Essentials of entrepreneurship and small business management / Thomas W. Zimmerer, Norman M. Scarborough with Doug Wilson.

Includes bibliographical references (p. 681-704) and indexes.

Preface -- section I. The challenge of entrepreneurship -- 1. The foundations of entrepreneurship -- The world of the entrepreneur -- What is an entrepreneur? -- The benefits of entrepreneurship -- The potential drawbacks of entrepreneurship -- Behind the boom : what's feeding the entrepreneurial fire -- The cultural diversity of entrepreneurship -- The power of "small" business -- The ten deadly mistakes of entrepreneurship -- Putting failure into perspective -- How to avoid the pitfalls -- Chapter summary by learning objectives -- Discussion questions -- Business plan pro -- Beyond the classroom... -- 2. Inside the entrepreneurial mind : from ideas to reality -- Creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship -- Creativity, a necessity for survival -- Creative thinking -- Barriers to creativity -- How to enhance creativity -- The creative process -- Techniques for improving the creative process -- Intellectual property : protecting your ideas -- Chapter summary by learning objectives -- Discussion questions -- Business plan pro -- Beyond the classroom... --

section II. Building the business plan : beginning considerations -- 3. Designing a competitive business model and building a solid strategic plan -- Building a competitive advantage -- The strategic management process -- Conclusion -- Chapter summary by learning objectives -- Discussion questions -- Business plan pro -- Beyond the classroom... -- 4. Conducting a feasibility analysis and crafting a winning business plan -- Conducting a feasibility analysis -- Why develop a business plan? -- The elements of a business plan -- What lenders and investors look for in a business plan -- Making the business plan presentation -- Conclusion -- Business plan format -- Chapter summary by learning objectives -- Discussion questions -- Business plan pro -- Beyond the classroom... -- 5. Forms of business ownership -- The sole proprietorship -- The partnership -- Corporations -- Other forms of ownership -- Chapter summary by learning objectives -- Discussion questions -- Business plan pro -- Beyond the classroom... -- 6. Franchising and the entrepreneur -- Types of franchising -- The benefits of buying a franchise -- The drawbacks of buying a franchise -- Franchising and the law -- The right way to buy a franchise -- Trends shaping franchising -- Conclusion -- Chapter summary by learning objectives -- Discussion questions -- Business plan pro -- Beyond the classroom... -- 7. Buying an existing business -- Buying an existing business -- The steps in acquiring a business -- Evaluating an existing business, the due diligence process -- Methods for determining the value of a business -- Understanding the seller's side -- Negotiating the deal -- Chapter summary by learning objectives -- Discussion questions -- Business plan pro -- Beyond the classroom... --

section III. Building the business plan : marketing and financial considerations -- 8. Building a powerful marketing plan -- Building a guerrilla marketing plan -- Pinpointing the target market -- Determining customer needs and wants through market research -- Plotting a guerrilla marketing strategy : how to build a competitive edge -- Marketing on the World Wide Web -- The marketing mix -- Chapter summary by learning objectives -- Discussion questions -- Business plan pro -- Beyond the classroom... -- 9. E-commerce and the entrepreneur -- Benefits of selling on the Web -- Factors to consider before launching into e-commerce -- Twelve myths of e-commerce -- Strategies for e-success -- Designing a killer Web site -- Tracking Web results -- Ensuring Web privacy and security -- Chapter summary by learning objectives -- Discussion questions -- Business plan pro -- Beyond the classroom... -- 10. Pricing strategies -- Three potent forces : image, competition, and value -- Pricing strategies and tactics -- Pricing strategies and methods for retailers -- Pricing concepts for manufacturers -- Pricing strategies and methods for service firms -- The impact of credit on pricing -- Chapter summary by learning objectives -- Discussion questions -- Business plan pro -- Beyond the classroom... -- 11. Creating a successful financial plan -- Basic financial statements -- Creating projected financial statements -- Ratio analysis -- Interpreting business ratios -- Break-even analysis -- Chapter summary by learning objectives -- Discussion questions -- Business plan pro -- Beyond the classroom... -- 12. Managing cash flow -- Cash management -- Cash and profits are not the same -- The cash budget -- Preparing a cash budget -- The "big three" of cash management -- Avoiding the cash crunch -- Barter -- Conclusion -- Chapter summary by learning objectives -- Discussion questions -- Business plan pro -- Beyond the classroom... --

section IV. Putting the business plan to work : sources of funds -- 13. Sources of financing : debt and equity -- Planning for capital needs -- Equity capital versus debt capital -- Sources of equity financing -- The nature of debt financing -- Federally sponsored programs -- Small Business Administration -- State and local loan development programs -- Internal methods of financing -- Chapter summary by learning objectives -- Discussion questions -- Business plan pro -- Beyond the classroom... -- 14. Choosing the right location and layout -- Location : a source of competitive advantage -- Location criteria for retail and service businesses -- Location options for retail and service businesses -- The location decision for manufacturers -- Layout and design considerations -- Layout : maximizing revenues, increasing efficiency, or reducing costs -- Chapter summary by learning objectives -- Discussion questions -- Business plan pro -- Beyond the classroom... -- 15. Global aspects of entrepreneurship -- Why go global? -- Strategies for going global -- Barriers to international trade -- International trade agreements -- Conclusion -- Chapter summary by learning objectives -- Discussion questions -- Business plan pro -- Beyond the classroom... -- 16. Building a new venture team and planning for the next generation -- Leading in the new economy -- Building an entrepreneurial team : hiring the right employees -- Creating an organizational culture that encourages employee retention -- Management succession : passing the torch of leadership -- Exit strategies -- Chapter summary by learning objectives -- Discussion questions -- Business plan pro -- Beyond the classroom... -- Appendix. Sample business plan : total health and fitness -- Cases -- Endnotes -- Photo credits -- Name index -- Subject index.