Library Resources for BUS101 by Colleen D. Anderson Reference Department Douglas

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Library Resources for BUS101 by Colleen D.
Anderson Reference Department Douglas
Judith Krupp Library Fall 2007
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Components of Business Plan Research

• The Business Plan
• The Industry
• The Target Market
• The Competition
• The Financials
• Registering Your Business
• Licensing and Business Regulations
• Risk Management and Insurance

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The Business Plan

• Bplans.com
• (http//www.bplans.com)
• place your cursor over Sample Plans to retrieve
  100 sample business plans.
• Writing the Business Plan U.S. Small Business
  Admin.
• (http//www.sba.gov/smallbusinessplanner/index.ht
  ml)
• a step-by-step guide to how to write a business
  plan. Click on Review Examples of Real Business
  Plans to take a look at sample plans.
• StartupNation.com(http//www.startupnation.com)
• click on Start a Business and select Create a
  Business Plan to read 10 steps to open a
  buisness. Use this site with the companion book,
  StartupNation (New Book HD82.5 .S576 2005), by
  Jeff and Rich Sloan.

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The Business Plan

• Business Plans Handbook
• REF HD62.7 .B865 (1st level)
• a collection of business plans compiled by
  entrepreneurs seeking funding for small
  businesses.
• How to Start a Business in Rhode IslandREF
  HD62.5 .H685553 2004everything you need to know
  about starting a business in Rhode Island, from
  Your Duties as an Employer to froms youll need
  to start a business in Rhode Island.
• Inc. Magazines How To Starting a
  Businesshttp//www.inc.com/guides/start_biz/index
  .htmlAdvice on writing a business plan, cash
  management, market research, finance, pricing and
  more from a magazine known for its expert
  entrepreneurial advice.

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The Industry

• IBIS World(http//0-www.ibisworld.com.helin.uri.e
  du/launch.aspx?)
• Click on the Industry Market Research tab to
  gain access to comprehensive market research
  reports.Plunkett Research Onlinehttp//0-www.p
  lunkettresearchonline.com.helin.uri.edu/default.as
  pxMarket research and trends, company
  competitive profiles, statistics and more on
  leading industries.
• Trade associations and trade journals are
  important sources for locating industry
  information.
• To locate trade associations, see
• National Trade and Professional Associations of
  the United States REF HD2425 .D53 (library 1st
  level)

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Example of a Trade Association Website
Link to industry research
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The Industry How to Locate Articles Using
Proquest
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The Industry How to Locate Articles Using EBSCO
Business Source Premier
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The Target Market

• American Factfinder from the U.S. Census Bureau
• (factfinder.census.gov)
• type in a town, city, county or zip code to
  retrieve a statistical fact sheet with
  demographic data.
• Best Customers
• REF HC79 .C6 R87 2005 (library 1st level)
• best customers to target for particular
  products.
• Defining Your Market Winning Strategies for
  High-Tech, Industrial, and Service FirmsMain
  Stacks HD30.28 .W376 1998 (library 2nd level)
• a guide to market identification, analysis, and
  selection.

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The Target Market

• Household Spending Who spends How Much on What
• REF HC110 .C6 .A666 2005 (library 1st level)
• a comprehensive analysis of spending of
  Americans in the year 2000. Analyzes spending
  trends at the individual household level.
• Community Sourcebook of Zip Code Demographics
• REF HA203 .S66 2005 (library 1st level)
• economic social demographics for each zipcode
  area.
• Survey of buying Power and Media Markets
• REF HF5438 .A341 (library 1st level)
• includes a 5 year forecast of spending for
  every metropolitan and media market in the U.S.

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The Competition

• County Business Patterns
• (http//censtats.census.gov/cbpnaic/cbpnaic.shtml
  )
• to locate the number of establishments similar
  to your own located in a particular zip code
  area.
• ReferenceUSA( http//www.referenceusa.com/index2.
  asp?si7984162405454)
• See the electronic resources link on the library
  webpage.
• a directory with profiles on 12 million US
  businesses. You can limit your search to an SIC
  or NAICS industry code number and then limit to a
  particular geographic area.

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The Financials

• Anatomy of a Business Plan by Linda PinsonREF
  HD30.28 .P5 2005 (library 1st level)
• see chapter 6, Financial Documents.
• How to Write a Business Plan by Mike McKeeverREF
  HD30.28 .M3839 2005 (library 1st level)see
  chapter 6, The Profit and Loss Forecast,
  andchapter 7, Your Cash Flow Forecast and
  Capital Spending Plan.
• Basic Financial Statements by Dr. Sharon
  GarrisonStudyFinance.com (http//www.studyfinance
  .com/lessons/finstmt/index.mv)
• an introduction to basic financial statements
  and what they tell about a business.

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Registering Your Business

• R.I. Business Information Center FAQ
• (http//www.sec.state.ri.us/corps/businessinfo/bi
  cfaq.html/)
• answers to frequently asked questions regarding
  starting a business.
• Business Registration
• State of Rhode Island. Division of Taxation.
• (http//www.ri.gov/taxation/BAR/?form_id11)
• where to register your business in Rhode Island
  to make sales at retail, for income tax
  withholding, and for R.I. Unemployment insurance
  accounts.
• Forms and Fees for Starting a Business (in R.I.)
• (http//www.sec.state.ri.us/corps/fee20schedule/
  newfee.html6)
• all the forms you need to start a business or
  form a corporation in Rhode Island. (see a
  similar state agency to locate forms for
  incorporating in another state).

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More on Opening a Business in Rhode Island

• Rhode Island Licensed Occupations
  (http//www.dlt.ri.gov/lmi/jobseeker/license.htm)
  a listing of occupations and businesses in
  Rhode Island that require a license.
• Labor Laws in Rhode Island(http//www.dlt.ri.gov/
  lmi/publications/handbook.htm)an employer
  handbook that contains labor laws in Rhode
  Island.

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Licensing and Business Regulations

• Code of Federal Regulations
• (http//www.gpoaccess.gov/cfr/index.html)
• search by product to locate federal regulations
  governing the manufacture or sale of the product.
• Department of Business Regulation. Rhode Island.
• (http//www.dbr.state.ri.us/)
• go to the appropriate regulation department in
  each state to view regulations and business
  licensing requirements.

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Risk Management and Insurance

• Public Entity Risk Institute
• (http//www.riskinstitute.org/peri/)
• includes information to help guide small
  businesses through the process of identifying and
  analyzing their risks.
• Risk Management Strategies from Small Business
  NotesEdited by Judith Kautz.
• http//www.smallbusinessnotes.com/operating/finmg
  mt/riskmgmt.html
• a summary of strategies to manage risk.
• Insurance Management from Small Business Notes
  Edited by Judith Kautz.
• http//www.smallbusinessnotes.com/operating/insur
  ance.html
• an excellent summary of what types of insurance
  a small business needs to cover and why.

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