The Business Plan format

Please see below a proposed business plan structure. Even though it is not
mandatory to follow this structure, please read it carefully to understand what is
expected from you. Examiners are interested in knowing how you justify what you
proposed in the business plan. Justifications should be derived by gathering relevant
data and performing appropriate analyses.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY (1 to 2 pages)

This is a summary of your business plan. Try to convince the reader of the value of
your business.
Aspects you may want to discuss in the executive summary:
- The nature of the business proposed
- Trading status (i.e. Ownership structure)
- Value proposition, Key Performance indicators
- The range of services/products
- Management team
- Geographical location
- Brief summary of anticipated customers, target markets and their distribution
- Assessment of financial viability and risk factors

INTRODUCTION (include a brief outline of the business idea)

THE BUSINESS CONCEPT

Value proposition - Overall justification as to why your
product/service should be bought by your customers. Whether there is
a demand. How do you differentiate your product from competitors
etc. You may use Ansoff matrix to present this
(the above should be derived from relevant analyses such as external
environmental, internal company and SWOT analysis. Main findings could be
presented in the body together with detailed analyses in appendix).
Please see lecture slides uploaded in weeks 1, 2 ad 3.

Business offer- Specifically mention what you offer to your customers

you may use product anatomy analysis to present this
(Main findings could be presented in the body together with detailed analyses in
appendix)
Please see lecture slides uploaded in week 3.

Ownership structure (provide relevant justifications). Please see

ownership structure slide deck in week 5.

 Mission, aims and objectives/ key performance indicators

(provide relevant justifications) You may use SMART objectives to
present objectives. Please see lecture material uploaded in week
3.
Legal formalities Any legal compliances such as intellectual
property rights (provide relevant justifications). Please see lecture
material on intellectual property rights uploaded in week 5.

MARKETING STRATEGY
A few areas worth covering
Customer segments To which customer segment/s do you offer your product or
service?
Customer relationships How do you build relationship with your customer
segments?
Distribution channels How do you distribute your product/service to you
customers?
OR
You could also structure the section using the headings of 7 Ps.
(Regardless of the above decision you could use 7 Ps analysis as a basis for
designing your marketing strategy. If required, main findings could be presented in
the body together with a detailed analysis in appendix).

Please see lecture slides and the marketing mix document uploaded in
week 3

OPERATIONAL PLAN Please have a look at operational plan guidance

link and lecture slides uploaded in week 6.
Below are a few aspects you may want to consider (there is no need to
structure the operational plan around these topics):
- Key activities What are the key activities you intend to perform and what are the
activities your partner network may perform
- Key resources (a summary of key resources in the body justified by an analysis
using resource based and network views attached in appendix) On the basis of
the resources you own, you may differentiate between the key activities that you
and your partner network should carry out. Please have a look at lecture material
uploaded in weeks 2 and 3 and resource based view article uploaded in week
6.
- The people plan (provide relevant justifications by appropriately linking with
business operation) Discuss different people you may need in your business by

placing more emphasis on staff. Please see the slide number 17 in the lecture
slides uploaded in week 8.
- CVs of you and other key people (appendix, only optional)

FINANCE PLAN (provide relevant justifications) Please see lecture slides

uploaded in weeks 9 and 10.
Funding purpose, source and cost Please see lecture slides
uploaded in week 11.
Forecasted financial status of your business write a summary of
financial viability of your business focusing on sales, cost, profit, cash
flow, assets, liabilities and breakeven point. You should have a
detailed analysis of the followings in appendix and highlight main
findings in the body.
In appendix:
Forecast cash flow statement (1 year), Sales and Profit account (1 year) and Profit
and Loss Account (3 years) Please use the excel sheets uploaded in week 9.
A description of the composition of the balance sheet (a short paragraph, preparing
a balance sheet is not expected)
Financial indicator- Breakeven analysis
Underlying assumptions Since you have not run your business yet, please
mention what assumptions you make in relation to the figures/values (e.g. cost and
revenue streams) used in your financial statements.

TIMELINE Starting date and the time plan in relation to key activities/
milestones of your business.

Concluding summary and re-affirmation of commitment to the business

Please feel free not to have this section since you are writing an
executive summary.