., Lile, J. A., Coulter, M. & Lancaster, J. A. S. Farm Systerms Impact of Stocking Rate on Dairy Farm Efficiency. (2001). Retrieved from http://www.grassland.org.nz/publications/nzgrassland_publication_291.pdf Morris, S. & Smeaton, D. Profitable Farming of Beef Cows. (2009). Retrieved from http://maxa.maf.govt.nz/sff/about-projects/search/L07-014/profitable-farming-of-beef- cows.pdf Object Computing, Inc. | An Open Solutions Company. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.ociweb.com/ Patient Monitor Medical | Microchip Technology Inc. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.microchip.com/pagehandler/en-us/products/medical/patientmonitor.html/
RF Design Engineering Services. (2014). Retrieved from http://www.lsr.com/services/rf- design-engineering-services