...Running head: DEVELOPING A STRATEGIC BUSINESS PLAN DEVELOPING A STRATEGIC BUSINESS PLAN Student Name: Tutor’s Name: Submission date: Developing a Strategic Business Plan A strategic business plan is a tool developed in preparation for establishment of a new business ventures and additionally, in improving business operations. Kolter (2009) stresses the importance of this tool as a prerequisite to business modeling. However, it is likewise important to understand what constitutes a strategic business plan before attempting to develop one. A strategic business plan takes into consideration all the variables that affect business performance. This includes internal and external variables. Kaye (2007) states that a strategic business plan must incorporate all the likely variables regardless of the magnitude of effect associated with them. An effective strategic business plan can be defined as one which identifies, analyzes, and draws conclusions with respect to variables that dictate business equilibrium shift. Such a plan is constituted of three important elements, namely: resources available, market scope and business operations (Kolter, 2009). Resources determine how successfully a business operates. This includes financial resources, human resource, and material requirements. Strategic business plans help an entity in determination of staff requirements, financial obligations, and raw materials required in advance making it possible for easy budgeting...
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...Thanks Business plans may be internally or externally focused. Externally focused plans target goals that are important to external stakeholders, particularly financial stakeholders. They typically have detailed information about the organization or team attempting to reach the goals. With for-profit entities, external stakeholders include investors and customers.[2] External stake-holders of non-profits include donors and the clients of the non-profit's services.[3] For government agencies, external stakeholders include tax-payers, higher-level government agencies, and international lending bodies such as the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, various economic agencies of the United Nations, and development banks. Internally focused business plans target intermediate goals required to reach the external goals. They may cover the development of a new product, a new service, a new IT system, a restructuring of finance, the refurbishing of a factory or a restructuring of the organization. An internal business plan is often developed in conjunction with a balanced scorecard or a list of critical success factors. This allows success of the plan to be measured using non-financial measures. Business plans that identify and target internal goals, but provide only general guidance on how they will be met are called strategic plans. Operational plans describe the goals of an internal organization, working group or department.[4] Project plans, sometimes known as project frameworks...
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...Business plan models Name: Institution: Class: Instructor: Date: Question 1 Business plan models are very crucial in any business organization. This is because they help the entrepreneur to outline what it is required to have a successful business. Here we discuss four different business plan models in the food industry. Each business plan model is different and designed to suit the type of business that one needs to start. The four business plan models that I am going to review are catering and ballroom rental business plan, catering business plan, non- profit food bank business plan and bakery business plan. These four business plan models are similar but they differ in different ways to suite the targeted market. One of the things that is evident in the four models is that they are all aimed at making profit. This is because the main aim to start any business is for the profits. The other thing that is similar in the four plans is that they all aim at acquiring the largest market share in the industry. This is done by implementing ways and means of attracting and retaining customers that will enable them to achieve the largest market share. The other thing that is similar in the four business models is the cultures and the policies adopted i.e. to offer the best customer service. The other thing that is similar is the business strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (Osterwalder & Pigneur, 2013). One of the strengths is that the four models that are in the food...
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...UNCTAD/ITE/IIA/5 UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE ON TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT How to Prepare Your Business Plan UNITED NATIONS New York and Geneva, 2002 Note UNCTAD serves as the focal point within the United Nations Secretariat for all matters related to foreign direct investment and transnational corporations. In the past, the Programme on Transnational Corporations was carried out by the United Nations Centre on Transnational Corporations (19751992) and the Transnational Corporations and Management Division of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Development. UNCTAD seeks to create an enabling environment for international investment and enterprise development. Its work is carried out through intergovernmental deliberations, technical assistance activities, seminars, workshops and conferences. The term “country” as used in this study also refers, as appropriate, to territories or areas; the designations employed and the presentation of the material do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. In addition, the designations of country groups are intended solely for statistical or analytical convenience and do not necessarily express a judgement about the stage of development reached by a particular country or area in the development process. The...
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...UNCTAD/ITE/IIA/5 UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE ON TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT How to Prepare Your Business Plan UNITED NATIONS New York and Geneva, 2002 Note UNCTAD serves as the focal point within the United Nations Secretariat for all matters related to foreign direct investment and transnational corporations. In the past, the Programme on Transnational Corporations was carried out by the United Nations Centre on Transnational Corporations (19751992) and the Transnational Corporations and Management Division of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Development. UNCTAD seeks to create an enabling environment for international investment and enterprise development. Its work is carried out through intergovernmental deliberations, technical assistance activities, seminars, workshops and conferences. The term “country” as used in this study also refers, as appropriate, to territories or areas; the designations employed and the presentation of the material do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. In addition, the designations of country groups are intended solely for statistical or analytical convenience and do not necessarily express a judgement about the stage of development reached by a particular country or area in the development...
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...TAKE-HOME GRADED CASE ANALYSIS ASSIGNMENT: “PEOPLEAHEAD MARKETING PLAN” 1. DEFINE each of the following sections of the PeopleAhead Marketing Plan: a. Executive Summary: An executive summary, sometimes known as a management summary, is a short document or section of a document, produced for business purposes, that summarizes a longer report or proposal or a group of related reports in such a way that readers can rapidly become acquainted with a large body of material without having to read it all. It will usually contain a brief statement of the problem or proposal covered in the major document(s), background information, concise analysis and main conclusions. b. Strategic Objective: Strategic business plan objectives provide the specific details about what a company's expectations are for meeting there identified goals. While goals are broad, objectives must be clear enough that, after the plan has been implemented, two independent observers can tell whether or not the objective has been met. c. Situation Analysis: Second step on the Marketing Plan; uses SWOT analysis that assesses both the internal environment with regards to it Strengths and Weakness and the external environment in terms of Opportunities and threats. d. Marketing Strategy: A firm’s target market, marketing mix, and method of obtaining a sustainable competitive advantage. e. Marketing Mix: (Four Ps) product, price, place, and promotion. The controllable set of activities that a...
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...been impacted by the global economic crisis? · What excites you about being an entrepreneur? · What concerns you about being an entrepreneur? How have entrepreneurs been impacted by the global economic crisis? Entrepreneurs have been hit since the downward slope of the economy. The banks have stopped and/or made the loan process more stringent to receive funds and to continue business. Some entrepreneurs found investors to receive funding where they were able to get around receiving loans from banks. · What excites you about being an entrepreneur? The exciting attributes of being an entrepreneur is setting your own standards. Creating jobs for the community and putting resources back in the community served. Leaving a legacy for the next generation and giving young people an opportunity to learn a new skill and concepts. · What concerns you about being an entrepreneur? The concerns revolve around not having the resources to continue running the business. The product or service rendered is no longer needed and not having the technology to advance. The business failing because of bad decisions that were made. 1. The global economic crisis has negatively impacted many entrepreneurs. Those who began their businesses during better times have found themselves in severe financial trouble. However, the downfall in the global economy has also presented a new opportunity like never before for individuals to become entrepreneurs. Although many...
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...MORNING NEWS How to Write a O RM D S ON C Business Plan THE LEADING BUSINESS PLAN BOOK FOR • Write a winning proposal • Prepare cash flow and profit & loss forecasts • Get backers to invest 25 YEARS Mike McKeever Free Legal Updates at Nolo.com R OM - AL L L F F e Story Dear friends, Founded in 1971, and based in an old clock factory in Berkeley, California, Nolo has always strived to offer clear legal information and solutions. Today we are proud to offer a full range of plain-English law books, legal forms, software and an award-winning website. Everything we publish is relentlessly researched and tested by a dedicated group of in-house legal editors, who together have more than 150 years’ experience. And when legal changes occur after publication, we promptly post free updates at Nolo.com. Tens of millions of Americans have looked to Nolo to help solve their legal and business problems. We work every day to be worthy of this trust. Ralph Warner Nolo co-founder Emma Cofod Products Books & Software & Services Get in-depth information. Nolo publishes hundreds of great books and software programs for consumers and business owners. ey’re all available in print or as downloads at Nolo.com. Legal Encyclopedia Free at Nolo.com. Here are more than 1,400 free articles and answers to common questions about everyday legal issues including wills, bankruptcy, small business formation, divorce, patents, employment and much more...
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...some planning, mostly packaged into what will eventually become a “business plan.” The business plan is a document that evolves from the initial idea into a business concept proposal (BCP) and from there into an opportunity assessment. At each stage of this evolution, the entrepreneur can decide to proceed or move on to a more promising venture. The exercise of putting a business plan together is a helpful one, and by the end of the process you will have a document that helps you and potential investors think about how promising the venture truly is. This chapter covers the whys and how-tos of a business plan in depth, looking at the main parts and why they are important, as well as what to do with your business plan. In addition, we will look at other common themes characteristic of the early phase of technology startups such as product development and marketing and communications strategy, as well as issues of intellectual property. 2.1 What Is a Business Plan? A business plan is a document describing a venture’s opportunity, its product or service, context, strategy, team, required resources, and potential financial returns [1]. It is guided by three basic questions [2]: • Where are we now? • Where do we want to be? • How are we going to get there? There is ample material available on how to structure and write a successful business plan. We could even go so far as to say that the art of writing business plans has been commoditized over the years. Therefore, the mechanism behind...
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...Starting Your Own Business Contents List of illustrations ix Preface xi 1 Getting Started 1 What's holding you back? 1 Learning to handle success 3 Overcoming the mental blocks 3 Fighting back 6 Checking your readiness 12 Case studies 13 Action points 15 2 Finding Ideas 16 Looking right in front of you 16 Cashing in on change 17 Carving a niche 18 Acquiring commercial skills 20 Working on your self-esteem 20 Choosing a trading name 21 Checking your readiness 24 Case studies 24 Action points 26 3 Creating a Winning Business Plan 27 Planning ahead 27 Making sure the plan is yours 30 Your blueprint for success 30 Getting help from the public sector 36 Getting help from the banks 36 Checklist 37 Constructing your 'blueprint for success' 38 Case studies 43 Exercises 45 4 Funding Your Enterprise 46 Getting your hands on some seed money 46 Start-up costs 46 Getting outside finance 49 Approaching the public sector 50 Approaching potential funders 54 The plan that will fix your funding 58 Presenting your case 61 Checklist 62 Case studies 63 Action points 65 5 Planning Ahead 66 Choosing a partner 66 Case studies: going into partnership 69 Measuring the competition 71 Competitive analysis 75 Finding the right premises 77 The systems you will need 79 Deciding your business status 80 Understanding the basics of taxation 81 Preparing to survive - and succeed 84 Case studies 85 Action points 87 6 Marketing Your Enterprise 89 Debunking...
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...Assignment front sheet |Qualification |Unit number, title and level | |Pearson BTEC Level 5 HND Diploma in Business (QCF) |Unit 2: Managing Financial Resources and Decisions | | |Level : 4 | |Student name and ID number |Assessor name | | |Simon Masuku | |Interval Verifier |Alan Jeffery | |Date issued |Completion date |Submitted on | |1st May 2015 |3rd July 2015 before 12:00 midday | | |Assignment title |Managing Financial Resources and Decisions - Shaping Your Future – A Vocational Scenario | |LO...
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...CHAPTER ONE – BUSINESS ORGANIZATION AND ENVIRONMENT Unit 1.1 – Nature of Business Activity • A business is a decision-making organization that uses inputs to produce goods and/or services Inputs: resources used in the production process Outputs/products include: Goods: physical, tangible products Services: intangible products Exist to satisfy the needs (basic necessities) or wants (desires) of people, organizations and governments Important to have clearly defined functions/processes Ex. human resources, production, marketing and finance Customers: people/organizations that buy the product Consumers: those who use the product Consumer goods: sold to the general public and can be split into: Consumer durables: products that last a long time Non-durables: products that needs to be consumed very shortly after purchase Capital goods: purchased by other businesses Added value: difference b/w the value of inputs and the value of outputs Allows a business to sell its products for more than production cost (leads to profit) Comes in the form of: Speed/quality, prestige, brand image, feel-good factor, perceived value, inability to achieve cheaper products elsewhere Opportunity cost: best alternative decision that is foregone when making a decision Leads to rational decision making Choose options that will generate the highest valued benefits to the business Role of profit: Acts as incentive to produce Acts as the reward for risk takers Encourages innovation...
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...advance a dream and a method that connection the two. We have to weave together our comprehension of our conglomeration and our movements to advance a destiny. The motivation behind the Swot dissection is to give informative content on our qualities and shortcomings in connection to the chances and dangers we confront. When the Swot dissection is lacking nothing, it will then be a great opportunity to assemble everything and look nearly to structure a methodology. This will include how you can abuse the Opportunities and how to take out or manage the Threats. This may well hinge on upon your association's unique destinations and objectives yet the entire methodology will surely give a general take a gander at the present position of your business. You may contend that you can make a record in your mind about the regions that make up your dissection and that no profit could be determined from a Swot activity. Attempt a fast record with the four regions and recognize where one territory effects on another. Provided that you discover one occurrence that is a present issue, you might then have reason to finish the full examination....
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...communication, no motivation, no profitable growth. Most Plans Sit in Binders on Shelves •On-going (life-style) way of doing business vs. quick fix prescription •Built in flexibility •80 to 500 rooms •Limited-service or full-service •Easily understood-Initially coached by mentor/facilitator •"Baton" eventually passed to General Manager •Driven by people - not - procedures •Involvement = Commitment •Replaces top-down diagnosis & prescription •Prepares staff to deal enthusiastically with CHANGE •Provides essential elements of self-evaluation and periodic monitoring of performance •Improves productivity •Lowers turnover •Increases market share •Improves product quality •Improves guest service •Collects critical data & information •Provides an individual hotel-level “Strategic Business Plan” Elicits personal dedication of management group via plenary and individual coaching sessions. Personal roles in process causes personal stake in outcome. •Planning stage •Implementation stage •Monitoring for success •Looking ahead- discovering strengths, weaknesses, opportunities,& threats •Looking around - collecting relevant data on competition, trends, market share •Alternatives & decisions- establishing priorities •Assessments - what needs to be done, by whom, and ….by when. •Producing the marketing plan •Constructing the financial plan (Budget) •Sharing the vision •Setting...
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...Running Header: Service Request SR-kf-013 Paper Frequent Shopper Program The electronic commerce components of the Frequent Shopper Program are aspects of the Sales and Marketing Department’s strategic objectives to increase the loyalty and profitability of its consumers. Under this program, customer shopping trends are identified and rewarded. This in turn can support the objectives providing an inventory selection of specialty foods that their customers’ desire increasing the favorable of repeat shoppers to the Kudler name. In order for the program to be effective, customers are given a swipe card that contains their information in a bar-code format. The swipe card enables Kudler stores to electronically record the frequency of purchases made by the consumer refiguring the points accumulated during time of checkout. The point system can be explained as so for every one dollar spent with the store one point is accumulated for that transaction. The existing information technology (IT) database the company utilizes is identified as a “customer table” that has each customer’s mailing information regarding the demographics for birthdays and anniversaries. This will need to be revamped to include the points accrued per capita for Frequent Shopper’s cumulative transactions. When the frequent shopper has accumulated the specified range of points determined by Kudler, the reward(s) of their choosing can be redeemed at the nearest store location. The IT department is solely responsible...
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