ASSIGNMENT #1: RESEARCH & PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION

DUE IN BLACKBOARD NO LATER THAN SUNDAY 10/15 BY 11:59 PM. DO NOT WAIT

UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE TO UPLOAD YOUR SUBMISSION This assignment is worth 50
points total.

Point
Project Elements
s
Problem Statement—Be thorough in explaining and describing the problem that is experienced
16.3
by the Rutgers community.
Primary Research—Include specific questions and the results you obtain, in addition to an
explanation and conclusion statement. Include a description of who your target audience is,
and who within the Rutgers community you are creating a solution for. Primary research can
16.3
be conducted through surveys, interviews, polls, etc. Please note that you must include the
results of your research either in the form of charts or specific details, or you will not receive
credit for this section.
Secondary Research—This includes reading case studies and articles, as well as researching
databases. You must cite your sources in proper MLA or APA format throughout your report and
16.3
on a work-cited page. Please agree upon one format and use it consistently throughout your
paper. If your work is not cited, you will not receive credit for this assignment.

The first step in starting an entrepreneurial venture is to identify a problem and the second step is to
shape a solution that creates a viable business model. In this assignment you and your group members
will use primary and secondary research to support the identification of a problem that is experienced
by members of the Rutgers University community in New Brunswick area campuses (i.e. students,
faculty, and staff). The identification of this problem and the articulation of the solution will be the
basis of your Business Model Canvas Project. Submit a summary of your problem-and detail supporting
research. That can be questionnaire/responses, observation and secondary research. The submission
should be a word document and 1-3 pages, double spaced. Charts and pictures detailing your research
(appendix pages) do not count towards the page count, so don’t worry if you have more than 3 pages.

Please feel free to use the Entrepreneurship Research resources portal which is linked in Blackboard;
Jordan Nielsen is the Business Librarian serving RBS in New Brunswick. His office is in the Kilmer
Library (and he can be reached at 848-445-3615 or via email jordan.nielsen@rutgers.edu . Please feel
free to contact him with any questions regarding accessing the entrepreneurship resources we've
provided or if you have questions regarding how to use the secondablry research resources we have
provided for your projects.