This week you will examine each of the 4 businesses available to you for your virtual internship. 

The businesses are located in the Projects Module below:

1. The Connective

The company you will be doing an online internship with is called The Connective. It was formerly called Finn Connective, (Finnconnective.com) You can visit their website to get a little information about what the entrepreneur that started this company is like and see some of the things he has done in the past. He is in the business of connecting companies with opportunities.  The Connective is a modified business idea and the owner would like to test its viability. Currently, there are 10 Connectors who on a monthly-basis seek out the needs of their clients, friends, and relatives. If a need arises they will connect the individuals with one of the company’s partner businesses to see if the business can provide the service or product needed.  If a deal is made and the two parties agree to work together the Connectors receive a percentage of the commission The Connective receives from the business. Connectors are basically sales people always trying to make a deal for the business partners. Project Document 1 gives an overview of how the business works, discusses the concept and then gives some examples of actual Connectors and Business Partners. This is all confidential information used for this class only.

2. YWCA of the City of New York 

The company you will be doing an online internship with is the YWCA of New York City. You can visit their website at ywcanyc.org to get a full view of what the organization does.

Organizational History

Established in 1858, the YWCA of the City of New York (YW) is one of the nation’s oldest nonprofit organizations committed to the personal, physical, and social development of women, their families, and communities. YW was the first charity focused on women’s rights in New York City and, for nearly 160 years, has paved the way for women and girls. Our mission—to eliminate racism, empower women and promote peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all—is achieved through our Girls Initiatives focused on girls aged 9-24 and community-based programs which include Early Learning Centers; after-school services for elementary and middle school students; and STEM and Leadership Initiatives for high school students. Today, the YW operates in 10 program locations, providing more than a million hours of support and serving over 2,500 people annually, in neighborhoods with some of the highest poverty rates in NYC.

Vision – Girls. Women. Possibilities. The YWCA NYC—where everything is possible for all women and girls.

Mission Eliminate Racism, Empower Women, Stand Up for Social Justice, Help Families and Strengthen Communities.

Problem Statement

The Museum of the City of New York has an exhibit called Activist New York http://www.mcny.org/exhibition/activist-new-york and we have been thinking how the YW should be a part of this as a 160- year old activist organization. Berkeley students can examine the museum’s online exhibit, see how it presents activism, and how the YW’s history can fit visually into it. YW can provide vintage photos and have students design a short power point presentation or social media strategy that can help us to “Rise. Mobilize. Educate. Activate.” young people as a movement.

3. Waterbury Hospital – Waterbury Health

The company you will be doing an online internship with is Waterbury Hospital – Waterbury Health. You can visit their website atwaterburyhospital.org to get a full view of the hospitals services. Recently, Waterbury Hospital has invested significant resources to improve the appearance of the campus as well as new equipment, they are currently building a wound center which is a service they did not have; and they have seen significant improvement in ED throughput metrics most importantly their door to provider time median is around 15 minutes which is very good in this industry.

Problem Statement

Waterbury Health has assigned a resource within the hospital to be an Emergency Medical Services Liaison. What they want to do and need to do is build customer relationships with the various ambulance services within this community to have Waterbury Hospital be “top of mind” when it comes to any ambulance transports that do not involve trauma, stroke or heart attacks, where the regulations clearly state that the ambulance must go to the geographically closer hospital. The ambulance drivers and EMTs have influence and Waterbury Health wants them thinking of them.

Waterbury Health has invested in significant process improvement in their Emergency Department to make it efficient (more efficient than their competition) as well.

4. C-NET

The company you will be doing an online internship with is C-NET. You can visit their website at cnetnurse.com to get a better understanding of what they do.

Center for Nursing Education and Testing Inc. (C-NET) is a testing agency based in New Jersey. They have been in existence since 1992 and provide a full range of test development and administration services to meet nursing assessment needs. The company employs 13 people who are test developers, do item analysis, customer service, application review, and other administrative duties. C-NET focuses on specialty nursing testing, and they develop assessments and exams for each specialty nursing field while working with clients (Boards for each specialty) to achieve the highest quality, reliability and validity in the tests they develop. C-NET partners with a company called PSI, who administers all their tests via CBT. All certification credentials are national – US-nursing based credentials.  Additionally, there is some testing from Canada who uses the same model and licensing exam as the US. Research will be completed on the test development and assessment industry, as well as on competency testing as it relates to nursing.

This project will focus on doing research that will help C-NET gain valuable information that will help shape the organization’s future growth and development. C-NET’s staff and consultants have extensive expertise in the development and administration of standardized tests in nursing, including certification testing for specialty nursing practice, pre admission testing for RN and LPN schools of nursing, achievement tests for nursing practice settings and test construction workshops for nurse educators in schools and practice settings.

C-NET currently develops and administers examinations for the Medical-Surgical, Nephrology, Urology, Dermatology, Addictions, Radiology, and Plastic Surgical Nursing Certification boards. These specialties can have anywhere from 2- 6 levels of expertise a nurse will need to complete. C-NET only works with specialty groups to monitor assessments, analyze results, check for validity and reliability of tests, analyze items and give feedback to each specialized Board. All of the Boards C-NET is affiliated with and the credentials for each are listed on C-NET’s website, as well as each exam application fee. Assume C-NET collects $50 – $75 per examination administered.

C-NET is looking to grow their business and possibly add new nursing competency testing. The analysis you do will help give them information and recommendations they need to be successful. Your report will help them understand where they fit in the field and how they can grow. Your will be focusing on the viability of getting into the Competency Based Testing market.

Please take the time to carefully read through each of the business descriptions. It’s a good idea to visit the related web site for each of the businesses to get a feel of the industry that the business operates in. 

Your discussion requirements this week will focus on identifying the industry for each of the 4 businesses and then analyzing those industries. At this point, you should recall some of the concepts that you learned in your management and business classes to assist you in developing an industry analysis. You may recall concepts such as Porter’s Five Forces, for example. You’ll find that information, along with general information about what an industry analysis is, and how to conduct one, in this week’s Lectures & Resources page. That information will serve as the basis for the development of your initial post. You’ll also be referring to those resources as you prepare to respond to your classmates. The focus of your responses will be on whether or not you agree with the industry selected for the businesses by your classmates. Your responses will be supported with
information from the sources. Your work in this week’s discussion board will be an important step in developing your final project. In fact, Chunk One of the Project will be an industry analysis of your selected business.

Requirements:  Initial Post

Please access the Projects Module and read about each of the four small businesses available to you.  Please indicate which industry you believe each of the businesses belongs to.  Next provide some information about each of the industries related to each of the businesses. Information about Industry Analysis is located in this week’s Lectures & Resources page.  Please use that information as a basis for developing your initial post.

APA Format

Week 2:  Industry Analysis, Some links that may help you along with this week’s assignments are.

1.  What is an Industry Analysis?   Please click below for information on the definition of an industry analysis:

https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/knowledge/strategy/industry-analysis-methods/ (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.

2. Porter’s Five Forces:  You probably studied the concept of Porter’s Five Forces in your prior management classes.  Please click below for a review:

https://www.marsdd.com/mars-library/industry-analysis-and-competition-using-porters-five-forces/f (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.

3. Porter’s Five Forces: Here is some additional information on Porter’s Five Forces:

https://www.isc.hbs.edu/strategy/business-strategy/Pages/the-five-forces.aspx (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.

4. Guide to Performing an Industry Analysis: Please click below for a beginner’s guide to performing an industry analysis:

https://www.wallstreetmojo.com/industry-analysis-guide/ (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.

5. Introduction to Industry Analysis: Please view the video below for an introduction on how to conduct an Industry Analysis.  This video introduces several types of industry analyses including Porter’s 5 Forces, PEST, Value Chain, Blind-spots and Financial Ratios: