IGCSE Enterprise – Revision Notes

Topic 1 – Introduction to Enterprise

Topic 2 - Setting up a New Enterprise

Topic 3 – The Skills needed to run an Enterprise

Topic 4 – Business Opportunities and Risk

Topic 5 – Negotiation

Topic 6 – Understanding Finance

Topic 7 – Business Planning

Topic 8 – Markets and Customers

Topic 9 – Help and Support for Enterprise

Topic 10 – Communicating with Other People

Exam Length: 1hour 30minutes

 Topic 1 – Introduction to Enterprise
1. What is enterprise?

Enterprise is a willingness by an individual or a business to take risks, show initiative and undertake
new ventures.

An entrepreneur is a person who owns and runs their own business and takes risks. A serial
Entrepreneur is someone who opens lots of businesses.

2. What do enterprises provide?

Enterprises provide goods and/or services. A good is a physical item (it is tangible) e.g. a car or a
computer, whilst a service is a non- physical item (it is intangible) e.g. a haircut, a taxi ride.

3. Being Enterprising

Risk - Being enterprising has some risk. So many

things could go wrong: you could: lose money, fail, go
bankrupt and/or face competition

Initiative - Initiative means making the first move and

making things happen

Undertaking New Ventures - This is about looking for

new ideas and gaps in the market.

To be enterprising you need the following skills

Skill/Quality Example
Persuasion Talking a supplier round to giving your an 2% discount an your
order.

Initiative Having been turned down by two banks for a loan to expand
your enterprise not giving up and applying to another bank
with a detailed business plan.

Luck Employing a worker who turns out to be much better and

 more skilled then you expected.

Risk taking Ordering 20% extra stock in the hope that sales will increase.

Planning Preparing a production schedule to make a new product for

your enterprise
Determination Following the loss of a big customer deciding to make finding
new customers a priority
Leadership Having a vision as to where you want your enterprise to be in
2 years’ time.

Making Decisions Reorganising the layout of your factory to make it run better.

To help develop your enterprise skills you could use one of the following methods:

a. Lateral Thinking
This involves thinking differently to try and find new and unexpected ideas. ‘Thinking outside
the box’ and thinking of ideas you wouldn’t normally.
b. Blue Sky Thinking
This is when you start with a question or an object. Then you think of as many answers to
the question or as many things related to the object or question as possible. You only stop
when you run out of ideas.
c. Six Thinking Hats
This is an idea used to help organise and focus ideas generated from blue sky thinking. The
idea being there are many different ways to look at an idea or problem. Each ‘hat’ means
different things:
 Blue Hat – involves ‘thinking about thinking’ and is usually done by the group
leader/manager.
 White Hat – involves thinking about the facts about the problem/issue
 Red Hat – involves thinking about emotions and gut feelings
 Black Hat – involves thinking about the problems and difficulties
 Yellow Hat – involves thinking about the positive aspects
 Green Hat – involves being creative

Topic 2 – Setting Up a New Enterprise

 1. When setting up as an enterprise there are different structures you can take.

Type of enterprise Advantages Disadvantages Unlimited/Lim

ited Liability
Sole Trader Easy to start. You have unlimited liability. Unlimited
This is an enterprise Get to keep all the profit. Lack of specialisation. liability
owned by 1 person. Get to make all the The hours will be long.
decisions.

Partnership Spreads the risk. May be disagreements and Unlimited

This is an enterprise More people with different conflict. liability
owned by 2 to 20 specializations.
people.
Limited Companies Limited liability. Not as easy to set up as a Limited
This is an enterprise Easier to raise finance. sole trader – there are more Liability
owned by shareholders. Tend to be large well regulations.
There are 2 types of recognized enterprises. You have to pay 2 types of
limited company private tax.
(LTD) and public (PLC)

Franchise 88% of franchises are You have to pay a % of your Limited

This is an enterprise in profitable. profit each year to the Liability
which a sole trader can You get support from the franchisor.
pay an existing business franchisor when you start You cannot choose what you
to use their name and the enterprise. sell.
sell their product for a The enterprise may already The more well known the
fee. be well known. enterprise is the more
expensive the start-up fee
will be.
Co-operatives People working/using the Decision making can be slow. Limited
These are enterprises business will also be the The owners may lack the Liability
that are either workers owners as well and skills needed to run an
by the workers or the therefore they may work enterprise.
customers. harder to make the
enterprise a success.
Social Enterprises They make use of local Owners might not have Limited
Social enterprises are skills. suitable skills, knowledge and Liability
businesses that focus They help good causes and ability to run an enterprise.
reinvesting their profits support the local
in their business to help community.
a social cause. They can
also include charities
and not-for profit
organisations.
2. Sole trader (Key Words)
 Specialisation – the skills that the sole trader has.
3. Partnership (Key Words)
 Deed of partnership – the document that the partners complete so they know how
much control and what % of the profit each partner is entitled too.

4. Limited Companies (Key Words)

 Private limited company – a company whose shares are not sold on the stock market.
 Public limited company – a company whose shares are sold on the stock market and
anyone can buy them.
 Memorandum and Articles of Association – the two documents that must be completed
before the limited company can start trading.
 Shareholders – these are the owners of the business. They own a ‘share’ of the
company. The bigger their share the more control that they have.
 Dividends – this is the reward given to shareholders if the business makes a profit.

5. Franchises (Key Words)

 Franchise – a type of enterprise in which a sole trader can pay an existing business to use
their name and sell their product for a fee.
 Franchisee – the sole trader who runs the franchise.
 Franchisor – the business who allows the sole trader to use their name and sell their
products/services.
 Topic 3 - The Skills needed to run an Enterprise
 Luck
 Planning
 Taking Risks
 Initiative
 Determination
 Planning
 Making Decisions
 Persuasion
 Leadership

Famous Entrepreneurs
Bill Gates – Founder of Microsoft Anita Roddick – Founder of the Body Shop

Steve Jobs – Founder of Apple Richard Branson – Founder of Virgin

 Topic 4 – Business Opportunities and Risk
1. Spotting an Opportunity

Opportunity Explanation
Need or demand If there is a need for something or demand then this can lead to an opportunity
for a business. For example there is demand for products which make consumers
lives easier. This has meant that food manufacturers have created convenience
food which can be cooked quickly to meet this demand.

New technology The internet has led to lots of new opportunities. For example downloading music
has nearly replaced the need for CD’s. Also banks have seen opportunity to
develop online banking to appeal to their customers.

Research and Did you know that the Dyson Vacuum was created after lots of research and
Development development? The inventor James Dyson thought conventional vacuums didn’t
work very well so he spent years researching ways to make them better before he
came up with the Dyson.

Expansion If an area grows or expands this could lead to new opportunities. For example if a
new block of apartments is created then companies like maids or take-away
delivery companies may see an opportunity to gain more customers.

Changes in tastes Peoples likes and dislikes change all the time. Therefore knowing what the next
and fashions ‘must have’ item is can help a business identify an opportunity before its
competitors. For example a popular trend at the moment is ‘healthy eating’ – this
has led to lots of opportunities for businesses to create healthy foods to get more
customers.
Change in Changes in the make-up of the population can lead to opportunities for
population and size enterprises. For example, did you know that the population is living longer? This
means that there are opportunities for businesses targeting the older generation.

Changes in real If the money people earns changes this could lead to new opportunities for a
income business. For example during the ‘global’ recession many budget supermarkets
saw an opportunity to gain more customers by offering lower prices for people
who were earning less money.

Globalisation It is now much easier to trade around the world. Travel and communication has
improved which makes it easier for businesses to move into new markets. Take
Dubai for example – many foreign businesses have come here after seeing an
opportunity to gain more customers as the area grows.

Government If the government introduces a new polices or a new set of laws then this could
Policies lead to new opportunities. For example in the UK smoking in public buildings was
banned – this meant that copies that made outdoor heaters saw an opportunity
to provide outdoor smoking shelters.
2. Unique Selling Point

This is the things that make a product/service/business different to its competitors.

3. SWOT Analysis
Identifying your USP is one way to look for new opportunities – another way is to use a model
called a SWOT analysis.

Strengths Weaknesses
What are the strong points of the What are the weak points of the
person/product/service/business? person/product/service/business?
What does it do well? What could it do better?

Opportunities Threats
What opportunity does the What could threaten the success of the
person/product/service/business have? person/product/ service/business?
Are there any gaps in the market?

4. Risk and Reward

Business is risky. 36% of new businesses fail in the first 3 years. Only 10% of new businesses
make a good profit. Risks in business are unavoidable. Therefore businesses should plan – they
should try and identify the risks and also have plans as to how they will cope. There are 2
elements to this:

1. What is the chance of it happening?

2. What is the cost of it happening?

Only 1 in 5 new products are successful (80%) But businesses still launch lots of new products.
Why? Because the financial rewards can be high. For example:

A failed product might earn £10million where as a successful product might earn £50 to
£100 million. Therefore you have to decide whether their risk is worth the reward.

If the risks are high then why do people start in business? For the rewards ….

 Becoming wealthy

 The excitement

 The control
5. Employment Law
Employment law relates to the way that enterprises treat their workers. It includes:

a. Minimum wage – this is the minimum amount enterprises must per their workers. It will
differ from country to country and also some countries do not have a minimum wage.

b. Rest breaks and holidays – this relates to the breaks that people have during the day and
also between shifts. Also people are entitled to paid holiday leave during the year. This
amount again is different from country to country.

c. Maternity and paternity leave – this is how much time mothers (maternity) and fathers
(paternity) get off work when they have a child. In the UK mothers are entitled to 6 months
paid maternity leave whereas the UAE mothers get 45 days paid maternity leave.

d. Discrimination – these are laws around the discrimination of workers in the work place that
makes it illegal to treat people differently. The main laws are:
 Sex discrimination act - makes it illegal to discriminate against someone because of
their gender
 Race relations act – makes it illegal to discriminate against someone because of their
race, religion or culture
 Disability discrimination act – makes it illegal to discriminate against someone
because they have a disability.

e. Redundancy – if a workers job no longer exists then a business can make them redundant.
You can’t make someone redundant though and then employ someone different to do the
same job. When someone is made redundant they are usually given redundancy pay which
is designed to help them whilst they try and find a new job.

f. Retirement – when a worker reaches a certain age they will be able to stop working (retire).
In some countries when a worker retires they receive a pension. This is money that they
have saved and that their employer has contributed to help them pay their costs during their
retirement.

g. Health and safety – workers should be safe in the workplace therefore many countries have
health and safety law as to protect people from getting injured.

6. Consumer Protection

a. Trade Descriptions Act – This makes it illegal to give the consumer deliberate misleading
information about a product.
b. Sale of Goods Act – This law states that it is illegal to:

 Sell products that are faulty or not of a satisfactory quality

 Sell products which are not fit for purpose
 Sell products which do not match their description
 c. Consumer Credit Act – Many consumers may be encouraged to buy goods on credit when
they do not have enough cash. This act makes it illegal not to give consumers a copy of their
credit agreement and explain how much money they will have to pay back in total.

d. Weights and Measures Act – retailers and producers commit an offence if they sell
underweight goods or if their weighing equipment that they use is inaccurate.

7. Fair-trade

The Fair-trade foundation exists to improve the lives of producers of goods. It

encourages businesses and consumers to support fairer trade and purchase fair
trade products. 5 million people (farmers and workers) and their families
receive a fair price for their products. There are 422 Fair-trade producers,
operating in 49 countries around the world.
 Topic 5 – Negotiation
1. What is Negotiation

Negotiation is a discussion aimed at reaching an agreement that everyone is happy with.

Negotiation involves:

 Resolving disputes
 Agreeing upon a course of action
 Persuading people to take your point of view (bargaining)
 Reaching decisions that satisfy everyone

In an enterprise situation negotiation needs to involve:

 Owners
 Employees
 Managers
 Customers
 The community

There are four possible outcomes of a negotiation

2. Preparing for a Negotiation

It is important to prepare for a negotiation. You should apply the following rules when planning
for a negotiation:

 Be clear in your mind what you are trying to achieve.

 Sort out the information that will be used in the negotiation – decide if it is useful
and relevant.
 Write down any strengths and weaknesses.
 Consider what you are going to say when others put forward their view.
 List the benefits that others will gain if they go with your idea/view.
 Do think about what you are going to say and how you are going to say it.
 Do you know who you’re negotiating with?
 Have you chosen an appropriate negotiating style?
 Do you know what you want to achieve? What are you objectives?

In negotiation we bargain for what we want from somebody else for what they want from us.
The best way to do this is to know what you want and what you are prepared to give back to get
it. It is important therefore to plan your desired outcomes and decide what you would be happy
with (will you compromise?) A negotiation is only successful if everybody involves feels like they
have got the outcome that they want. If a group/individual leaves unhappy then the negotiation
has not been successful.
 Topic 6 – Understanding Finance
1. Sources of Finance

Leasing If a business needs equipment but can’t afford to buy it outright they can rent it.
The good thing about this source is that if the item breaks then the rental company
pays for it not the business.

Governme Some new businesses can get start up grants from organisations. These are often
nt Grants available in areas with high unemployment rates.

Mortgage This is a long term loan that is used to buy property. It is paid back with interest. If is
not paid the property will be repossessed.

Loan This is money that is borrowed from a bank or other financial organisation to start a
business or buy an expensive item. It is paid back with interest.

Venture This is an individual or a company that invests in a small to medium sized business
Capital that is growing fast in the hope that they will eventually be able to sell their part in
the business and make a profit. The dragons in the Dragons Den could be described
as ‘venture capitalists’.

Share This is when investors can buy a % of the company. This means they take part
capital ownership of the company. The higher % you have the more ownership rights you
have. If the business makes a profit the ‘shareholders’ get rewarded with a dividend.
This method can only be used by limited companies.

Retained This is money that the business saves from profit they have made. It is the cheapest
Profit source of finance to use as it belongs to them and they don’t have to pay it back.

Factoring This is a source of finance where a business is able to receive cash immediately for
invoices it is waiting for customers to pay. There is a charge for this and the business
will have to pay the amount back in 30 days. It is not suitable for all businesses.

Overdraft This involves borrowing money from a bank by taking more money than is actually
in the bank account. Interest is charged on the amount and this can be extremely
high.

Trade When ordering supplies a business may be able to delay payment to the supplier.
Credit Normally 30 days is given to pay the bill. This is good for businesses that need
supplies to complete the job but don’t get paid till the job is completed. For
example a builder or a plumber.

When deciding on which source of finance to use an enterprise should consider the following
factors:
 Cost – borrowing money means the business is in debt. It also means they will not only have to
pay the amount they have borrowed back but usually the interest as well. Interest is the extra
charged when you borrow money. Interest increases the costs and some sources of finance have
more interest than others. For example overdrafts usually charge interest on a daily basis making
them very expensive if you use them for a long time.

Risk – the more money you borrow the higher the risk. For example if you take out a mortgage
and can’t pay it back the company that lent you the money will reposes (take away) the
property.

Availability – not only sources of finance are available to all types of business. For example only
limited companies can sell shares and use factoring. Smaller businesses like sole traders and
partnerships usually find it much harder to raise finance.

Time (short –long) – the amount of time you need the money will also affect the source of
finance you need. For example if you only need money for a short period of time to buy some
stock then you might use trade credit, whereas if your require a large sum of money to buy an
expensive piece of machinery you may need to take out a loan which you can pay back over a
longer period of time.

2. Credit/Creditors/Debt/Debtors

Credit The ability to obtain goods or services before payment, based on the trust that
payment will be made in the future.

Creditor A person or company to whom money is owed.

Debt Money that is owed.

Debtors A person or institution that owes a sum of money.

3. Investment vs. Saving

In finance, investment is putting money into something with the expectation of gaining more
back. Most or all forms of investment involve some form of risk. Saving is income not spent.
Methods of saving include putting money aside for example in a bank account. It is low risk
compared to investment.

Saving Investment
Advantages Don’t owe any one any money. Could make a lot of money.
Less risk. Could lead to greater success.
Money will be available for other
projects.

Disadvantage No gain – your savings stay the same. High risk.

s You can’t run an enterprise if you don’t Could lose investment and more
invest. (especially if there is unlimited liability).
You won’t be able to use the money for
anything else.

4. Costs, Revenues and Profit

Revenues (sometimes called sales or turnover) The amount of money made from selling goods
before costs.
Costs The bills and debts the business has to pay.

Profit The money the business makes from selling goods

after all the costs have

 Total Revenue – This is calculated using the following formula:

Price x Quantity

 Costs – there are 3 types of costs:

a. Fixed Costs – These are the costs that stay the same no matter how much you make or sell.
E.g. rent, salaries, business rates. They still have to be paid even if the business makes no
money

b. Variable Costs – These are the costs that change according to how much you make/sell. E.g.
materials, production costs. Variable costs are calculated using the following formula:

Total Variable Costs = Variable Cost x Quantity

c. Total Costs – this is the fixed and variable costs added together. You can’t work this out until
you know both the fixed and variable costs. It is calculated by using the following formula.

Total Costs = Fixed Costs + Variable Costs (Variable Cost x Quantity)

 Profit - Profit is the difference between your revenue and your costs, whatever you have
left is your profit. It is calculated using the following formal:

Profit = Total revenue – Total costs

5. Budgets

A budget is a plan to show how much money a business will earn and how much they will need
or be able to spend.
 As budgets also set limits for the business, it could set new goals and targets for the
business department.
 As it is a limit, it could also be used to limit business activity which would increase your
control of the business and make it easier for you to control the business.
 Making budgets and making the future plans will include all employees and managers
which means that the employees would feel more confident to be involved in such a
process which involves the future of a business, and therefore it increases their motivation
making them more productive.
 As budgets are a limit, and a business tries its best to gain profit as it is its main aim, the
business will try to not waste money and use it as efficiently as possible, and so we have
achieved a more efficient business.

The key words used in a budget are:

Income/Revenue This is how much money comes into the enterprise.

Expenditure/Spendin This is how much money the enterprise has to spend.

g
Direct Costs Direct cost is the cost that used to produce a good. E.g. material and
labour costs.
Indirect Costs Indirect costs are the cost that not directly related in production of
the good. E.g. sales and marketing costs.
Overheads In business, overheads refer to an ongoing expense of operating a
business; it is also known as an "operating expense". Examples
include rent, gas, electricity, and wages.
Fixed Costs These are costs that the business has to pay each month/year that
will never change depending on how much they make or sell.
Profit The money a business has after it has paid all its costs.

Surplus The amount left over.

Loss If a business spends more than it makes then it will make a loss.

Deficit When the business doesn’t have enough money to pay all its
expenses and costs.
6. Cash Flow

Cash is vital to success. In business cash is – money in the business and money in the bank. A
business needs cash to survive on a day-2-day basis. This is because cash is needed to pay bills. If
all the cash is tied up in ‘assets’ then it will struggle to pay its expenses.

Cash flow = money coming in and out of the business.

A cash flow forecast/statement has the following information:

 Net cash flow = Receipts (INFLOWS) – Outgoings (OUTFLOWS)

 Closing bank balance = Net cash flow + Opening bank balance
 Opening balance = is always the previous months closing balance

Example of a cash flow forecast/statement (as part of your revision can you fill in the blanks?):
 A Negative net cash flow means the business has lost money and a negative bank balance means
the business is in debt.

Gross Profit is

Sales Revenue – Cost of Sales

7. Profit and Loss

 £ £ This part is
Sales Revenue 830000 called the trading
account.
Less Cost of sales 417000

GROSS PROFIT 413000

Less Expenses
This part is called
Wages and salaries 145000 the profit and
Rent and Rates 50000 loss account.

Heat and Lighting 25000

Telephone and Post 12000

Advertising 15000

Insurance 23000

Other Bills 35000

305000

NET PROFIT 108000

Government 30000 This part is called

the
Dividends 50000
appropriation
Retained Profit 28000 account.

108000

Net Profit is: These two figures should be equal

8. Keeping Records (net profit = total amount in the
Gross Profit – Total Expenses appropriation account).
9.

What is a profit and loss account? It summarises:

a. All the sales revenue for the financial year.

 b. All the payments and expenses for the same year.

It also shows whether the business has made a profit or a loss in that year.

The profit and loss account is made up of three parts:

 Trading account – this is the direct costs of making the product and the money made
from selling the product.

 Profit and loss – this looks at all the costs the business has and if they have made a P/L.

 Appropriation Account – this shows what the business will do with any profit it has made

Part 1 – The Trading Account

 The first part of the profit and loss account is the trading account.

 This is record of sales turnover and the cost of sales.

 It looks at the businesses gross profit

Part 2 – The Profit and Loss Account

Part 3 – The Appropriation Account

Corporation Tax Public and private limited

companies have to pay
corporation tax on their net
profit.

Income Tax Sole traders and partnerships

have to pay income tax on their
net profit.
8. Keeping Financial Records Record keeping:

 Good for your business

Keeping records makes sound business sense. It may seem like a challenge, particularly when
you're starting out, but keeping good records will bring real advantages to your business.
Keeping good records

a. helps you avoid paying too much tax

b. avoids interest and penalties by making it easier to pay the right tax at the right time

c. gives you the information you need to manage your business and help it grow

d. makes it easier to get a loan

e. helps you budget for tax payments

 Record keeping in three simple steps

There are three steps to remember:

1. Set up a system It doesn't matter whether you use a special account book or a
software package as long as you set up some kind of system to keep the information
together.

2. Keep records throughout the year Keeping only some of your records is almost as bad
as keeping none at all. Update your records regularly, rather than letting the paperwork
pile up.

3. Keep your records for as long as required There are minimum periods for which you
must keep records, e.g. six years for VAT or five years from the latest date for filing your

 Why do you have to keep records?

The law says that everyone who pays tax must keep the records they need to fill in a tax return. If
you don't keep records, how can you show what you've earned and what you've spent?

The tax man might decide to look into your tax returns or claims. If they do, they may want to
look at your records. It will save you time if you can show that the records you have kept are full
and accurate. It can also save you money – we can issue fines if records are not kept properly.

 What happens if I don't keep proper records?

You don’t want to pay too tax. However, if you can't show sufficient evidence of your income and
outgoings, you could end up paying more tax than you should.
 Topic 7 – Business Planning
1. Aims and Objectives

Aims are the long term goals of the enterprise.

Objectives are the specific, measurable targets to help a business achieve an aim. They are usually
short to medium term. Objectives need to be SMART.

 Specific – a clear statement about what you will do.

 Measurable – how will the achievement be checked?
 Achievable – it needs to be attainable
 Realistic – it should be sensible and have a chance of being achieved
 Time-Constrained – it should include a date/time for achievement or review

Examples of SMART objectives:

To have achieved my target grade in enterprise by the end of year 12. /To increase sales in the
enterprise by 10% by the end of the year. /To reduce waste at the school by 50% by 2014.

Survival When a business first starts this is likely to be a key objective for the first
year. Also when trading is difficult some businesses may be making little
or no profit and therefore be focused on this aim as well.

Break Even This is a key aim linked to survival as it involves covering all costs.
However it also means the business doesn’t make anything either. They
are said to not have made a profit or a loss. This is often a key aim for new
businesses in the first few years of trading.

Increasing Sales This means trying to sell as much of your product as service as possible. It
can lead to higher profit but not always. For example using 2 for 1
schemes is a good way to create more profit but doesn’t mean the
business will make more money.

Profit Maximisation Most privately owned businesses have this as a main aim. Making profit is
important as it helps the business grow and also means owners and
shareholders are making money. Profit maximisation means making as
much profit as possible.

Having the environment as a key aim means a business is trying to ensure

that it is not endangering either the planet or the local
 Environment community/environment. It could involve try to cut back on waste or
trying to encourage others to take a more environmental approach. E.g. a
school encouraging its pupils to recycle.

Increasing Market This means getting more customers compared to your competitors. The
Share bigger your share of the market the more customers you have.

This means doing the morally right thing. An enterprise that is ethical
won’t just do the minimum that's expected of them they will try to go
Being ethical that step further. For example the Fair-trade Foundation ensures
producers get paid more than minimum wage.

Growth Many businesses want to sell more every year and focus on expanding the
business. They may plan to open more branches or start selling more
products.

2. The Business Plan

A business plan is a description of a business and its plans for the next one to three years. The plan
sets out the means by which an organisation will achieve its objectives. Without a clear plan a
business will have little sense of direction.

More specifically the plan explains what the business does (or will do if it's a new business); it
suggests who will buy the product or service and why; it provides financial forecasts demonstrating
overall viability; and indicates the finance available and explains the financial requirements.

The business plan is written for the owner to give a guide to run the business. It is also written for
financial backers, and lenders of money such as banks. Business plans are drawn up when a business
sets up for the first time and are amended and revised when the business wants to change - typically
when it wants to expand.

A simple business plan should be clearly set out under the following headings:

 Owner details

 Description of the business

 Outline of the market

 Evaluation of competition

 How the business will be organised

 Proposed marketing mix

 Premises and equipment

  Sources of capital

 Cash flow forecast

 Future plans

Business plans are particularly important for new start up businesses, because they provide a
framework for the owner to work to. Also if the owner wishes to raise finance from a bank or other
lender then it will be essential to provide a clear business plan, so that the bank can feel confident in
making a loan.

Research shows that those businesses that produce detailed plans are far more likely to succeed
than when only a sketchy plan or no plan at all is prepared. Research also shows that entrepreneurs
who make realistic predictions about cash flow, break even and profit and loss are far more likely to
be able to raise funds that those that make exaggerated claims.
For established, larger organisations - the business plan is typically called the 'corporate strategy'.

3. Startup Legal Issues

Governments have direct control of the following areas of business activity:

 Responsibilities to employees
 Responsibilities to consumes
 Production decisions
 Responsibilities to the environment
 Location decisions

a. Consumer Protection
Consumers need protection from businesses who may take advantage of their lack of knowledge
or information.
 Weights and Measures Act
 Trade Descriptions Act
 Consumer Credit Act
 Sale of Goods Act
 Consumer Protection Act

b. Protecting Employees
Employees need protection in the following areas:
 Discrimination - Sex discrimination Act, Race Relations Act, Disability Discrimination Act
 Health and safety
 Unfair dismissal
 Wage protection – minimum wage

c. Production Decisions
 d. Location

Governments can control and influence location decisions. They do this for the following reasons:
 Encourage businesses to set up and expand in areas of unemployment.
 To discourage firms from locating in overcrowded areas.
 To protect areas of ‘natural beauty’.

Planning Controls Regional Assistance

To restrict business activities governments This is help provided by governments designed
make businesses apply for planning permission to persuade businesses to locate in deprived or
when they want to build premises or even developing areas.
change them. The assistance can be in the form of:
Planning permission could be refused if it Grants/Loans
would damage the area or lead to Discounts on taxes
overcrowding. Lower rents
If planning permission is refused it is illegal for Regional assistance is usually offered in areas
the business to undertake any building work of high unemployment.
and if they do then it will be taken down.

3. Action Plans

It is important that enterprises create action plans so that they have direction and know what they
need to do and where they want to go. Therefore it is vital if the enterprise is to remain successful that
they regularly set aside time to ask the following key questions:
  Where has the business come from?
 Where is the business now?
 Where is it going?
 How is it going to get there?
 How long will it take?

It is also important that the enterprise owners recognize that there are different time periods when
planning. These are:

 Short term plans – what needs to be done immediately

 Medium term plans – what needs to be done in the very near future
 Long term plans – what is the overall goal/aim

Often, enterprise owners now what they want to achieve but don’t draw up a plan of action. If this
happens, their enterprise often lacks direction.

Topic 8 – Markets and Customers

1. Purpose and benefits of marketing

The purpose of marketing is to identify, anticipate and satisfy customer requirements profitable.

The benefits to the business of carrying out marketing are:

 Increasing consumers’ awareness of the enterprise
 Increasing consumers’ awareness of the product
 Establishing and maintaining brand loyalty
 Increasing or defending sales and market share
 Increasing profits

The benefits to the customer of marketing are:

 greater knowledge
 the ability to make more informed decisions
 time-saving

2. Understanding customers’ needs and wants

Need Want
Something we need to survive. Something non-essential that we would like to
 E.g. water, food, shelter etc. have.
E.g. computer games, car, McDonalds etc.

To understand needs and wants a business should use market research. There are two types of
research:

Primary Research Secondary Research

Research that is collected for a specific purpose Research that does exist and has been collected
and that doesn’t already exist. for a different reason.

Examples: Questionnaires, Interviews, Focus Examples: Published Research, Past Sales Data,
Groups, Observations Research Agencies

Method of Research Definition Primary or Secondary

Survey (Questionnaire) This research involves asking people a series Primary

of questions.

Sales Figures This information is based on past figures. It Secondary

will often show sales, turnover and profit for
a business.

Competitors reports If a business is a PLC then they will publish Secondary

an annual report. This can be used to see
how successful a competitor has been.

Focus Group This can be done face-2-face or over the Primary

(Consumer Panel) phone. It involves an interviewer asking
respondents in depth questions to find out
their views and opinions.

When carrying out research a business cannot ask every customer to be part of it. Therefore a
‘sample’ is taken. To be successful the sample must be representative of all customers.
3. New and existing customers

a. Product trial – new customers

Product Trial is the way a business persuades customers to try a new product/service. The
product will be new to the customer not necessarily completely brand new. This helps raise
awareness of its existence. It is also hoped it will build loyalty. To encourage people to ‘try’ your
product/service for the first time enterprises will use some of the following:

Viral This involves getting individuals to spread a message about a product through their
Marketing social networks like facebook and myspace.

Low Trial Businesses may choose to offer new products at a lower price this is known as
Prices penetration pricing. This is normally done for a short period of time when the
 product is launched.

Advertising Consumers are more likely to trial a product if they know about it. This includes
using the media to raise awareness. This could include: TV, radio, cinema,
newspapers and magazines. Other methods include on transport or billboards.

Targeting Trade buyers may include supermarkets and wholesalers. Sometimes a business
Trade will target them because they do not sell directly to the end consumer. For
Buyers example Coca-Cola does not sell directly to customers. Therefore any new product
they promote needs to be promoted at the trade as well as the end user so that
they will stock the product.

Free To get people to trial a product a business may give samples away for free in order
Samples to get customers to try the product.

Free This includes PR. This often involves getting journalists and producers in magazines,
Publicity newspapers, TV or the internet to write about your new product. This gives the
product free promotion.

User Testing With some products a free sample can’t be given therefore they may be offered a
test trial instead. For example cars can be taken for a test drive

b. Repeat Purchase – Existing Customers

Many businesses focus on getting customers to buy their product time and time again.
Gaining brand and customer loyalty is therefore important. This is because the cost of
keeping customers is cheaper than gaining new ones. To encourage people to buy your
product/service again and again enterprises will use some of the following:

Product Updating products can retain customer loyalty. This means updating products to
reflect changes in technology, tastes, trends or lifestyles. It could also mean
bringing out different varieties of the product.

Price A business may offer price discounts to loyal customers to encourage them to
continue buying the product.

Place This involves ensuring the product is available when and where the customer
wants to buy it. Therefore getting as many businesses to stock your product is vital.

Promotion Even though a product may have been on the market for a long period of time
customers still need reminding that it exists. Also by advertising it can help build
the ‘brand’ image of the product. It can not only include advertising but could
include direct mail, sales promotions, PR etc..
4. Methods of promotion

It is important to be able to understand and evaluate the different methods of communicating

different enterprise will use when communicating with their market.

An enterprise can use above or below the line communications:

 Above the line = Promotion using the media.

 Below the line = Promotion the business has direct control of.

Method Above or Below Advantages Disadvantages

the Line
Mass media: Above the line  Can reach a large  Expensive
television, radio, audience.  Would need to employ
cinema, newspapers  Can use colour, specialist people to
and magazines sound and create.
movement.  Only suitable if you
 Can target specific have a large customer
audiences. base.

Posters and leaflets, Below the line  Easy to produce.  May not been seen or
etc.  Can place in areas thrown away.
where your  Difficult to get a lot of
customers are. information on a
 Customers can keep poster.
leaflets and refer  Lots of competitors
 back to them. might do the same
meaning yours doesn’t
get seen.

Electronic: company Below the line  The growth if the  You need to target
website, email and internet and customers who have
Internet advertising technology means access to technology.
you can reach more  To use internet and
people. text you need a
 Thanks to smart customer database
phones people can with details.
access the  Many people have
internet/messages ‘junk’ filters on their
wherever they are. email and software to
 Can send block pop-ups.
emails/texts to a lot
of people if you have
their information.

Sponsorship Below the line  You can sponsor  It can be expensive

events/teams that especially if your
you know will be sponsoring a high
seen by your market. profile team or event
 If the event/team is therefore not suitable
successful you will for small businesses.
be associated with  If the event or team
this success. (e.g. if a isn’t successful then
football team wins a you may be associated
trophy or during the with negative publicity.
London Olympics)

Word of Mouth (Public Below the line  It can improve your  Bad word of mouth and
Relations) credibility because publicity can be very
PR and advertising damaging. If you get a
bad review in a
are very different
newspaper or a
things, consumers customer has a bad
are likely to give experience then this
credibility to your may put other
business when they potential customers
see it mentioned in from using your
the media!) business.
 You have to ensure that
compared to when
your staff have good
they see your ads or training so that they
billboards. can deliver good
 It will be easier to customer service this is
 aim information at an extra cost.
your target market.  You are reliant on other
Media sources can people like your staff or
customers to be
place the
positive about your
information that is
business.
right up the
consumer’s alley and
give them the
required information
they need. Target
markets are
especially vital in
businesses that only
appeal to a small
target market.

 Considering the cost

of other promotional
advertising this is
one of the cheapest
to use.

 This type of
promotion can also
improve your image
if people are saying
and writing positive
things about your
business.

5. Marketing Mix

There are four parts to the marketing mix they are:

Product Place

Price Promotion
a. Product – this relates to the idea and whether it will meet the consumers’ needs and wants.
Organisations need to consider:
 Formula/design
 Packaging
 Name
 Varieties

b. Place – this relates to the organisations decision as to how they get their product/service to
the customer. The more places the product/service is available the more chances there of a
sale.

c. Price – this relates to the amount the organisation wants to charge and the price the
consumer is willing to pay.
d. Promotion – this relates to how the organisation ensures the consumer knows they exists
and choose them over their competitors.

Topic 9 – Help and Support for an

Enterprise
 Formal Sources of Support Informal Sources of Support

Government Bodies Friends and Family

Governments want to encourage enterprise as it is Family and friends may be able to offer you advice
and give you suggestions about potential
good for the economy. Therefore most
enterprise ideas. They may also be able to support
governments will provide help and advice to both you in getting started for example by offering to
new businesses and existing businesses. For loan you money or agreeing to work at your new
example in Dubai the Dubai Chamber will provide venture when it first starts.
support and guidance for enterprises starting up in
the UAE.

Business Agencies Other Business People

Business Agencies specializes in supporting You may be able to speak to people who are
growing business. For a fee they help review and already entrepreneurs or who have experience of
develop competitive strategy’s, and help build running an enterprise. They may be able to tell you
foundation elements like Culture and Values, the dos and don’ts and give you advice as how to
avoid problems that they faced. They also may
Leadership & Organization Development, right
have contacts for other people/suppliers they may
through to Sales Processes and People. They can be willing to share with you.
often offer some of the following services:

 Consulting & Advisory – for People, Sales,

Strategy

 Training – practical teaching of new skills

 Workshops – sharpening and stretching

individuals and teams

 Coaching Programs – developing the

business and people, and their performance

 Mentoring Programs – growing leaders

thinking and capabilities

 Facilitation of key meetings – allowing

management to focus where they need to

 Outsourcing – Engage expertise on a

regular or “as needed” basis
 Financial Institutes (Business Advisors)
A business advisor at a bank can help you by taking
the time to get to know you, and determining your
business challenges and goals. They will then
deliver the relevant advice, with simple,
straightforward solutions and strategies. They will
also be able to provide tools and resources to help
support your decision-making. Most business
advisors at banks strengths lie around their
knowledge of business finance. They can help you
organise your cash flow, free up your working
capital, and improve your turnover and profit.

Business Networks
Business networking is the process of establishing
a relationship with other business people and
potential clients and/or customers in order to help
the business develop and helps you find new
opportunities.

The purpose of business networking is to increase

business revenue - one way or another. The best
business networking groups operate as exchanges
of business information, ideas, and support. The
most important skill for effective business
networking is listening; focusing on how you can
help the person you are listening to rather than on
how he or she can help you is the first step to
establishing a mutally beneficial relationship.
 Topic 10 – Communicating with Others
6. The Message

Communication is the passing on of ideas and information. In business we need good, clear
communication. The contact may be between people, organisations or places and can be in a
number of forms such as speech, writing, actions and gestures. Organisations need to be
structured in such a way as to maximise the benefits of communication processes. This is why
team structures are so useful because they open up a multi-flow channel of communications.

Noise Noise Noise Noise

Sender Message Receiver

Feedback

Noise = This is anything that would stop the message being received. For example: a broken
phone, a lost letter, a bad internet connection etc. These are sometimes referred to as ‘barriers
to communication’.

 Barriers to communication can include:

 Poor explanation
 Receiver not understanding the message
  Messages getting distorted
 Equipment breaking
 Not enough information
 Too much information

7. Types of Communication

Verbal Non-Verbal

This is spoken communication. This involves things like body language or sign
language.

Written Visual

This is written communication like a letter. This can include graphs, drawings charts, signs
and symbols.

Advantages Disadvantages
Verbal Information is given quickly How do you know if people are
communication Feedback may be given quickly listening
Body language and tone can There may be no record of what is
reinforce the message. said

Written There will be a record Direct feedback is not always

communication Lots of detail can be listed and possible
revisited There can be misunderstandings
It can be copied and sent to many with language
people There is no opportunity for things
It can be cheap – e.g. emails are body language.
cheap to send.
Visual Appealing and attractive and can No feedback unless use written or
communication persuade people to act verbal as well

It can help make written Graphs and charts sometimes

communications more interesting people don’t understand them

 Internal communication – communication between people within the business (e.g. a

manager and their team).
 External communication – communication by the business with someone outside the
business (e.g. the finance department and a supplier).
 Formal communication – communication that is professional and through channels that
are recognised by the organisation.
  Informal communication – this involves other forms of interactions between
organisational members that are not recognised by the organisation.

8. Methods of Communication

Letters

Face-2-Face Email/Text

Methods of
Communication

Fax Phone

9. The Direction of Communication

a. Horizontal communication – this is communication between employees who work at the same
level in an organisation. E.g. two members of the same department talking about their work.

b. Vertical communication – this is communication between employees at different levels in an

organisation. E.g. a manager outlining what he wants his team to do.
 c. Communication on the grape-vine – communication on the grapevine is ‘gossip’.
This is usually not related to work. Organisations try to discourage this type of communication.

10. The importance of good communication

Good communication is essential to any enterprise. Below are some reasons why it is so important:

a. Customers – poor communication leads to problems with the quality of products provided to
customers. Customers who are left dissatisfied may not use the organisation again, therefore
communication between the enterprise and the customers has to be carefully planned and
correct.

b. Suppliers – poor communication will suppliers can lead to the wrong goods being brought and
delivered. This is wasteful and can lead to problems with production.

c. Staff – poor internal communication leads to misunderstandings amongst staff. This leads to
problems with the quality of work and also can lead to mistakes being made. Workers therefore
become less efficient.

d. Motivation – poor communication often leads to demotivated staff. For example workers
become frustrated and demotivated if they do not understand what they have to do. They
become demotivated if they know the quality of their work is poor. I there were better
communications workers would be likely to feel more motivated.