This outline is designed to be used with the Ibis business plan checklist and Castellan template business plan example as part of Ibis business plan training and business plan development.
This outline is for an established business – start up and early stage businesses require a different approach.
A.BACKGROUND: WHERE ARE WE?
1. Purpose of the plan
2. MIS /ad-hoc/ daily/ current/ monthly/ quarterly/planning/ information flow map/ information overload/ forecast grid
3. Planning horizon
4. Business model/ management overview
5. Critical success factors
6. Market drivers/ company alignment
7. Competitive analysis/ dimensions of competitive advantage/ other operators/ sector contribution/ product contribution/ pricing/ customer satisfaction/ product advantage/ Pareto’s Law/ POD score
8. Core competence
9. Focus
10. Current organization/ SBU design/subsidiary control analysis/ decision making/ knowledge centers/ budgeting method/ key staff/ contract terms / industrial relations/ regulatory relations/ community relations/ health and safety
11. Corporate governance
12. Environmental audit/ Carbon footprint chart/ Recycling chart
13. Risk analysis
14. Successes, failures, lessons learnt
15. Previous plan review/ legacy issues/forecast error
16. Advisors
17. Tax plan
B.STRATEGY: WHERE DO WE WANT TO BE?
18. Vision statement
19. Balanced scorecard
20. Organizational forecast/ organogram/ organizational dynamics
21. Strategy/ portfolio analysis/ SWOT/ TOWS/ value chain/ golden circle/ implementation routes/ strategic fit/ capital allocation/ investment appraisal/ cash management policy/ location/ cost base
22. Administrative knowledge centre/ strategy & plan/ risk profile/ legacy/ key performance indicators and benchmarks/ MIS/ reference material/ software/ action plan/ budget / cost base/ trade offs / standard operating procedures / quality circles /creativity / design for operational efficiency / complaints/ contingency plan/ training/ stakeholder relations/ KISS & SCORE
23. Finance knowledge centre/ strategy & plan / risk profile/ legacy/ key performance indicators and benchmarks/ MIS/ reference material/ software/ action plan/ budget / cost base/ trade offs / standard operating procedures / quality circles / creativity /design for operational efficiency / complaints/ contingency plan/ training/ stakeholder relations/ KISS & SCORE
24. Marketing and sales knowledge centre/ strategy & plan / risk profile/ legacy/ key performance indicators and benchmarks/ MIS/ reference material/ software/ action plan/ budget / cost base/ trade offs / standard operating procedures / quality circles / creativity /design for operational efficiency / complaints/ contingency plan/ training/ stakeholder relations/ KISS & SCORE
25. Personnel knowledge centre/ strategy & plan / risk profile/ legacy/ key performance indicators and benchmarks/ MIS/ reference material/ software/ action plan/ budget / cost base/ trade offs / standard operating procedures / quality circles / creativity /design for operational efficiency / complaints/ contingency plan/ training/ stakeholder relations/ KISS & SCORE
26. Production knowledge centre/ strategy & plan / risk profile/ legacy/ key performance indicators and benchmarks/ MIS/ reference material/ software/ action plan/ budget / cost base/ trade offs / standard operating procedures / quality circles / creativity /design for operational efficiency / complaints/ contingency plan/ training/ stakeholder relations/ KISS & SCORE
27. New product development knowledge centre/ strategy & plan / risk profile/ legacy/ key performance indicators and benchmarks/ MIS/ reference material/ software/ action plan/ budget / cost base/ trade offs / standard operating procedures / quality circles / creativity /design for operational efficiency / complaints/ contingency plan/ training/ stakeholder relations/ KISS & SCORE
28. IT knowledge centre/ information flow map/ strategy & plan / risk profile/ legacy/ key performance indicators and benchmarks/ MIS/ reference material/ software/ action plan/ budget / cost base/ trade offs / standard operating procedures / quality circles / creativity /design for operational efficiency / complaints/ contingency plan/ training/ stakeholder relations/ KISS & SCORE
C.IMPLEMENTATION: HOW ARE WE GOING TO GET THERE?
29. Assumptions
30. Forecast case/ Forecasting techniques/ Competitive reaction/ Entrants/Substitutes
31. Key segments/ Segment investment review / Transition planning/ Retention plan
32. Key customers/ Customer investment review / Transition planning/ Retention plan
33. Key products/ Product investment review / Transition planning
34. Key regions/ Region investment review / Transition planning/ Retention plan
35. Key suppliers/ Supplier investment review / Transition planning/ Retention plan
36. Key employees/ PDP/ succession planning
37. Key costs/ Abacus principle
38. Key projects
39. Key stakeholders/ retention plan
40. Prioritization
41. Communication/ General attitudes / ISS/ Sponsorship/ Charitable giving/ Dividend policy/ External validation
42. Major action plan/ Project components/ Critical path/ Plan supervision/ Investment case summary
43. Cash flow/ accounting principles / sensitivity analysis/ funding structure/ FCF chart/ internal competition
44. Funding plan/ source and application of funds/ cost of capital
45. Profit and loss/Gross profit chart
46. Balance sheet/ Net assets chart/ Common good
47. Risk reduction summary
48. Contingency plan summary
49. Reality check
50. Appendix