SGMT 6000 Fall 2017 Prof Larry Ginsberg

First Assignment

Grading: Assignment will be graded Alpha

CASE: The Evolution of the Circus Industry (A)

DUE DATE: Before 11:59PM ET - Sunday October 1, 2017

(NOTE: Assignments are to be sent by E-mail date stamped no later than 11:59PM ET,
Sunday October 1, 2017 to Maria Radford at maria.radford@gmail.com - Assignments
will be graded on line and returned to you electronically please note that late
assignments will be graded at the sole discretion of the professor with a minimum of 50%
grade decrease. Send using this document title: <your last name><first initial>Circus
6000 example Ginsberg L Circus 6000. Do NOT submit a document named First
assignment or Circus.

ASSIGNMENT:
After reading the material assigned for Session 4 please at a minimum consider the
following question and then answer the question in bold below:

Is there any 'future' for the circus industry?

Is the circus part of a larger industry?
Who are the competitors?
What is the potential market?
How would you change the model to make it work in the 21st century?
What resources and capabilities are necessary to enter this industry?
Other relevant questions that at the time of this case look to any changes that
may be coming to this industry?

As a current executive in the circus industry based on the case A material how can
you evolve a blue ocean strategy that will make you the dominant player in the early
part of the 21st Century. Be certain to document the evolution of where you are at the
time of the case to where you see blue ocean and use appropriate course tools in your
appendix to build you argument leading to your conclusion.

Individual assignments each student will submit no morethan:

a. Two (2) single - spaced (no less than 12 pitch) pages outlining your analysis of this
casePLUS
b. One (1) cover page with your name, student number and Schulich E-mail address
to which the assignment is to be returned. The cover page MUST also contain the
following: I [ Insert your name as registered at Schulich] hereby certify that the
attached assignment and all materials therein have been created by me unless
otherwise footnoted and that all the material contained herein including charts,

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 graphs and other materials have been created by me.This certification must be
signed and dated by you and attached to your assignment.PLUS
c. Attach an appendix that aids you in supporting the arguments you make in your
submission.

Please note the questions in the course outline are to assist students in thinking
through the case they DO NOT represent an analysis of this case. How you
analyze the case is up to you however it might be useful to initially outline the case,
articulate the critical issues as you see them in the case and what you would do about
them? Please note that the expectation is that you will connect the critical issues that
you have defined to your recommendations.

HELPFUL HINT(S):
1. The key to reducing complexitiesof the case to a few well-chosen words is to
determine what is important (e.g. a critical issue) and what is not important. Many
students find that by drawing out the issues and how they interconnect is often
helpful in getting to what is important and relevant.
2. Using an appropriate tool should help you in presenting a concise well thought
out integrated response (Your readings provide some tools to consider in addition
to others you may choose to use).
3. I would suggest that you refer to the case or readings by page (or appendix) in
end-notes rather than repeating case and reading information.
4. Focus on the strategy at the time of the case.
5. Please review the academic dishonesty policy of Schulich before submitting
the assignment to ensure your signed and dated certification adheres to the
policy.
GRADING CHECKLIST
The checklist below serves as a guide to what should appear in a well thought out, well-supported
argument. Please note that following directions and submitting a professional document are part of good
business practice. The category excellent is seldom applied unless the entire assignment is clearly superior.
The alpha grade is a holistic mark. This means that the critical element is your ability to put together a
well thought out and factually supported argument leading to your conclusion. It is possible to have a
number of excellent and good boxes checked and receive a grade of 'C' - It is also possible to have a
number of needs improvement and not attempted boxes checked and receive a grade of 'A'.

Criteria Excellent Good Needs Not Attempted

Improvement
Assignment submitted as
instructed.
Short outline of case included.
Industry identified and analyzed
Key Resources & Capabilities
Identified
Critical Issues Identified &
Discussed
Elements of strategy (current)
identified

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Recommendations follow clearly
from analysis
Appropriate tool(s) are used in
analysis (may be placed in
appendix).
Readings/cases discussed in
class/lecture notes used to
support argument throughout
Where data is presented in case
some financial analysis is
supplied to add support to
argument presented
Spelling, grammar, source
noting, appendix labeling
achieves professional standard
Comment:
Grade:

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