Entrepurnership module. pdf

Furra College Hawassa Campus
Department Of Accounting and Finance
Entrepreneurship Module
Prepared By:
Kanbiro Orkaido (MBA)
March, 2020
Hawassa, Ethiopia

i
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Contents Pages
TABLE OF CONTENTS...............................................................................................................................i
Chapter One: Basic Concepts of Entrepreneurship.......................................................................................2
Chapter Two: Small Business:....................................................................................................................14
Chapter-Three: Business Planning..............................................................................................................24
Chapter Four: Product and Service Concept...............................................................................................33
Chapter Five: Marketing and new venture development ............................................................................42
Chapter Six: Organizing and Financing the New Venture..........................................................................50
chapter Seven: Growth Strategies for Small Firms………………………………………………..........54

Entrepreneurship Module Prepared by: Kanbiro Orkaido (2020) Page 2 of 60
Chapter One: Basic Concepts of Entrepreneurship
1.1 Introduction:
The word ‘entrepreneur’ is widely used, in everyday conversation and as a technical term in
management and economics. Its origin lies in seventieth century France, where an entrepreneur
was perceived as an individual commissioned to undertake a particular commercial project. The
word entrepreneur first appeared in the French language as ‘’entreprendre”, which means, “to
undertake”. A number of concepts have been derived from the idea of entrepreneur such as
entrepreneurial, entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial process. The idea is that entrepreneur is
someone who undertakes certain projects offers an opening to developing an understanding of the
nature of entrepreneurship. Undertaking particular projects demands that particular tasks be
engaged in with the objective of achieving specific outcomes and that an individual take charge of
the project. Entrepreneurship is then what the entrepreneur does. Entrepreneurial is an adjective
describing how the entrepreneur undertakes what he or she does. The entrepreneurial process in
which the entrepreneur engages is the means through which new value is created as a result of the
project: the entrepreneurial venture.
1.2 EVOLUTION OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Here let us discuss the historical development of entrepreneurship so as to grasp the meaning of
the word entrepreneurship. During the ancient period the word entrepreneur was used to refer to a
person managing large commercial projects through resources provided to him. In the 17th
Century
a person who has signed a contractual agreement with the government to provide stipulated
products or to perform service was considered as entrepreneur. In this case the contract price is
fixed so any resulting profit or loss reflects the effort of the entrepreneur. In the 18th
Century the
first theory of entrepreneur has been developed by Richard Cantillon. He argued that an
entrepreneur is a risk taker. If we consider the merchant, farmers and /or professionals they all
operate at risk. For example, the merchants buy products at a known price and sell it at unknown
price and this shows that they are operating at risk. In the late 19th
and early 20th
Century an
entrepreneur was viewed from economic perspectives. The entrepreneur organizes and operates
an enterprise for personal gain. In the middle of the 20th
Century the notion of an entrepreneur as
an inventor was established.
Definitions of Entrepreneurship and Entrepreneur
What is entrepreneurship? And who is an entrepreneur? These two questions are asked more
frequently reflecting the increasing demand in the field of entrepreneurship. Offering a specific
and unambiguous definition of the term entrepreneurship or entrepreneur presents a challenge.
This is not because definitions are not available, but because there are so many definitions. The
main difference between entrepreneur and entrepreneurship is their attachment. Entrepreneur is a
person while entrepreneurship is a process. When it is put in other way, entrepreneurship is a
process undertaken by entrepreneur to augment his/her business interest.
In broader sense entrepreneurship is a dynamic process undertaken by an entrepreneur to create
incremental value and wealth by discovering investment opportunities, organizing an enterprise,
undertaking risk and economic uncertainty and there by contributing to economic growth.
Entrepreneurship is the process of creating something different with value by devoting the

necessary time and effort, assuming the accompanying financial, psychic and social risks, and
receiving the resulting rewards of monetary and personal satisfaction and independence. When the
first definition is explained in other words, entrepreneurship is a function of seeing investment and
production opportunity, organizing an enterprise to undertake a new production process, raising
capital, hiring labour, arranging for the supply of raw materials and selecting managers for the day
to day operation of an enterprise (Higgins). I.e. through the process of entrepreneurship,
entrepreneur organizes an enterprise that is committed to undertake the basic activities essential in
making and selling entrepreneur’s product. So, entrepreneurship:
Is both a science and an art
Involves vision and passion of innovation and creation
Requires willingness to undertake calculated risk
Involves building a committed and dedicated team
Involves accepting challenges, managing skills and organization of resources
Entrepreneurship can also be defined as the ability of some people to bring the necessary inputs
together and produce something valuable. Note that resources will not be gathered and get
combined by themselves, somebody else should take the task of deciding, planning, mobilizing
the resources and make the actual production a reality; such people are called entrepreneurs. In
general the four key elements in entrepreneurship are:
a) Vision (Identifying emerging opportunities)
b) Innovation (Doing something new)
c) Risk taking (Assuming different types of risks: financial, psychological, social)
d) Organizing (Coordinating resources and creating enterprise)
Definitions of Entrepreneurship by Different People:
Adam smith: Describe enterpriser as an individual who undertook the formation of an
organization for commercial purposes. He viewed the entrepreneur as a person with
unusual foresight who could recognize potential demand for goods and services.
Carl: The entrepreneur becomes the change agent who transforms resource into useful
goods and services, often creating the circumstances that lead to industrial growth.
J. Schumpeter: The entrepreneur seek "to reform or revolutionize the pattern of
production by exploiting an invention or, more generally, an untried technological
possibility for producing a new commodity or producing an old one in a new way, by
opening up a new source of supply of materials or a new outlet for products.
Entrepreneurship essentially consists in doing things that are not generally done in the
ordinary course of business routine"
Peter Drucker: Entrepreneurs allocate resources "to opportunities rather than to
problems."
David Silver: An entrepreneur is "energetic, single-minded" person having a mission and
clear vision, he or she intends to create out of this vision a product or service in a field
many have determined is important to improve the lives of millions."

David Holt: Entrepreneurs are those who incubate new ideas, start enterprises based on
those ideas, and provide added value to society based on their independent initiative.
On the whole the process of entrepreneurship includes five critical elements.
 The ability to perceive an opportunity.
 The ability to commercialize the perceived opportunity i.e. innovation
 The ability to pursue it on a sustainable basis.
 The ability to pursue it through systematic means.
 The acceptance of risk or failure.
Based on the above concepts of entrepreneurship, an entrepreneur can be defined as follows: An
entrepreneur is someone who perceives an opportunity and creates an organization to pursue it
with the intention of being profitable.
THE PROCESS OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP
The decision about whether to start a new business is best considered in light of an understanding
of the entrepreneurial process. It involves finding, evaluating, and developing an opportunity by
overcoming the strong forces that resist the creation of something new. In general entrepreneurial
process has four interrelated parts;
a) Identifying and evaluating business opportunity
b) Developing Business plan
c) Determine the resource requirement
d) Manage the enterprise
PHASE 1: Identifying and Evaluating Business Opportunity
Most good business opportunities result from an entrepreneur being alert to possibilities. Some
sources are often fruitful, including consumers and business associates. Channel members of the
distribution system-retailers, wholesalers or manufacturer’s representatives are also helpful.
Technically-oriented individuals often identify business opportunities when working on other
projects. Each opportunity must be carefully screened and evaluated-this is the most critical
element of the entrepreneurial process. The evaluation process involves:
a) Its differential advantage in its competitive environment
b) It’s fit with the skills and goals of the entrepreneur
c) The creation and length of the opportunity
d) Its real and perceived value
e) Its risks and return.
It is important to understand the cause of the opportunity, as the resulting opportunity may have a
different market size and time dimension. The market size and the length of the window of
opportunity are the primarily bases for determining risks and rewards. The risks reflect the market,
competition, technology, and amount of capital involved. The amount of capital forms the basis
for the return and rewards. The return and reward of the present opportunity needs to be viewed in
light of any possible subsequent opportunities as well. The opportunity must fit the personal skills

and goals of the entrepreneur. The entrepreneur must be able to put forth the necessary time and
effort required for the venture to succeed. One must believe in the opportunity enough to make the
necessary sacrifices.
PHASE 2: Develop a Business Plan
A business plan is a document the entrepreneur prepares before going to the implementation stage.
It details every aspect of the business the entrepreneur aspires to establish: description of the
business and the marketing, financial, organizational and operational plans necessary for the
foundation of the venture. A good business plan is important in developing opportunity and also
important in determining the resource required, obtaining those resources and successfully
managing the resulting venture.
PHASE 3: Determining the Resources Required
Assessing the resources needed starts with an appraisal of the entrepreneur’s present resources.
Any resources that are critical must be distinguished from those that are just helpful. Care must be
taken not to underestimate the amount and variety of resources needed. The entrepreneur should
try to maintain as large an ownership position as possible, particularly in the start-up stage. As the
business develops, more funds will probably be needed, requiring more ownership be relinquished.
Alternative resource suppliers should be identified, along with their needs and desires, in order to
structure a deal with the lowest cost and loss of control. There are three sorts of resources that
entrepreneurs can call up on to build their ventures
a) Financial resources: Resources in the form of or can be readily converted to cash
b) Human resource: Employees who can accomplish the actual task
c) Operating Resources: The facilities which allow people to do their jobs such as buildings,
vehicles, office equipment, machinery, raw materials, etc.
PHASE 4: Managing the Enterprise
After resources are acquired entrepreneurs must employ them trough implementation of business
plan. The operational problem of the growing enterprise must also be dealt with. These involve
implementing a management style and structure, as well as determining the key variable for
success. A control system must be identified so that any problem areas can be carefully monitored.
Classifications of Entrepreneurs
There are so many ways of classifying entrepreneurs. The most important bases are;
According to types of business: Entrepreneurs are found in various types of business occupations
of various sizes. We may broadly classify them as follow;
Business entrepreneur: are individuals who conceive an idea for a new product or service
and then create a business on materializing their idea in to reality. They tap both
productions and marketing resource in their search to develop a new business opportunity.
They may set up a big establishment or a small business units such as printing press, textile
processing house, advertising agency & etc.

Trading entrepreneur: is one who undertakes trading activities and is not concerned with
the manufacturing desire and interest among buyer to go to in for his product. He is engaged
in both domestic and overseas trade.
Industrial entrepreneur: is essentially a manufacturer who identifies the potential needs
of customers and tailors product or service to meet the marketing needs. He is product
oriented man who starts in an industrial unit because of the possibility of marketing some
new product. Such entrepreneur has the ability to convert economic resources and
technology into a considerable profitable venture.
Corporate entrepreneur: is a person who demonstrate his innovative skill in organizing
and managing a corporate undertaking
Agricultural entrepreneur: are those entrepreneurs who undertake agricultural activities
as producing & marketing of crops, fertilizers, and other inputs of agriculture.
Classification by Danhof
Innovative Entrepreneurs: an innovating entrepreneur is the one who introduces new
goods, inaugurate new method of production discovers new market and organizes the
enterprise. It is important to note that such entrepreneur can work only certain level of
development is already achieved, and people look forward to change and improvement.
Imitative Entrepreneurs: imitative entrepreneurs do not innovate the change themselves,
they only imitate techniques and technology innovated by others. Such type of
entrepreneurs are particularly important for under developed region for bringing mushroom
drive of imitation of new combination of factors of production already available in
developed regions.
Fabian Entrepreneurs: Fabian entrepreneurs are characterized by very great caution and
scepticism in experimenting any change in their enterprises. They imitate only when it
becomes perfectly clear that failure to do so would result in a loss of the relative position
in the enterprise.
Drone Entrepreneurs: these are characterized by a refusal to adopt opportunity to make
change in production formulae even at the cost of severely reduced returns relative to other
producers.
Classification According to Motivation
Motivation is the force that influences the effect of the entrepreneur to achieve his or her objective.
Pure Entrepreneur: Is an individual who is motivated by psychological and economic
reward. The entrepreneur undertakes the enterprise for his personal satisfaction.
Induced Entrepreneur: is the one who is induced to take up entrepreneurial task due to
the policy measures of the government that provides assistance, incentive and necessary
overhead facilities to start a venture.
Motivated Entrepreneur: motivation is the desire for self-fulfilment. They come into
being because of the possibility of making and marketing some new product.
Spontaneous Entrepreneur: is one who is motivated by his/her natural talent to begin a
business. This kind of entrepreneurs is very confident in their natural blessings from God
and wants to undertake business because they believe their natural gifts will enable them
to do so.

ENTREPRENEURIAL TRAITS
A successful entrepreneur must be a person with the following traits:
Mental ability: It consists of intelligence and creative thinking. An entrepreneur must be
reasonably intelligent, and should have creative thinking and must be able to engage in the
analysis of various problems and situations in order to deal with them. The entrepreneur
should anticipate changes and must be able to study the various situations under which
decisions have to be made.
Clear objectives: An entrepreneur should have a clear objective as to the exact nature of
the business, the nature of the goods to be produced and subsidiary activities to be
undertaken. A successful entrepreneur may have the objective to establish the product, to
make profit or render service.
Business secrecy: An entrepreneur must be able to guard business secrets. Leakage of
business secrets to trade competitions is a serious matter, which should be carefully
guarded against by an entrepreneur. An entrepreneur should be able to make a proper
selection of his assistants.
Human relation ability: The most important personality factors contributing to the
success of an entrepreneur are emotional stability, personal relations, consideration and
tactfulness. An entrepreneur must maintain good relation with his/her customers if he/she
is to establish relations that will encourage them to continue to patronize his/her business.
He/she must also maintain good relations with his employees if he is to motivate them to
perform their jobs at a high level of efficiency. An entrepreneur who maintains good human
relation with customers, employees, suppliers, creditors and the community is much more
likely to succeed in his/her business than the individual who does not practice good human
relations.
Communication ability: Communication ability is the ability to communicate effectively.
Good communication also means that both the sender and the receiver understand each
other and are being understood. An entrepreneur who can effectively communicate with
customers, employees, suppliers and creditors will be more likely to succeed than the
entrepreneur who does not.
Technical knowledge: An entrepreneur must have a reasonable level of technical
knowledge. Technical knowledge is the one ability that most people are able to acquire if
they try hard enough.
An entrepreneur who has a high level of administrative ability, mental ability, human relations
ability, communication ability, and technical knowledge stands a much better chance of success
than his counterpart who possesses low levels of these basic qualities. Brilliant men/women with
first class degrees from university shy away from becoming entrepreneurs because one thing they
cannot be taught is coping with human emotions.
Robert D. Hisrich has identified a few more capabilities or personal characteristics that an
entrepreneur should possess. According to him, the entrepreneur must have an adequate
commitment, motivation, and skills to start and build a business. The entrepreneur must determine

if the management team has the necessary complementary skills to succeed. Some key
characteristics of successful entrepreneur are:
a) Motivator: An entrepreneur must build a team, keep it motivated, and provide an
environment for individual growth and career development.
b) Self-confidence: Entrepreneurs must have belief in themselves and the ability to achieve
their goals.
c) Long-term involvement: An entrepreneur must be committed to the project with a time
horizon of five to seven years. No ninety-day wonders are allowed.
d) High energy level: Success of an entrepreneur demands the ability to work long hours for
sustained periods of time.
e) Persistent problem-solver: An entrepreneur must have an intense desire to complete a task
or solve a problem. Creativity is an essential ingredient.
f) Initiative: An entrepreneur must have initiative, accepting personal responsibility for
actions and above all make well use of resources.
g) Goal setter: An entrepreneur must be able to set challenging but realistic goals.
h) Future Oriented: He plans and thinks in the future. He anticipates possibilities that lie
beyond the present
i) Moderate risk-taker: An entrepreneur must be a moderate risk-taker and learn from any
failures.
Types of Risks Assumed by Entrepreneurs
Financial Risk: Refers to the risk of loosing one’s own saving and entire capital that would
result from failures to repay loans and other financial requirements
Career Risk: If entrepreneurs fail to be successful, it would be difficult for them to easily
acquire another employment opportunity
Psychic Risk: The mind of entrepreneurs is subject to constant frustration and
psychological tensions as to the fate of their business
Family Risk: The spouses and offspring’s of entrepreneurs are also subject to certain
psychological frustrations in state being worried whether their business will fail or not.
MANAGER AND ENTREPRENEUR
Entrepreneurs take existing resources and redeploy them, often in a creative way, to give them
greater economic value. They are agent of change, innovators of new products, methods, or
markets. They are more involved in looking for and exploiting new opportunities. They are less
concerned with managing what exists in the most efficient manner. Managers may or may not be
entrepreneurs. There are a number of similarities and ambiguities between manager and
entrepreneur; and of course, in most small-scale businesses both refer to the same person.
However, each of the two concepts are distinct from the other.
Similarity:
Both managers and entrepreneur are answerable for producing results

Both have to produce results trough people working with them though they deal with
different set of people.
Both are decision makers but the decisions are different as their tasks vary.
Both have to operate under constraints.
The main points of difference between the two may be described as follows:
a) Primary Motive: The entrepreneur is primarily driven by innovation, profit and need for
independence. On the other hand, the manager is driven by power and compensation
b) Focus: Entrepreneurs focus more on exploiting new opportunities. But managers focus is
more on optimizing the existing resources
c) Risk taking: An entrepreneur takes calculated risks of a business venture. He may
jeopardize his own financial security for losses that may occur. By contrast, the manger
does not face the uncertainty of a new venture with its potential for failure and financial
loss. He does not share any business risks.
d) Reward: An entrepreneur is motivated by profits while the manger is motivated by
externally imposed goals and rewards. The gains of an entrepreneur are uncertain and
irregular and can at times be negative. The salary of a manger is on the contrary, fixed and
regular and can never be negative.
e) Skills: An entrepreneur needs intuition, creative thinking and innovative ability among
other skills. On the other hand, a manger depends more on human relations and conceptual
abilities.
f) Status: An entrepreneur is self employed and he is his own boss. On the contrary, a manger
is a salaried person and he is not independent of his employer, the entrepreneur.
Why do People Want to Become Entrepreneurs?
Today, people are becoming entrepreneurs at an alarming rate. The fact that the number of today’s
entrepreneurs when compared to the figure before ten years is almost quadruple tells too much
about the increasing number of entrepreneurs. These days, many people share a dream of becoming
entrepreneurs. This shows, there are a lot of factors that push ordinary people to become
entrepreneurs. This ranges from the tangible and psychological benefit of putting themselves in
the world of entrepreneurship. In brief these factors can be classified as pull and push factors;
Pull factor
a) Opportunity to gain control over your own destiny: owning a business gives the
entrepreneur the independence and the opportunity to achieve what is personally important.
b) Opportunity to reach your full potential: Business is an instrument for self-expression and
self-actualization. Many entrepreneurs don’t enjoy working for someone else. Nobody
limits you because you are independent and there is likely that you have challenging job.
c) Opportunity to reap unlimited profit: although money is not the only force driving most
entrepreneurs, their ability to keep the money their business earns certainly is a critical
factor in their decision to create companies. The promise of long term financial
independence can be a motive in starting a new firm.
d) Opportunity to contribute to the society: business owner enjoy the recognition they
received from customers whom they have served faithfully over the years.
e) Opportunity to turn previous work experience into business for self and family.
Push factor
Community attitude: this has proved a considerable push into entrepreneurship particularly

when accompanied by acceptance in a locality where other employment possibilities are
low.
Unemployment/underemployment: job insecurity and employment varies in significance
by region, and by prevailing economic climate. A study reported that 25% of business
founders in the late 1970s were pushed in this way.
Disagreement with employer: Uncomfortable relations at work have also pushed new
entrants in to small business. Many people considering an opportunity or having a desire
for independence still need some form of push to help them make their decision.
Retirement: Many realize their potential and able to own and run successful enterprises
even after retirement.
1.3 Role Of Entrepreneurship In Economic Development
Entrepreneurship is the life blood of any economy and it applies more to a developing economy
like Ethiopia. Developing economies need greater number of people possessing entrepreneurial
qualities and capable of taking decisions under conditions of uncertainties to transform their
underdeveloped economies into developed one. For this, well-developed institutional support is
important. The world is rapidly changing; and unless we are also able to change our attitudes and
approaches there is a real danger. The process of development includes creation of infrastructure
and setting up and management of public utilities. Non-conventional energy sources have to be
developed on a commercial scale. Similarly, application of modern scientific techniques in
agriculture and horticulture is essential for providing a sound base for a more rapid growth of
employment and incomes. There is also a need for rapid growth of industries well distributed and
in a multi-directional way. Apart from land, labour and capital, there is greater need for
entrepreneurs to strive for growth on an ongoing basis.
Entrepreneurs are innovators; they identify business opportunities, plan to address market needs,
gather resources, and manage the process of building business. Entrepreneurs create jobs, transfer
technology to the market and create value, adding immeasurably to our well being. Entrepreneurs
make unique contributions to a country's economy. Using innovations to grow their business, they
provide concrete benefits to the national economy. In general they play role in reducing
unemployment, stabilizing inflation, normalize balance of payment and so on. Generally, the
importance of entrepreneurship are:
A. Taking to higher rate of economic growth by creation of value.
B. Speed up the process of industrial use of the factors production.
C. Creation of employment opportunity
D. Dispersal of economic activities to different sectors of the economy & identifying a new
venue s of growth.
E. Develop technological knowhow
F. Improvement of the standard of living and bringing social and political change in the
society
G. Improve culture of business and expand commercial activities

H. Entrepreneurship acts as a change agent to meet the requirement of the change markets and
customer preferences
1.4. Entrepreneurship, Creativity and Innovation
creativity and innovation are the basic elements in entrepreneurship. Creativity implies the ability
to bring something new into existence, while innovation implies action, not just a new idea. When
people have passed through the process of creativity, they may have become inventors; but they
are not yet innovators. For an idea to have value, it must be proven useful or be marketable.
Innovation is the transition of creative idea into a useful commercial application.
Developing Creativity: Creativity is the ability to bring something new into existence. Here, there
is no action to make the idea a reality. It is the seed that inspires entrepreneurship and it is the
prerequisite to innovation. Developing creativity involves the following process. In creative
process, most social scientists agree on five stages. These stages are idea germination, preparation,
incubation, illumination and verification.
a) Idea Germination: It is a seeding process. For most entrepreneurs ideas begin with interest
in a subject or curiosity about finding a solution to a particular problem.
b) Preparation: Once a seed of curiosity has taken form as a focused idea, creative people
embark on a conscious search for answers. If it is a problem they are trying to solve, then
they begin an intellectual journey, seeking information about the problem and how others
have tried to solve it. If it is an idea of for new product or service, the business equivalent
is market research (i.e., for design, market.)
c) Incubation: It is the assimilation of information by the subconscious mind. In this stage,
the subconscious intellect assumes control of creative process. Conscious focus behaves
rationally to attempt to find systematic resolutions. Subconscious process minds are not
hampered by the limitations of human logic; and therefore open to unusual information and
knowledge that we cannot assimilate in a conscious state.
d) Illumination (enlightenment): It occurs when the idea resurfaces as a realistic creation.
This stage is critical for entrepreneurs because ideas, by themselves, have little meaning.
e) Verification: An idea once illuminated in the mind of an individual still has little meaning
until verified as a realistic and useful. Entrepreneurial effort is essential to translate an
illuminated idea into a verified, realistic and useful application. It is the development stage
of refining knowledge into Innovation.
Innovation: Is the process of doing new things. It is the transformation of creative ideas into
useful applications, which results in new products, services or processes. E.g. Thomas Edison's
light bulb was only a curiosity until he developed an electric system supplying power to consumers.
Innovation requires four things to be fulfilled.
a) Analytical planning: analytically working out the details of product design or service, to
develop marketing (i.e., marketing strategy) obtain finance and plan operation.
b) Organizing recourses: obtaining materials, technology human resource and capital.

c) Implementation: here the plan is changed to reality where accomplishment in establishing
organization, product design, manufacturing and services are achieved.
d) Commercial application: - it is the stage where creative idea transforms into application.
This commercial application provides value to customers (utility), reward for employees
(salary), revenue for investors (profit) and satisfaction for founders’ one quality of
entrepreneurs is innovation. Schumpeter has emphasized in his writings that innovation as
a step forward to shatter the status quo through new combination of resources and new
methods of commerce, Innovation lies at the heart of the entrepreneurial process & is a
means to the exploitation of opportunity.
Characteristics of Successful Entrepreneurs
Although there does not seem to be a single entrepreneurial type, there is a great deal of consistency
in the way in which entrepreneurs approach their task. Some of the characteristics, which are
exhibited by the successful entrepreneur, are discuss below. However, distinction should be made
between personality characteristics and the character somebody displays when working. Some of
these characteristics are discussed as follows:
a) Hard Work: Entrepreneur put a lot of physical and mental effort in to developing their
venture. They often work long and anti-social hours. Balancing the needs of the venture
with other life commitments such as family and friends is one of the great challenges, which
faces the entrepreneur.
b) Self-Starting: Entrepreneurs do not need to be told what to do. They identify tasks for
themselves & then follow them through without looking for encouragement or direction
from others.
c) Setting personal Goals: Entrepreneurs tend to set clear, and demanding, goals for
themselves. They benchmark their achievement against these personal goals. As a result,
entrepreneur tend to work to internal standards rather than look to others for assessment of
their performance.
d) Resilience: (Readily recovering from shock or depression): Not everything goes right all
the time. In fact, failure may be experienced more often than success. Entrepreneurs must
not only pick themselves up after things have gone wrong but must learn positively from
the experience and use that learning to increase the chances of success the next time around.
e) Confidence: Entrepreneur must demonstrate that they are not only believe in themselves
but also in the venture they are pursuing. After all if they don’t, who will?
f) Receptiveness to New Ideas: The entrepreneur must not be overly confident. They must
recognize their own limitations and the possibilities that they have to improve their skills.
They must be willing to revise their ideas in the light of new experience.
g) Assertiveness: Entrepreneurs are usually clear as to what they want to gain from a situation
and are not frightened to express their wishes. Assertiveness means a commitment to
outcomes, not means. True assertiveness relies on mutual understanding and is founded on
good communication skills.
h) Information Seeking: Entrepreneurs are not on average are more intelligent than any other
group. They are however characterized by inquisitiveness. They are never satisfied by the
information they have at any one time and constantly seek more. Good entrepreneurs tend
to question more than they make statements when communicating.

i) Eager to Learn: Entrepreneurs are always aware that they could do things better. They are
aware of both the skills they have and their limitations, and are always receptive to a chance
to improve their skills and to develop new ones.
j) Attuned to Opportunity: Entrepreneurs constantly search for new opportunities. In effect,
this means that he or she is never really satisfied with the way things are any moment in
time.
Individual Assignment I: (20 marks)
1. State the historical development of entrepreneurship?
2. What is the difference between Entrepreneurship, Entrepreneur and
enterprise?
3. Define micro and small scale enterprise according to FDRE (2011) micro
and small-scale developing strategy?
4. List Phase of Entrepreneurship development?
5. What is Entrepreneurial Traits?
6. Why small business enterprise is important for economy?
7. What are challenges of Entrepreneurship in present day business
environment?
The End of Chapter 1
Wish you success!

Chapter Two: Small Business:
2.1. Definition and importance
Recognizing that there are no standard definitions of Small Businesses and that their definitions
vary from country to country depending largely on the size of the economy, the levels of
development, culture and population size of a country involved the definition of small enterprises
varies from one country to another. Defining small business is not as easy as it looks: we have
different definitions depending on the size of the industry we are talking about, the purpose of the
definition, and the country the definition is applicable to. The variables writers use in defining
small businesses include: size of working capital, number of employees, asset size, annual sales,
market share, and operational domain.
For the sake of discussion, we adopt the following definition. Small business is a business
which employs less than 100 employees, is owned by one or few individuals, with the
exception of the marketing function, has geographically localized operations, and does not
dominate its industry.
In Ethiopia: Small enterprises are defined with an investment capital of Birr 20,000 – Birr
50,000. Micro enterprises are those with an investment paid up capital not exceeding Birr
20,000.
Ministry of Trade and Industry adopted official definition of Micro and a Small enterprise
in Ethiopia is as follow: Micro enterprises are business enterprises found in all sectors of
the Ethiopian economy with a paid-up capital (fixed assets) of not more than Birr 20,000,
but excluding high-tech consultancy firms and other high-tech establishments. Small
Enterprises are business enterprises with a paid-up capital of more than Birr 20,000
($2,500) but not more than Birr 500,000 ($62,500) but excluding high-tech consultancy
firms and other high-tech establishments.
Characteristic of small Businesses
1. Closely held: the unit is generally a one-man show. Even if a unit is run by a partnership
concern/company, the activities are mainly carried out by one of the partners/directors and
the others are merely sleeping partners/directors who generally assist in providing finance.
2. Personal character: there is close personal contract/supervision of all activities, say
purchase, production labor, and sale of products. The owner himself is generally the
manager. Therefore, these firms are generally managed in a personalized manner. The
owner has firsthand knowledge of whatever is going on in the business. He actively
participates in all aspects of business decision making.

3. Limited scale operations: A small business unit has a limited share of a given market. The
size of the firm in the industry is small. A small business unit has a lesser gestation period.
4. Indigenous resources: small business units use local resources and can be easily located
anywhere subject to availability of raw materials, labor, finance, etc. Therefore, they have
decentralized or dispersed location.
5. Labor intensive: they are generally more labor oriented with comparatively smaller capital
investment then the large units. The capital investment is limited due to the use of simple
technology. They require large amount of working capital to meet their day-to-day
expenses.
6. Local area of operation: the operations of a small business unit are generally localized.
However, market for its products need not be local. It may cater to local and regional
demands or its products may even be exported.
7. Simple organization: a small business unit has few or no layers of management. Division
of labor or specialization is low and the resources are limited.
In terms of entrepreneurship, small business is a very personal approach to creating new
enterprises. And small businesses usually have limited growth opportunities and operate in
a community atmosphere.
Why are small businesses Important to the economy?
Most small scale industries have a low capital intensity and high potential for employment
generation. They possess location flexibility which services as an effective instrument for
achieving a wide dispersal of industries. Small scale units serve as a means semi-urban and
rural areas. The small scale sector has a high potential for employment, dispersal of
industries, promoting entrepreneurship and earning foreign exchange to the country.
Let’s try to see why it is advisable for general advantages small businesses offer a country’s
economy:
1. Providing job opportunities: this is one way in which small businesses contribute to the
country’s economy. In fact, in most countries, the number of new jobs created by small
business is significantly higher than created by large businesses. For example, in the US,
50% the employment comes from small businesses and each year small businesses account
for about 80% of the new job created.
2. Introducing innovations: new products which originate in the research laboratories of big
businesses make a valuable contribution to our standard of living. There is a question,
however, as to the relative importance of big businesses in achieving the truly significant
innovations. Usually, the research departments of big businesses tend to emphasize the
improvement of existing products. Records show that many scientific breakthroughs
originate with independent inventors and small organizations.
3. Stimulating economic competition: small business by definition is one that does not
dominate its industry, and competition will be closer to perfection when the market price
and supply when operating individually.
4. Aiding big businesses: the fact that some functions are more expertly performed by small
businesses enables small businesses to contribute to the success for larger ones. Supply
functions, most small businesses act as suppliers and sub contractors for large firms.

5. Producing goods and services: we depend highly on small businesses for the provision
of most goods and services we need in our lives. In fact, if it was not for small businesses,
we would have not been able to find the goods and services we need at the time we need
them, in a convenient place, and at the quantity we prefer.
In addition to the above general advantages small businesses offer a country’s economy,
they have certain benefits to the individual entrepreneur. These include:
 Small businesses require less time, energy and financial resources to establish
 They also provide the entrepreneur with greater autonomy, and independence-because the
money needed to start small businesses is relatively small, the entrepreneur can raise most
of it by him/herself without relinquishing significant onrushing interest and control.
 In addition to these, small businesses help the entrepreneur develop his skill in running
organizations as he is expected to perform different kinds of activities concerning the
business. These include; business planning, investment and finance, customer relations,
personnel and human resources, cash control and book keeping, inventory control,
purchasing, marketing and sales, and leadership.
2.2. Economic, Social and Political Aspects of small business enterprise
Small businesses (enterprises) have to play a vital role in Ethiopian economy. They need a
strong support on socio-economic and political grounds.
a. Socialistic Idea (The equality Argument)
Our goal is being the establishment of a socialist pattern of society. Our objectives are
equitable distribution of wealth and decentralization of economic power. The benefits of
industrial growth should be shared by as many people as possible and should improve the
general standard of living. Proliferation of small enterprises will go a long way in achieving
these objectives.
According to this argument unregulated growth of large scale industries results in
concentration of economic power in a few hands and consequently grosses inequalities in
the distribution of income and wealth in the country. On the other hand, income generated
in large number of small enterprises is dispersed more widely and its benefit is derived by
a large population. This is due to wide spread ownership and decentralized location of
small scale units. In this way small scale enterprises bring about greater equality of income
distribution. It is also argued that most of the small scale units are either proprietary or
partnership concerns. As a result relations between workers and employers are more
harmonious in small enterprises than in large enterprises.
Critics of small business argue that due to absence of strong trade unions in small units,
the employer can more easily exploit workers. Wages and other benefits in the small firm
are lower than in large firms. By paying low wages, small business enterprises generate
less savings and less taxes and there by result in low growth potential.
However, in underdeveloped countries workers prefer a low paid job to no job at all. In the
absence of small enterprises workers may have to lose even the small wage which they

hope to get. Moreover, wage rates in small firms can be improved through labor laws and
trade unions. Small enterprises also encourage competitive spirit and generate the impulse
of self-development.
b. Less capital and more labor (The Employment Argument)
The main problem is that we have vast manpower but inadequate capital, which has
resulted in increasing unemployment. This is unlike in situation in western countries where
manpower is limited but capital resources are enormous. Planners have realized the
necessity of encouraging small industries because they require less capital but generate
more employment. The small-scale sector has the capacity to generate a much higher
degree of employment than the large-scale sector.
The argument is based on the assumption that small scale industries are labor intensive
and thus create more employment per unit of capital. It is said that employment generation
capacity of small sector is eight times that of the large scale sector.
c. Removing regional imbalance (The decentralization argument)
Another problem is the continuous shifting of people from rural to urban areas which
causes over-crowding in cities with slum conditions due to lack of social and medical
amenities which require heavy investment. This problem can be solved inducing people to
set up small industries in rural areas.
The prolific setting up of agro-based industries will go a long way in creating a balance in
our country’s economy. In order that industrialization may benefit the economy of the
country as a whole, it is important that disparities in the matter of development between
different regions should be progressively reduced.
Large scale industries have the tendency to concentrate in big cities. As a result semi urban
and rural areas remain deprived of the benefits of industrialization. Moreover, undue
concentration of large industries in urban areas creates several problems. E.g., pollution,
slums, shortage of civic facilities, etc. due to employment opportunities in the countryside,
people migrate in large number to big cities. Small scale units can be located in rural and
semi urban areas to reduce regional disparities.
d. Creating self-employment opportunities
In India, since independence it has had a steady rise in the number of qualified engineers
seeking suitable jobs. But having in adequate adventures, they can have self-employment
by setting up small industries with the help and expertise proved by the government and
other agencies. Main bank and have several industrial corporations, here, have arranged
special training programs for young entrepreneurs, who can easily set up their own units
with package assistance from the governments.
e. Ancillary Function
Many small-scale industries units supply and accessories bigger industries. This ancillary
function involves specialization in specific areas and results in greater profitability. The
government has, therefore, relaxed the ceiling of investment in plant and machinery for
ancillary unit.
f. Export promotion

Small-scale industries are now a day opening up fresh avenues in the export market in our
world. Realizing the importance of the small-scale sector in the economy the Ethiopian
government has adopted several measures to speed up the growth for small industries.
g. Supply of critical raw materials
The government has also liberalized the importer to ensure regular supply of raw materials
to small industrial units, and devised a more efficient and consistent system of distribution
of critical raw materials.
2.3 Small Business Failure factors
Although a lot of new small businesses are established in most countries, the success rate
is very minimal. This can be attributed to a lot of factors, which can be generally classified
in to two categories:
Internal factors of failure and personal factors of failure
Economic business cycles, fluctuating interest rates, interrupted suppliers, labor market
trends, inflation, government regulations and unstable financial markets are some of the
external factors that might bring about small business failure. Although all businesses
/small or big/ are subject to these risks, their effect on small businesses is far more serious
than any other business. This is because the resources a small business owner controls are
very limited which makes it very difficult to deal with these situations.
On the other hand there certain problems that can be attributed to personal weaknesses and
limitations of the entrepreneur. These include:
 Inexperience: too often, entrepreneurs launch their enterprises without having sufficient
experience to succeed. Inexperience can be translated to mean a lack of technical skills of
management acumen.
 Arrogance: many small business persons-particularly inventors and innovative
entrepreneurs with new products become consumed with their own brilliance, convinced
beyond reason (often without market research) that…
 Their bright idea will change the world: it is got to see! Their arrogance will not allow
them to take advice from others.
 Mismanagement: humble entrepreneurs steeped in experience can still go under simply
mismanagement of resources; they simply make bad decisions in critical situations. These
may include:
 Over investment on fixed assets: when starting or expanding a business, it is tempting to
buy facilities and equipments rather than lease or subcontract. Everyone likes to own assets,
but greater investment on fixed assets means less flexibility to adjust to adverse conditions.
 Poor inventory control: purchasing too much inventory increases the risk of low turnover
and obsolescence. Having too little inventory undermines customer satisfaction and sales.
Buying the wrong inventory, or buying at the wrong time, evaporates cash. In each
scenario, the business tries up high powered cash in non-earning assets, and the inventory
items can rarely by disposed of for more than a fraction of their costs in an emergency. The
result is that a business “purchases” itself in to insolvency.

 Poor business philosophy: an unfortunate aspect of many business failures is that too
often individual owner’s priorities get in the way of sound business practices. In the least
obtrusive way, entrepreneurs may not be fully committed to the long hours required to
make a venture success full.
 Lack of Planning: most entrepreneurs frequently underestimate the importance of
planning in business success. However,, not planning means not anticipating future
problems and challenges and not being prepared for them in advance. This surely leads the
entrepreneur in to making mistakes and facing problems which could have been easily
avoided though sound planning.
2.4. Problems in Ethiopia small business
Small scale industries have not been able to contribute substantially as needed to the
economic development particularly because of financial, production, and marketing
problems. These problems are still major handicaps to their development lack of adequate
finance and credit has always been a major problem of Ethiopian small business.
Small-scale units do not have easy access to the capital market because they mostly
organized on proprietary partnership basis and are of very small size. They do not have
access to industrial sources of finance partly because of their size and partly because of the
fact that their surpluses which can be utilized to repay loans are negligible. Because of their
size and partly because of the limited profit, they search for funds for investment purposes.
Consequently, the approach moneylenders who charge high rate of interest hence small
enterprises continue to be financially weak.
Small-scale enterprises find it difficult to get raw materials of good quality and at cheaper
rates in the field of production. Very often they do not get raw materials in time. As a
result, these enterprises very often fail to produce goods in requisite quantities and of good
quality of a low cost. Furthermore, the techniques of production, which these enterprises
have adopted, are usually outdated. Because of their poor financial position they are not
able to buy new equipment consequently their productivity suffers.
Besides, many small business enterprises are suffering with the problem of marketing their
products. It is only by overcoming all these constraints that small enterprises can hope to
make their enterprises successful.
2.2. Setting Small Business
Setting small business mainly shows how a new business/ venture is established and how
business idea is generated and evaluated for further development into real product and
service. In a competitive world the secret of success in business is selecting the right
product and service, but the problem is how to identify the right product or service. So,
how can an entrepreneur identify the best business idea and to select the right product and
service are briefly presented as follows.
2.2.1. Basic business idea
All business begins with a business idea. There are many ideas around, but they are not all
are business idea. A business idea has two defining characteristics, it meets an unmet need
and it drives transaction.

In the first, the product or service that we offer must satisfy a customer’s unmet need. This
may mean a brand-new product or service or it may mean finding a way to provide a
product or service at a lower price than currently available.
Second a good business idea drive transaction. Whatever the product we offer to customers they
must be willing to exchange their money for our product or service. A key point keep in mind is
that people do not buy products or services they buy the benefits they get from the product or
service. So what benefits are we providing that meet their needs and solve their problem.
The test of a good business atmosphere guides the choice of basic business idea. A basic business
idea results from the identification of business opportunities in market.
To be success in business consistently watches the opportunities to spot where the entrepreneur
has to be sensitive to the market changes. Watch demand and supply study consumer behavior and
grasp the business ideas.
Source of business ideas
Some of the more frequently used sources are:
1) Market characteristics / observing the market /
Careful observation of markets can reveal a business idea. Market can reveal the demand
and supply position for various products unfulfilled demand will open the door for new
product or service
2) Government organization: several government organizations nowadays assist
entrepreneurs in discovering and evaluating business ideas. Development bank, state
industrial development corporation, technical consultancy organization, etc. provide
assistance in technical, financial, marketing and other areas business. Government rule,
regulation and policy on import and export, research and training service etc encourage
entrepreneurs to think about the new option.
3) Development in other nation: people in under developed countries generally follow the
fashion trend of developed countries. Therefore an entrepreneur can discover good
business idea by keeping in touch with development in advanced nations. Sometimes,
entrepreneurs visit foreign countries in search of ideas for new product or service.
4) Social and economic trends
Social and economic status of people is always dynamic in nature and offer wide
opportunities. An entrepreneur should observe such change.
5) Emerging new technology.
Commercial exploitation of indigenous or imported technologies and know how is another
source of project idea.
6) Trade fairs and exhibitions: national and international trade fairs are very good sources
of business idea. At these fairs, producers and dealers in the concerned industry put up their
products for display and / for sale.
Magazines, journals, industries, trade fairs offer wide scope for business opportunities
Methods for generating business idea
The entrepreneur can use several methods including focus groups, brainstorming, and
problem inventory analysis to come up with and test new ideas.

A. Conducting research: an entrepreneur can primarily generate new business idea by
conducting a target research. It is necessary to estimate future demand and take in to account
anticipated change in fashion income levels, technology, etc.
B. Focus groups: is a group of individuals providing information in a structured format, a
moderator, often called a focal person leads a group of people through an open in depth
discussion rather than simply asking questions to solicit/seek participants’ response. For a new
product area, the moderator focuses the discussion of the group in either a directive or a non-
directive manner. The group of participants is stimulated by comments from other group
members in creativity conceptualizing and developing a new product idea.
C. Brainstorming: is a group method of obtaining new idea and solution. Brainstorming is
probably the most well-known and widely used techniques for both creative problem solving
and idea generation. It is an unstructured process for generating all possible ideas about a
problem within a limited frame though the spontaneous contributions of participants. It serves
to generate as many ideas as possible to screen out for further development. A good
brainstorming session starts with a problem statement that is neither too broad nor too narrow.
Once the problem statement is prepared, a group of individuals is to forward a wide range
of knowledge. The following rules should be followed while using this method.
 No criticism is allowed by anyone in the group –no negative comments.
 Freewheeling is encouraged –the wider the idea the better.
 Quality of ideas is desired- the greater the number of ideas, the greater the
likelihood of useful ideas emerging.
 Combinations and improvements of ideas are encouraged-ideas of others can be
used to produce –still another new idea.
 The brainstorming session is fun, not to be spoiled with seriousness.
D. Problem inventory Analysis: is a method for obtaining new ideas and solution by focusing
on problem. Problem inventory analysis uses individuals a manner analogous to focus groups
to generate new product ideas. However, instead of generating new ideas themselves,
consumers are provided a laundry list of problems in a general product category. They are then
asked to identify and discuss products in this category that have particular problem. This
method is often effective since it is easier to relate, known products to suggested problems and
arrive at a new product idea than to generate an entirely new product idea by itself. Problem
inventory analysis can also be used to test a new product idea.
2.2.2. What project an entrepreneur should have?
A project can be defined in different ways. A project is a complex of economic activity in
which the players commit scarce resources in the expectation that the benefits gained will
exceed these resources.
The project should have to consider the SWOT and should be designed accordingly.
SWOT is a series of steps one has to consider in evaluating a business opportunity and
arriving at a decision on starting a business or not.
The SWOT approach compels individuals to think or reason out systematically and
analytically the important factors strengths, weakness, opportunities, and threats.
a. Opportunity ;refers to any factor that offer promise or potential for moving closer
or more quickly towards the firms goal

b. Threat; is any factor that may limit or impede the business in the pursuit of its
goals
c. Strength; is an inherent capacity, which an organization can use to gain strategic
advantage over its competitors.
d. Weakness; is an inherent limitation or constraint, which creates a strategic disadvantage.
To be a successful an entrepreneur, one major determinant factor is the choice of a good
business idea. To select the best business idea, the following steps needs to be pursued.
A. Identifying your problem
B. Define your objectives
C. Identifying ,develop and analyze the possible alternative
D. Select the best alternative in light of the specific criteria set to the better fulfillment of
the objective.
2.5.3. Definition of industry and small scale industry
An industry is an institution where raw material is purchased from suppliers, converted in
to finished product using machinery and labor and sold to buyers. Conversation of raw
material means changing the size, shape, chemical properties, and assembling different
[parts, etc .For example, in shoe making unit, different type of leather are purchased, cut
in to different shapes and sizes and then stitched as shoes, etc. This is a simple conversion
of size and shape of raw material. In the case of cement plant the raw material used are
limestone, gypsum, etc. These materials are chemically processed, i.e. they are properly
mixed, heated and powdered to get cement as the final product.
Industries again are not the same. Some are big like steel plant and some are small like a
unit manufacturing of wooden furniture. Some industries make cycle tube and tires while
some other make radios and transistors. Thus, industries differ widely and can be classified
in different ways.
Small scale industry: Small business would include individuals and firms managing a
business enterprise e4stablished mainly for the purpose of providing any services other
than professional.
Small scale industries have been defined as industrial units engaged in
manufacturing/preservation activities or repairing/ servicing operations including such
operations as quarrying.
2.5.4. Steps in setting a small scale unit
The first key to success in any business activity is to select the right product. In the beginning,
information of possible lines of activity must be obtained, by taking to knowledgeable people,
from industrial publications, or from various organizations. The information available from these
sources may be supplemented by ones’ ideas and some alternative feasible lines of activity
identified. These lines of activity must necessarily be those, which are the consistent with one’s
own personal qualities and capacity. They must essentially be of interest to the entrepreneur.
These must be examined with a view to assess:
a. The marketing aspect-Published data, talks with people in the field etc., to obtain a
general idea of the marketing conditions.

b. Technical aspects-Detailed assessment of the goods and services needed for the
project, the type of technology to be adopted for the project.
c. Financial aspects-General idea of the overall investment and scale of operations,
sources and mode of financing it, etc. The product must be suitable for an
entrepreneur is to be identified from the above.
i. Having selected a product, a detailed project report needs to be prepared. This will cover the
following aspects:
a. A detailed estimate of demand is to be made. The total demand, existing suppliers
and the capacity of existing units, the demand gap remaining to be met , the
customers, the distribution channel required, have all to be studied. The required
information may be obtained from published data, literature available in some
organizations, through information gathered personally from persons already in the
field, users, dealers, etc, or by means of detailed market survey conducted by
government organizations, or by private organizations and consultants.
b. Technical specifications of the process should be carefully studied. The knowhow
may be available with the person himself or may be obtained from literature, or
from others including government laboratories like the national laboratories.
c. The equipment required their sources are to be specified.
d. Requirements of space, land, shed etc. and other utilities like power and water are
to be assessed.
e. Man power requirements of direct and indirect personnel are to be determined and
their availability ensured.
ii. After the detailed project report having been prepared and availability of the enterprise
established, the action phase begins.
iii. Once all the required authorization and sanctions have been obtained, simultaneous action is
to be taken for the following:
 Ordering machinery from suppliers
 Obtaining utilities like power and water connections after construction of sheds, if
necessary
 Recruitment of staff
 Arranging supplies of materials
 Arranging for distribution of the product
iv. Once these are complete, the plant is ready for commissioning
v. The unit is then ready for commercial production.
Wish you success!

Chapter-Three: Business Planning
3.1.The Concept of Business Planning
The business plan is the most essential document involved when starting, building and managing
a successful business and it is an effective tool for raising the necessary capital as well as capturing
the interest of investors. The business plan is the document that clearly and concisely defines the
goals and objectives of a business, outlining the methods for achieving them. The business plan is
also an excellent communication instrument for investors and suppliers interested in understanding
the operations and goals of the business.
Many businesses fail due to the lack of planning and preparation. To help plan for a successful
business venture, guidelines in this publication would help an operator better understand what
information is needed in the business plan. The more complete and accurate the information, the
more promptly institutions, banks, investors, and suppliers will be able to respond to requests for
assistance. Generally, the operator himself would be responsible for preparing the business plan.
“Business don’t plan to fail, they just fail to plan”
Before we go into the nitty-gritty part of business plan, it is important that every individual
understand the importance of planning for the success of any venture. As the matter of fact, in
Ethiopia most of us are not used to the planning process. Planning which is the process of setting
objectives and devising actions to achieve those objectives, answers such as what business I have?
What is my sales strategy? Where I can found the needed personnel? How much profit can I
expect?
Planning is the process never ends for a business. It is extremely important in the early stage of
any new venture when the entrepreneur will need to prepare a preliminary business plan. The plan
will be finalized as the entrepreneur has a better sense of the market, the product or service to be
marketed, the management team, and the financial needs of the venture. For any given
organization, it is possible to find financial plan, marketing plan, and human resource plan,
production plan, and sale plan, etc.
For a business to be successful entrepreneur should have a clear idea about his strengths, of his
probable customers, their needs and expectations, and competitors in the market place. Before
setting up a business, a document is made for defining the steps or things required to be executed
to legally set up a business. This written document is called as business plan.

Business planning is the process of systematically thinking about one’s business, setting business
goals and objectives and planning for resources which will help him/her achieve the desired goals
and objectives.
Business plan helps us put our thoughts and ideas on paper in a clear, systematic and convincing
manner. It helps you to raise finance/capital for your business. Business plan should be complete,
well organized and should be based on facts. It helps focus on key points. Business plan is made
by the entrepreneur himself. However, outside consultants can be hired to set the plan in a
systematic written format.
3.2.Feasibility Planning
After identifying different business ideas, these ideas are then subjected to feasibility study for
deciding on whether the ideas are attractive/ profitable or not. At this stage, entrepreneurs evaluate
or test to prove that identified ideas are feasible from different dimensions (Technical, Socio-
economic, Commercial, Financial, Environmental and Managerial) and to choose the best business
idea among the available alternatives.
After a business idea has been developed it is evaluated to determine its likelihood of success. This
is called idea screening. In their evaluation, entrepreneur evaluates business ideas from each
function area perspectives described as in the following:
Operation: What are the production needs of the proposed new product and how do they
match our existing resources? Will we need new facilities and equipment? Do we have the
labor skills to make the product? Can the material for production be readily obtained?
Marketing: What is the potential size of the market for the proposed new product? How
much effort will be needed to develop a market for the product and what is the long-term
product potential?
Finance: The production of a new product is a financial investment like any other. What
are the proposed new product’s financial potential, cost, and return on investment?
Unfortunately, there is no magic formula for deciding whether or not to pursue a particular
product idea. Managerial skill and experience, however, are also key dimensions.
Feasibility study is basically an aid to decision making, and hence the deployment of time,
money, and other resources on it should never be allowed to outgrow the potential benefits
that it may hopefully yield.
In case a project idea is generally found to be feasible from all considerations, it is then
given a `go-ahead' signal which indicates a commitment on the part of the authority giving
the `go-ahead' signal to provide necessary resources for carrying the project through, to its
logical completion.
On the basis of feasibility study results the entrepreneur should be able to decide:
i. Whether the project can be straightaway accepted or rejected,
ii. The project requires a detailed analysis (i.e. a feasibility study), or
iii. Some aspects of the project need to be subjected to special investigations or studies
such as market research, physical or mathematical modeling (e.g. for a complex nuclear
plant), site surveys, laboratory tests, etc.

3.3.The Business Plan
A business plan is the written document that details the proposed venture. It must describe
current status, expected needs, and projected results of the new business. Every aspect of
the venture needs to be covered: the project, marketing, research and development,
manufacturing, management, critical risks, financing, and milestones or a timetable. A
description of all of these facets of the proposed venture is necessary to demonstrate a clear
picture of what that venture is, where it is projected to go, and how the entrepreneur
proposes it will get there. The business plan is the entrepreneur’s roadmap for a successful
enterprise. Whatever the name, it should lay out your idea, describe where you are, point
out where you want to go, and how you propose to go there. The business plan may present
a proposal for launching an entirely new business. More commonly, perhaps; present a plan
for a major explanation of a firm that has already started operation.
Benefits of a Business Plan
Specifically for the entrepreneur:
• The time, effort, research, and discipline needed to put together a formal business plan force
the entrepreneur to view the venture critically and objectively.
• The competitive, economic, and financial analysis included in the business plan subject the
entrepreneur to close scrutiny of his or her assumptions about the venture’s success.
• Since all aspects of the business venture must be addressed in the plan, the entrepreneur
develops and examines operating strategies and expected results for outside evaluators.
• The business plan quantifies objectives, providing measurable benchmarks for comparing
forecasts with actual results.
• The completed business plan provides the entrepreneur with a communication tool for outside
financial sources as well as an operational tool for guiding the venture towards success.
• Details of the market potential and plans for securing a share of that market.
• The venture’s ability to service debt or provide an adequate return on equity.
• Identifies critical risks and crucial events with a discussion of contingency plans.
• A clear, concise document that contains the necessary information for a thorough business and
financial evaluation.
The purpose of business plan
The most important steps in establishing any new business is the constructions of a business
plan. Business plan:
1. It can help the owner/manager crystallization and focus his/her idea.
2. Although planning is a mental process, it must go beyond the realm thought. Thinking
about a proposed business become more rigorous as rough ideas must be crystallized and
qualified on paper.
3. It can help the owner/manager set objectives and give him a yardstick against which to
monitor performance.
4. It can also as a vehicle to bother any external finance needed by the business.
5. It can convince investors that the owner has identified high growth opportunities.
6. It entails taking a long _term view of the business and its environment.
7. It emphasizes the strengths and recognizes the weaknesses of the proposed venture.
8. The plan can uncover weakness or alter the entrepreneur to sources of possible danger.

Users of business plan
A business plan has two primary functions:
 To provide clearly articulated statement of goals and strategies for internal use and,
 To serve a selling document to be shared to the outsiders.
Those who might have an interest in a business plan for a new venture consists of outsiders
who are critical to the firm’s success: customers, suppliers, and investors. The other group
is the internal users of the business plan: the new firm’s management. Let us consider the
internal users first.
Internal user of the business plan
Any activity without adequate preparation tends to be disorganized. This is particularly
true of such a complex process as initiating a new business. Although planning is a mental
process, it must go beyond the realm of speculation. Internal users are, firms management
and employees of the venture.
External users of the business plan
By enhancing a firm’s credibility, the business plan can serve as an effective selling tool
to use with prospective customers and suppliers, as well as investors. Suppliers for
example, extend credit, which is often an important part of a new firm’s financial plan. A
well prepared business plan may be helpful in gaining a supplier trust and securing
favorable credit terms. Both investors and lenders use the business plan to better understand
the new venture, the type of product/service it offers, the nature of the market, and the
qualification of the entrepreneur and the management team.
3.4. Developing Business Plan
When the business plans are produced?
At the startup of a new business: After the concept stage of initial ideas and feasibility
study, a new business startup may go through a more detailed planning stage of which the
main output is the business plan.
Business purchase: Buying an existing business does not neglect the need for an initial
business plan. A detailed plan, which tests the sensitivity of changes to key business
variables, greatly increases the prospective purchasers understanding of the level of risk
they will be accepting, and likelihood of rewards being available.
Ongoing: Ongoing review of progress, against the objectives of either a start up or small
business purchase, is important in a dynamic environment. An initial business plan is not
a document to be put in a drawer and forgotten.
Major decisions: Even if planning is not carried out on a regular basis, it is usually
investigated at a time of major change. For example, the need for major new investment in
equipment, or funds to open a new outlet, It may be linked to failure, such as a recovery
plan for an ailing (or in bad condition) business.
Who produced the business plan?
Three types of people will be interested in a business plan:
Managers: are involved in small business planning as both producers and recipients of the
plan. Business plans are written to aid small business managers.

Owners: the manager of a small enterprise may also be the owners and take a keen (eager)
interest in the planning process, wearing their shareholders hat.
Lenders: the major banks/lenders all encourage the production of business plans to justify
overdrafts and loans, offering literature and advice on putting together business plans.
Why the business plans are produced?
1. Assessing the feasibility and viable of the business plan/project: it is in every ones interests
to make mistakes on paper, hypothetically testing for feasibility, before trying the real
thing.
2. Setting objectives and budgets: having a clear financial vision will believable budgets is a
basic requirement of everyone involved in a plan.
3. Calculating how much money is needed: a detailed cash flow with assumptions is vital
ingredient to precisely quantify earlier the likely funds required.
The format of a business plan
The business plan needs to answer three –straight forward questions:
1. Where are we now?
An analysis of the current situations of the market place, the competitions, the business
concept and the people involved. It will include any historical background relevant to the
position to date.
2. Where do we intend going?
Qualitative expression of the objectives, quantifiable targets will clarify and measure
progress towards the intended goals.
3. How we get there?
Implementing of accepted aims is what all the parties to a plan are interested in as a final
result. Plans for marketing and managing the business, with detailed financial analysis are
the advisable preliminaries before putting it all in to practice.
Writing the business plan
The business plan could take much time to prepare, depending on the experience and
knowledge of the entrepreneur as well as the purpose it is intended to serve. It should be a
comprehensive enough to give any potential investor a complete understanding of the new
venture.
Introductory page
This is the title or cover page that provides a brief summary of the business plan’s contents.
The introductory page contains the following:
 The name and address of the company
 The name of entrepreneur(s) and telephone number
 A paragraph describing the company nature of the venture
 The amount of financing needed. The entrepreneur may offer a package that is
stock, debt and so on.
 A statement of the confidentiality of the report. This is for security purpose and it is
important for the entrepreneur.
This title page sets out the basic concept that the entrepreneur is attempting to develop.
Investors consider it important because they can determine the amount of investment
needed without having to read to the whole through the entire plan.

Executive summary
This section of the business plan is prepared after the total plan is written. About three to
four pages in length, the executive summary should stimulate the interest of the potential
investor. The investor uses the summary to determine if the business plan is worthy reading
in total. Thus, it would highlight concisely and convincingly the key points in the business
plan, that, is the nature of the venture, financing needed, market potential, and support as
to why it will succeed.
Industrial analysis
It is important to put the new venture in a proper context. In particular the potential
investors, while assessing the venture on a number of criteria, it needs to do an industry
analysis in order to know which industry an entrepreneur will be competing on it. The
entrepreneur should also provide insight on new product development in this industry.
Competitive analysis is also an important part of this section. Each major competitor should
be identified, with appropriate strengths and weakness described particularly as to how
they might affect the new venture’s success in the market.
Who is the customer? The market should be segmented and the target market of the
entrepreneur identified. Most new ventures are likely to compete effectively in only one or
few of the market segments.
Description of the venture
The description of the venture should be detailed in this section of the business plan. This
will enable the investor to ascertain the size and scope of the business. Key elements are
the product(s) or services(s), the location and size of the business, the personnel and office
equipment that will be needed, the background of the entrepreneur(s) and the history of the
venture. Location of any business may be vital to its success particularly if the business is
retail or involves a service. Thus, the emphasis on the location in the business plan is a
function of the type of business. In assessing the building or spaces the business will
occupy, the entrepreneur needs to evaluate such factors as parking, delivery rates, access
to customers, suppliers and distributer, and accommodating own regulation or zoning laws.
This simple assessment of the location, market and so on saved the entrepreneur from a
potential disaster.
Production plan
If a new venture is a manufacturing operation, a production plan is necessary. This plan
should describe the complete manufacturing process. If some or all of the manufacturing
process is subcontracted, the plan should describe the subcontractors(s), including location,
reasons for selection, costs, and any contracts that have been completed. If the
manufacturing is to be carried out the whole or in part by the entrepreneur(s), she will need
to describe the physical plant nay out; the machinery and equipment needed to perform the
manufacturing operation raw materials and suppliers’ names, address, and terms, cost of
manufacturing and any further capital requirement.
If the venture is not a manufacturing operation but a retail store or service, this section
would be titled ‘’merchandising plan’’ and purchase of merchandise, inventory control
system, and storage needs should be described.
Marketing plan

The marketing plan is an important part of the business plan since it describes how the
product(s) or service(s) will be priced, promoted and distributed. Specific forecasts for
products are indicated in order to project profitability of the venture. The budget and
appropriate controls needed for marketing strategy decision should be discussed.
Potential investors regard the market plan as critical to the success of the new venture .thus
the entrepreneur should make any effort to prepare as a comprehensive and detailed plan
as possible so that investors can be clear as to the goals and strategies of the venture.
Marketing planning will be an annual requirement (with careful monitoring and changes
made on weekly or monthly basis) for the entrepreneur and should be regarded as the road
map for short term decision making.
Organizational plan
The organizational plan describes the venture’s form of ownership –that is, proprietorship,
partnership, or corporation. For instance, if the venture is the partnership, the term of the
partnership should be included. If the venture is a corporation, it is important to detail the
share of the stock authorized, share options, names and address and resumes of the directors
and officers of the corporation.
Assessment of risk
Every new venture will be faced with some potential hazards, given the particular industry
and competitive environment. It is important that the entrepreneur makes an assessment of
risk and prepares an effective strategy to deal to them.
Major risk for a new venture could result from a competitor’s reaction; weakness in the
marketing or production, and new advances in technology that might render the new
product obsolete. It also important for the entrepreneur to provide alternative strategies
should any of the above risk factors occur.
Financial plan
The financial plan, like the marketing, production, organization plans, is an important part
of business plan. It determines the potential investment commitment needed for the new
venture and indicates whether the business plan is feasible.
Generally, three financial areas discussed in this section of the business plan. First, the
entrepreneur should summarize the forecasted sales and the appropriate expense at least
the first five years. It includes the forecasted sales, cost of good sales, and the general and
administrative expenses.
Second, cash flow figure must be presented for at least the first three years, with the first
year’s projection provided with monthly. The last financial item needed in this section of
the business plan is the projected balance sheet. This shows the financial condition of the
business at specific time. It summarizes the asset of a business, its liabilities, the investment
of the entrepreneur and any partners, and retained earnings or cumulative losses.
Appendix
The appendix of the business plan generally contains any back up material that is not
necessary in the text of the document. Reference of to any of the document in the appendix
should be made in the plan itself.
Using and implementing the business plan

The business plan is designed to guide the entrepreneur through the first three year of
operation. It is important that the implementation of the strategy contain control points to
ascertain progress and to initiate contingency plans, if necessary.
Many business fail because of the entrepreneur inability to plan effectively. Intelligent
planning is not difficult or impossible exercise for the inexperienced entrepreneur. With
the proper commitment and support from any outside resource, the entrepreneur can
prepare an effective business plan.
Why some business plan fails
Generally a poor prepared business plan can be blamed on one or more of the following
factors:
 Goals set by the entrepreneur are unreasonable
 Goals are not measurable
 The entrepreneur has not made a total commitment to the business.
The entrepreneur does not have experience in the planned business
Assignment II (30%):
Prepare Business Plan in group of 10 students
Please try to address the following components of business plan while you preparing
business plan!
1) Introductory page
A. Name and address of the business
B. Name(s) and address(s) of principals
C. Nature of business
D. Statement of financing needed
E. Statement of confidentiality of
report
2) Executive summary
3) Industry analysis
A. Future outlook and trends
B. Analysis of competitors
C. Market segmentation
D. Industry forecast
4) Description of venture
A. Product(s)
B. Service(S)
C. Size of business
D. Office equipment and
personnel
E. Background of entrepreneur
5) Production plan
A. Manufacturing process (amounts
sub contracted)
B. Physical plant
C. Machinery and equipment
D. Names of supplier of raw
material
6) Marketing plan
A. Pricing
B. Distribution
C. Promotion
D. Production forecast
E. Controls
7) Organizational plan
A. Form of owner ship
B. Identification of partners and
principal share holders
C. Authority of partners
D. Management team background
E. Roles and responsibility of
members of organization
8) Assessment of risks

A. Evaluation of weakness of
business
B. New technologies
C. Contingencies plan
9) Financial plan
A. Pro forma income statement
B. Cash flow projections
C. Pro forma balance sheet
D. Break even analysis
E. Source and application of funds
10) Appendix
A. letters
B. market research data
C. leases and contracts
D. price lists from suppliers
Wish you success!

Chapter Four: Product and Service Concept
4.1 Product technology
New products are the lifeblood of an organization. Once a company has carefully segmented the
market, chosen its target market or customers, identified their needs and determined its market
positioning, it is better able to develop new products. Marketers play a key role in the new-product
development process, by identifying and evaluating new product idea and working with R&D and
others in every stage of development.
New product development shapes the company’s future. Improved or replacement products must be
created to maintain or build sizes. Customers want new products, and competitors will do their best
to supply them.
New Product Defined
New product is a good, service, and idea that is perceived by some potential customers as a new.
Figure 4.1
By new products we mean original products, product improvement, product modifications, and new
brands that the firm develops through its own R&D departments.
Six categories of new products

Figure 4.2፡ Categories of New Products
1. New –to-the world product-: is a new product that creates totally new market or new to the
world or products that are technological innovative that creates a completely new market that
previously did not exist.
2. New product line (new category entries) – this is new products that allow a company to enter
an established market for the first time. These products are new to the company, but as a
category, the product is not new to the consumer. E.g. The entry of Kodak into the battery
market.
3. Line extension (additions to existing product lines) – is new products that supplements
Company’s established product lines. Line extension can be copies of existing product that
contain unique features of the original product do not have.
4. Product improvements (revision of existing product)-is a new products that provide improved
performance or greater perceived value or replace existing products or product improvements
are product entrancements that improve the product’s form or function.
5. Repositioned product (market extension) -is an existing products that are targeted to new
markets or market segments or original products positioned in new markets without any (with
minimal) changes to the product.
6. Lower priced product (Cost improvement or cost reduction)–this can be new products that
provide similar performance at lowest cost.
Rationale for New Product Development
Product innovation is essentially important for the following reasons:
1. Maximum use of resources
The fact that the supply of many of our natural resources are limited and irreplaceable points
out clearly the importance of careful new product development that requires efficient and
effective use of available resources
2. Product is a basic profit determinant
New products are essential of sustaining a firm’s expected rate of profit. As the product goes
through all four stages of its life cycle, the profit starts to decline in the late stages unit it
become zero.

3. New products are essential for growth
New products are designed not only to maintain the existing profit but also to increase their
profits and have greater market share.
Figure 4.3 - Why New Products Fail
4.2. Product development process
There are eight steps of new product development. These are:-
1. Idea generation,
2. Idea screening,
3. Concept development and
testing
4. Marketing Strategy,
5. Business analysis,
6. Product development,
7. Test Marketing &
8. Commercialization

1. Idea Generation
New product development starts with idea generation - the systematic search for new product
idea. A company typically has to generate many ideas in order to fine a new good one.
Figure 4.3 Sources of new idea generation
Sources of new product ideas can be:
 Internal sources
 External Sources
Internal Sources
Using internal sources, the company can find new ideas through formal R&D. It can pick the
brain of its executives, scientists, engineers, manufacturing staff, and sales people.
External Sources
Good new product ideas also can come from watching and listening to customers. In this case
the company can analyze customer questions and complaints to find new products that better
solve consumer problems. In generally, external sources are: Customers, competitors,
middlemen, private research organization and trade associations.
2. Idea Screening
The purpose of idea generation is to create a large number of ideas. The purpose of the
screening stage is to reduce the number of ideas. Idea screening helps to distinguish good ideas
and drop poor ones as soon as possible. A company should motivate its employees through
rewards to submit their new ideas.
Figure 4.4: Idea Screening

3. Concept development and Testing
Concept development
An attractive idea must be developed in to a product concept. It is important to distinguish
between a product idea, product concept and a product image. A product idea is an idea for a
possible product that the company can see itself offering to the market. A product concept is
a detailed description of the idea stated in the meaningful consumer terms.
Concept testing
Concept testing involves presenting the product concept to appropriate target consumers and
getting their reactions. The concept can be presented symbolically or physically. The more
tested concepts look like the final product or experience the more dependable concept testing.
A product image is the way consumers perceive an actual or potential product.
For example observe the following situation to understand concept development. A large food
processing company gets the idea of producing a powder to add to milk to increase its
nutritional value and taste. This is the product idea, consumers do not buy product idea; they
buy product concepts. A product idea can be turned into several concepts. E.g who will use
this product? (Infants, adults, young people etc), when will people consume this product?
(Breakfast, lunch, evening etc)
4. Marketing Strategy
Following a successful concept test the new product manager develops a preliminary marketing
strategy plan for introducing the new product into the market.
The plan consists of three parts. The first part describes the target market’s size, structure, and
behavior; the planned product positioning; and the sales, market share, and profit goals sought
in the first few years. The Second part outlines the planned price, distribution strategy, and
market budget for the first year. The third part of the marketing strategy plan describes the
long-run sales and profit goals and marketing mix strategy over time.
5. Business Analysis
After management develops the product concept and marketing strategy, it can evaluate the
proposal’s business attractiveness. Management needs to prepare sales; cost and profit
projections to determine whether they satisfy company objectives.
The simplest way to analyze business is break even analysis in which management estimates
how many units of the product the company would have to sell to break even with the given
price and cost structure.
6. Product Development
Up to now, the product has existed only as a word description, a drawing, or a prototype (trial
product). At this stage the company determines whether the product idea can be translated into
a technically and commercially feasible product.
7. Test marketing
After management is satisfied with functional and psychological performance, the product is
ready to be dressed up with a brand name and packaging and put into a market taste. The new

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