The Functional Areas of a Business Plan - Case Study Example

The Functional Areas of a Business Plan Student’s Name: Instructor’s Name: Course Code and Name: University: Date of Submission: The Functional Areas of a Business Plan Introduction A business plan is a document that comprises of various diverse business goals that are closely interrelated to ensure that operation of the business is improved. A business plan might also be compiled with extra information that might be about the organization being analyzed. Most of the businesses usually use the business plan to change the entire management and processes of the organization. The branding and the manner in which the final commodities are presented to the customers can be altered by the use of the business plan (Abrams 1993, p. 123). A business plan is mostly used in an organization when change is greatly needed. The durations in which the business plan should be enacted usually range from three years to five years. This is because the process of implementing the business plan should be gradual to enable the customers to cope up with the changes (Covello & Brian 1993, p. 102). The manner in which the business plan is compiled is greatly determined by the major function that the plan should be executed. The business plan is also used in various organizations to improve the productivity of the firm. An organization might have been functioning in a proper manner but it collapse because of various aspects. The poor coordination of the employers and workers might be some of the key reason for the failure of the organization. Through the use of a unique business plan, the company can rejuvenate and gain back its power. However, this is usually determined by the management of the company. The management should ensure that all the members of the organization are comfortable. The employee’s conformability and work performance in an organization can be affected by poor coordinate and both internal and external conflict. The major aspect to be included in the business plan should be determined by the analyst (Mckeever 2010, p. 165). The analyst should be in a position of analyzing the firm and identify the problem affecting the organization. This will ensure that when constructing the business plane, it will be capable of solving numerous problems that are displayed in the analysis obtained. The Business Opportunity The business opportunity usually involves the lease of a product to the customer and gives the business man the opportunity of being in a position to begin the business. Business opportunity usually requires the response of the customers and the seller (Pinson 2007, p. 131). The seller in this case is supposed to handle the customers in a proper manner. This is very vital since the impression of the seller to the customers usually means a lot. The first customers to be served in the business usually have an impact in the manner in which the business will function. The seller should always use the business opportunity at hand to be capable of acquiring new customers. Business opportunity also gives the seller a chance to get exposed to the real world. A good business person should always use the slightest opportunity at hand to come up with the best solution (Young 2007, p. 106). It is very possible for a small business to develop into a big business through using the available business opportunity. The Marketing Plan Marketing generally refers to the process by which a product is placed in the hands of the customers who is capable of using the product to meet his or her demands. Marketing a product is very vital in business since it is the customer who supports the business (Schwetie & Vaseghi 2007, p. 139). It is the customer who promotes the business through purchasing different commodities from the shop. The profit that the seller usually obtains in a business is usually because of the customers. Without customers, then most of the businesses would be without profits since no one would purchase the products (Harvard Business School 2007, p. 86). A market plan involves strategies that the seller should implement to be capable of achieving customers in the future. Prospective customers are the aim of each of the customers since they usually support the business. Loyal customers can also be acquired through the use of marketing plan (Kawasak 2008, p. 149). A good marketing plan will involve the different aspects that will promote the business. Some of the key elements that will enable the seller to develop a good marketing plan encompass of; the mission of the business, market objective of the business, market analysis, competition analysis, action plan and the target audience. Any well written market plan should always be well equipped with the different components. Almost all the components of the marketing plan should be in a favor of the customer. A good marketing plan will require the seller to undertake research and analysis of the customer, the products and the adjacent companies in the region (Stutely 2002, p. 187). The results that are obtained from research should be used to analysis to be capable of composing an appropriate marketing plan that will make the business more competitive in nature. Operations Plan Operational plan is also very vital in the business since it gives the seller a preview of the vital steps that are to be undertaken for the customers to receive the vital commodities (Blackwell 2008, p. 205). The main essence of a business is to be capable of delivering commodities to the customers. Delivering the commodities to the client usually determines the manner in which the customers will receive the products. The operational plan is usually based in the different steps that the seller is capable of completing to ensure that the customers get access to the various business products purchased (Finch 2010, p. 211). In the current world, most of the business entrepreneurs usually give extremely least concern to the operational plan. This is because of the increased number of customers that need the commodities in the marketplace. Operational plan normally concentrates to the manner in which a seller will be capable of delivering the necessary commodities to the customers. After manufacturing of products, it is the duty of the entrepreneur to deliver the commodities to the customers. The business company might use the distributors to ensure that the commodities reach the suppliers (Dickson 2006, p. 184). The suppliers then use the readily available means to ensure that the customers receive the readily commodity. The supply system of the commodities should be systematic. This is to ensure that all the customers are capable of having access to the commodities. This is very vital since the purchasing of the commodities make the business to prosper. The customers are then capable of purchasing the commodities from the retailers and the shopping centers. Environmental and Social Impacts Organizations with a poor or unmaintained environment usually affect the manner in which the organization functions. The environments and the adjacent neighborhood should be altered to ensure that the members of the firm are comfortable in working in the firm. Both the internal and the external environment of the organization usually affect the nature in which the organization performs its duties (Sahlman 2008, p. 74). The Management Team The management team is the group of individual who have the main responsibility of leading other staff members of the organization. The management team usually ensures that the expectations of the business company are achieved. Management teams in organizations usually have the power over the other subjects. Although the members of the management team might also be employees, they are usually at a higher level of the business firm (Holm & Blanchard 2007, p. 133). This enables them to be capable of giving orders to the clients which should be strongly adhered to by the employees. The management team usually has power that enables them to enact rules and regulations that govern the industries. An organization without a proper management team can be compared to a nation without a proper government (Silver 2009, p. 189). The managing team is usually in a position to make recommended changes to the business firm to ensure that it functions in an appropriate manner. The management usually has various levels that are set to manage the operations of the organization. Depending with the size and the function of the company, there are usually different kinds of management that can be enforced into the organization (Kerner 2007, p. 174). However, in most organizations, the rules and the regulations are usually enacted by the shareholders. The shareholders of the company usually give the proposed direction to the management team. The authority of the company enables the management to enact the orders that lead to the prosperity of the organization. The Organization and Hr Issues The organization in most instances is usually controlled by the management. In the management section, the most vital position that takes care of the organization is usually the human resource manager. Through the human resource, various duties of the company are accomplished to the latter. This is because the human resource manager usually identifies the duties and roles that are available and assign the working staff of the organization. The human resource usually analyses the different characteristics of the working staff and gives the management the appropriate actions to implement. The human resource manager can be compared to the working engine of an organization. Any organization cannot function without the human resource manager. Resource manager is also vital since he or she usually analyses to identify the mistakes that the other members of the organization usually commit. The Financial Plan The financial pan vividly describes the manner in which the duties and the roles in the organization can be achieved through the proper usage of the available funds. Organizations usually have diverse financial plans that should be strictly be adhered to without hesitation (Harvard Business School 2007, p. 122). The chief financial officer is usually in charge of the maintaining the financial over view of the organization and giving a financial report to the other members of the business company. The financial plan is very essential in a business company since it gives an overview of how the available capital will be used. The financial plan usually enables the management of the organization to be capable of planning for the future (Holtz 1994, p. 254). It is important for the company to elect an appropriate financial officer, who can distribute the available funds in all the sections of the organization equally. Legal Issues Legal issues comprise of the policies that are set to ensure that the organization has limits that will ensure that no external or external forces will destroy the firm. In an existing organization, there are various different legal issues that should be strongly adhered to without delay. Legal issues also enable the organization to protect its resources and network for invaders. An organization should propose and implement its own legal issues that will protect the organization from the intruders (Jinnett & Linda 1996, p. 158). Conclusion A business plan is a very essential aspect that is needed by the any given organization for it to overcome the challenges that it is undergoing through. A business plan is very vital especially in organizations that are implementing change. For an organization to be able to overcome change effectively, a business plan is a tool that can be used. The various aspects that make up a business plan are what make it an effective tool to be used. Some of the effective measures that make up the business plan encompass of; Legal Issues, Financial Plan, Organization and Hr Issues, Management Team, Environmental and Social Impacts, Operations Plan, Marketing Plan and Business Opportunity(Covello & Brian 1993, p. 133). Through including these functional factors in the business plan, changes in the organization will be initiated effectively. List of References Abrams, M 1993, The Successful Business Plan: Secrets & Strategies, Oasis Press, London. 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