Plan for Profitability!: How to Write a Strategic Business Plan

By Lee E., Jr. Hargrave and Jr. Hargrave, Lee E.

Book by Hargrave, Lee E. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1891929194
• ISBN13: 9781891929199
• Release Date: January 1999
• Publisher: Four Seasons Pub
• Length: 300 Pages
• Weight: 1.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.5" x 0.8" x 5.5"

Customer Reviews

Plan for Profitability by Lee E Hargrave, Jr.

The author of Plan for Profitability, Professor Lee Hargrave, had a long career in a variety of companies, large and small, in various senior positions, including Vice President, Chief Operating Officer as well as Chief Executive Officer (CEO). He has vast experience in writing strategic plans, having written over a hundred in his long career, spanning over 35 years. He has an excellent academic background. His book is, therefore, unique in that it gives practical hands on guidance to the reader to enable him to formulate effective strategic plans. The book is a step-by-step guide on how to write a practical business strategic plan. The reader is guided through the interrelated elements of a typical plan. These elements are the mission, market, competition, self-evaluation, opportunities, objectives, strategies, programmes, goals, resources and financials. The book has several examples from actual strategic plans, making it easy for the reader to understand the subject fully.

The Bible on Strategic Business Plans

I consider Mr. Hargrave's book, Plan for Profitability!, to be one of the most straightforward and instructional books on the subject of strategic business plans. I have reviewed and researched other books on the subject and they do not give a comparable depth and insight into the subject . Mr. Hargrave's book is based on his practical experience that includes writing over one hundred business plans for large and small companies. His business plan experience started while working at General Electric, when, in the early 1970s, the concept of strategic business planning was initiated company-wide. His business planning experience has helped him in leading many business start-ups, acquisitions and divestitures during his career. Since 1991, Professor Hargrave has been the Principal of the Hargrave Consultancy, www.hargrave.com.Mr. Hargrave presents the eleven elements of the strategic business plan. These elements are similar to what other writers present but these elements provide the information necessary to ensure a plan that is acceptable to potential investors. Mr. Hargrave presents the best details about `how' to put a strategic plan together, including several tools that he uses to help in the analysis process during the preparation of the plan. His Principle of Linkages is a very useful tool in organizing the process that leads to identifying and selecting the strategies, programs and goals for the company and its competitors.The mission is the first element and the foundation upon which the other elements of the strategic plan are established. The final element of the strategic plan is to develop the financial projections. These projections use the data from the previous elements of the plan to quantify the company's revenue performance. Mr. Hargrave's explanation of the financial information is very easy to understand. This book is one that will be used for many years to come in my business endeavors.

A must-read for those who want a strategic plan that works!

Mr Hargrave's book contains practical guidance to developing a sound, realistic and executable strategic business plan. Drawing from his wealth of business experience from working & leading various corporations and running his own consultancy practice, the book provides a detailed framework from which managers can follow to draw up their own plans. On top of that, explainations are given throughout the book on why certains steps are needful while others are superfluous, what key issues to consider and what pitfalls to avoid in formulating the plan. Three words that describe the content of the book will have to be: impactful, illuminating and practical. A must-read for managers and aspiring MBAs in strategic management. A second edition to bring in the role of IT in strategic planning would be great!

Excellent

This book provides an excellent approach to strategic planning. It translates well-known theories to their practical applications. This is a good book for MBA students and strategic planners.

Excellent, excellent, excellent!

Finally, here is a book that describes the strategic planning process in a clear and logical structure. It's about time. I've been doing strategic planning for 17 years and I am amazed at the lack of "how-to" information.