As already noted, a business plan for creating a business is a plan for creating an enterprise, a description of the proposed business, a documentary justification of the profitability of the project being created.

The main goal of developing a business plan for creating a business is planning the economic activities of the enterprise being created for the near and distant periods in accordance with the needs of the market and the possibilities of obtaining the necessary resources. The business plan should reflect the reasonableness of the costs and profitability of the business being created.

However, this goal is not the only one. Along with the main, defining goal of drawing up a business plan, the following, no less important goals are distinguished:

Reduce the risk of starting a new business;

Attract the interest of potential investors (sponsors, creditors);

Understand the degree of reality of achieving the intended results;

Show potential investors the feasibility of creating a new enterprise;

A business plan is generally considered a tool for obtaining financing (loans, investments). He informs the investor about the state of affairs of the entrepreneur;

The business plan helps to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the proposed business, assess the risks;

It is important to consider the business plan as the planning process itself and as a tool for internal management;

The goals of creating a business plan are also divided into internal and external goals.

Internal goals - testing their own knowledge, understanding of the market environment, as well as gaining experience. It is very important for the investor to understand the strategic goals, characteristics, competitive environment, strengths and weaknesses of a particular investment project, and its possible effectiveness under given conditions.

The internal goals of drawing up a business plan are:

1) Development of a strategy for creating a new enterprise.

Strategic in-house planning is carried out through a number of stages:

Setting the strategic goals of the enterprise;

Determination of a set of alternative directions of enterprise development in order to achieve the set goals;

Determination of the resources required for the implementation of each of the alternative directions of enterprise development;

Evaluation and comparison of the effectiveness of options for the development of the enterprise;

Selection of the most effective option from the entire set of alternative directions of enterprise development;

Assessment of the need for additional funding to implement the selected option;

All significant information obtained as a result of strategic planning is reflected in the business plan.

2) Providing the ability to control the implementation of the strategy developed.

As a basis for comparison, a business plan allows you to identify deviations from a given course of action, determine the causes of these deviations and plan actions to eliminate them.

Thus, a business plan is effective tool for enterprise management. Having drawn up a business plan, you can predict the situation for the future with higher accuracy.

External the purpose of drawing up a business plan is to attract financing from external sources in the form of investments or borrowed funds, to attract attention from investors and the bank, to convince them of a sufficient level of efficiency of the investment project and a high level of enterprise management.

Each investor will want to evaluate the profitability of investing in the proposed investment project and assess the ratio of the possible return on the project and the riskiness of investments, and the best way to do this is to study and analyze the business plan of the investment project.

A business plan is, in fact, a visiting card of an investment project. It gives the investor an answer to the question of whether it is worth investing in this investment project and under what conditions it will be most effective with an acceptable level of risk for the investor.

In accordance with the goals, there are four main tasks of the business plan:

Task 1. To study the capacity and prospects of the future sales market.

Objective 2. Estimate the costs required to manufacture and market a product or service and measure it against the prices at which you can sell your products to determine potential profitability.

Task 3. Find the "pitfalls" that await a new business in the first years of its existence.

Task 4. Determine those indicators by which it will be possible to regularly determine - whether the business is on the rise or roll to collapse.

The creation of new projects involves a preliminary economic feasibility study of the business, the subsequent planning of the necessary costs for the implementation of the expected final results. Business planning allows economists-managers not only to substantiate the need to develop a particular investment project, but also makes it possible to implement it in the current market conditions.

Business plans are primarily intended to facilitate the entry of highly competitive types of goods and services into the market. Therefore, any business project must have an appropriate business plan to justify the optimal performance of production and sale of goods and services.

The business plan has four main functions:

The first is related to the possibility of using it to develop a business strategy.

This feature is especially useful when starting a new business. A business plan is a document that allows you to determine the course of action and manage the business. Therefore, it can be presented as an integral element of strategic planning and as a guide for execution and control.

The second function is planning. It allows you to assess the development opportunities of the chosen direction of activity.

The third function allows you to attract cash... The business plan is the main document when submitting a loan application to the bank. A business plan is an effective tool for attracting investments, since it allows not only to assess the profitability of a future investment project, but also allows an investor to determine the size of investments, sources of return on funds and the payback period of a future business project.

The fourth function allows you to attract potential partners to the implementation of the plans of the enterprise who wish to invest their own capital or the technology they have in production. The solution to the issue of providing capital, resources and technology is possible only if there is a business plan that reflects the course of development of the enterprise for a certain period of time.

A business plan is a document that describes aspects of a future commercial enterprise, analyzes the problems that it may face, and also sets out ways to solve them. The business plan, ultimately, must determine the possible cost of the project and projected income. Every entrepreneur should know how much it will cost new project and will this business bring income, and if so, when and what is the degree of risk? The answers to these questions of rational management in complex market relations are provided by a correctly drawn up business plan.

Drawing up a business plan is the first step of every aspiring entrepreneur in the field of innovation, economic, commercial or investment activities.

A business plan is needed for those who will invest in an investment project. The main goal of a business plan is to prove to the investor that the business idea outlined in it is promising and profitable. And for banks, the main thing is to understand where the company will get necessary funds to repay the loan in full and on time. For the enterprise itself, a business plan is, from a professional point of view, a way to understand the prospects of a future business and assess the volume of investments.

A business plan is drawn up in order to effectively plan a business and is one of the main management tools of a created enterprise, which determines the profitability of its activities.

Before you get down to talking about project development and planning, it's worth brushing up on your understanding of planning as such. The essence of planning is to set goals and determine ways to achieve them by creating a set of activities and actions necessary for implementation, using the methods and ways of implementing activities and actions, linking the resources required to perform and agree on the functions performed by the project participants. It is with the question of planning that we will begin the first lesson (we will immediately make a small reservation: there is a lot of information on the development and planning of projects, so we will present it in a concentrated form, dwelling in detail on only the most important points).

Project planning

Planning work includes all stages of project creation and implementation. It begins with the development of the project concept by the head (project manager), continues with the selection of strategic decisions, development of details, conclusion of contracts and execution of work, and ends with the completion of the project.

At the planning stage, the main parameters of the project are established. These include:

• Duration of each controlled element of the project
• The need for resources (financial, logistical and labor)
• Delivery time necessary equipment, components, materials, raw materials, etc.
• Terms and volumes of attracting organizations (construction, design, etc.)

Any process and any procedure for project planning must ensure that the project is carried out on time and in compliance with all requirements, including cost, standards and quality. In addition, in a well-organized project, a separate body should be responsible for the performance of each function and achievement of each goal: for the mission of the project - the project manager, for private goals - the responsible persons, etc. It is for this purpose that it is customary to develop a matrix of responsibility that determines the functionality of the performers and concretizes the complex of their work.

The higher the level of the governing body, the more generalized it makes decisions on the management of lower-level units. As the hierarchical level increases, the time intervals between setting tasks, monitoring their implementation, etc. increase. In these intervals, the subordinate units must work independently and regardless of their peers. Their independent operation is supported by resource reserves that also need to be planned.

The main purpose of planning - This is the construction of a project implementation model, which is necessary to coordinate the actions of the persons involved in the project. Thanks to this model, the order is established according to which work will be carried out, etc.

In the first stage of project planning, initial plans are developed that serve as the basis for drawing up the project budget, determining resource requirements, organizing project support, etc. Planning always precedes control and is considered the basis for its application, because allows you to compare planned and actual indicators.

Planning is the most important process for a project, because the result depends on it. The scope and detail of planning depend on the usefulness of the information that can be obtained during the implementation process and is determined by the intention of the project itself. The planning process cannot be fully automated, because it has a lot of variable parameters. Plus, it can be influenced by random factors.

In addition to everything, project planning consists of a number of main and auxiliary processes.

Main processes (always present):

• Planning, documenting and describing the scope of the project
• Defining the main stages of the project and breaking them down into smaller components
• Budgeting and estimating the cost of resources required for the project
• Definition and compilation step by step plan actions supporting the project
• Determination of the sequence of works
• Determination of technological dependencies and work restrictions
• Estimating the duration of work, labor costs and other resources required to complete individual works
• Resource planning (determining the type of resources for the project's work and their volume)
• Determining the timing of work, subject to limited resources
• Formation of the budget and linking the cost estimates to specific types of work
• Project plan development
• Collection of the results of other planning processes and their arrangement into a single document

Supporting processes (present as needed):

• Planning and setting quality standards and identifying ways to achieve them
• Organizational planning, which includes the definition and distribution of functionality, responsibility and norms of subordination
• Selection of people necessary for the implementation of the project and team building
• Establishing communication and information needs of project members
• Identification, assessment and documentation of project risks (determination of uncertainty factors and the degree of their influence on the project, determination of favorable and unfavorable scenarios for project implementation)
• Logistics planning (what, when, where and how to procure and deliver)

The plans (networks and schedules) that represent the results of planning should eventually be built into a pyramidal structure that includes all the necessary information differentiated by levels, terms, etc. Project planning and systematization of plans are built according to the principles of "feedback", which provide regular comparison of planned and actual information and give the work more efficiency, relevance and flexibility.

Project planning principles

Decisions and actions taken in the field of project planning are based on several important principles:

• The principle of purposefulness. It is expressed in the fact that the project is aimed at achieving the ultimate goal of the project initiator (person, group of people, organization, etc.)
• The principle of consistency. Assumes that the project is managed as a single whole with its own characteristics of formation and development, but at the same time it can be divided into subsystems with their subsequent study, since they are all interconnected and affect each other and the entire project. This allows you to find and create useful links between subsystems and their effective relationships, to provide qualitative and quantitative assessments of the implementation process of the entire project and its individual elements.
• The principle of complexity. According to him, the phenomena are considered taking into account their dependence and connection, different methods and forms of management are applied, the whole set of goals of project management at various levels and in various links is considered, individual elements are interconnected and correlated with the main goal of the project.
• The principle of security. Means that all the activities envisaged by the project must be equipped with all the resources required for their implementation.
• Priority principle. Says that when developing a project and its implementation, the main attention should be paid to the primary tasks due to the general concept strategic development.
• The principle of economic security of planned activities. Economic security should be calculated based on the likelihood of loss and damage occurring as a result of the failure to implement the event planned by the project. No innovations in work can eliminate risk, which is why in the practice of project development and planning one should not avoid risks, but deliberately take justified risks in order to reduce them to the maximum possible level.

In addition to the principles that we have named, it is also important to take into account the consistency of the tasks and interests of all persons involved in the development and implementation of the project and the timeliness of achieving the set goals within the specified time frame.

Taking into account the peculiarities of project planning and the above principles, you can move on to the next equally important issue - the breakdown of design work into components.

Work breakdown structure, responsibility matrix, cost items

The work breakdown structure (WPP) is a hierarchical structure of the sequential breakdown of the project into subprojects and sets of detailed works different levels... CPP is the main tool for creating a project management system that allows you to solve various organizational problems, distribute responsibility, estimate cost, create a reporting system, support the collection of data on work progress and display their results. Also, using CPP, it is convenient to coordinate the project plan with the customer's needs.

For a project manager, CPP is equally important, since allows:

• Define work and work packages to achieve intermediate goals
• Be aware of whether all project objectives will be achieved
• Create a suitable reporting structure
• Define milestones for project progress
• Distribute responsibility among performers
• Provide team members with an objective understanding of all project objectives and goals

Complexes (packages) of work correspond, as a rule, to the lower level of detail of the CPP and include detailed work, which in turn may consist of steps. Detailed works and steps are not elements of the CPP.

CPP can be developed top-down (from main to particular) and bottom-up (from particular to main), or using both approaches. Information for the development of the CPP can be identified using. The final SRP should take into account all the goals of the project and the prerequisites for its implementation.

The detail of the CPP depends on the content of the project, the experience and skills of the team, the management system, the principles of distribution of responsibility, the reporting system, etc. To create a CPP, functional and technical specifications are often used with general requirements to work.

Thanks to hierarchical structure of the project, which is based on the SRP, you can use the procedures for collecting and processing data on the progress of design work in accordance with checkpoints, work packages, etc. It also allows you to summarize information on terms, resources, costs and schedules.

The compilation of the CPP can be built on the following grounds:

• Stages of the project life cycle
• Features of the organizational structure
• Components of the result (goods, services, etc.) obtained after the implementation of the project
• Functional or process elements activities of the organization that implements the project
• Geographic location (if projects are spatially distributed)

In practice, combined CPPs are almost always used, created using several bases, and the CPP should include all project activities, including detailed works and steps.

One of the most important stages of building a CPP is the analysis of its completeness, so if there are works in the project that are controlled not only by the project manager, but also by the customer, they should also be included in the CPP - this will ensure the completeness of the structure.

Taking into account the information on the plan of project activities, the CPP is divided according to the criteria and characteristics of the project. The breakdown occurs until all the important work and elements of the project are highlighted so that it is possible to plan them, determine their budget, draw up a schedule and an action plan to control them. To simplify and automate CPP, all its elements need to be assigned an identifier corresponding to the level number. The identifiers should reflect the work breakdown criteria.

It is equally important to avoid a number of mistakes when structuring a project, namely, you cannot:

• Skip the structuring stage and move on to finding solutions to current problems
• Use only organizational units, phases or functions in the structuring process, not the final products or applied resources
• Forget that the SRP should cover the entire project, omitting the initial and final phases of the project and the work of individual departments
• Repeat structure elements
• Forgetting to integrate the project structure with the project documentation preparation system and financial reporting system
• Excessive or insufficient structure detail
• Create a structure so that it is not subject to computer processing (all elements or levels of the plan must be appropriately encoded)
• Ignore "intangible" end products, such as services, services, etc.

СРР - is the basis for the team members' understanding of the essence and dependencies of design work, which ensures the subsequent coordinated and coordinated work of all departments.

The Responsibility Matrix and Organizational Structural Chart (ORF) mentioned above are two tools to help the project manager build a team that is aligned with the project's objectives and goals. The use of MTR and CPP in the construction of the responsibility matrix is \u200b\u200bclearly shown in the following figure:

The composition and plan of the design work greatly affect the form of the organizational structure required to achieve the goals of the project.

The responsibility matrix allows you to ensure and agree on the structure of responsibility of team members (departments) for the performance of work. In essence, this is a form of describing the distribution of responsibility for carrying out design work, which indicates the roles of team members and / or departments. One axis of the responsibility matrix displays a list of work packages for CPP, and the other - a list of performers responsible for their implementation.

Matrix elements are codes of types of work from a pre-compiled list (you can also enter the cost of work into the matrix). The scope of responsibilities is determined by the specifics of the project and its organization, but it is recommended to use a small set of activities that are easy to understand and describe. Below is an example of a responsibility matrix:

The responsibility matrix can display the types of responsibility of managers and the roles of people who help in the implementation of the project, but do not directly participate in it. If the matrix is \u200b\u200bdesigned correctly, it will be an excellent tool for ensuring both effective execution of work and successful support from internal and external resources.

The persons responsible for the execution of the work are appointed during the planning of the project, since you need to have an idea of \u200b\u200bthe resources available before taking action to implement the plan. After identifying resources, you need to determine how they can be obtained; in particular, this concerns labor resources.

The appointment of employees is carried out in stages - first, a working group is formed, and then a project team, since it is the working group that will become the backbone of the future team. The composition of the working group is determined by the tasks and goals of the project. The group is almost always made up of managers, influencers, and core staff.

The working group takes part in project initiation and planning. At this stage, it is still impossible to determine the resources, because there are only general information about the project, and more detailed data will be obtained after the detailed work and the creation of the SRP. The final appointment of performers and the definition of their functionality will take place only after the final development and approval of the plan.

In order to properly assign responsible persons, it is necessary to be aware of several types of resources that can be used:

• Labor resources
• Financial resources
• Equipment
• Technical equipment
• Technology and information
• Suppliers and materials

Despite the fact that performers do not always have all the levers of management and use of resources, knowledge of the seven types of resources greatly simplifies the process of describing a project and resolving the issue of allocating responsibility, because, as already mentioned, work packages must be provided with everything necessary for their implementation. ... To do this, it is important to answer two questions:

• What specific resources are required for the implementation of all work on the project (a list of requirements can be obtained using the work schedule and CPP)?
• What needs are already there?

Once these questions are answered, the final allocation of responsibility can be made.

Here we have to say about an additional tool for planning project work - the structure of cost items. It should not be confused with bookkeeping accounts. according to the articles included in it, there is a classification and collection of unconfirmed documentary management information necessary for the adoption management decisions (meaning that there is no documentation confirming the actual costs, but there is preliminary data on the resources used, work performed, etc.).

Line Items is a management tool that is used to collect data on the actual costs of work performed and then compare them with the planned costs. The same articles apply to planning and controlling time and cost, since include information about the work assigned based on the CPP. Below you can see an example of the formation of cost items by work packages for which specific departments are responsible (based on the CPP):

Line items can include data for a variety of work packages based on different reasons, such as:

• Responsible persons
• Account structure
• Deadlines
• Content of work

Summing up all of the above about cost items, it remains only to note that they contribute to the formation and monitoring of the project budget, the implementation of the current management accounting and an assessment of possible costs after the end of the design work.

Now we can move on to consider the most effective project planning methods to ensure the timely implementation of both the project as a whole and its individual stages.

Network planning of projects

Methods of network planning of projects or, as they are also called, network diagrams (network graph, PERT diagram) are a graphical display of design work and the dependencies between them. The concept of "network" here refers to the full range of work and control points of the project with the established dependencies between them.

Network diagrams display the network model as a graph with a series of vertices that correspond to activities, and the lines connecting them show the relationships between those activities. The graph, often referred to as a precedence-sequence diagram or a top-work network, is considered the most common network representation. Below you can see an example of a fragment of such a graph:

There is also a type of network diagram called a node-event network, but in practical work it is not used very often. In this case, the work looks like a line connecting two events (graph nodes) that represent the beginning and end of a certain work. A good example of such a diagram is the PERT diagram - here it is:

Network diagrams are often confused with flowcharts, but this is not entirely true. the difference between the network diagram is that it only displays the logical dependencies of activities, while the block diagram shows the inputs, outputs and processes. Also, there are no repeating cycles (loops) in the diagram.

Network planning methods refer to methods aimed at minimizing the duration of a project. They are based on the Critical Path Method (Critical Path Method) and the PERT (Program Evaluation Review Technique).

The critical path is understood as the longest path in the network, and the work on this path is called critical. The minimum duration of design work depends on the duration of the critical path. The overall project duration can be reduced by reducing critical work. Thus, delays in the execution of work entail an increase in the duration of the project.

With the critical path method, you can calculate approximate timetables for a work package based on the logical network structure and estimates of the duration of the work to be completed separately, and also establish an overall critical path for the project.

There is also the concept of a full reserve (reserve) of time. This is the difference between late and early start or finish dates. The managerial essence of the time reserve is that there is an opportunity to settle financial, resource or technological constraints, and the project manager can suspend work for the period available in the reserve, without fear of negatively affecting the deadline for completing the project. The time reserve for critical work is zero.

A horizontal line chart where project tasks are represented by time intervals with specific time parameters (start, end, delays, etc.) is called a Gantt chart, and it is also an integral part of network planning. Here's an example:

For effective planning, it is convenient to use PERT charts, network graph, and Gantt chart. The very same network planning implies the description of all project work in the form of a set of works with specific relationships between them. To calculate and analyze a network diagram, a set of network operations called critical path method procedures are commonly used.

The network model is being developed in stages:

• Lists of design works are determined
• Parameters of work are estimated
• Dependencies between works are established

Work lists need to be defined to describe all project activities including all details. Work is main element network model. Work packages define the activities that must be performed to achieve the project results. Results are usually highlighted with breakpoints.

Before developing a network model, you need to make sure that the lower level of the CPP includes all work that guarantees the achievement of private project goals. The network model is the result of defining dependencies between activities and adding binding events and activities. In its most general form, the approach presented is based on the assumption that any work is designed to help achieve a particular goal. Linking work does not necessarily have to be aimed at achieving a material result, since their purpose may be to organize an event, etc.

The main task of the project manager is to assess the parameters of the work. For this, other project participants may be involved, responsible for the implementation of individual tasks of the project. Estimation of the duration of work and the need for funds and resources in the most direct way affects the relevance of resource and cost plans and timetables that are drawn up after analyzing the network model. This assessment must be carried out for each of the jobs. Then, on its basis, the CPP levels are generalized and formed in the project plan.

In order for individual stages of the project and the entire project as a whole to be implemented in a timely manner, it is also necessary to plan the project in terms of time parameters. Let's consider this issue in more detail.

Project planning by timing

Time parameters should be understood here as time periods during which work and work packages are planned to be completed, as well as points of control of the project implementation process. Time is the most important factor affecting the effectiveness of the implementation of the entire plan.

The timing of the implementation of project elements and the entire project is always planned in advance, and, of course, it is desirable to minimize them. But time minimization is limited by three parameters: technical capabilities, technological requirements and the quality of work. All this should be taken into account when planning.

Time planning is a key element of project management, which includes several components. These components are:

• Timing Project Management Concept
• Scheduling the project
• Monitoring the progress of design work
• Analysis and settlement of work progress
• Close project management

It is often difficult to complete a project by the deadline. The reason for this is an unclear understanding of what exactly needs to be managed, and most of the problems arise even at the planning stage.

Delays in deliveries, lack of resources, etc. can be the reason for discrepancies with the schedule. If the scope and subject areas of the project are incorrectly determined, later you will have to make adjustments to the work and the schedule.

When a manager deals with typical recurring projects, it is convenient to accurately determine the timing and sequence of actions, although in practice projects are rarely repeated.

If we talk about the reasons for temporary losses in the project, then these include:

• Inadequate quality and cost management
• No contingency plan for unexpected costs
• Poor distribution of risks among project participants
• Lack of structure in the communication system
• Difficult project reporting system

And another important component of project time management is the management of personal time resources. This is relevant for each performer and project participant, but more important for the leader, because he is responsible for the success of the project, which means that he needs to manage to do a lot of all kinds of work.

To improve the management of personal time, it is desirable to use the so-called forms. The form is a list of work required to complete, indicating the performers and deadlines. The most priority work should be transferred to the time blocks of the planning calendar. A planning calendar might look like this:

Unscheduled events or jobs of lower priority can be added to empty time blocks. In cases where the amount of work is more than the amount of time, work can be scheduled several days in advance. But this should not be abused, otherwise there may be delays in the execution of high-priority tasks. And given the fact that in the following days the priority of low-priority work may increase, all tasks should be completed on time.

For you need to correctly set priorities and act in accordance with them. The project manager should not be distracted by secondary and unclear tasks and hesitate to make important decisions. He must also be able to delegate authority.

And the last thing we will focus on in the first lesson is some organizational issues.

Organization of work on project planning

Project planning is the process of forming decisions that determine the sequence of design work and activities. It plays a major role in project management, representing the organizing start of the project implementation process.

Project planning includes several stages:

• Setting goals and objectives
• Resource calculation
• Creating a schedule for the duration of the work
• Optimization of the work schedule
• Organization of work execution
• Creature calendar plan increase in labor intensity
• Monitoring the progress of work
• Correction of work progress

A project implementation plan is a comprehensive plan containing a comprehensive system of tasks and goals, detailed work, actions and measures to achieve the main goal of the project. Increased attention should be paid to the preparation of the implementation plan, trying to avoid common mistakes, such as:

• Setting erroneous goals
• Use of incomplete information
• Ignoring past experiences
• Ignoring the issue of resource availability
• Lack of focus on coordination of project participants
• Ignoring performers' motivation
• Excessive attention to detailing the plan
• Planning for the sake of the plan and ignoring the control of following the plan

Despite enough a large number of errors and their specificity, taking into account all the planning elements that we told you about helps to bypass them. It is only important to remember that project planning is a systematic ordering of tasks, the purpose of which is to achieve the main result - the implementation of the project. And given that the plan always contains instructions for actions and the actions themselves, it can be safely considered a standard or benchmark against which actual indicators will be compared. If, as a result of such comparisons, any discrepancies are found, it is necessary to take measures to adjust the plan.

In the second lesson we will talk about another element of project management that is important for a leader - team management. Issues such as the composition of the project participants, the functions of the project manager, the peculiarities of the formation and development of the project team, the characteristics and composition of the team, the settlement of conflicts and a number of others will be considered.

Test your knowledge

If you want to test your knowledge on the topic of this lesson, you can take a short test consisting of several questions. In each question, only 1 option can be correct. After you have selected one of the options, the system automatically proceeds to the next question. The points you receive are influenced by the correctness of your answers and the time spent on passing. Please note that the questions are different each time, and the options are mixed.

Question. What sections should a business plan contain?

Answer. The composition of the business plan and the degree of its detail depend on the size of the future project and the area to which it belongs. If it is planned to establish a new production, then a very detailed plandictated by the complexity of the product itself, as well as its market. If we are only talking about retail product, the business plan may be simpler.

The composition of the business plan also depends on the size of the intended sales market, the presence of competitors and the growth prospects of the enterprise being created.

A business plan usually consists of the following sections:

1. Introduction

2. Analysis of the state of affairs in the industry

3. The essence of the proposed project:

4. Market analysis

5. Marketing plan:

6. Production plan

7. Organizational plan and personnel management:

8. Degree of risk:

9. Financial plan

Question. What documents should be attached to the business plan?

Answer. The following documents can be submitted in the attachment to the business plan:

Question. What is the difference between a business plan and a feasibility study?

Answer. Feasibility study (FS) includes only the technical and financial part of the investment project, carried out without calculating the payback, project efficiency.

Question. What information should the estimate contain?

Answer. The estimate is usually submitted to an organization that provides gratuitous financial support. The estimate should contain a list and cost of all project costs. Please note that the funder may require a breakdown of the estimate by time and activity, as well as documents confirming the amount and purpose of the costs.

Useful Tips

For a ship that has no course

no wind will be fair.

Ancient Roman philosopher

and statesman Seneca

How to start developing a strategic plan?

What sections must be present in a strategic plan?

What methods should be used to check the correctness of the strategic development plan?

How to analyze the external and internal context of the organization?

How to formulate a mission and develop strategies for the organization's development?

How to develop a business plan for the development of an organization?

How to ensure the implementation of the strategic development plan?

How to ensure the relationship between strategies, business development plans and budgets of the organization?

A company that does not have strategic development goals and specific plans to achieve them is doomed to follow current events with very vague prospects for the future. But the development of a correct strategic development plan requires high competencies and skills from management, since it involves not so much the calculation of indicators of economic activity as a forecast of business dynamics, taking into account the risks and opportunities associated with both the external and internal context of the organization.

One can often come across the opinion that strategic planning is necessary for large companies that have already declared themselves as leaders in their market segment and are confident about the future.

But, firstly, any company has a specific goal for its activities and at least an approximate business plan. And these are already the elements of strategic planning.

Secondly, even novice entrepreneurs assess the size of the market in which they are going to work, the competitive environment and their ability to enter this market. That is, they are engaged in strategic analysis, which is also one of the components of strategic planning.

In other words, most small and medium-sized companies in fact also use strategic planning, but, unlike large players in the market, they do it unsystematically and not in full.

And in large companies it happens that the strategic development plans developed with great expenditure of time and effort remain only plans. Many external and internal factors can lead to this, the most common of which are the lack of integrity in the planning methodology and the violation of the relationship between strategies, business development plans and company budgets.

We offer a methodology for developing the most effective strategic development plan and recommendations that will help to avoid possible risks of erroneous forecasts, we will talk about the sequence of forming a strategic development plan, we will reveal the relationship between the context, goals and resources of the company, which should be reflected in the strategic development plan.

Of course, the strategic plans for the development of large, medium and small companies will differ due to the difference in the scale of economic activity, the specifics of the business, the complexity of the organizational structure and business processes.

But in any case, a well-developed strategic development plan is formed on the basis of successively implemented stages:

Analysis of the external and internal context of the organization

The performance of any company is influenced by many different factors. Without understanding the degree of their impact, it is impossible to work out the correct strategic direction for the company's development.

The company itself also affects the external environment (context) - the sales market for products, suppliers, buyers, partners, regulatory authorities, etc.

Note!

How successfully the company's strategy will be implemented depends largely on its ability to organize the internal environment (context), which includes business processes, organizational resources, personnel, structure and production technologies, as well as corporate culture and principles.

The set of factors of the internal context of a company by and large determines its competitiveness.

Therefore, before developing a mission and strategy, it is necessary to conduct a strategic analysis of the external and internal context of the company, the result of which should be an assessment of the risks and opportunities of a particular company in the market environment surrounding it.

The 3 most common methods of strategic analysis:

SWOT analysis;

construction of “Probability / Impact” matrices;

formation of a register of risks and opportunities.

The purpose of SWOT analysis (Strength - strength, Weak - weakness, Opportunity - opportunities and Threat - threats) is to determine the strengths and weaknesses of the company, to establish their links with external opportunities and threats.

Based on the results of the analysis, the company's strategies are developed aimed at seizing opportunities and eliminating threats to development.

Probability / Impact matrices are built separately to position the capabilities of the company's external environment and to position threats to the company's external environment.

In each matrix, opportunities and threats are distributed according to the likelihood of their occurrence and the strength of the impact on the company.

Matrices help control external factors and develop business development strategies.

The formation of a register of risks and opportunities involves a more detailed analysis compared to the two previous methods. First, the risks and opportunities of both the external and internal contexts of the company are identified. Further, the identified risks and opportunities are assessed according to the degree of probability of their occurrence and the degree of impact on the company's business. Then a matrix of risks and opportunities is formed, which reflects the cumulative degree of influence of the assessed risks and opportunities ("High", "Medium", "Low"). The final step is drawing up a register of risks and opportunities. It records all the risks and opportunities that are significant for the company, ways to minimize and implement them (in fact, these are the company's strategies), as well as the responsible (owners) of each of the risks and opportunities.

Output

When choosing a development strategy for a company, you should focus on your strengths ( high quality products, customer service, positive business reputation) to take advantage of business expansion opportunities (increase sales, release a new type of product, provide additional services to customers).

At the same time, it is necessary to strengthen its weaknesses (depreciation of funds, insufficient qualifications of personnel, dependence on loans) in order to minimize the risk of external threats (rising prices for raw materials, increased competition in the market, reduced consumer demand).

Development of the mission and development strategies of the organization

In order to understand in which direction to move, develop, a company should first of all define its mission, that is, the main purpose of its existence.

The mission of the organization necessarily reflects the field of activity and its ultimate goal. Based on the adopted mission, the development strategies of the company are developed that will ensure the fulfillment of the mission.

Development strategies, firstly, should cover all aspects of the company's mission, and secondly, they should not deviate from its meaning.

Compliance with the first condition is necessary for the successful implementation of the company's mission, the second - in order not to divert the resources and efforts of the company to solve problems that do not serve the fulfillment of the company's mission.

When developing strategies for the development of a company, it is necessary to carefully check their relationship with the approved mission.

Since the development strategies within the company are global in nature and their implementation requires the efforts of all divisions of the company, it is necessary to translate them into the strategies of individual divisions so that managers and personnel of each division clearly know their goals and objectives for implementing the overall strategy of the company.

In addition, dividing the company's strategy into divisional strategies ensures that the correct performance targets are set. Agree, if a company has one target for all, which is the result of the work of several departments, it is impossible to understand which of them did not complete its part of the work and who is to blame for not reaching the overall target.

An example of such a broadcast for the Volga company is as follows (Fig. 2).

We formulate the strategic development goals of the company

However, the formation of a strategic development plan for the company is not limited to the development of a mission and strategies. In addition to the direction of action itself (i.e., strategy), it is also necessary to develop criteria for success (targets) and ways to achieve them (business development plans). Only in this case can you be sure that the company has a clear program for fulfilling its mission, supported by action plans and the calculation of the resources necessary for their implementation.

Strategic goals (or key targets) should be specific and measurable so that at the end of any period it is clear how the strategy has been implemented and what the dynamics of its implementation are.

For example, if such a target indicator of the strategy, as an increase in sales volumes, can be expressed as a percentage of the increase to the volume of the previous period or in a specific amount. And if the goal is the implementation of an activity, then the estimated completion date of this activity should be indicated as an indicator of its achievement.

Strategic goals are set, as a rule, for a year and subsequently adjusted according to the actual results of the company.

To visualize the indicators of the implementation of development strategies, use a map of strategic goals, which indicates:

general company strategies;

department strategies;

key areas of strategy implementation;

target for each of the strategies;

target owner (department responsible for strategy implementation).

An example of a strategic goal map is in table. 1.

We develop a business plan for the development of the organization

One of the most important sections of the company's strategic development is the company's business plan for the forecast period.

4 key functions of a business plan:

Transforms strategic goals development in the indicators of the financial and economic activity of the company for the forecast period.

Serves as a source of verification of the feasibility of the developed strategies (by comparing the forecast indicators with the resource potential of the company).

It is the basis for the development of the budgets of the company as a whole and its divisions for the year.

Acts as a guideline for adjusting the company's development strategies for subsequent periods.

Typically, business plans are made for a period of three to five years, there are options for up to ten years.

The main criteria for choosing a strategic planning period are the current market situation and the position of the company. For example, if the market situation is strong enough and the company has been successfully operating on it for a long time, it can afford to predict the results over the long term based on the "strategy of success."

If the market is in a fever and the company does not feel stable enough, it is forced to work according to a "survival strategy" in which long-term forecasting is impractical due to uncertainty further development situations. In this case, the business plan is drawn up for a period of one to three years.

The business plan of the Volga company for a three-year period - in table. 2.

As evidenced by the data of the business plan, the company's strategies and targets are realistic and achievable. Volga is a profitable business, its operating income is fairly balanced and allows it to maintain a given rate of return while increasing sales.

Due to the growth of net profit, the company can also solve the problem of high dependence on external financing by investing the received profit in replenishment working capital for doing business.

Ensuring the relationship between strategies, business development plans and budgets of the organization

Ideally, a company, when developing a strategic development plan, must ensure the relationship between strategies, business development plans and budgets of the company and departments. This relationship guarantees the successful implementation of the strategic plan, because the target indicators of the company's strategies will be tied to the parameters of the business development plan, on the basis of which all the company's budgets are planned. Consequently, the fulfillment of budgetary tasks will lead to the achievement of the company's strategic goals. Visually, this relationship is shown in Fig. 3.

Using the example of the strategic development plan of the Volga company, which we are considering, let us trace whether there is a relationship between the above plans.

In the final part of the strategic plan for the development of the enterprise, include a description of risk management methods, since in long-term planning the level of uncertainty increases simultaneously with an increase in the planning horizon.

While it is quite possible to achieve a high level of data accuracy and to ensure the interconnection of all planning elements when making a forecast for a year, a significant number of assumptions and assumptions have to be made when developing a strategic plan for five years. Therefore, it will not be superfluous for all stakeholders (owners, management, management) to understand, when agreeing on a strategic plan, what risks may hinder its implementation and what the company can do to minimize their occurrence.

Output

A complete strategic plan for the development of the enterprise includes the following sections:

• The results of the analysis of the external and internal context of the organization at the time of the development of the plan.
• Description of the current activities and long-term development objectives of the organization.
• Description of the company's mission and development strategies.
• Functional strategies of the company's divisions.
• Description of projects for the development of the company.
• Business plans for the implementation of development projects.
• Description of risk management methods for the implementation of the strategic plan.

The development of a strategic development plan is the basis for choosing the long-term goals of the enterprise and ways to achieve them. Strategic planning helps to effectively allocate and use the company's resources to achieve the main goals and objectives for the implementation of the chosen mission.

Please note: it is necessary to systematically monitor the approved plan so that it does not lose its relevance, and to revise the company's strategies, since the market situation and internal processes of the company can change significantly under the influence of factors that did not manifest themselves at the time of the development of the strategic plan. It is better to identify the inefficiency of the chosen path in time than to persist in wasting the time and resources of the company to achieve the goal that has lost its relevance.

In essence, strategic planning is an ongoing process during which a company must find the shortest and most effective path to success.

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