GST302 Business Creation & Growth

Please note that the 60% mark allocated here goes hand in hand with your physical or virtual presentation

Sample of cover page for GST302 Business Plan

Course Title:

Course Code:

Name of Student:

Matric Number:

Study Centre:

Name of Product or Services:

TABLE OF CONTENT

STEPS

1. Log on to https://elearn.nouedu2.net

2. Go to online courses

Click on GST 302 on your dashboard

After the course page have opened, download and read all your course materials from module 1 to 5

3. Watch the instructional videos from module 1 to 5

4. Prepare your business plan for submission

5. Submit your business plan in submit your enterprise idea based on your zone

6. Make sure all the boxes by the right side of your screen are ticked

7. Report to your study centres for your presentation at the scheduled dates for your centres

Online GST302 Business Proposal Presentations for mop up are scheduled to take place at various centres at a specific date to be given by the study centre.

Students are to assemble at their respective Study Centres on the days assigned for the exercise.

Presentation links will be sent to Centres two days before the date assigned.

Students who come on any other day will not have the opportunity to present.

Below is the image of incubation centres and their study centres (you can zoom to view it properly on mobile);

Planning For Presentation

NOUN GST302 Presentation is mainly to showcase your products for those that produce or create a product and also an oral defence to test your knowledge of the course.

Students are to note that all Business Plan presentation done will be checked according to the criteria listed below;

• Best suited for further research
• The idea is a product-focused
• The idea is service focused
• Needs laboratory verification
• Needs intellectual property protection
• Qualify for NOUN zonal competition
• Needs product approval
• The idea is good for commercialization
• Needs grant for commercialization
• Needs follow up on business registration
• Qualify for incubation as resident incubate
• Qualify for incubation as a non-resident incubate
• Do not qualify for incubation
• Presentation is not within the thematic areas

Questions will be asked to students either individually or as a group depending on how much those that are present for the presentation are.

Those that fall into same category will be merged into groups for the presentation and this is where uniqueness of choice of business will make some students stand out especially if well packaged and planned.

Business Plans that are unique will be selected for NOUN zonal competition and if approved will be awarded grant for actualizing.

Presentation Tips

Here are a few tips on how to prepare for your presentation defense for both virtually and physically at the study centre.

1. Dress for success

Your GST302 presentation is a formal event, often the entire department or university is invited to participate. It signals a critical rite of passage for 300 level students and faculty who have supported them throughout a long and challenging process. While most centres don't have specific rules on how to dress for your presentation, do regard it with dignity and respect. This one might be a no-brainer, but know that you should dress as if you were on a job interview or delivering a paper at a conference.

2. Anticipate questions and prepare for them

We've mentioned it before but you can really prepare for most of the questions you will be asked. Read through your course materials and while you're reading it, create a list of possible questions. In addition, as you will know who will be used as your centre coordinator, look at the academic expertise of the coordinator members. In what areas would they most likely be focused (depending on your thematic areas)? If possible, sit at other presentation defenses with other members to get a feeling for how they ask and what they ask. As an undergraduate student, you should generally be adept at anticipating presentation defence questions, so use this advantage to gather as much information as possible before your GST302 defense meeting.

3. Delegate

It might help you deal with your stress before your presentation defense to entrust someone with the smaller but important responsibilities of your GST302 presentation defense well ahead of schedule. This trusted person could be responsible for preparing the atmosphere of the day of presentation defense.

4. Have a backup plan

GST302 presentation is sometimes is unpredictable. Life is too. There are no guarantees that you or your group members will be able to ace the questions all the way through, but also bank on team work. We've all been there. Make sure to have a plan B for these situations. You and your team members can lean on each others strengths.

5. What to do when you don't know the answer

One of the scariest aspects of the GST302 presentation defense is the possibility of being asked a question you can't answer. While you can prepare for some questions, you can never know exactly what the coordinator will ask. There will always be gaps in your knowledge. But your presentation defense is not about being perfect and knowing everything, it's about how you deal with challenging situations. You are not expected to know everything.

Coordinators will sometimes even ask questions they don't know the answer to, out of curiosity, or because they want to see how you think. While it is ok sometimes to just say "I don't know", you are advised to try something like "I don't know, but I would think [...] because of x and y, but you would need to do [...] in order to find out". This shows that you have the ability to think as an academic.

6. Dealing with your nerves

You will be nervous. But the good news is - your coordinators will expect you to be nervous. It is completely normal to be nervous. Being well prepared can help minimize your stress, but do know that your coordinator have seen this many times before and are willing to help, by repeating questions for example if needed.

Two common symptoms of being nervous are talking really fast and nervous laughs. Try to slow yourself down, take a deep breath. Remember what feels like hours to you are just a few seconds in real life. Allow yourself to process the question, respond to it, and stop talking once you have responded. While a smile can often help dissolve a difficult situation, remember that nervous laughs can be irritating for your audience.

20 questions that must be answered irrespective of the product or service chosen within the thematic areas:

NOUN coordinators have numerous questions already planned but below are the frequently asked questions every semester

Most of the question asked will still fall in this format though some might be twisted to challenge you;

1. What problem(s) does your business idea target solve?
2. How will your product and services respond to the challenges of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
3. How will you commercialize your idea? State the Mission, Vision, and Objective of the commercialization.
4. Describe your product or services and state what makes it unique compared to existing ones?
5. Where do you plan to locate your business and why?
6. Describe the current stage of your idea development (idea generation, idea screening, concept development, and testing, building a market strategy, product development, market testing, and market commercialization)?
7. Give a practical exhibition and explanation of your intended product and services.
8. What support and technological devices do your business or services require?
9. State your proposed organizational structure and describe the skills and expertise your business requires.
10. What are the experiences of your team concerning the production of your business and services?
11. What are your/your team’s weaknesses and how are you going about filling the gaps?
12. What are your/your team's strengths and how are you going to take advantage of them?
13. What do you think are the opportunities available for you considering the big players in your industry?
14. State the possible threats specific to your products and services in your industry
15. Describe the marketing 4ps strategies for your business.
16. List your fixed cost and working capital components and their prices (TOTAL COST)
17. What are your expected income, profit, and gross margin per month?
18. How do you intend to maximize income and reduce cost?
19. What are the break-even points of your business and their implications?
20. Describe the strategies in place for attracting customers or buy-in and growing your products and services and your sustainability strategies.

GST302 Theoretical Aspect

After successful completion of writing your business plan, uploading, and presenting at the study centre or virtually the next thing is to plan for acing your GST302 exams.

Most students tends to think it's over especially when they have seen their practical aspect grades forgetting that the examination is 40 marks and also challenging.

Infact, only few students tends to have an A in this course due to many not putting more importance on the e-exam.

For those that will to ace this course visit our NOUN MOCK site https://nounupdate.com/mock and purchase activation key at a small price to access the exam questions to GST302. Contact us via WhatsApp on wa.link/nounupdate for the activation key.

Below is the image of our exam practice tool garnished with exact questions set for GST302 and also same site used for the exam making you have the feel you are actually writing the examination.

Related Posts:

• Assessment Of GST302 - Business Plan
• GST302 Business Plan Submission and Presentation Date
• Notice To NOUN Students That Registered GST302 (Business Creation and Growth)
• GST302 Business Plan Template
• GST302 Online Presentation Timetable
• Notice on GST302