Course Description
Developing a business plan is central to any organization. This includes both profit and not for profit organizations. The concept of business plan development is also not reserved for new venture startups or new product creation. While these are central to economic activity, the same process can occur within any organization.
The course will guide students through the key parts of a business plan. During this process, students will be presented with a formal idea generation exercise which, upon completion, should produce a viable product or service around which the business plan will be created. A methodical process will be followed to generate the outline of a business plan, the various parts, and the final plan. Along the way, students will be required to present their ideas and receive constructive feedback from others.
The Need
A new corporate venture is the stereotypical creator and user of a business plan. Existing companies also create new products, launch new divisions and have many projects which represent discrete parts of the organization and could benefit from development of a business plan.
But for the profit motive, not for profit organizations operate in the same economy and under the same economic conditions as do businesses. They have customers, who use their services, and their expenses must not consistently exceed their revenue, or they will cease to exist. The efficient use of resources is central to allowing a not for profit to accomplish its mission.
Regardless of the organization, the ability to research, create, and present a persuasive business plan is necessary to the existence of any organization. Someone who can develop this ability will have a skill set useful in any career.
Required Materials
Successful Business Plan Secrets and Strategies by Rhonda Abrahms, 7th edition, Palo Alto: Planning Shop, 2019 ISBN: 978-1933895826
Book Resource Website: The Planning Shop
EMail Account – (Send EMail to instructor BEFORE 2nd class)
Access to Personal Computer and Spreadsheet program
Prerequisites – MBA 680 (unless waived by Dr. Will)
Web Links
- Course Share Drive
- Ideation Tools
- Rocket Pitch Videos
- Validating Your Startup Idea
- Rocket Pitch Tutorial Video (requires Flash plugin)
- Rocket Pitch Workshop
- Rocket Pitch Process
- The Business Plan
Other Links
- Common Business Plan Mistakes
- Feasbility Presentation
- Professional Business Attire
- Professional Business Attire—Men
- Professional Business Attire—Women
- APA Style Sheet—Purdue
- APA Style Sheet
Academic Dishonesty and Plagiarism
You must not adopt or reproduce ideas, words, or statements of another person without giving an appropriate acknowledgement to the source. You must give due credit to the originality of others and acknowledge an indebtedness wherever you:
- Quote another person’s actual words, either oral or written;
- Paraphrase another person’s words, either oral or written;
- Use another person’s ideas, opinions, or theories; or
- Cite facts, statistics, or other illustrative material, unless the information is common knowledge.
All assignments must be your original work and not the work of other students. Neither group work nor the individual work of another student may be submitted by you. Submission of such work will be considered academic misconduct. Incidents of academic misconduct, dishonesty and/or plagiarism will be handled as per the Student Handbook.
Academic Integrity and the penalties for violations are defined both on the public site of the university as well as in the Student Handbook (requires intranet access). It is the responsibility of the student to avail themselves of this information.