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

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
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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
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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
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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
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5. Forms of business ownership
The sole proprietorship
The partnership
Corporations
Other forms of ownership
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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11. Creating a successful financial plan
Basic financial statements
Creating projected financial statements
Ratio analysis
Interpreting business ratios
Break-even analysis
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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
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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
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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
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15. Global aspects of entrepreneurship
Why go global?
Strategies for going global
Barriers to international trade
International trade agreements
Conclusion
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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
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Appendix. Sample business plan : total health and fitness
Cases
Endnotes
Photo credits
Name index
Subject index.