Identifying Opportunities in Economic & Regulatory Trends

Assignment 6A

In this post, I will list four opportunities, the first to economic trends and the last two regulatory changes. For each one, I will analyze the following:

a)     where I found it

b)    what leads me to believe that this information suggests an opportunity might exist

c)     the prototypical customer

d)    is the opportunity relatively easy or difficult to exploit and why?

e)     Why did I see the opportunity?

1.     Population in Gainesville is growing and pushing out original residents in order to make room for students. (Economic trend)

a)     I found this information while I was exploring Gainesville with my friend one day. I noticed that the farther we went away from the campus, more families and less students lived there. I began to think that families must have once lived near what is known today as UF’s main campus and have been pushed out due to the ever growing population.

b)    I think the opportunity would be for the UF students who need housing to spread out further around Gainesville in order to stop pushing the original owners out of their homes.

c)     The prototypical customer would be someone who grew up in Gainesville and has lived here for many years.

d)    This opportunity would be somewhere between easy and difficult. This is because the mission itself is clear and concise, but it would take a lot of time and energy to fix the issue at hand.

e)     I saw this opportunity because I am an observant individual and try to see what I can find when I venture out of my comfort zone.

2.     Student housing near campus is taking away business from the local economy and giving it to large corporations. The opportunity present would be to protest these larger businesses from putting the smaller ones out of business. (Economic trend)

a)     I observed this happening all around Gainesville. Recently, this happened when the Standard started being built and took away business from Burrito Brothers since that was the parking lot customers would use. In other words, the larger company is acting like a bully to the smaller company, forcing it to close down.

b)    I think that an opportunity would exist here because people are passionate about their town of Gainesville and would want to see smaller, local companies thrive and not crumble under someone else’s rule.

c)     The prototypical customer would be smaller companies. They would benefit greatly from this.

d)    I think this opportunity is rather difficult to exploit because larger businesses often have a benefit since they are usually wealthy, well-known companies.

e)     I saw the opportunity because I am passionate about Gainesville. In my two years here, it has given me a lot and helped me grow. I’d like to see it continue to grow and not crumble under large corporations.

3.     There is not enough parking spots on the UF campus (Regulatory change)

a)     I noticed this on campus while I was looking for parking

b)    I think students along with faculty would be interested in the availability of more parking

c)     UF student or faculty

d)    This opportunity would be difficult to exploit since it would include hiring a construction company to pour gravel over an area and designate it as a parking lot.

e)     I saw this opportunity because I myself am a student and feel the struggle of limited parking on campus.

4.     Feminine products should be free in bathrooms both on campus and in public. (Regulatory change)

a)     I have always felt this way, and have recently become more passionate about this issue as I noticed how important it is.

b)    An opportunity exists here because women should have the feminine products they need provided to them without a cost. The fact that this does not exist is problematic. I am aware that UF’s student government passed a bill stating that feminine toiletries will be available for free on campus, however, they will only be available at GatorWell.

c)     The prototypical customer is any women who experiences her period.

d)    I think that getting people to recognize the importance of this issue would make the process difficult.

e)     I saw this opportunity because I myself am a woman who wishes I could have these products provided to me for free.