BM561 Business Consulting CW1 Research Report

This research report focuses on business consulting for FSB, a community based college in Birmingham and London. The report includes competitors analysis, target customer market through STP analysis, and external environmental influences with application of PESTLE analysis. It also entails SWOT Analysis and discussion on three issues faced by the client. The report concludes with achievable goals for the client.

BM561 Business
Consulting CW1 Research
Report

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
For business consulting research report, selected client is FSB which is popular community
based college established in heart of Birmingham and London. The client is facing issues
including ineffective training and motivation level, ineffective workforce planning, managing
website, lack of financial resources and high competition level.
The report highlight information about the client, competitors analysis with Porters Five
Force model, target customer market through STP analysis and external environmental
influences with application of PESTLE analysis.

Contents
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.............................................................................................................2
Contents...........................................................................................................................................3
1. INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................................................1
2. RESEARCH ABOUT THE CLIENT..........................................................................................1
2.1 Brief background of the client...............................................................................................1
2.2 Identify the project of the client.............................................................................................1
2.3 Competitors............................................................................................................................1
2.3.1 Rivals..................................................................................................................................2
2.3.2 New entries.........................................................................................................................2
2.3.3 Buyer power........................................................................................................................2
2.3.4 Supplier power....................................................................................................................2
2.3.5 Substitutes...........................................................................................................................2
2.4 Target customer market.........................................................................................................3
2.4.1 Segmentation......................................................................................................................3
2.4.2 Target..................................................................................................................................3
2.4.3 Positioning..........................................................................................................................3
2.5 External factors......................................................................................................................3
2.5.1 Political factors...................................................................................................................3
2.5.2 Economic factors................................................................................................................4
2.5.3 Social factors......................................................................................................................4
2.5.4 Technological factors..........................................................................................................4
2.5.5 Environmental factors.........................................................................................................4
2.5.6 Legal factors.......................................................................................................................4
3. SWOT ANALYSIS.....................................................................................................................4
4. FINDINGS...................................................................................................................................5
4.1 Discussion of recruitment......................................................................................................5
4.2 Discussion of motivation.......................................................................................................5
4.3 Discussion of positioning......................................................................................................5
5. SOLID LINKS.........................................................................................................................6
5.1 Relate skills and expertise of team to needs of client............................................................6

5.2 Set up achievable goals for the client....................................................................................6
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................7

1. INTRODUCTION
Business consulting is a profession in which businesses assist other companies to optimise
as well as make improvisation on overall business model. A consultancy organisation offers
specialised expertise in matters of businesses and works with clients to determine mechanisms to
improve performances and effectiveness (Breitbarth, Schaltegger and Mahon, 2018). Key skills
of the team includes critical reasoning skill, problem solving skill, decision making skill and
many more. For the research report, considered client is FSB that is Fairfield School of Business
which is a popular community based college established in heart of Birmingham and London.
The client is facing issues related to high competition level, lack of financial resources,
managing website, ineffective level of training and motivation.
The report includes brief information about the client, competitors analysis, target customer
market as well as influencing factors from external environment. It also entails SWOT Analysis
and discussion on three issues faced by the client.
2. RESEARCH ABOUT THE CLIENT
2.1 Brief background of the client
Fairfield School of Business (FSB) is one of newest private addition to independent
educational establishment of London which offers multicultural place of learning as well as gain
knowledge. At present, FSB offers crucial service including growing demand of business based
skills and focuses towards providing vocational educational courses to students having
entrepreneurial flair.
2.2 Identify the project of the client
The project of FSB is to break down the problem through critical analysing together with
presenting areas of significance comprising competitor, target customer market and external
business environment. In the project of FSB, Porters five force and PESTLE Analysis are applied
for analysing competitors and influences of external factors.
2.3 Competitors
A competitor is termed to a person, organisation, team or business that offers products with
similar benefits so to compete in market (Craggs, Murphy and Vaughan, 2018). For FSB,
competitors are analysed through Porters Five Force Analysis which is a framework that is used
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to analyse forces that shape every industry along with determine attractiveness of industry. The
forces of Porters Five Force Model in aspect to FSB are underneath:
2.3.1 Rivals
Rivals are numbers of companies in an industry that offer similar services to target
audience. In aspect to education and learning market, large number of establishments operate to
offer knowledge improvement materials. For FSB, it is analysed that a high threat of competitive
rivalry is faced because of major players such as University of Bolton, York St John University,
LSST, University College Birmingham and hence forth.
2.3.2 New entries
Power of a company in an industry is impacted by force of new entrants into market. In
education and learning market, new entrant needs huge investment to establish a venture and
carry out operation. For FSB, threat of new entries is low as top enter in education and learning
market, new entries need high investment level and huge efforts to reach level of the client.
2.3.3 Buyer power
Buyers are stakeholders that drives prices of companies lower (Horikoshi and Kono, 2020).
In education and learning market, buyers are pool of students. For FSB, bargaining powers of
buyers are high due to having wider number of choices available for studies.
2.3.4 Supplier power
Suppliers are ventures or people that arranges factor of production for a company. To
operate in education and learning market, FSB builds and maintain contractual relationship. As
suppliers in education and learning market are restricted in number, there is high bargaining
power of suppliers because of having ability to enhance or decline prices.
2.3.5 Substitutes
When similar product meets need of customer in distinct manner, industrial profitability
suffers. For FSB, there is high threat of substitute because of availability of range of similar and
homogeneous products to improve knowledge of students. For example, substitute of educational
establishment are alternative schools, home based learning, charter schools and so on.
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2.4 Target customer market
For FSB, target customer are analysed through application of STP analysis which is three
tier model that permits to develop specific addition to actionable strategies of marketing.
Mentioned below are elements of STP Analysis in context to FSB:
2.4.1 Segmentation
It is the element including process to divide entire market in smaller segments having same
feature so to ensure meeting demand of customers effectively (Lee, 2020). In FSB, education and
learning market is segmented as per geographic along with demographic basis. In geographic
segmentation, people in particular location with similar cultural considerations and needs is
done. At same time, demographic segmentation includes categorisation as per ethnicity, age,
occupation and family status.
2.4.2 Target
It entails selecting most profitable as well as productive section of market which ensures
higher efficiency together with profitability level to company. In association to FSB, target
market are undergraduate or graduate students, alumni, teachers, prospective and potential
students, examination developers, etc.
2.4.3 Positioning
It is the concept to develop together with associate positive mental image in target market.
In order to build unique position of FSB among target audience, marketers are making usage of
aggressive marketing strategy including organisational website addition to channels of social
media.
2.5 External factors
External factors are elements that are uncontrollable by management of organisation (Ooi
and Richardson, 2019). To analyse external factors impacting FSB, PESTLE Analysis is applied
for scanning external business environment. Description of PESTLE Analysis for FSB are
below:
2.5.1 Political factors
In UK, stable political system brings growth opportunities for FSB as the company
receives various types of public funding that subsidises cost of education for end students.
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However, at present, government of UK has cut down its education budget that is seen as serious
issue for FSB in future.
2.5.2 Economic factors
Within UK, many students take large amount of debt for paying their degrees. Moreover,
weaker job market causes an issue for FSB to attract students for studies as other markets offer
more favourable and better paid career prospects.
2.5.3 Social factors
In UK, student debt is key factor impacting educational establishments. For FSB,
manifestation of unpayable loans results in reduction of number of students in the university.
Moreover, willingness of students for higher education creates better experience for the
university to more favourably.
2.5.4 Technological factors
Within UK, online education resources are improving quickly. FSB are making huge plans
to arrange vast amount of educational materials online and for free that can improve efficiency of
the establishment to provide required learning materials at any time to students.
2.5.5 Environmental factors
In UK, government are taking huge initiatives to protect environment (Pruthi, 2021). In
this, FSB can sustain its practices and contribute in fulfilling needs of society. With this, the
educational establishment can improve its corporate social responsibilities and build strong brand
image.
2.5.6 Legal factors
Within UK, range of legislations are governed by government so that organisational
practices are carried out ethically. In association to FSB, managers can adhere legislations
including Education Act 2011, Data Protection Act 2018 and many more to operate smoothly
and ethically.
3. SWOT ANALYSIS
For FSB, SWOT Analysis is as follows:
Strengths:
 FSB has qualified professionals that
Weaknesses:
 Because of federal funding issue, FSB
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enhance level of knowledge of students.
 It offers range of courses that permit in
providing support outside of restricted
geographical area.
fail to invest in providing kind of
support.
 It is facing lack of marketing and
technical experts which hampers proper
management of online working.
Opportunities:
 FSB can enhance its funding sources so
to arrange required funds for providing
support.
 It can hire marketing and technical
experts to manage online practices
properly (Shaw, 2022).
Threats:
 Intense competition from other
educational establishments is threat for
FSB.
 Dynamic nature of preferences and
needs of audience for educational
services.
4. FINDINGS
4.1 Discussion of recruitment
Recruitment is said to a practice of human resource management that includes searching
prospective candidate as well as stimulating them for application in an establishment. In FSB,
staff recruitment is required so to fulfil vacant positions of professionals in field of marketing
and technology. With staff recruitment, the company ensures that workforce has relevant abilities
for existing and future needs.
4.2 Discussion of motivation
Motivation is delineated to an act which explains reasons behind people initiate, continue
and work in certain manner. In FSB, student motivation is required in which attention of students
becomes key focus to meet scholastic objectives addition to energies which are directed to realise
academic potentials.
4.3 Discussion of positioning
Positioning is termed to a concept to associate together with develop a mental position in
consciousness of public about brand and its offerings (Sokol 2020). In FSB, staff positioning is
essential with purpose of providing specialised expertise as well as assistance to line positions.
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5. SOLID LINKS
5.1 Relate skills and expertise of team to needs of client
To needs of FSB, team of consultancy organisation require marketing skills, technical
expertise, problem solving skills, critical reasoning skills, flexibility skill, communication and
interpersonal expertise.
5.2 Set up achievable goals for the client
For FSB, achievable goals are set underneath:
 To recruit three new people to the marketing and technical by March 2022.
 To meet expectation level of target audience by 28% till June 2022.
 To enhance motivation level of teachers by 30% till March 2022.
CONCLUSION
From the presented information, it is concluded that business consultancy services are
structured for the purpose of addressing end to end needs of company. Competitors analysis is
conducted through application of Porters Five Force method that helps in determining level of
attractiveness of an industry. Target customer market is determined with application of STP
analysis which permits organisation to improve sales through defining a precise target audience
and positioning products at particular segments.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals:
Breitbarth T, Schaltegger, S. and Mahon, J., 2018. The business case for sustainability in
retrospect: AS candinavian institutionalism perspective on the role of expert
conferences in shaping the emerging “CSR and corporate sustainability space”. Journal
of Public Affairs, 18(3), p.e1855.
Craggs J, Murphy, H. and Vaughan, R., 2018. A shipbuilding consultancy is born: The birth,
growth and subsequent takeovers of A&P Appledore (International) Limited, and the
A&P Group, 1971–2017. International Journal of Maritime History, 30(1), pp.106-130.
Horikoshi Y and Kono T, 2020. Philosophical Practices in Japan from School to Business
Consultancy. 10. pp.5-33.
Lee C 2020. It starts with a dream: Carlos Lee talks to Lars Rymell, CEO and founder of
Swedish consultancy Eclipse Optics. Electro Optics, (309), pp.34-35.
Ooi, S. M. and Richardson C 2019. The internationalisation of service-sector SMEs in an
emerging market: Insights from business training and consultancy firms in
Malaysia. Review of International Business and Strategy.
Pruthi S, 2021. From a One-Man Consultancy to a Global Business Empire Connecting Back
Home: The Case of Purico Limited. In Indian Entrepreneurship (pp. 99-124). Springer,
Singapore.
Shaw D, 2022. Plato, Aristotle and Management Consultancy Knowledge. In An Ancient Greek
Philosophy of Management Consulting (pp. 145-163). Springer, Cham.
Sokol M. B, 2020. Mindful design of the sole-practitioner consultancy. Consulting Psychology
Journal: Practice and Research. 72(1). p.27.
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