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In an effort to support the University’s mission of “creating a learning environment where curricula are connected with societal issues through civic engagement”, the students of Management 451, a senior level management seminar in the school of business (Summer 2008) recommended the establishment of an online publication to address business issues in Delaware County. Research confirmed the need for an objective, locally focused publication tailored for the surrounding business community. The concept was discussed and shared with several individuals and focus groups including: the Dean of the School of Business, a group of small business owners in Delaware County, members of the University faculty, both the Director and the Education Coordinator of the Widener Small Business Development Center, and local government officials. Support was received for the idea and specific guidance was given regarding the focus of the publication. It was proposed that the publication reside with the Widener Small Business Development Center (SBDC) and provide a forum for students, faculty, local business, and government professionals to publish articles addressing the region's most pressing business concerns. Our goal is to further the University’s mission by affording opportunities for experiential learning and active civic engagement with the local business community. The Management 451 (Fall 2008) students have continued with the concepts initially developed by the Management 451 (Summer 2008) students. We have followed their plan and have created several teams to carry through with the execution of the online publication. Fall 2008 students have been assigned to various teams. The following teams were established: Marketing, Writing, Editing, Web Development, and Project Management. All teams have specific tasks to carry out to ensure that the first issue is published according to plan. Students have been working both within our assigned teams as well as working with other teams when necessary. Also, our professor, Jim Porter, provides us with on-going guidance. The Marketing team surveyed small business owners in Delaware County to determine what types of articles were of interest. The collective list was then passed to the Writing team who then began to put together parameters to ensure the availability of articles of interest as well as assign writers for article submissions. The Web Development team was challenged with the task of developing the physical layout of the publication while the Editing team had the challenge of ensuring that the stories were properly edited. All teams took direction from the Project Management team as well as Professor Porter. Benchmarking was initially included in the research and development of the concept for our website; this served as guidance for the type of publication that we sought to create. We used online and personal interviews to compare and contrast different journals and magazines of a business nature. We reviewed Forbes Magazine, Business Week, The Philadelphia Business Journal, Harvard Business Review, Michigan Journal of Business, and Knowledge@Wharton. Some of these publications are competition for our readership, but we believe that our focus on Delaware County will differentiate us and may provide opportunities for synergies with the other available publications. This publication is consistent with Widener University’s mission of community service and is a special opportunity for prospective students. The small business publication is intended to be both informative and educational. It will consist of articles authored by professors, students, and local professionals and pertain to current issues related to small businesses in Delaware County. Topics may include best practices, trend analysis, available resources, statistical information, how-to, and specialized articles in different fields of business. Student-authored notes, comments, essays, book reviews and other appropriate pieces can provide additional material for publication. Our target market consists of the small businesses of Delaware County. All businesses will be welcomed and encouraged to subscribe to an e-mail posting of the publication. In order to gain their support in building the readership, we proposed to build alliances with both the Delaware County Chamber of Commerce and the Mainline Chamber of Commerce. Secondary markets include the University community (current students, alumni, faculty, and prospective students) and officials across Delaware County’s 49 municipalities. The Widener Small Business Development Center has offered to house the publication with the support of the School of Business and Widener University. A key operating principle of the publication will be the formation and nurturing of alliances and partnerships both within the University and across the local business community. In addition to the Widener School of Business and the Widener Small Business Development Center, we envision opportunities for strong relationships and win-win partnerships with the following organizations: -Delaware County Chamber of Commerce-Mainline Chamber of Commerce-Chester City Economic Development Authority-Chester Microenterprise Center-Widener AITP (Association of Information Technology Professionals) Chapter and the Computer Science Department-Widener School of Law-Widener Writing Center-Widener Business Faculty-Widener Magazine. We see this proposal as creating multiple wins: It is a win for the University because it will further the University’s mission of creating opportunities for experiential learning and active civic engagement with the community. The students will be able to gain real-world experiences, apply the knowledge they have gained through their years at Widener, and establish a unique addition to their resumes. The local businesses will have their expressed needs met and gain insight about doing business in Delaware County as well as being connected with the resources and networks of Widener, a “Metropolitan University”. An advantage for the local government is that the publication will provide an additional means to educate local entrepreneurs about opportunities and resources available for economic development. We hope you enjoy our first edition of our publication! |
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