Business-Plan and -Case

Business Plan

Presentation of all steps from the idea to implementation and evaluation

  • Management Summary
  • Overview of the topic, objectives of the project and description of the solution (product, process, service or business model)
  • Market analysis and differentiation from the competition (differentiation criteria, attractiveness)
  • Organization (company, department or project): Key people (team and management), activities, structure (if applicable. incl. organizational structure, legal form and ownership), location (internal or external)
  • Implementation planning, milestones and necessary measures, such as research and development, sales, marketing
  • Necessary resources, such as infrastructure and capacities (machines etc.), knowledge, capital or networks
  • Cost items (investment or project costs and running costs)
  • Monetary benefits (sales, savings) and non-monetary aspects (opportunities, risks and benefits)
  • Budget calculations (incl. scenarios)
  • Financing requirements and options
  • Recommendations of the authors and decision papers (justification of the planned decisions)
  • Appendix (CVs, organizational charts, action plan, tables)

Business Plans describe the business model and its related processes. Larger enterprises might have mutliple strategic business areas, having own business models. The business model clarifies following questions:

  1. Value Creation
    • Value Proposition
      How to create and communicate customers value?
    • Who is the “customer”?
    • Value added and service architecture
      How is the product or service generarated / delivered?
  2. Value Capture
    How are sustainable earnings generated by ①?

Business Case

(Predominantly) financial summary of the opportunities, risks and effects of business decisions

  • Cost items (capex, opex)
  • Monetary benefits (EBIT, cash flow)
  • Evaluation of the benefits (2.B. cost-benefit assessments, expected returns / ROls)

Purpose of Business Cases

  • Showing a necessary change of plan
  • Present the risks of a purchase decision
  • Support the selection for the purchase of capital goods
  • Rethink budget planning
  • Demonstrate the usefulness of investments
  • Justify financing methods