Quick Business Assessment

 

Work through the questions below to quickly assess the health of your business. You should answer each question spontaneously, don’t deliberate over your answer. You may want other senior staff to also try this exercise so you can compare results.

 

Where you can honestly answer "true" then your business is relatively fit. Where your answers are "false" then you need to examine these issues further in the Detailed assessments.

 

Look at each area in the test and see how many 'true' answers you have ticked. If the majority of your answers are 'true', then your business is relatively fit in this area. If, however, the majority of your answers are 'false', then you should complete the appropriate sections in the Detailed Assessment.

 

To access the detailed assessment for each area click on the hyperlinked title.

You can download a zipped package of all the detailed assessments HERE.

 

Business Strategy & Planning

TRUE

 

FALSE

Our Company has a Mission Statement for the business, which reflects and incorporates our company values.

 

 

Our company has a corporate or business plan, which is consistent with this mission statement.

 

 

We have a clear sense of direction, which is evident in the objectives and targets we have set for the company.

 

 

Our strategic direction is based on a proper evaluation of the marketplace and the opportunities therein.

 

 

We have a management team who regard the business plan as their own and are committed to driving the company forward to meet its objectives.

 

 

All our employees share our vision of the future.

 

 

Total

 

 

 

Marketing

TRUE

FALSE

We are justified in claiming that marketing is established within our company.

 

 

There is a clear distinction between sales activities and marketing activities in our company.

 

 

We have sales and profit performance targets set down in a written marketing plan.

 

 

If asked the question, individual managers could clearly describe our marketing strategy.

 

 

We have established a clear understanding of our position in the marketplace, including, where possible our market share.

 

 

We have planned ahead and determined how we will better our competitors over the next three-five years.

 

 

Total

 

 

 

Quality

TRUE

FALSE

We have formal systems for quality control.

 

 

We have formal systems for quality assurance.

 

 

Our customers recognise our quality to be as good as possible.

 

 

Our quality is better than our competitors.

 

 

Good quality is achieved cost effectively in our company.

 

 

There is no room for improvement in our management of quality.

 

 

Total

 

 

 

Purchasing and Supply

TRUE

FALSE

We have overall performance targets for our purchasing function.

 

 

We never suffer disruption to our operations as a result of the inadequate quality of bought-in goods, materials and services.

 

 

Our customers never find cause to complain about the quality of bought-in goods, materials and services involved in the product they buy.

 

 

We have actively sought to reduce the number of vendors we have supplying goods, materials and services.

 

 

We are rigorous in the vetting of existing and potential suppliers.

 

 

We have optimised the purchase of goods, materials and services in our company.

 

 

Total

 

 

 

Human Resources

TRUE

FALSE

All our employees understand the goals that we have set for the company.

 

 

We have a highly motivated workforce who are flexible and responsive to our customers’ requirements.

 

 

We are able to attract and retain high quality people.

 

 

We have a formal system of appraisals for our employees.

 

 

There are clear opportunities for our employees to advance within our company.

 

 

We have a detailed company training plan and budgets.

 

 

Total

 

 

 

Innovation

TRUE

FALSE

We regularly plan for the introduction of new products and services.

 

 

We have a formal system of generating new ideas to enhance our operational performance.

 

 

We regularly speak to our customers and our suppliers about new product and service ideas.

 

 

All our employees are involved in putting forward new ways of enhancing our operational performance.

 

 

We have successfully introduced new technology into our operation by involving and gaining the commitment of our employees.

 

 

We would regard ourselves as genuinely more innovative than our competitors.

 

 

Total

 

 

 

 

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