Improving Business Practice

HARD WARE SND NETWORK SERVICING
LEVEL III
Module Title: Improving Business Practice
Page 1 of 46 Federal TVET Agency Version -1

TVET program title- Hardware and Network Service Level III
Author/Copyright December 2020
L G# 14 LO #5- Develop business growth plans
Instruction sheet
This learning guide is developed to provide you the necessary information regarding the
following content coverage and topics:
- Planning to increase yield per existing client

- Planning to add new clients
- Ranking proposed plans
- Developing and agreeing action plan
- Reviewing business work practices
This guide will also assist you to attain the learning outcomes stated in the cover page.
Specifically, upon completion of this learning guide, you will be able to:
- Plan to increase yield per existing client

- Plan to add new clients
- Rank proposed plans
- Develop and agreeing action plan
- Review business work practices
Read the specific objectives of this Learning Guide.
1. Follow the instructions described below.
2. Read the information written in the “Information Sheets”. Try to understand
what are being discussed. Ask your trainer for assistance if you have hard time
understanding them.
3. Accomplish the “Self-checks” which are placed following all information sheets.
4. Ask from your trainer the key to correction (key answers) or you can request
your trainer to correct your work. (You are to get the key answer only after you
finished answering the Self-checks).

Information Sheet-5.1: Planning to increase yield per existing client
Introduction
A business plan is a written document describing how businesses both new and
established plan to achieve their goals.
Good business plans should include an executive summary, products and services,
financial planning, marketing strategy and analysis, financial planning, and a budget.
The purpose of a Business Plan is to identify, describe and analyze a business

opportunity and/or a business already under way, examining its technical, economic and
financial feasibility.
A business plan is a formal written document containing business goals, the methods
on how these goals can be attained, and the time frame within which these goals need
to be achieved.
It also describes the nature of the business, background information on the

organization, the organization's financial projections, and the strategies it intends to
implement to achieve the stated targets. In its entirety, this document serves as a road
map that provides direction to the business.
Business planning
Effective business planning can be the key to your success. A business plan can help
you secure finance, priorities your efforts and evaluate opportunities.
It may initially seem like a lot of work; however a well prepared business plan can save
you time and money in the long run.
A business plan includes:
There are no rules about what your plan should cover or the level of detail. In general,
plans need to include information regarding:
 business profile
 vision, mission and goals
 market research
 operational strategy
 products and/or services
 marketing plan
 Financial strategy.
Creating effective business plans

A business plan is a written set of achievable goals and the means to attaining them.
Business plans can be a great way to keep your business on track and maximize
productivity in the workplace.
The following are the most common considering point that helps to develop effective
business plan.
1. Choose Your Audience

Before you even begin writing a business plan, you should decide who it will be targeted
at. Business plans can be “externally focused”, which is to say that they target people
outside of the company (e.g. investors or lenders), or they can be “internally focused”,
which is to say that they target people inside the company (e.g. managers or workers).
Knowing the target audience of your business plan will help you keep the information
inside both relevant and appropriate to the reader.
2. Build A Clear Vision
If you don’t already have a strong vision for your business, then it’s important that you
build one before starting work on a business plan.
A vision is an image of where you want your organization to be in the future which even
determines the actions that you take. Naturally then, having a strong, clear vision is very
important in creating a well-guided business plan.
3. Use Business Analysis

Using various different business analyses allows you to discover a number of different
internal and external factors which you might have otherwise not considered.
SWOT analyses, for example, can help you find gaps in the market, foresee various
different threats, and leverage strengths and opportunities which you already have or
face.
For more information about this topic, be sure to check out this article about how these
analyses are key elements of any good business plan.
4. Set Realistic Goals

While it’s good to be optimistic, make sure that the goals you set are realistic and
attainable. Not only will achieving more goals (even if they are a bit easier) improve the
morale of those immediately inside the business, but it will also ensure that potential
investors can see the consistent progress which you are making.
5. Consider Different Time Frames

Business plans are normally set over a certain time period. They explain what the
organization wants to achieve, and how it will do it, over a predetermined time frame.
When creating your own business plan, it can be valuable to take into account various
different time frames to see which business plan would be of most value to external and
internal audiences.
6. Be Logical, Rational, and Conservative

Similarly to point number four, your business plan should be logical, rational, and
conservative. Aside from setting realistic goals, this can mean:
 Properly supporting any claims or assumptions

 Fully fleshing out the means to achieving goals
 Considering the possibility of worst-case scenarios
 Minimizing the amount of empty words included in the plan
7. Periodically Review Your Plan

Finally, you should periodically review your plan to make sure that your business is
going in the right direction. Sometimes, your business plan might even need to be
reworked if you see new opportunities or threats in the market. Either way, it is good to
make sure that what your organization is doing is consistent with your plan, which
should be both well thought out and up-to-date.

Self-Check 1
Name: _________________________ Date: _______________
Directions: short answer

1. -------- is a written document describing how businesses both new and
established plan to achieve their goals.
2. What are the most considering elements helps to develop effective business
plan?
3. Least at least 4 necessary information that include in developing business plan?
Note: Satisfactory rating – 100%
Score = ___________
Rating: ____________

Information Sheet-5.2: Planning to add new clients
Introduction
Planning is a key to any business throughout its existence. Every successful business
regularly reviews its business plan to ensure it continues to meet its needs.
It's sensible to review current performance on a regular basis and identify the most likely
strategies for growth. Once you've reviewed your progress and identified the key growth
areas that you want to target, it's time to revisit your business plan and make it a road
map to the next stages for your business
Developing/implementing expansion plans

It is important to evaluate whether you want to consolidate your business' position or
find ways to grow. If you decide that your priority is growth/ expansion then you need to
plan carefully if you are to succeed. Growth/ expansion have its risks, but the right
strategy can deliver stability, security and long-term profits. Once you've assessed the
current strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to your business and how well
it's equipped to handle them, you can move on to the next stage - building a strategy for
growth/ expansion.
The importance of business growth
Your business' focus changes as it moves beyond the start-up phase. Identifying
opportunities for growth becomes a priority to ensure the enterprise's sustainability. You
can measure growth by looking at key statistics such as your:
 turnover
 market share
 profits
 sales
 staff numbers
However, determining which measure delivers the most accurate picture of your
business' performance depends on both your type of business and what stage it has
reached. For example, a retail business may have a high sales volume, but narrow
margins on stock. These could mean low profits that undermine the business' viability.
In general, a combination of sales and profits is the balanced way of measuring growth.
Even if you're happy with your current performance, it's important to keep looking for
ways to develop. If you don't, you risk allowing your competitors the room to grow and
take market share from you, which could seriously weaken your position. Going for
growth may therefore begin with consolidation of your current markets.
Consolidate your existing performance
Before you pursue any growth strategies, it's essential to make sure that your business
is running efficiently. While you may be spending more time and resources on
developing the business, you need to be sure that the core of the business is still
performing well. It's vital not to neglect your existing customer base as this will underpin
your growth and, equally importantly, provide the cash flow you will need during this
phase.
Timing is critical to the success of any growth strategy. Answers to the following key
questions will help you judge if the time is right:
 Could your business cope with expansion, or is it working at full capacity?
 Do you have the resources and systems in place to carry on your existing
business while targeting expansion elsewhere?
 If new initiatives are likely to disrupt existing performance, how will you
ensure your customers don't lose out?
You may have to consider including additional staffing, refining production processes
and equipment or outsourcing certain tasks in order to give you the flexibility to pursue a
growth strategy. It's essential that you comprehensively review the present position of
your business to make sure that your consolidation efforts will be as effective as
possible.
Options for growth: increasing market share

To increase market share a business has to take customers from its competitors or
attract new customers. Achieving this requires a thorough understanding of both your
own customer base and that of rival businesses. Having the answers to the following

questions will help you build a comprehensive picture of your market and your
competitors and put you in a stronger position to win a bigger market share.
 Who are your existing customers? Are there any other groups that may require
your product or service and that you haven't targeted before? Can your
product or service be used for purposes that you had not previously
considered and that could make it appealing to a wider market?
 What are your competitors' strengths? Do you have these too? If not, why not -
and should you have them?
 Why do customers buy from your competitors? What advantages do you have
over your rivals that may attract their customers? How can you communicate
with your competitors' customers to get them to switch and buy from you
instead?
 What is your unique selling point?
 Apart from obvious rivals, are there any other businesses with customers your
product or service may appeal to?
 Are there customers who have stopped buying from you? Do you know why? If
not, you may want to ask them.
 Will you need to change pricing, marketing, distribution, service levels? Could
those changes upset current customers? Will your employees remain
motivated?
If you're looking to increase market share, it's important to make sure your business is
in good shape first.
Options for growth: diversification

Many small businesses grow by taking opportunities to diversify, although there
are risks because of limited resources on all fronts. Businesses should weigh up the
risks and costs of opting for growth carefully against the benefits. Diversification can
take several forms, including:
 new, related products or services to existing customers
 new markets for existing products
 new products for new markets
Deciding how and when to diversify depends on your having:

 thorough market and customer research for the new product or service
 a clear development strategy - including trying a new line or service for a
short test period with prototypes and test marketing before totally committing
to the new project
 sales, marketing and supply chain operations that can cope with the added
demands
You'll need to be clear about development costs and what your alternatives are if any
delay occurs in development. Wherever possible, try to control risk by securing orders
or commitments up front.
While diversification can pose some risks - such as costly delays and mistakes owing to
a lack of knowledge or expertise in the new area you're looking to cover - it can also
limit the impact of changes in the market. In simple terms, if you supply one product or
service and it falls out of favor with customers, it leaves you very exposed. If you have
two or more products or services and the sales of one of this drop, at least there will be
revenue coming into the business through the other.
However, if you diversify too quickly, then you could lose track or dilute your core
product or service. Generally speaking, diversifying with similar products or services
and selling them to a familiar customer base is less risky than creating a product for a
completely new market.
Options for growth: partnerships, joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions

You can also expand your business by joining forces with another business. While this
can create more shared decision-making and possible management and staff issues to
resolve, there can be clear advantages. Successful co-operation can deliver:
 more resources
 sharing of the managerial load
 larger skills and talent base

 bigger pool of contacts
 increase in markets
 diversification and organic growth using increased resources
 reduced commercial risk
Partnerships and joint ventures can offer both partners significant benefits, including
sharing experience, skills, and people, equipment and customer bases. Through a
partnership or joint venture arrangement with a complementary, non-competitive
business, you may be able to open new markets or improve your offer to existing ones.
It's important to be very careful who you link up with. An agreement defining the terms
of the partnership or joint venture is essential and further legal protection is advisable.
Teaming up must be a win-win situation for both parties. Businesses involved with

complementary activities or skills are usually the most appropriate candidates. For
example, a group of self-employed workers - a carpenter, a builder and an electrician -
could form a company, increase their credibility in the construction trade and bid for
larger contracts. A group like this also represents greater customer appeal, as it's a one-
stop shop.
Mergers and acquisitions -is when two companies formally merge or one takes over
another. Mergers and acquisitions are more suited to established enterprises and
transactions involve commercial lawyers and considerable legal work.
Assess which growth option best suits your business

To choose the best strategy for growth, you'll need to undertake an analysis of your
business' current performance. Once you've carried out the review, focus on the option
that looks the most logical. Then make sure that the selected option is the most
practical and check that the strategy reflects the things your business does well.
Playing to your strengths- for example a stationery supplier might identify
the following growth options:
 increasing market share by starting a mail order operation
 diversifying by adding computer printer consumables to its range

 entering into a joint venture with an educational book publisher to sell
books and stationery to schools
All of these options reinforce what the business already does - providing products that
enable written communications. A strategy that doesn't fit so well - for instance, selling
interactive DVDs - could be harder to implement and more likely to fail. Check the
strategy against any SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis in
your business review.
You'll need to assess whether you have resources and capacity to make the strategy
work. And, you'll also need to be sure that the funding is available and that your strategy
will generate a profit.
The practicalities of growth-your business will need to count on more

resources than simply finance when putting a growth plan into action. Hence,
you should also think about the following:
 Staffing - will you need to take on more people to make the strategy work?
How many? What skills will be required? Are those readily available?
 Training -will further training of existing staff be necessary or helpful?
 Premises - are they big enough for extra stock and/or a new production
line? Will there be sufficient space for staff and will you still meet health and
safety regulations?
 Information Technology - will your systems cope? Would new software or
equipment ease pressures?
 Customer service systems - would a more sophisticated system help the
strategy to succeed and ease pressures in other areas?
 Outsourcing - will outsourcing allow you to concentrate your resources
more effectively?
To find answers to these questions, you'll need to have assessed your business' current
performance and capabilities.
i. Marketing- Marketing and sales are fundamental to the strategy. Is your
existing marketing strategy appropriate to your new market and/or product?

The right sales people can accelerate growth and profits. Remember it's the
growth strategy that comes first - it should determine who you choose to
recruit.
Planning your growth and measuring your progress are also important issues. You'll
need to update your business plan and work with it as the business develops.
ii. Getting a return on your investment for growth

If you've decided to grow your business, it's essential that you detail all the costs
incurred in getting your growth option underway and compare them against the
anticipated profits. You must be realistic and practical when setting growth objectives.
Will you have enough money to finance the development without impacting on funding
your core activities?
iii. Return on investment-One of the most popular ways of calculating if your

figures are on target is to test them using the Return on Investment (ROI)
formula. This will tell you what percentage of return you will get over a
specified time.
iv. Financing your growth strategy
Sound financial planning is the foundation of any growth strategy. Firstly, you should
establish:
 how much investment is required to fund the venture

 when it will be needed
 when it will be available
A detailed cash flow forecast is essential, not least because outgoings are almost
certainly going to rise sooner and faster than revenues. Enough money must be in the
pot to keep the core business running. It's a good idea to build in some surplus too, as
most projects always take longer to bear fruit than originally predicted.
Detailed forecasts regarding sales, working capital and sources of seed funding, and
even second round funding, need to be drawn up. Businesses looking for capital
investment, apart from bank loans, have three main sources - equity capital provided by

the owner(s) or friends and family, venture capital and business angels. You can also
see if any development or enterprise grants or loans are available in your area.
Equity finance is money invested in a business that is not directly repayable. It could
be your own, most likely raised through re-mortgaging a property, or money from others
taking a share in the ownership of the business.
Venture capital is investment by a fund in a business in the early stages of
development. The deal will very often include a right to management involvement.
Business angels are private investors taking a minority or majority stake in a business,
often contributing valuable business experience in the form of advice and contacts.
Self-Check 2
Name: _________________________ Date: _______________
Directions: short answer

Clearly explain the following terms
1. Equity finance
2. Venture capital.
3. Business angels

Score = ___________
Rating: ____________

Information Sheet-5.3: Ranking proposed plans
Introduction
One of the top priorities for any entrepreneur should be the creation of a business plan.
Prioritization and planning are two sides of the same coin. Planning is thinking about the
tasks required to achieve the desired goal on some scale. Prioritization is ensuring you
are doing the right tasks. Planning and prioritization are two of the best skills a
manager can have.
They ensure good use of your own efforts and those of your team. Prioritization is
making the best use of your limited time and resources when demands are seemingly
limitless. Unending meeting requests, continuous daily reports, pressing operative
issues and urgent project tasks you name it the list goes on and on and on. If you get
into that vicious cycle of trying to do everything, you’ll end up burned out, frustrated and
unhappy. Prioritization in principle means doing “first things first;” as a process it means
evaluating a group of items and ranking them in order of importance and urgency. If
everything is important then nothing is important. If you qualify the “not-so-important-
tasks” as very important it devalues any other “more-important-tasks”.
Prioritize the business plan

Prioritizing tasks can be difficult. Understanding how to prioritize and delegate your
marketing tasks can be a huge help.
The following five steps will help you do what you need to do: focus on the most
important tasks first so that you can leverage them to achieve revenue and growth
goals.
Step One: Brainstorm everything at once. A brainstorming session helps clear your
mind so that you can focus better on your work. It’s a simple yet highly effective first
step in any prioritization project. Simply list every single task waiting for you, no matter
how large or small. Don’t worry about ordering the tasks or about deadlines yet. The

goal is to clear your mind of all the lingering tasks so that you can focus on prioritizing
the “must do” tasks from marketing ideas you can use later.
Step Two: Identify “mission-critical” marketing tasks. When it comes to marketing

tasks for your business, some are critical to success. Others support important tasks,
while a third group may be nice to do if you have time but they’re not necessary to
complete right away.
Step Three: Identify tasks that can be delegated. There are probably tasks on your
list that you do not necessarily have to complete on your own.
Step Four: Organize and assign deadlines. Now that you have at least three
categories of tasks
 deadline driven (urgent)

 revenue-oriented (importance)
 to be delegated and/or resource availability
 technology
You can begin to organize and prioritize your marketing tasks. Assign deadlines and
prioritize deadline-driven tasks in chronological order, with the ones due soonest at the
top of the list.
Step Five: Review your revenue and goal-focused tasks. Your next batch of tasks
includes the ones that have a direct effect on revenue and goals. After that, do tasks
that can be leveraged for other projects. Some may be dependent on having another
task completed first.
Importance of prioritization
Prioritization helps you focus on important tasks by keeping them in the highest priority
which enables you to work on them with full attention and focus. Prioritizing is the
process of determining what is most important. While at first glance you may be
tempted to make everything a “high” or “urgent” priority, be cautious. If everything is

urgent, then everything loses its urgency. If everything is important then nothing is most
important.

The Benefits of Prioritizing
 It reduces stress and increases productivity.

 It helps you create room to check your errors.
 It gives you more time to relax.
 It helps you avoid procrastination.
 It keeps you motivated.

Self-Check 2
Name: _________________________ Date: _______________
Directions: choose the best answer (2 point each)

1. ------------is a principle says doing “first things first.”
A. Prioritization C. ranking
B. Evaluation D. ordering
2. Identify the Benefits of Prioritizing
A. Reduces stress and increases productivity
B. Helps to avoid procrastination.
C. Keeps you motivated
D. All
Give short answer
1. -------- is evaluating a group of items and ranking them in order of importance and
urgency. (2 point)
2. Explain about how to prioritize business prioritization techniques? (4 point)
Score = ___________
Rating: ____________

Information Sheet-5.4: Developing and agreeing action plan
Action Plan
An action plan is a checklist for the steps or tasks you need to complete in order to
achieve the goals you have set.
It’s an essential part of the strategic planning process and helps with improving
teamwork planning. Not only in project management, but action plans can be used by
individuals to prepare a strategy to achieve their own personal goals as well.
Components of an action plan include
 A well-defined description of the goal to be achieved

 Tasks/ steps that need to be carried out to reach the goal
 People who will be in charge of carrying out each task
 When will these tasks be completed (deadlines and milestones)
 Resources needed to complete the tasks
 Measures to evaluate progress
What’s great about having everything listed down on one location is that it makes it
easier to track progress and effectively plan things out.
An action plan is not something set in stone. As your organization grows, and
surrounding circumstances change, you will have to revisit and make adjustments to
meet the latest needs.
Benefits of Action Plan

Sometimes businesses don’t spend much time on developing an action plan before an
initiative, which, in most cases, leads to failure. If you haven’t heard, “failing to plan is
planning to fail”.
Planning helps you prepare for the obstacles ahead and keep you on track. And with an
effective action plan, you can boost your productivity and keep yourself focused.

Here are some benefits of an action plan you should know
 It gives you a clear direction. As an action plan highlights exactly what steps to
be taken and when they should be completed, you will know exactly what you
need to do.
 Having your goals written down and planned out in steps will give you a reason
to stay motivated and committed throughout the project.
 With an action plan, you can track your progress toward your goal.
 Since you are listing down all the steps you need to complete in your action plan,
it will help you prioritize your tasks based on effort and impact.

Self-Check 3
Name: _________________________ Date: _______________
Directions: Give short answer

1. Define what action plan is? (2point)
2. What are the most components including in preparation of action plan? (4point)
3. Explain about what are the benefits of action plan? (4 point)
Score = ___________
Rating: ____________

Information Sheet-5.5: Reviewing business work practices
Review work activity

Team Leader performs and oversees or guides a number of tasks every day. Each task
has its own end to end process. When learning a new task or training someone to
perform a task, you should focus on understanding the process followed to complete the
task successfully.
Processes ensure that:
 Roles are clearly defined so that everyone impacted by the task is aware of their
responsibilities
 Every component of the task is completed to an agreed standard
 Business rules are adhered to
 Industry codes and legislation are observed
Generally, an established process has been recognized as the most efficient and
productive way of undertaking a task. However, this does not mean that you shouldn't
think of ways to improve a process. With the constant development of technology,
introduction of new business concepts and techniques, and changing customer and
supplier demands, processes need to be refined to ensure your company or
organization maintains its cost efficiency and productivity.
When re-engineering a process you need to consider:
 Who is to be involved in the process improvement?
 How the process can be improved?
Our first step is to determine the key players or stakeholders in the process.
Stakeholders can include:
 End users
 Customers
 Suppliers
 Other Departments
 Management
Benefits of review the progress of your business work
Focus only on the day-to-day running of your business is a vital to improve the business
performance especially in the early stages. But once you're up and running, it can pay
dividends to think about longer-term and more strategic planning. This is especially true
as you take on more staff, create departments within the business, appoint managers or
directors and become distanced from the everyday running of the business.
Reviewing your progress will be particularly useful if
 uncertain about how well the business is performing

 unsure if you're getting the most out of the business or making the most of
market opportunities
 your business plan may be out of date
 your business is moving in a direction different to the one you had planned
 the business may be becoming unwieldy or unresponsive to market demands
Here are the important points need to be consider to effectively review the business
work.
1. Assess your core activities

A good starting point for your review is to evaluate what you actually do - your core
activities, the products that you make, or services that you provide. Ask yourself what
makes them successful, how they could be improved and whether you could launch
new or complementary products or services.
2. Assess your business efficiency

Many new businesses work in a short-term, reactive way. This offers flexibility - but can
cost time and money as you move from getting the business going to concentrating on
growing and developing it.
3. Review your financial position

Businesses often fail because of poor financial management or a lack of planning. Often
the business plan that was used to help raise finance is put on a shelf to gather dust.
When it comes to your business' success, therefore, developing and implementing

sound financial and management systems (or paying someone to do it for you) is vital.
Updating your original business plan is a good place to start.
4. Conduct a competitor analysis

Now that you have been running your business for a while, you will probably have a
clearer idea of your competitors. Gathering more information may cost time, money and
effort, but there are many benefits to knowing more about what your competition is
doing.
5. Conduct a customer and market analysis

When you started your business, you probably devised a marketing plan as part of your
overall business plan. This would have defined the market in which you intended to sell
and targeted the nature and geographical distribution of your customers. From that
strategy you would have been able to produce a marketing plan to help you meet your
objectives. When you're reviewing your business' performance, you'll need to assess
your customer base and market positioning as a key part of the process. You should
update your marketing plan at least as often as your business plan.
6. Use your review to redefine your business goals

To remain successful it's vital that you regularly set time aside to ask the following key
strategic questions:
 Where is the business now?

 Where is it going?
 How is it going to get there?
Often businesses are able to work out where they want to go but don't draw up a
roadmap of how to get there. If this happens, a business will lack the direction needed
to turn even carefully laid plans into reality.
At the end of any review process, therefore, it's vital that work plans are prepared to put
the new ideas into place and that a timetable is set. Regularly reviewing how the new
plan is working and allowing for any teething problems or necessary adjustments is
important too. Today's business environment is exceptionally dynamic and it is likely

that you will need regular reviews, updates and revisions to your business plan in order
to maintain business success.

7. Models for your strategic analysis
There are number of useful business-analysis models that may help you think more
strategically about your business.
The SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) is one of the most
popular. This involves looking at the strengths and weaknesses of your business'
capabilities, and any opportunities and threats to your business. Once you've identified
all of these, you can assess how to capitalize on your strengths, minimize the effects of
your weaknesses, make the most of any opportunities and reduce the impact of any
threats.
A SWOT analysis can provide a clear basis for examining your business performance
and prospects. It can be used as part of a regular review process or in preparation for
raising finance or bringing in consultants for a review.
8. Breaking down your strategic review

As owner-manager of your business or as a member of its management team, you
should stand back once in a while and review your business' performance.
The areas you need to look at are:
 Your market performance and direction - how well you are performing through
your sales results, which markets to aim for next and how to improve your
performance.
 Your products and services - how long your existing products will meet your
customers' needs and any plans for renewal.
 Operational matters - your premises, your methods, and technologies used your
processes, IT and quality.
 Financial matters - how your business is financed, levels of retained profit, the
sales income generated and your cash flow.
 Your organization and your people - your structures, people planning issues,
training and development.

Self-Check 4
Name: _________________________ Date: _______________
Directions I: Give short answer

1. What are the most common stockholders to undertake the task review process?
(4 point)
2. List at least 5 most important points need to be considering to effectively review
the business work? (5 point)
3. Explain the task processes review? (3 point)
Note: Satisfactory rating- 100%
Score = ___________
Rating: ____________

L G# 14 LO #6- Implement and monitor plans
Instruction sheet
This learning guide is developed to provide you the necessary information regarding the
following content coverage and topics:
- Developing implementation plan
- Agreeing success indicators
- Monitoring implementation
- Adjusting implementation plan

This guide will also assist you to attain the learning outcomes stated in the cover page.
Specifically, upon completion of this learning guide, you will be able to:
- Develop implementation plan
- Agree success indicators
- Monitor implementation
- Adjust implementation plan
Read the specific objectives of this Learning Guide.

1. Follow the instructions described below.
2. Read the information written in the “Information Sheets”. Try to understand what
are being discussed. Ask your trainer for assistance if you have hard time
understanding them.
3. Accomplish the “Self-checks” which are placed following all information sheets.
4. Ask from your trainer the key to correction (key answers) or you can request your
trainer to correct your work. (You are to get the key answer only after you finished
answering the Self-checks).

Information Sheet-6.1: Developing implementation plan in consultation
with all relevant stakeholders
Introduction
Implementation is by definition, the act of carrying out or executing a plan, process or
method. It’s the action that must follow any thinking on a review or set of
recommendations to ensure it happens. An implementation plan, therefore, is the
documented steps you need to take to successfully complete your implementation
activities.
A stakeholder is anyone who can affect or is affected by the actions of a corporation.

Stakeholders are generally divided into two groups; internal and external stakeholders.
As the terms suggest, internal stakeholders come from within the corporation and
external stakeholders are those outside the corporation but with a vested interest in it.
Internal stakeholders usually comprise employees, managers and owners, but in some
businesses can involve volunteers, students, etc.
External stakeholders are those outside the corporation who interact with it in some
way. Most commonly this includes funders or investors e.g. shareholders, banks and
finance companies. Suppliers and customers are also significant external stakeholders.
However, regulators, policy makers and legislators are also in this group. Some
corporations also consider significant influential opinion leaders to be among their key
external stakeholders as influencers of attitudes and beliefs.
A stakeholder engagement strategy is a detailed plan of actions for producing specific

methods and approaches to collaborating with key stakeholders, identifying their
commitment/input to project implementation, and managing their intentions.
Consultation enables us to identify and monitor trends, challenges and perceptions over
time with specific groups of stakeholders. It therefore helps us to: Identify and track
needs and expectations. Identify and track perceptions and attitudes.
Stockholder consultation

Stakeholder consultation involves the development of constructive, productive
relationships over the long term. It results in a relationship of mutual benefit; it enables
us to identify trends and emerging challenges which are currently or will in the future
impact on the business. Listening to stakeholder concerns and feedback is a valuable
source of information that can be used to improve project design and outcomes, and
help a corporation to identify and control external risks. It can also form the basis for
future collaboration and partnerships. Consultation enables us to identify and monitor
trends, challenges and perceptions over time with specific groups of stakeholders. It
therefore helps us to:
 Identify and track needs and expectations
 Identify and track perceptions and attitudes
 Provide feedback on specific planned developments
 Evaluate implementations and actions
 Establish the brand values and positioning of the corporation as seen by others
Prepare implementation plan

An implementation plan is in business improvement, many universities and institutions
struggle to implement an effective plan that ensures all outcomes are achieved. But that
doesn’t need to be you! Follow these crucial steps to implement your actions effectively,
efficiently and most of all successfully.
Step 1 – Create a list of the outcomes required
To determine the actions needed and the priorities of tasks, you need to list the
outcomes you want to achieve through this implementation exercise. Usually these are
in the form of recommendations from a review or business process improvement
exercise.
Step 2 – Allocate a champion for each outcome
It’s not enough to create a list of outcomes; you need to allocate a champion to head
each one, a champion who will be motivated to achieve the outcome and keep the
entire project team accountable to achieving it. Look for those members of your team
who have a vested interest in achieving this outcome, or who are passionate and
committed to a successful implementation.
Step 3 – Determine what action needs to be taken for outcomes to be achieved
In this section of your implementation plan you need to write down all of the actions that
will result in your team successfully achieving your outcomes.
Step 4 – Establish roles, budgets and accountabilities
Once you have the list of actions that will ensure completion of your implementation
activities, you need to determine the roles and responsibilities of your implementation
team. You also need to define when each action needs to be done by, what the budget
is and who is responsible for it.
Step 5 – Set up a tracking sheet to monitor progress
A tracking sheet will give you a quick at-a-glance update of where your implementation
plan is at and what actions are complete, in progress or late. This allows you to quickly
address any issues to get your project back on track.
Step 6 – Follow a project management methodology
A project management methodology is a series of different governance controls,
structure and processes that are designed to help you manage your activities, time and
resources more effectively and handle problems proactively when they arise.
Step 7 – Schedule and undertake a review
Every time you implement change in your organization it is a learning opportunity and
should be reviewed. Through the review process, it’s important to examine what worked
and what didn’t to identify areas for improvement.
Implementation Strategy
To gain an understanding of implementation strategy, we must first define a strategic
plan. A strategic plan is the process of defining the strategy by which you (or a team or
organization) will accomplish certain goals or make decisions. Organizations make
strategic plans to guide organizational direction, a particular department’s efforts, or any
project or initiative.
Implementation strategy is the process of defining how to bring the strategic plan to life.
To execute the objectives outlined in the strategic plan, you must define how you will
implement each aspect, from funding and personnel to organization and deliverables.

Therefore, without an implementation strategy, it can be difficult to identify how you will
achieve each of your stated goals and objectives.
Strategic Implementation Process

The strategic implementation process is the concrete steps that you take to turn your
strategic plan into the actions that help you accomplish your goals and objectives. By
nature, there is no single, “correct” implementation process for any project or initiative;
rather, the actual implementation steps you take will depend on the specific
undertaking. Implementation tactics also vary based on the specific organization and
goals.
A strategic implementation plan (SIP) is the document that you use to define your
implementation strategy. Typically, it outlines the resources, assumptions, short- and
long-term outcomes, roles and responsibilities, and budget.
Important of implementation plan

Implementation planning largely determines project success because without it, your
strategic goals remain unsanctionable. Therefore, implementation is the necessary step
that transforms your strategic plans into action to achieve your goals. A project
implementation plan is the plan that you create to successfully move your project plan
into action. A project implementation plan sometimes includes a rough schedule, but
teams usually set the hard timeline in the execution plan.
Components of an Implementation Plan
The following are the key components of and questions that drive a successful
implementation plan:
 Define Goals/Objectives
 Schedule Milestones
 Allocate Resources
 Designate Team Member Responsibilities
 Define Metrics for Success
 Define How You Will Adapt
 Evaluate Success

Self-check 1
Name: _________________________ Date: _______________
Directions: match column A with column B. (2 points each)

A B
1. Implementation A. transforms your strategic plans to action

2. Stakeholder B. act of carrying out or executing a plan
3. Internal stakeholders C. concrete steps to turn your strategic plan to
actions
4. External stakeholders D. anyone affected by the actions of a corporation
5. Stakeholder consultation E. are those outside the corporation
6. Implementation plan F. defining how to bring the strategic plan
7. strategic plan G. development of productive relationships
8. Strategic implementation H. strategy the team will accomplish certain goals
9. Implementation plan benefit I. struggle to implement an effective plan
J. components of implementation plan
Score = ___________
Rating: ____________

Information Sheet-6.2: Agreeing success indicators
Indicators to Measure Business Success

To find out how you can measure your own business success, here are the top four
Business Success Indicators
Profit
As expected, profit definitely makes the success indicators list. In fact, profitability is
probably the first thing people think about when it comes to measuring business
success.
If your business is consistently making money and your funds are enough to cover all
your expenses while leaving some extra money for saving, that is a clear sign that your
business is doing well.
Growing Network
A growing customer base is a clear indicator of a successful business. If you can retain
your current customers while attracting others, then your operations are well-managed.
Constant network growth shows that you are reaching your target market effectively
with your marketing and operational strategies.
Team Satisfaction
Developing a work environment that drives your team to be more progressive and
productive is another key indicator of success. When your business inspires and
motivates your team members by rewarding hard work, it will certainly attract the cream
of the crop and encourage them to join your team
Business Owner Satisfaction
When the business owner himself is satisfied with the business operations, then that is
probably the most important measure of business success. Dissatisfaction is
contagious; if you find yourself unhappy with your business operations, then that
unhappiness is sure to spread amongst your team members, too.

Self-check 2
Name: _________________________ Date: _______________
Direction I: Give short answer

1. List and explain clearly the most common indicators of business to measure its
success. (8 point)
Score = ___________
Rating: ____________

Information Sheet-6.3: Monitoring implementation
Monitoring and evaluation

Monitoring is systematic, timely and purposeful observation and data collection to
check if project activities are being implemented as planned. More precisely, monitoring
assesses project activities to establish what activities are being done, and where, with
whom, when and how many have been completed. Monitoring and evaluation are ways
of systematically measuring and assessing program activities and results. Their purpose
is to check on the progress of implementation and outputs systematically. They help to
determine when a programme is going to plan and when changes may be needed. They
form the basis for modification of interventions, and of assessing the quality of any
activities that are being conducted. Moreover, with a positive outcome, they can be
used to demonstrate that program have been implemented effectively and have had a
measureable impact.
Together, monitoring and evaluation (frequently abbreviated to M&E) provide the

necessary data to guide planning, to allocate resources, to design and implement
programmes and projects and, if necessary, to re-allocate resources in better ways.
They are essential in providing planners, implementers, policy makers and donors with
the information and understanding they need to make informed decisions about the
operation of their programmes.
Monitoring is a management tool for improving project and programme performance,

both to improve organizational delivery and control for risk. Monitoring is the continuous
collection and analysis of information used by management and partners to assess
performance (progress on implementation of activities, delivery of outputs, achievement
of results and impacts and use of resources). Monitoring is an essential pre-requisite for
results-based management, evaluation and learning.

Elements of monitoring and evaluation process
Outputs are the things produced by a project or program. In WASH, examples include
tangible products like new or rehabilitated wells and pumps, new latrines and training
manuals; they could be events and activities like running a training workshop for
frontline workers, or producing hygiene promotion posters.
 Outcomes are the effects of the outputs, usually in the short- to medium-term.
Examples, following those above, could be the number of people who now have
access to safe water as a result of the new water schemes or attendance at the
training workshop.
 Impacts are long-term effects and consequences. Examples could be a fall in
the incidence of diarrhoeal disease, improved school attendance, or pumps that
last longer because they are well-maintained.
An indicator is something that can be seen or measured or counted, which provides

evidence of progress towards a target. Indicators are used to monitor or evaluate
project performance. They are project-specific and defined by the objectives of the
project. They can be based on either quantitative or qualitative measurements.
Monitoring is used to track changes in project performance over time against

measurable indicators defined well in advance. It involves collecting data and tracking
actions being taken in order to measure progress towards the goals and to identify any
problems. For any particular activity, the output, the outcome and the process should all
be monitored.
The purpose of monitoring is to permit managers to make informed decisions regarding

the implementation and performance of projects and the efficient use of resources.
Monitoring is often done internally by project managers or by dedicated project

monitoring staff. It involves a continuous process of checking, analysing and giving
feedback into project activity and resource allocation plans.
Self-Check 3
Name: _________________________ Date: _______________
Directions: Answer all the questions listed below. Illustrations may be necessary to aid
some explanations/answers.
1. Explain what Monitoring is? (2 point)

2. What are the elements of monitoring and evaluation process? (4 point)
Score = ___________
Rating: ____________

Information Sheet-6.4: Adjusting implementation plan
Work implementation
Implementation is the process that turns strategies and plans into actions in order to
accomplish strategic objectives and goals. Implementing your strategic plan is as
important, or even more important, than your strategy. The strategic plan addresses
what and why of activities, but implementation addresses who, where, when, and how.
The fact is that both pieces are critical to success. In fact, companies can gain
competitive advantage through implementation if done effectively. Whether a business
is a start-up or already well established, business implementation becomes the
responsibility of all the employees. Implementation is the process of executing a plan or
policy so that a concept becomes a reality. To implement a plan properly, managers
should communicate clear goals and expectations, and supply employees with the
resources needed to help the company achieve its goals.
Develop a work plan

Work planning sets the stage for program implementation. A work plan is a document
that specifies and represents main activities/tasks, their sequence, timing and who will
have responsibility for them.
The following steps are usually involved when developing a work plan:
 List main activities that will be necessary to meet the program goals and to
achieve the desired outcome.
 Choose realistic, appropriate time periods for specifying when activities will take
place (weeks, months, quarters etc.).
 Break each activity down into manageable tasks. A task is something that can be
managed by an individual and is easy to visualize in terms of resources required
and the time it will take to complete.
 Specify the sequence and relationships between tasks. (What needs to happen
before this task can be started? Can two tasks be carried out at the same time?)

 Consider human resources, including work schedules, seasonal schedules, and
other ongoing projects.
 Estimate the start time and duration of each task. This may be represented as a
line or bar on a chart.
 Include all essential activities and tasks;
 Bear in mind workloads on individuals (peaks and troughs of work) and identify
where additional assistance may be needed; and
 Be realistic about how long a task will take.
 Identify key events or achievements (milestones) by which monitor progress.
These are often dates by which a task will be completed
 Agree on and assign responsibilities for tasks with staff, volunteers, and other
members of the program team.

Self-Check 4
Name: _________________________ Date: _______________
Directions I: short answer
1. ---------- is a document that specifies and represents main activities/tasks, their

sequence, timing and who will have responsibility for them. (2 point)
2. Explain what are the steps usually involved when developing a work plan? (6
point)
Score = ___________
Rating: ____________

Reference
- Review your business performance, © Crown copyright 2009 Source: Business Link
UK
- Guidry, K. 2013. Marketing risk: Current issues for risk management. Southern
Extension Risk - Management Education Website. University of Arkansas, Little Rock,
AR. ---
http://srmec.uark.edu/Publications.html.
- McDonald M, and H. Wilson. 2011. Marketing Plans: How to Prepare Them, How to
Use them. West Sussex, UK: Wiley and Sons.


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HARD WARE SND NETWORK SERVICING

Module Title: Improving Business Practice

Page 1 of 46 Federal TVET Agency Version -1

- Planning to increase yield per existing client

- Plan to increase yield per existing client

Page 2 of 46 Federal TVET Agency Version -1

The purpose of a Business Plan is to identify, describe and analyze a business

It also describes the nature of the business, background information on the

A business plan includes:

Creating effective business plans

1. Choose Your Audience

2. Build A Clear Vision

3. Use Business Analysis

Page 4 of 46 Federal TVET Agency Version -1

4. Set Realistic Goals

5. Consider Different Time Frames

6. Be Logical, Rational, and Conservative

 Properly supporting any claims or assumptions

7. Periodically Review Your Plan

Page 6 of 46 Federal TVET Agency Version -1

Name: _________________________ Date: _______________

Directions: short answer

Note: Satisfactory rating – 100%

Page 7 of 46 Federal TVET Agency Version -1

Developing/implementing expansion plans

Options for growth: increasing market share

Page 9 of 46 Federal TVET Agency Version -1

Options for growth: diversification

Deciding how and when to diversify depends on your having:

Options for growth: partnerships, joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions

Page 11 of 46 Federal TVET Agency Version -1

Teaming up must be a win-win situation for both parties. Businesses involved with

Assess which growth option best suits your business

Page 12 of 46 Federal TVET Agency Version -1

The practicalities of growth-your business will need to count on more

Page 13 of 46 Federal TVET Agency Version -1

ii. Getting a return on your investment for growth

iii. Return on investment-One of the most popular ways of calculating if your

 how much investment is required to fund the venture

Page 14 of 46 Federal TVET Agency Version -1

Name: _________________________ Date: _______________

Directions: short answer

Note: Satisfactory rating – 100%

Page 15 of 46 Federal TVET Agency Version -1

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Prioritize the business plan

Page 17 of 46 Federal TVET Agency Version -1

Step Two: Identify “mission-critical” marketing tasks. When it comes to marketing

 deadline driven (urgent)

Page 18 of 46 Federal TVET Agency Version -1

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 It reduces stress and increases productivity.

Page 20 of 46 Federal TVET Agency Version -1

Name: _________________________ Date: _______________

Directions: choose the best answer (2 point each)

Page 21 of 46 Federal TVET Agency Version -1

Components of an action plan include

 A well-defined description of the goal to be achieved

Benefits of Action Plan

Page 22 of 46 Federal TVET Agency Version -1

Name: ___________ Date: _

Name: ___________ Date: _

Name: ___________ Date: _

Name: ___________ Date: _

Name: ___________ Date: _

Name: ___________ Date: _

Name: ___________ Date: _

Name: ___________ Date: _

Name: ___________ Date: _