How to write a business plan

Sample

Paul Ingram, Brian S. Silverman

Institutions are the "rules of the game" of economic behavior. They include the laws of states, the policies of organizations, and even the normative prescriptions of cultures. In this exciting volume, a diverse and accomplished group of scholars work to integrate theories of institutions with strategic management. The research they present examines a wide range of industrial contexts, ranging from American retailing at the end of the nineteenth century, to German tax law at the beginning of the twenty-first. Likewise, the chapters apply a diverse set of methods, including historical analysis. These varied research styles make the overall coherence of the authors' arguments more compelling. The key arguments go beyond the familiar position that institutions affect economic performance to describe a reciprocal relationship between institutions and organization strategy. Indeed, they suggest a broadening of the scope of strategy, to include efforts to influence the law, to reconfigure organizational boundaries, and to develop the legitimacy that enables strategies to be effective. Together, the chapters form an empirical and theoretical foundation for the increasing inclusion of institutions in strategic management. -- from back cover.

Sample

[edited by] Ginger Levin, John Wyzalek

"Presenting information that is current with The Standard for Portfolio Management, Third Edition, this book supplies in-depth treatment of the five knowledge areas and identifies best practices to help ensure balanced portfolio management that is critical to organizational success. This book is an ideal reference for those pursuing the new portfolio management credential from the Project Management Institute. The book is also a suitable as a reference for executives and practitioners in the field and as a textbook for universities offering courses on portfolio management"-- "Preface While portfolio management has been applied in the financial industry since the early 1950s, it is only within the past two to three decades that academic research plus guidelines for practitioners have been conducted and made available. Although some organizations used portfolio management techniques to select and prioritize programs and projects to pursue since the 1960s, these organizations rarely discussed its use recognizing it was a competitive advantage for them to do so. In the late 1970s and 1980s, software to assist in prioritizing programs and projects and to allocate resources became available, and there was increased interest in organizations to adopt the software and then recognition that tools alone were insufficient to manage a portfolio. Portfolio management requires a culture change, with processes and procedures in place that are consistently followed at all levels to support organizational strategies and promote organizational success. It requires strategic goals to ensure the work being done, whether a program, project, or an operational activity, supports these goals; having an inventory of existing work in progress available to determine if it supports organizational strategy and should be continued; and business cases, which are prepared and approved for proposed work to undertake. Such a culture change takes time and dedication to implement, but increasingly, organizational leaders are doing so recognizing its necessity especially in terms of the complexity of work under way and the often lack of qualified and available resources to do this work effectively. "--

Sample

Joseph Covello and Brian Hazelgren

The first business plan is often the most difficult to write. A company may have little or no history, and often may not know lender requirements, what to stress and what to avoid. Your First Business Plan simplifies the process by outlining the different parts of a business plan and, in an uncomplicated question-and-answer style, helps the business owner create a winning plan for their business.The easy-to-follow chapters show entrepreneurs how to:--Think through strategies and balance enthusiasm with facts--Capture and hold the interest of potential lenders and investors--Understand and develop their financial statements--Recognize the unique selling advantage of their products or services--Avoid potentially disastrous errors like undercapitalization and negative cash flowAlso included in this book:--A glossary of planning and financial terms--A complete sample business plan

Sample

[edited by] Meir Russ

"This book addresses the relevance of knowledge management strategies for the advancement of organizations worldwide"--Provided by publisher.