Distinguished - Comprehensively and accurately identifies the key success factors necessary for success in the industry in which the venture would be competing.  Describes customer expectations with clarity and focus.  Weighs each factor to reflect its relevance to success in a very detailed and clear manner.  Each factor is ranked based on overall importance to organizational success with thorough reasoning.

Proficient - Accurately identifies the key success factors necessary for success in the industry in which the venture would be competing.  Describes customer expectations, but some minor details are vague and/or missing.  Weighs each factor to reflect its relevance to success.  Each factor is ranked based on overall importance to organizational success with some reasoning.

Basic - Identifies the key success factors necessary for success in the industry in which the venture would be competing, but lacks a well-defined description of customer expectations.  Weighs each factor to reflect its relevance to success.  Each factor is ranked based on overall importance to organizational success, but the weighing of the factors is not entirely correct and/or reasoning is missing for at least one of the factors.

Below Expectations - Identifies an incomplete or inaccurate listing of the key success factors necessary for success in the industry in which the venture would be competing.  The description of customer expectations lacks sufficient details.   Attempts to weigh each factor to reflect its relevance to success, but the weighing of the factors is not correct and reasoning is missing for more than one of the factors.

Non-Performance - The identification of key success factors and the weight of each factor for success in the industry is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Identifies two industry competitors, and clearly and comprehensively evaluates both competitors and the personal business venture against the identified key success factors.  An accurate and comprehensive weighting to effectively evaluate outcomes of analysis has been developed, and a thorough and detailed rationale for the weights is included.

Proficient - Identifies two industry competitors, and evaluates both competitors and the personal business venture against the identified key success factors.  Some details are either incomplete or missing. A weighting to evaluate outcomes of analysis has been developed, and a rationale for the weights is included.

Basic - Identifies two industry competitors, and evaluates both competitors and the personal business venture against the identified key success factors.  However, sufficient details needed to make sound business decisions are missing. A weighting to evaluate outcomes of analysis has been developed, and a rationale for the weights is included, but incomplete.

Below Expectations - Identifies two industry competitors, but the evaluation of both competitors and the personal business venture against the identified key success factors lacks details needed to make sound business decisions. A rudimentary weighting to evaluate outcomes of analysis has been developed, but it isn’t wholly accurate or complete.  A rationale for the weights may or may not be included.

Non-Performance - The identification of two industry competitors and an evaluation of each is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Sums the individual ratings to get an overall measure of the competitive strength for each rival compared to the business venture.  Comprehensively evaluates the venture’s overall strength relative to rivals and customer expectations.

Proficient - Sums the individual ratings to get an overall measure of the competitive strength for each rival compared to the business venture.  Evaluates the venture’s overall strength relative to rivals and customer expectations, but omits some minor relevant details.

Basic - Sums the individual ratings to get an overall measure of the competitive strength for each rival compared to the business venture.  Briefly evaluates the venture’s overall strength relative to rivals and customer expectations, omitting several relevant details.

Below Expectations - Sums the individual ratings to get an overall measure of the competitive strength for each rival compared to the business venture.  Attempts to evaluate the venture’s overall strength relative to rivals and customer expectations. The response is vague and not supported with relevant details. 

Non-Performance - The sum of the ratings and the evaluation of the venture’s competitive strength is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Determines a developed, feasible, and comprehensive plan of action that provides a clear competitive industry advantage to the business venture versus the current position of the competitors. The plan thoroughly addresses each of the key success factors as well as the position of the competitors.

Proficient - Determines a feasible plan of action that provides a competitive industry advantage to the business venture versus the current position of the competitors. Some minor details are missing from the plan.  The plan addresses each of the key success factors as well as the position of the competitors.

Basic - Determines a mostly feasible plan of action that provides an industry advantage to the business venture versus the current position of the competitors. Relevant details are missing from the plan.  The plan vaguely addresses most of the key success factors as well as the position of the competitors.

Below Expectations - Fails to determine a plan of action that provides an industry advantage to the business venture versus the current position of the competitors.  The plan insufficiently addresses the key success factors and/or the position of the competitors.

Non-Performance - The determination of an appropriate plan of action to achieve competitive advantage is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Develops a logical, consistent plan to solve a problem,  identifies consequences of the solution, and clearly communicates the reason for choosing the solution. 

Proficient - Carefully chooses among alternatives, and develops a logical, consistent appraoch to problem solving.

Basic - Takes into account and eliminates less acceptable approaches to problem solving.

Below Expectations - Takes into account a single approach and uses the approach to problem solving.

Non-Performance - The assignment is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the instructions.

Distinguished - Clearly and comprehensively explains in detail the issue to be considered, delivering all relevant information necessary for full understanding.

Proficient - Clearly explains in detail the issue to be considered, delivering enough relevant information for an adequate understanding.

Basic - Briefly recognizes the issue to be considered, delivering minimal information for a basic understanding. 

Below Expectations - Briefly recognizes the issue to be considered, but may not deliver additional information necessary for a basic understanding. 

Non-Performance - The assignment is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the instructions.

Distinguished - Displays meticulous comprehension and organization of syntax and mechanics, such as spelling and grammar. Written work contains no errors, and is very easy to understand. 

Proficient - Displays comprehension and organization of syntax and mechanics, such as spelling and grammar. Written work contains only a few minor errors, and is mostly easy to understand. 

Basic - Displays basic comprehension of syntax and mechanics, such as spelling and grammar. Written work contains a few errors, which may slightly distract the reader. 

Below Expectations - Fails to display basic comprehension of syntax or mechanics, such as spelling and grammar. Written work contains major errors, which distract the reader. 

Non-Performance - The assignment is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the instructions.

Distinguished - Accurately uses APA formatting consistently throughout the paper, title and reference page.

Proficient - Exhibits APA formatting throughout the paper. However, layout contains a few minor errors.

Basic - Exhibits basic knowledge of APA formatting throughout the paper. However, layout does not meet all APA requirements.

Below Expectations - Fails to exhibit basic knowledge of APA formatting. There are frequent errors, making the layout difficult to distinguish as APA. 

Non-Performance - The assignment is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the instructions. 

Distinguished - The paper meets the specific page requirement stipulated in the assignment description.

Proficient - The paper closely meets the page requirement stipulated in the assignment description. 

Basic - The paper meets over half of the page requirement.

Below Expectations - A fraction of the page requirement is completed.

Non-Performance - The assignment is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the instructions.

Distinguished - Provides ample resources and uses the correct number of sources from the specified search agents.

Proficient - Provides the approximate number of sources, while using some of the correct search agents specified in the assignment instructions.

Basic - Provides over half of the sources required in the assignment instructions.

Below Expectations - Provides inadequate number of resources and does not include sources from specified search agents.

Non-Performance - The assignment is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the instructions.