MSW Case Study: International Business Plan Implementation

MSW Case Study: International Business Plan Implementation

First of all I would approach the business plan as an evolving concept rather than a boilerplate document.

I would then implement the continuous feedback loop of Figure 3.1 which includes:

Defining the business: As a small regional player in the Canadian bottled water market is it going to be the wisest move to jump to international marketing of a product that has not yet been successfully sold in nine out of ten provinces?

Gathering information: Relevant to the nature of the business vision, is this water company going global? If so with which products? If then to which markets? What information provides context, budget and time relevant sense to making the best targeting decisions for this export product?

Updating the business plan: Plans go sour just as spring water sometimes does. Which countries will or are providing low or negative profits? Which countries are or could provide better target sales profits? Is water product all we should market? Are there other niches (like spa quality muds), which might also be successful?

Implementing changes: How quickly can we enter or exit profitable new or unprofitable markets? How easily can we react to customer suggestions surveys or changing preferences in size, quality or quantity of product? How quickly can we react to external opportunities and threats relevant to the target market?
Will we profess to implement SWOT and forever SWOT our business on a routine basis much as a lighthouse sweeps the shore for the benefit of the avoidance of shoals? If we SWOT then what SWOT analysis is relevant and what SWOT is not?

Evaluating and revising assumptions: What qualitative or quantitative research methods and results will we need to make the best business decisions which fulfill our growth targets or corporate vision? Will we be flexible enough to revisit our corporate vision (with or without the aide of a swami or guru)?