The International Business Plan

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The International Business Plan: Project Requirements

The evaluation of your competency in International Trade Management is done through your submission for this course, i.e. an International Business Plan. The plan must be for either the company you work for or a fictitious company of your choice. It must take an existing or new product or service from the country of your choice into an international market which is new to the company.

Classroom: The International Business Plan is marked out of 100 and represents 50% of your course mark.

Submission Format

1. Please submit your project (International Business Plan) electronically (.doc or .pdf) and hard copy.

2. The title page must contain the name of the company, the product or service, the course title (International Trade Management) and the student(s) ID number of the person(s) who prepared the international business plan.

3. The acceptable fonts are Times New Roman (no smaller than 11pt) and Arial (no smaller than 10pt). Line spacing can be either single of 1.5 spacing.

NOTE: The International Business Plan must not

. 1 – 5 additional pages: 2 points

exceed 25 pages (excluding title page, table of contents and appendices). Points will be deducted for additional pages according to the following scale:

. 6 – 10 additional pages: 4 points

. 11 – 15 additional pages : 8 points

. Over 16 additional pages : 10 points Evaluation Criteria

Executive Summary—15 marks

Summarize the content of your plan and the important aspects. No more than one page is sufficient.

Corporate Profile and Nature of the Business—10 marks

The corporate profile details the company’s history, product, capabilities and expertise.

Management and Human Resources—10 marks

This section assesses the management competencies of the company in relation to its ability to operate the business within an international context and how it compensates for the areas in which it is weak. It also addresses the human resources requirements needed once the business goes

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These requirements could be in marketing, accounting, production personnel, after-sales service, shipping, etc. Target Market and Environmental Scan—10 marks

This section describes the target market/country in terms of the factors within that country that will have an impact on the company’s ability to do business there. It will also describe the target customer and forecast the potential sales that this segment of the market represents.

Market Entry and Marketing Strategy—10 marks

The market entry section describes the strategy to be used by the business to enter the chosen market. It may choose to sell directly or use an agent. The strategy will also describe the clientele being targeted by the company and the marketing strategy to be used to enter the chosen market. It describes the opportunity in terms of product, price, place, promotion, people, and after-sales service.

Operations Overview—10 marks

This section describes the production processes used by the business and discusses any certifications that the company carries such as ISO 9000, etc. It also describes any equipment or facilities that the company needs to purchase to make the project come to fruition.

Financial and Risk Management Strategy—10 marks

This section describes the financial situation of the business. It includes an analysis of the present situation together with a capital budget, operating budget and a risk analysis.

Conclusion and Recommendation—10 marks

This section plays a role in the overall international business plan evaluation as it ties the information together in a logical manner. It draws on the information contained in the plan to recommend a decision on the best way to enter the target market and the results that could be expected. It should use both quantitative and qualitative information to support the position taken.

Overall Format of the International Business Plan—15 marks

Pay attention to spelling and grammar. The plan must be clear and not lead to confusion.

When using statistics or information from outside sources, footnote the information on the page where the information is used.

The occasional use of pictures, tables or graphs is recommended (for illustration purposes) and helps with the visual appeal.

Remember that you are being tested on your knowledge of the principles of international trade management and your ability to demonstrate your understanding through the business plan. Bibliography

Demonstrate the time and effort spent on research by providing a sound bibliography. List all the sources used in the preparation of your business plan.

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Appendices

Provide outside justification for the information contained in the body of the report. Include Appendix titles in the Table of Contents. Avoid direct downloads of data from the Internet.

MOST IMPORTANT

Plagiarism is NOT tolerated. Evidence of plagiarism will result in a failed examination.