Saudi Electronic University College of Administrative and Financial Sciences
MGT402: Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management Assignment 1 – Start-Up Business Plan Spring Semester 2025-2026 (2nd Semester)
Due Date: 28 February 2026 @ 23:59 Total Marks: 10 Assignment Type: Individual
General Instructions
Submit your work on Blackboard only, in WORD format, through the allocated folder. Email submissions will not be accepted. Make your work clear, well-organised and professionally presented – marks may be deducted for poor layout or missing cover-page details. Use Times New Roman, size 12, double-spaced. No images containing text are allowed. Late work receives zero. Plagiarism results in zero marks; all content must be in your own words with proper APA referencing.
Learning Outcomes This task helps you:
- Describe the historical place of small businesses and analyse their strengths and weaknesses.
- Illustrate the ability to think independently and systematically when developing a viable business model.
Assignment Task Assume you are an entrepreneur launching a small start-up business in Saudi Arabia. Prepare a concise Start-Up Business Plan that demonstrates your understanding of real-world entrepreneurship in the Kingdom.
Part 1: Owners, Capital Structure and Company Profile (2 Marks) a. Business name, physical address and professional e-mail. b. Legal form of ownership (sole proprietorship, partnership, limited liability company, etc.) – explain your choice briefly. c. Total investment capital required and sources (personal savings, family, bank loan, etc.).
Part 2: Company Business Description (300–400 words total) (8 Marks) A. Scope and Type of Business (4 Marks) • What product or service will you offer? • Which market segment will you target? • Business idea: what makes your offering different? • Mission statement. • Short-term and long-term goals and objectives. • Target customers – who are they, where do they live, what are they passionate about?
B. Business Philosophy (4 Marks) • Why is this business important to you? • Industry overview: Is it growing? What short- or long-term changes do you foresee? How will you take advantage? • Core strengths and competencies: What background, skills and personal experience do you bring? • Risk assessment: Use a simple SWOT analysis to evaluate strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. • Who are your main competitors and how will you differentiate yourself?
Submission Requirements & Marking Rubric Your completed plan should be 800–1,200 words overall. Use APA 7th edition for any references.
| Criterion | Marks | Excellent (full marks) | Good (partial) | Needs Improvement |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part 1 – Ownership & Capital | 2 | Clear, realistic choices with justification | Basic details provided | Incomplete or unrealistic |
| Part 2A – Scope & Business Idea | 4 | Detailed, creative idea linked to Saudi market | Adequate description | Vague or missing key elements |
| Part 2B – Philosophy & SWOT | 4 | Insightful analysis with realistic SWOT | Some analysis but superficial | Missing SWOT or weak differentiation |
| Overall Presentation & Referencing | Integrated | Professional layout, correct APA, no plagiarism | Minor formatting issues | Poor presentation or referencing errors |
Sample Response Excerpt (to illustrate expectations)
I have chosen to launch “GreenSip”, a sustainable bottled-water delivery service in Riyadh that uses 100 % recyclable packaging and partners with local farms for flavour infusions. As a sole proprietorship the structure keeps start-up costs low while allowing quick decisions. Initial capital of SAR 75,000 will come from personal savings and a small family contribution. The business will serve health-conscious professionals aged 25–40 living in northern Riyadh districts who value eco-friendly products and convenient home delivery. My mission is to make hydration environmentally responsible. Industry trends show strong growth in the wellness sector under Vision 2030, and I plan to capitalise on government incentives for green businesses. My personal background in logistics gives me a clear competitive edge over traditional suppliers. A simple SWOT reveals that opportunities from rising environmental awareness outweigh the threat of established mineral-water brands.
According to recent analysis, Saudi Vision 2030 reforms continue to create favourable conditions for service-sector start-ups like mine (Bilal et al., 2024).
References / Learning Materials (APA 7th)
Bilal, M., Alawadh, A., Rafi, N., & Akhtar, S. (2024). Analyzing the impact of Vision 2030’s economic reforms on Saudi Arabia’s consumer price index. Sustainability, 16(21), Article 9163. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16219163
Alshahrani, R. (2025). Entrepreneurship in Aseer Region: Challenges and solutions. The Arab Journal of Administration. https://doi.org/10.21608/aja.2025.418164
Kitsios, F., & Kamariotou, M. (2023). Digital innovation and entrepreneurship transformation through open data hackathons: Design strategies for successful start-up settings. International Journal of Information Management, 69, Article 102472. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2022.102472
Al-Mamary, Y. H., & Alshammari, N. M. (2020). The role of entrepreneurial education in developing entrepreneurial intention among Saudi university students. Journal of Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies, 12(4), 567–589. https://doi.org/10.1108/JEEE-10-2019-0154
