Offers a four-step process to close the gaps between the ideal and the actual in the way staff, customers, and vendors are treated: (1) conducting a self-examination; (2) making a commitment; (3) developing a code of ethics; and (4) continuing the process. Includes a list of resources and an ethics questionnaire with responses of 240 small…

Ball State University's New Venture Creation is a capstone course in which class sessions simulate workshops for understanding and analyzing business plans. Students present the resulting business proposals to a board of consultants and entrepreneurs, which evaluates them for feasibility. (SK)

This article is designed as the starting point for writing a business plan. It first describes what a business plan is. These benefits are discussed: financing, increasing knowledge, preventing poor investment, and planning. A brief description follows of the 10 components of a business plan: executive summary; business description; marketing;…

A survey of 255 owners of independent businesses in the Midwest investigated their planning activities. Findings indicate that a large majority of the owners of existing businesses engage in both long-term and short-term planning. They believe that some of their planning is beneficial. However, most believe that they are only moderately well…