How To Write A Business Plan, Fourth Edition

Table of contents

1. Cover Page
2. Title Page
3. Copyright Page
4. Contents
5. About This Course
6. How to Take This Course
7. 1 Introduction to Business Planning
   1. Definition of a Business Plan
   2. Objectives and Uses of a Business Plan
      1. Internal Uses of a Business Plan
      2. External Uses of a Business Plan
   3. What to Include in a Business Plan
      1. Market Strategy
      2. Production or Service Strategy
      3. Research and Development Strategy
      4. Organization and Management Strategy
      5. Financial Strategy
   4. How to Prepare a Business Plan
      1. Step 1: Organizing the Planning Process
      2. Step 2: Diagnosing the Situation
      3. Step 3: Setting Goals
      4. Step 4: Developing Operating Plans
      5. Step 5: Developing a Financial Plan
      6. Step 6: Writing the Business Plan Document
   5. Summary
   6. Review Questions
8. 2 Diagnosing the Internal Capabilities of a Company
   1. The Importance of Understanding a Company’s Operations
   2. Structure of an Internal Diagnosis
      1. Evaluating Market Strategy
      2. Evaluating Production or Service Strategy
      3. Evaluating Research and Development Strategy
      4. Evaluating Organization and Management Strategy
      5. Evaluating Financial Strategy
   3. How to Use the Results of an Internal Diagnosis
   4. Summary
   5. Review Questions
9. 3 Diagnosing and Measuring Customer Satisfaction
   1. Structure of the Company’s Operating Environment
   2. Focus on the Customer
      1. The Importance of Customer Satisfaction
      2. The Importance of Measuring Customer Satisfaction
   3. What Customers Value
   4. Identifying the Company’s Customers
   5. Customer Research Versus Customer Satisfaction Measurement
      1. Four Key Questions for Customer Research
      2. Customer Versus Market Segmentation
   6. Measuring Customer Satisfaction
   7. Ten Key Steps in Customer Satisfaction Measurement
   8. Summary
   9. Review Questions
10. 4 Diagnosing the External Environment
    1. Components of an External Diagnosis
       1. Analysis of Market Developments
       2. Analysis of Technological Developments
       3. Analysis of Economic Developments
       4. Analysis of Major Societal Forces and Trends
       5. Legislative and Regulatory Actions
    2. How to Use the Results of an External Diagnosis
    3. Summary
    4. Review Questions
11. 5 Setting Goals
    1. Definition of a Mission
    2. The Purpose of Goal Setting
    3. The Nature of Goals, Objectives, and Strategies
    4. How Goals Are Established
    5. Where to Establish Goals and Strategies
       1. Setting Market Goals and Strategies
       2. Setting Production or Service Goals and Strategies
       3. Setting Research and Development Goals and Strategies
       4. Setting Organization and Management Goals and Strategies
       5. Setting Financial Goals and Strategies
    6. How Goals, Objectives, and Strategies Should Be Used
    7. Summary
    8. Review Questions
12. 6 Developing a Sales and Revenue Plan
    1. Developing Quarterly Sales and Revenue Objectives
    2. Developing Estimates of Marketing and Sales Expenses
    3. Pulling Revenue and Expense Objectives Together
    4. Linking Sales and Revenue Objectives to the Research and Development Plan
    5. Finalizing the Sales and Revenue Plan
    6. Summary
    7. Review Questions
13. 7 Developing a Production Plan
    1. Production Scheduling
    2. Raw Materials Planning
    3. Direct Labor Planning
    4. Production Overhead Planning
    5. Computing the Cost of Goods Sold
    6. Finalizing the Production Plan
    7. Summary
    8. Review Questions
14. 8 Developing an Organization and Management Plan
    1. Developing an Appropriate Management Structure
       1. Factors Involved in the Structure
       2. Form of the Structure
       3. Implementing the Structure
    2. Developing Effective Management and Information Systems
    3. Developing an Effective Workforce
    4. Estimating Management and Administrative Expenses
    5. Summary
    6. Review Questions
15. 9 Developing a Financial Plan
    1. Linking the Financial Plan to Financial Goals and Strategies
    2. Preparing an Income Statement
    3. Preparing a Balance Sheet
       1. Planning Working Capital
       2. Planning Long-Term Assets
       3. Planning a Financing Structure
       4. Finalizing a Balance Sheet
    4. Preparing a Cash Flow Statement
    5. Finalizing a Financial Plan
    6. Summary
    7. Review Questions
16. 10 Preparing a Planning Document
    1. Contents of a Business Plan Document
       1. Executive Summary
       2. Sales and Revenue Plan
       3. Production Plan
       4. Research and Development Plan
       5. Organization and Management Plan
       6. Financial Plan
       7. Appendices
    2. Contingency Plans
    3. Summary
    4. Review Questions
17. 11 Preparing a Business Plan to Raise Capital
    1. Alternatives for Raising Capital
    2. Sources of Equity
       1. Individuals
       2. Venture Capitalists
       3. Joint Ventures
       4. Public Securities Markets
    3. Sources of Debt Financing
       1. Individuals
       2. Commercial Banks
       3. Asset-Based Lenders
       4. Leasing Companies
       5. Government-Assisted Programs
       6. Industrial Revenue Bonds
    4. What Investors and Lenders Look for in a Business Plan
       1. People Involved
       2. Viability of the Concept
       3. Marketing Skills and Experience
       4. History of Success
       5. Personal Commitment of Resources
       6. Reasonableness of Financial Projections
       7. The Bankers’ Perspective
    5. Factors to Consider in Deciding How to Finance
       1. Age of the Business
       2. Personal Goals
       3. Timing
    6. How to Present the Plan
       1. Packaging the Written Plan
       2. Submitting the Plan
       3. Closing the Transaction
    7. Summary
    8. Review Questions
18. 12 Implementing and Controlling the Business Plan
    1. The Strategic Management Framework
    2. Translating the Plan into Action
       1. The Planning/Implementation/Control (PIC) Management Cycle
       2. Implementing the Plan: Operational Programming
       3. Controlling the Plan: The Management Control Loop
    3. Business Plan Implementation Steps
       1. Step 1: Develop Action Programs
       2. Step 2: Design the Management Reporting and Control System
       3. Step 3: Build the Structure to Support Implementation
       4. Step 4: Implement and Control the Plan and Action Programs
       5. Step 5: Modify the Plan and Action Programs
       6. Step 6: Evaluate Results
    4. Summary
    5. Review Questions
19. Appendix A
20. Appendix B
21. Appendix C
22. Appendix D
23. Bibliography
24. The First Examination
25. The Practice Case
26. The Practice Case Solution
27. The Examination Case
28. Index