Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:

• effectively use all tools and good practices for developing business plans
• analyze the external business environment in depth to develop appropriate market and competition analysis strategies
• develop appropriate purchase policies for the business under design
• carry out realistic financial planning
• develop critical thinking in the investigation of challenges and dynamics for the development of new business

Week 1: The concept and usefulness of the business plan

Week 2: Business Plan Structure - Key Points in Writing a Business Plan - Staff Summary

Week 3: Analysis of the company's internal environment

Week 4: Analysis of the company's external environment

Week 5: Marketing plan

Week 6: Production and Operations Plan

Week 7: Management Plan - SWOT Analysis

Week 8: Finance plan

Week 9: Financial plan

Week 10: Risk analysis and sensitivity analysis

Week 11: Scheduling milestones for setting up the new business

Week 12: Lean Business Plan

Week 13: Oral presentation - assessment of group work in the form of business plans

Barringer, B.R. (2015) Preparing effective business plans: An entrepreneurial approach.  2nd Edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall

• Lectures
• Analysis of case studies
• Oral presentation of assignments

• Use of ICTs in Teaching: Electronic Classroom Management System (Open eClass), presentation editor, teacher's notes in pdf, spreadsheets
• Use of ICTs in Communication: Communication with students is achieved using the Electronic Class Management System (Open eClass) and Electronic Mail

• 50% final written exam
• 40% group written work in the form of a business plan 
• 10% oral presentation of group work