As an entrepreneur, you want to start a business that will operate globally. You know that the first step is to consider drafting a business plan to organize all of your ideas. For this assignment, you will be submitting a business plan for your imaginary business. For research purposes, you can choose any state or country for the location of your business—be sure to consider how international operations will impact business regulations and ethics. Your business can be headquartered in the U.S. and operate internationally or headquartered in a foreign country and operate internationally, your choice. Your business plan should include the following:
Introduction of the proposed business/executive summaryThe executive summary is often considered the most important section of a business plan. This section briefly tells your reader where your company is, where you want to take it, and why your business idea will be successful. If you are seeking financing, the executive summary is also your first opportunity to attract a potential investor’s interest.The executive summary should highlight the strengths of your overall plan and therefore be the last section you write. However, it appears first in your business plan.Identify and describe the type of business entity that is best for your businessExamples may include: partnership, limited liability company, corporation, etc. (For purposes of this assignment, you should NOT choose a sole proprietorship for your business entity.)Defend your choice of business entity (this may include advantages/disadvantages of the selected type of business entity based on your business concept).Describe the specific legal steps needed to be followed to successfully start the business.Note: Steps will vary, depending on the type of business you choose and state/and or country you are located in.Good sources of research for this area include the following:TextbooksCountry-specific business formation requirementsInformation on the business formation process can be found at: http://smallbusiness.findlaw.com/incorporation-and-legal-structures/business-formation-quickstart.html (Links to an external site.).The Small Business Administration website will be helpful; it includes information on how to start a small business.Recommend and describe an appropriate written agreement for the particular type of entity chosen.Examples: Articles of incorporation, articles of organization, partnership agreement, etc.
Describe a possible disagreement that could be encountered among the partners or investors and shareholders. Recommend potential resolutions (referring back to the formal documents, such as the articles of incorporation or the partnership agreement).Examples could include the introduction of a new product line, borrowing money for expansion, an advertising campaign, etc. in the host country.
Running Head: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS PLAN
International Business Plan
Name:
Institutional Affiliation:
Date:
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Table of Contents
International Business Plan …………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 3
Background ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 3
Business description…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 3
Financial overview …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 4
Vision and mission…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 5
Main goals………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 5
Market analysis …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 5
Market research……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 6
Target market ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 6
Main competitors …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 7
Marketing and promotion …………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 7
Financial projections ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 8
Startup finances and funding …………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 8
Final overview ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 9
References ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 10
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INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS PLAN
International Business Plan
Background
When considering the elements of starting a business, it is essential first to carry out
research on the target market and the nature of products or services offered. In most cases, many
startups fail to survive in the market based on the failure to adopt the right measures to support
their ambitions and goals. In this context, it is worth noting that the success of a new business
may depend on various factors. Some of the most common actors that should be considered
when it comes to setting up a new business include initial costs, the current players in the
industry and the target market. The state of the economy may also influence the operations of a
given company in the long run since it affects the consumption trends and hence the total sales
made. This project looks at the establishment of a corporation named Extreme Solar Solutions.
This company will be based on California, United States and is set to manufacture, sell, install
and maintain solar panels and other related solutions to not only the immediate but also the
broader community. The company will also be operating in North African regions where it will
sell and install solar panels to the underlying households. This business will be started using
owners’ equity and loans from financial institutions. The establishment of the company will
provide a platform for facilitating the protection of the environment through the use of green
energy while at the same time offering the consumers lasting solutions on energy and power
needs. There is a high level of competition in the market which the company will need to
address.
Business description
Extreme Solar Solutions will be a company which will specialize in the manufacturing
and distribution of solar panels and the associated products to consumers in various areas of
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application. The business will help in the provision of an alternative source of energy to the
households in the selected region. The motivation behind the development of this business is that
it will help to handle the rising demand for energy in the area. Also, the establishment of the
company has been driven by the desire to provide an alternative option which supports the
protection and preservation of the environment. The company will exploit the available sun
energy to create a green source of power for many households in the region and country as a
whole. The market will be based on the elements of a private company. However, the company
will go public after about five years which will help it to expand to a broader geographical area
and markets across the globe. Extreme Solar Solutions will exploit the existing gap in the
delivery of sufficient energy to the growing populations while at the same time providing an
alternative for protecting the environment.
Financial overview
During the first year of investment, the company will highly likely report a loss. The
conclusion in this context is based on the idea that many people have not yet acknowledged the
importance of using solar energy. There are various limitations which affect the adoption of solar
energy in place of the other sources. Therefore, the first year of operations will report low sales.
However, the second year will help the company to realize a 2% profit. This profit will continue
to rise by at least 5% in the coming years based on the increased acceptance of the products in
the various communities. To ensure sustainability, the business will start a maintenance avenue
and department (Yang, Nguyen, Heng, Reddy & Xu, 2015). This department will aid in the
installation and management of the consumer needs with time as far as the potential failures of
the implemented systems are concerned. The prices of sale of complete solar units and
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installation will range from $4000 to $15000 depending on the nature of households in the
context.
Vision and mission
The concept for the company will be to enhance the sustainability of the community
through innovation and protection of the environment. This statement implies that the company
will seek to improve the livelihood of households while at the same time protecting the
environment to achieve sustainability. On the same note, the mission statement for the company
is to become the global leader in the delivery of reliable sources of energy which will promote
efficiency and protection of the environment for the community.
Main goals
Extreme Solar Solutions will operate under a set of goals which in the long run, will
promote efficiency and improved aspect of sustainability in the community.
1. To deliver solar energy which will help communities to achieve sustainability and reduce
the burden of recurring electricity bills.
2. To promote the element of sustainability through the use of green sources of energy.
Market analysis
Before investing in the business, the management will need to understand the current
trends in the industry and market. This section outlines the current level of competition that the
industry exhibits. This analysis will offer an insight into the ease or difficulty of the Extreme
Solar Solutions in entering the industry and surviving.
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Market research
After carrying out market research, the main finding was that there is a gap in the
industry on the use of energy in the community. For instance, in the country, it is estimated that
each person consumes at least 12.2 kWh of electricity each day. On the same note, each
household has been estimated to consume at least 2.6 gallons of oil each day. The per capita
consumption of coal is 11.5 pounds each day. Further, the per capita consumption of natural gas
in the country is about 250 cubic feet. These figures show that there is a high level of
dependence on non-renewable sources of energy (Center for Sustainable Systems, 2019). For
instance, most communities and households in the country depend largely on natural gas,
electricity, coal and but not limited to oil. These products are non-renewable and bring about
adverse effects on the environment. The growing demand for energy is pushing the country to
the extreme limits. The growth of demand for energy in the country is calling for the provision of
an alternative source of power to help achieve sustainability in the long run. On the same note,
the adoption of solar energy in the country accounts for about 1.6% of the total households
(Solstice, n.d.). This figure shows that there is a gap that the company can exploit for not only
business gains but also the protection of the environment.
Target market
This company targets households and small business entities. The reason for the selection
of these consumers is that there is a growing demand for energy across the country. Further,
households can benefit from the use of renewable sources of energy which in the long run will
reduce the total expenditure on power bills. On the same note, small businesses will realize
increased profits with the use of renewable sources of power. Collectively, the adoption of solar
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power will help in the reduction of the overall level of dependence on the non-renewable sources
of power.
Main competitors
While the Extreme Solar Solutions is set to bring a change to the community, it will
highly likely face competition from multiple major players who have already established their
operations in the market. Some of the main competitors include Trina Solar, Sun Power, Solar
City, Ascent Solar and but not limited to international players like Canadian Solar, among others
(Owler, n.d.). These entities have been in operation for long hence gaining a bigger market share.
Marketing and promotion
However, regardless of the existence of these players, Extreme Solar Solutions will need
to draft and adopt measures for reducing the level of competition created in the process. Extreme
Solar Solutions will sue various avenues to advertise and promote the products and services
offered. Many of the mentioned players offer solar panels and the associated gadgets only.
However, Extreme Solar Solutions will focus on following up with the installation and
maintenance of the solar panels and associated commodities for the consumers. This approach
will help to create a competitive advantage in the industry over the rivals.
On the other hand, Extreme Solar Solutions will use avenues such as local TV stations to
advertise and market its products and services. Further, another avenue for the company to use to
reach out to the set target markets is the internet. The internet offers a wide range of avenues
such as social media among others. These avenues will allow the company to create a digital
community for promoting its products and services to the broader markets.
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Financial projections
As mentioned in the previous section, the investment will highly likely return a loss by
the end of the first year of operations. However, after the company has gained the required level
of reputation, it will start making profits. The company projects to achieve a 2% profit by the end
of the second year. In the third, fourth and fifth years, the company looks forward to recording
5% incremental profits. Such gains will allow the company to offer its shares to the public in the
fifth year.
Startup finances and funding
To set up the business for local and international operations, the owners will need first to
lease facilities. The firm will be based on a previously abandoned factory. The initial stages in
setting up the business operations will be to renovate the facilities. The renovation will be
followed by the purchase of the required equipment and employment of the associated workers
and professionals. The initial investment for the company will be $800000. This cost will cater
for the purchase of the relevant manufacturing material and setting up of the production plant.
The costs mentioned above will also provide the employment of professionals who will work in
various areas of interest and departments. On the same note, the costs will include the purchase
of raw material for the production processes of the company.
Primarily, the costs mentioned above will be raised by the owners. However, the owners
may not have the required investment to support the business. Therefore, the private company
will seek external funding from the local financial institutions. The loan will be repaid from the
sales and profits made by the company.
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Final overview
On the last through, the establishment of the firm to operate in the local and international
markets such as Africa will be supported by various governments. For instance, today, there is a
rising trend in the regulation of the use of non-renewable sources of energy. Extreme Solar
Solutions is investing in renewable energy which will help in the protection of the environment.
Therefore, Extreme Solar Solutions will receive support both locally and internationally. The
ambitions of the company are in line with the goals of climate change created by various
countries. Also, targeting the local and international markets will help the company to develop a
platform for expanding its areas of operations and application. From another dimension, the
activities of the company are in line with the existing ethical guidelines as far as the provision of
products that protect the environment is concerned.
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References
Center for Sustainable Systems. (2019). U.S. ENERGY SYSTEM FACTSHEET. Regents of the
University of Michigan. Retrieved from http://css.umich.edu/factsheets/us-energysystem-factsheet
Owler. (n.d.). First Solar’s Competitors, Revenue, Number of Employees, Funding and
Acquisitions. Owler. Retrieved from https://www.owler.com/company/firstsolar
Solstice. (n.d.). Solar Energy Statistics: 44 Numbers That Define U.S. Solar. Solstice. Retrieved
from https://solstice.us/solstice-blog/solar-energy-statistics/
Yang, B., Nguyen, P. P., Heng, J. B., Reddy, A. J., & Xu, Z. (2015). U.S. Patent Application No.
14/563,867.