Business Plan 商业计划 经营计划 assignment 代写
Preparing a business
plan
Prepared by Janine Ashwell, Flinders University
Chapter outline
• The concept of a business plan
• Elements of a business plan
• Different types of plans
• Preparing the document: the business-planning
process
Learning objectives
• Explain what a business plan is and the advantages
and disadvantages of using one
• State the major elements of a business plan
• Explain the business planning process
• Explain how plans may differ in a number of variables
The concept of a business plan
• A business plan is a written document that explains
and analyses an existing or proposed business
venture
• Has three main functions:
- To communicate the future of the business
- To convey the credibility of the business
- To act as an organising tool
Business planning and performance
• Whilst some research suggests that successful
businesses are more likely to use a business plan, the
level of business planning remains low
• In Australia only 16% of businesses had a formal plan
• Large firms tend to plan more than smaller
organisations
• Aggregated results of 47 separate studies showed a
significant positive relationship between planning
and performance
Advantages of business planning
• Provides a clear statement of direction and purpose
for a firm
• Encourages goal setting
• Provides a holistic perspective on
the firm
• Encourages entrepreneurs to fully research their
business idea
Advantages of business planning
• Integrates operations, and financial and marketing
aspects of the business
• Provides a suitable yardstick to evaluate a firm’s
performance
• Can help raise finance
Disadvantages of business planning
• Not a guarantee of success
• Cannot eliminate uncertainty — not possible to
accurately predict the future
• May use inaccurate, biased or out-dated information
Elements of a business plan
Fig. 8.1
Elements of a business plan
• Executive summary
• Background
• Marketing
• Operations and production
• Financial projections
• Implementation timetable
• Appendices
Executive summary
Introductory segment which briefly summarises the
key features that are explained in more detail later
on in the plan:
–Business goals and ideas
–Marketing
–Operations
–Finances
Background
In this section, the business owner or entrepreneur
attempts to give the reader an understanding of the
issues driving the business project.
These will include:
– Mission statement
– Company history
– Business goals of the firm
Marketing
Marketing provides the rationale for the very
existence of the business
• Market research
– undertaken to prepare the plan
• Market analysis covering:
– Industry trends
– Seasonal variations
– Competitors
– Potential strategic allies
– SWOT analysis
Marketing
• Marketing plan covering:
– Products/services and target market
– Placement (distribution channel)
– Promotions and advertising
– Pricing policy
– Extended mix- people, process and physical
evidence
• Evaluation of marketing
Operations and production
This section usually covers:
• Legal and licensing requirements
• Management details (who they are)
• Organisational structure and staffing
• Professional advisers
• Insurance and security issues
Operations and production cont.
• Business premises
• Plant and equipment required
• Production processes to be used
• Service processes and standards
(for example, service blueprinting)
• Critical risks
(and contingency plans to cover these)
Financial projections
There are three areas to consider for this section:
1. Basic assumptions and information
• brief explanation about how forecasts were prepared
• details about bank accounts
• details on any loans or overdrafts
• details on any additional funds required
(how much and how they are to be raised)
• any unusual items in the projections
(that may otherwise look like an error)
Financial projections
2. Financial forecasts
• Sales mix forecast
• Cash flow forecast
• Projected profit and loss statement
• Balance sheet
• Personal expenses, assets and liabilities
3. Analysis of financial forecasts
Implementation timetable
• Provides the owner/manager with a schedule of the
activities needed to be carried out to set up and run
the business
• Also usually organised on a monthly basis, so
providing a set of milestone schedules for the
owner/manager to work by
Appendixes
Typically this could include:
• copies of résumés of the entrepreneur and key
personnel
• credit information
• quotes for major capital purchases
• copies of leases or buy/sell agreements
• other legal documents
Preparing the document
• Business planning typically takes several steps
• It is also reiterative: some parts may take several
attempts before a finalised plan is adopted
Preparing the document:
the business planning process
Fig. 8.2
Different types of plans
Not all plans follow a common template, and may
vary in the following areas:
• Specificity : amount of detail they contain
- When a firm is new, small and focused on a
limited target market it is easier to cover all
details
• Length of the actual document
- No ideal length
- Dependant upon business idea
- Dependant upon organisational size
Different types of plans
• Audience
- Business owners and employees
- Financial investors
• Timeframe
- short term (up to one year)
- longer term (greater than one year)
• Strategic or operational direction
- strategic plans set out the long-term focus
- business plans focus on operational issues
Summary
• All business plans, whatever their structure, will
cover the key issues of marketing, operations and
financing
• The strategic or tactical nature of the plan and the
intended audience will affect the scope length and
specificity of the plan
• The main advantages of business planning include
more complete information gathering, balanced
decision making and assistance in raising finance
