MQM 226 - Entrepreneurship II

For a list of print and online resources on small business generally, consult the Milner Web page Small Business.

Planning Tools

The Feasibility Study

Cooperative Feasibility Study Guide
A brief guide from the USDA for rural agricultural cooperatives, but contains a good outline of a feasibility study useful for many applications.

Starting a Small Business: The Feasibility Analysis
A good basic guide from Montguide, a pulication of the Montana State University Extension Service.

Feasibility Study Outline
An outline for conducting a feasibility study, with links to information on feasibility studies in general and when to do a feasibility study and how to use the results. From the Ag Marketing Resource Center at Iowa State University.

Business Plan Outline
Outline from the Howard University Small Business Development Center.

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Developing the Business or Marketing Plan:

Business Plans and Profiles section of the Milner Library Small Business Web page

Business Plans Handbook  (Reference HD 62.7 .B865 and online) 
A continuing set of volumes compiling actual business plans developed by small businesses throughout North America.  The first 5 volumes are in print, and volumes 6-12 are available online in the Gale Virtual Reference Library. Appendix A in volumes 2-5 provides a template to use in developing a business plan.

Model Business Plans for Service Businesses -- Reference HD 9980.5 .C64 1995
Appendix B provides forms to aid in developing the plan.

SBDCNET - Small Business Information Center
Links to helpful sites and to specific business plans for various types of small businesses.

Small Business Planner
Set of links from the Small Business Administration (SBA).

Small Business Sourcebook -- Reference HD 2346 .U5 S66 13th
Provides lists of resources on the topic of Business Plans (vol. 2, p.2267-2279)

For books in Milner Library, use the subject heading MARKETING PLANNING or BUSINESS PLANNING when searching the catalog.

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Analytic Tools for Planning

Porter's Five Forces - Web sites that explain this analytic tool:
    Porters Five Forces by Themanager.org
    Porter's Five Forces - A Model for Industry Analysis by QuickMBA
    strategy - analysing competitive industry structure by tutor2u

PEST Analysis - Web sites that explain this analytic tool:
    PEST Analysis by marketingteacher.com
    PEST Analysis by NetMBA
    strategy - introduction to PEST analysis by tutor2u

SWOT Analysis - Web sites that explan this analytic tool:
    strategy - SWOT analysis -- Brief overview from tutor2u.com.
    SWOT Analysis -- Overview from MindTools.
    SWOT Analysis -- Overview from NetMBA.
    SWOT Analysis -- From QuickMBA.com.
    SWOT Analysis: Lesson -- Lesson from Marketingteacher.com with samples.
    SWOT analysis method and examples -- Good overview, with comparison to PEST analysis.
   

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Finding Books and Articles on Business Startups

Books

Using the search terms STARTUPS or BUSINESS START-UPS as keywords in the catalog will identify few of the books in the collection on this topic. Instead, try the subject headings NEW BUSINESS ENTERPRISES or SMALL BUSINESS or ENTREPRENEURSHIP.  Examples of books listed under these headings include:

Dunung, Sanjyot P. Straight Talk About Starting Your Own Business: Smart Advice for Entrepreneurs from Entrepreneurs. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2006.
Subject (LCSH): New business enterprises--Management.
Call Number: HD 62.5 .D865 2006 - Floor 4

Shepherd, Dean and Johan Wiklund. Entrepreneurial Small Businesses: A Resource-based Perspective. Northampton, MA: Edward Elgar, 2005.
Subject (LCSH): Small business; Entrepreneurship; New business enterprises.
Call Number: HD 62.7 .S5257 2005 - Floor 4

Articles

ABI/INFORM Global keyword searching on STARTUPS will result in over 24,000 hits and will provide suggestions for narrowing your search.

In Business Source Elite you can do a keyword search on STARTUPS or START-UPS (you will get different results with and without the hyphen) or you can use the subject heading NEW BUSINESS ENTERPRISES. There is a great deal of overlap in these results, but each search also yields unique results. As in ABI/INFORM, this index will provide suggestions to narrow your topic.

Research Starters - Entrepreneurship
Helpful information from Business Source Elite; use the links for the PDF or interactive html version.

Research Starters - Entrepreneurship & Venture Initiation
Helpful information from Business Source Elite; use the links for the PDF or interactive html version.

Sources of Information

Economic Information

Economic Census Bureau of the Census.
Available in the Documents Collection and online.

Economic Statistics - U.S.
A section of the Milner Library guide to Statistics for Business.

Global Market Information Database (GMID)
Provides economic data as well as volume amd value statistics for sales of various products. Select United States as the geographic area for domestic data or select other regions or countries as desired.

MSA Business Patterns (NAICS)
Data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

STAT-USA
The most relevant statistics will be found in the State of the Nation portion under the Manufacturing and Industry section near the bottom of the page.

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Industry Information

IBISWorld
Contents of a typical industry analysis:
   INDUSTRY DEFINITION: Activities (Products & Services); Similar Industries; Demand &
      Supply Industries
   KEY STATISTICS: Constant Prices; Current Prices; Real Growth; Ratio Table
   MARKET CHARACTERISTICS: Market Size; Linkages; Demand Determinants; Domestic &
      International Markets; Basis of Competition; Life Cycle
   SEGMENTATION: Products & Service Segmentation; Major Market Segments; Industry
      Concentration; Geographic Spread
   INDUSTRY CONDITIONS: Barriers to Entry; Taxation; Industry Assistance; Regulation &
      Deregulation; Cost Structure; Capital & Labor Intensity; Technology & Systems; Industry
      Volatility; Globalization
   PERFORMANCE: Current Performance; Historical Performance
   KEY COMPETITORS: Major Players; Player Performance
   KEY FACTORS: Key Sensitivities; Key Success Factors
   OUTLOOK

Standard & Poor's NetAdvantage
Provides in-depth analyses of broad industries, shorter sub-industry sectors, and macro-economic analysis.

Industry Specific Business Guides
Industry-at-a-Glance and Business Profiles provided by the Missouri Small Business Development Centers. The focus is on industries in the state of Missouri, but much of the information is national.

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Laws and Regulations

For current laws at the state and federal level, consult the legal component of Academic Universe.

Other useful resources include:

155 Legal Do's (and Don'ts) for the Small Business by Paul Adams  (KF 1659 .Z9 A33 1996)

AllLaw.com - Legal Topics - Business and Corporate
Articles, forms and links to resources on a variety of business law topics.

Business.gov Business Laws
Federal government business law resources.

Business Law Prof Blog

The Company Corporation
Provides information about the costs, structures, and taxes involved in incorporating.

Findlaw.com
FindLaw provides a wide range of legal resources on the Internet for free. Includes federal and state cases and laws.

Handle Legal Concerns
Information and links for small business law from the Small Business Administration.

Intro to Federal Taxes for Small Business/self-employed: Get Your Business Off to a Successful Start  (Floor 2 Documents Reference T 22.69:T 19)
A CD-ROM from the IRS to introduce new small business owners and self-employed entrepreneurs to Internal Revenue Service tax laws.

Legal Information Institute
A comprehensive legal web site hosted by Cornell Law School.  Especially useful is the  "Law about..." section, which contains information about legal topics with inks to federal statutes regulations, and court decisions; state statutes and court deciions; and internet sources.

QuickMBA Law and Business
Information on various legal topics from the American legal system to starting a business.

Small Business Formation Handbook  by Robert A. Cooke  (KF 1659 .C66 1999)

Small Business Handbook: Laws, Regulations and Technical Assistnce Services
     (Floor 4 Documents L1.7+2: EM7/7)

The Small Business Legal Kit by J.W. Dicks  (KF 1659 .A65 D53 1995)
Provides ready-to-use forms, agreements, and contracts for any small business.

Uniform Business and Financial Laws Locator
Links to state statutes.

Uniform Commercial Code
Full text of the Uniform Commercial Code, provided by the Cornell University Legal Information Institute.

A Virtual Small Business Workshop CD ROM: A User-friendly Program to Help You Understand Your Business Tax Issues  (Floor 2 Documents Reference T 22.69:V 81)
An IRS resource for small businesses.

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Market Information

American FactFinder
Search data from Census Bureau sources, including the Census of Population and the Economic Census.

Consumer and Demographic Statistics
A section of the Milner Library guide to Statistics for Business.

County Business Patterns. (C3.204/ - Floor 4, Documents)
Gives the number of employees, establishments, and payroll by SIC codes. Published annually; updates the Economic Census.

Statistical Abstract of the United States and print (Floor 2 Desk Reference Doc. C3.134:2008)
Data on all subjects collected by all branches of the federal government. Includes sources for all data presented.

U.S. Census 
Use Census Scope to view the data in graphic formats, such as maps, charts, and graphs.

Local Market

City of Bloomington
Includes contacts for the city council, administration, departments, and chamber of commerce plus links are provided for meeting times of city boards and commissions, hours for city facilities and dates for city sponsored events.

McLean County Government
Includes information about McLean county government, elected and appointed officials, county departments, and a calendar of events.

Pantagraph Online
The primary newspaper of Bloomington-Normal featuring daily local headlines, selected news items, local entertainment, and tourist information.

State of Illinois
Information on Illinois state departments, agencies, and the legislature with access to the educational institutions and libraries in the state.

Town of Normal
Includes information about job opportunities, current city council agendas and minutes from council meetings, the police department, the public library, and the local school district.

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Sources of Funding

Directory of Venture Capital Firms, Domestic & International  (Reference HG4751 .F582 2002)

Research Starters - Funding New Ventures
Helpful information from Business Source Elite; use the links for the PDF or interactive html version.

vFinance.com Search for Capital
Provides links to sources of capital as well as planning aids for small businesses.

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