RESEARCH GUIDES: Creating a Business Plan
Reference Desk: 415-442-7244
E-mail: askalibrarian
| INTRODUCTION | | |
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| This research guide is designed to help you find information about Business Plans, including what a business plan is, how to write one, and what kinds of information you need. When writing a business plan, you will need to look at different types of information sources: |
| Industry and market reports: These reports contain industry overviews, market research, competitor information, market share, and consumer survey results. |
| Company reports: Databases in the category will help you search for SWOT Analysis, company reports, company financials, product information, and investment analyst reports. If you are creating a plan for a new business, looking at similar companies can be a helpful starting point. |
| Books: Books are useful when looking for information on how to write a business plan, what kind of content is included, and for finding sample business plans. |
| Websites: There are many useful websites that can help when you are writing a business plan. Our librarians have selected a few they consider especially useful. Remember to evaluate internet sources to ensure the information you find is reliable. Check out Evaluating Sources in our Research Process section for more information. |
| Before beginning your research, it is helpful to consult with one of our librarians at the Reference Desk to map out a strategy and choose which type of information source is best for your research. You can call (415) 442-7244, e-mail askalibrarian@ggu.edu, or stop by the Reference Desk at the University Library. |
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| BEST BETS | | |
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| Business Plans Handbook | This reference book is located in the University Library at the San Francisco GGU campus (536 Mission St.). It has examples of business plans as well as additional information you can use when writing your business plan. You can find the book in the library Reference Collection using this call number: REF HD62.7 .B865 If you are unable to come to the library, please contact the reference desk for assistance. We are happy to help! |
| Ebrary | Ebrary is the library's database of electronic books. Do a search for "business plans" to access books on business planning. Many of these books have sample business plans or detailed outlines of what to include. To view the book in Ebrary, you need to download the Ebrary Reader from the link on the first page of the database. If you have any questions or problems with the download, please call the Reference Desk at (415) 442-7244. |
| Small Business Resources Center | The New York Public Library website's Small Business Resources Center offers tips on writing a good business plan. |
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| INDUSTRY AND COMPANY REPORTS | | |
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| IBISWorld | This database includes over 700 reports on U.S. industries categorized by the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS). Each IBISWorld report is updated every four months and provides an overview of the industry, competitor information, market share data, and more. Reports can be viewed online, or downloaded in Microsoft Word or Adobe Acrobat PDF. |
| Standard & Poor's Net Advantage | The Standard & Poor's Industry Surveys are great tools to use to find industry analysis, leading companies, industry publications and associations, and current trends. In the database, select your industry using the drop down menu under Industry Surveys on the right side of the screen. These reports also include a section on how to analyze a company in the given industry. |
Global Market Information Database
(via Euromonitor) | Provides statistics and reports on national and international consumer and industrial markets, company profiles, lifestyle indicators and analysis, and country demographic, economic and marketing statistics. You can click on the Brows Reports link near the top, right side of the menu to see what kind of reports they have. |
| Mintel | Mintel is a database of market research reports and industry news. The reports offer detailed analysis of the industry, main competitors, and consumer in a given market. Search the database using the 'quick search' box in the upper right corner, or browse through the list of reports using the links in the center of the screen. |
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| BOOKS | | |
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| University Library Catalog | Check for books such as Anatomy of a Business Plan to give you a basic understanding of creating business plans. This is an e-book and can be accessed from a GGU site or remotely. You can also search the library catalog for books about Business Planning. The Librarian at the Reference Desk can help you identify other relevant books and resources, too. |
| Ebrary | Ebrary is the library's database of electronic books. Do a search for "business plans" to access books on business planning. Many of these books have sample business plans or detailed outlines of what to include. To view the book in Ebrary, you need to download the Ebrary Reader from the link on the first page of the database. If you have any questions or problems with the download, please call the Reference Desk at (415) 442-7244. |
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| WEBSITES | | |
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| The Business Plan Archive | The Business Plan Archive is a searchable collection of over 3000 business plans from the Dot Com Era. |
Bplans.com
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Center for Business Planning | Bplans.com and Center for Business Planning both have sample business plans and guides to help get you started. |
| Findlaw | Findlaw also has links about creating business plans. |
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