Business Plan

The aim of this assignment is to produce a precise and analytically thought out plan for your business.

It should be 20 pages (including appendices). Anything longer and I will not mark pas page 20. Please use word (not powerpoint) and include within it relevant data, graphs, trend or theories that provide back up to your argument.

The business plan should reference correctly (using the Harvard style) any theories or sources of information that you have chosen to include within your submission. Academic referencing standards must be adhered to in citing others work and/or applying strategic frameworks.

Any charts or data that you include should be referred to in the narrative i.e. if you put in p&l data you need to explain in words what they key numbers actually mean.

In the assessment question, there is a list of suggested contents for you to include in the plan.

Please read carefully the marking rubrics that are on the portal as within them it shows the breakdown of marks.

To pass this assessment, what is required is not only WHAT you propose but WHY you propose it i.e. explanation / analysis. All proposals made need to be backed up with either a theoretical rationale, numeric or analytical reason.

When producing and reviewing your plan, put yourselves in the shoes of a potential investor (in this case it is me that plays that role). As an investor, I know virtually nothing about your business or its performance, so what I read in the plan needs to clearly explain the choices and decisions you intend to make. I will then mark the plan and in doing so, pose some questions and make some suggestions that are to be incorporated into your final assessment 4 that is Report to the Board

The Business Plan should include the following components:

A. Executive Summary - Clear, precise and well presented summary of business which highlights key linkages, financial and operational requirements. Keeps summary to under one page. No errors in writing.

B. Review of financial and market performance during the past year - Clear, precise, integrated and welll presented review of financial and market performance.

C. Assessment of current situation and the market - A detailed, clear and well-developed SWOT and competitor analysis.

Demonstrates a broad and in-depth understanding of financial and market performance.

1. PESTEL Analysis

2. Customers

3. Competition & Industry (Porters 5 Forces)

4. Company's strengths and weaknesses (SWOT Analysis)

5. Major problems / opportunities to be dealt with in next year

D. Overview of corporate strategy - Well thought out and clearly integrated strategy covering all areas clearly and adequately. Links areas well and paints a clear and supported picture. Strategy is achievable, justified, sustainable and appropriate. Addresses all of the risks.

1. Mission / Vision

2. Culture and leadership

3. Basis of competitive advantage

4. Corporate strategy

5. Ethical and Social Implications

E. Strategy for the next year in business (What will it take to get ahead or stay ahead?) - Provides a detailed and in-depth strategy, which covers all areas into a well articulated integrated plan. Strategy is achievable and appropriate. Applies broad research to the strategy.

1. Marketing Strategy

2. Sales Channel Strategy

3. Human Resource Strategy

4. Manufacturing Strategy

5. Financial Strategy (including forecast)

F. Financial request

G. Pro forma cash flow, balance sheet and income statement (Quarter 1 to 6) - All areas included and accurate. Financials are linked throughout the report and are explained comprehensively. Quarters 1 to 4 will be actual, quarters 5 and 6 will be forecast.

E. Tactical plan (Quarters 1 to 6) - A detailed, clear and well presented chart. Time line and tactics appropriate, with no errors and fully explained in report.

I would expect that thorough business plans contain an estimate for all elements of Q5 and Q6. You should aim to complete as much as the tactical plan as you can. The specific calculations for the production costs are found within the help menu in the simulation. Effectively Average Unit Production Cost is Total Production Cost / Units. It is possible to reach full demand but the balanced scorecard gives credit to 'investment in the future'. It is rare that players in the simulation reach full potential.

My company name is Trustearn computers.

For workhorse - TE computer, TE computer II

For Mercedes - Golden TE

For Traveler - Golden computer, Golden II