Talk:Sustainable Business/The business plan

Restructure
This chapter will be collapsed into the new chapter that will be the business plan template. The methods here, will directly link to the fields of the business plan.

Need to check the NZTE business plan template is complete as compared with orther business plans --leighblackall (talk) 23:48, 24 February 2010 (UTC)

Sustainability references within linked Booklets
There are a number of things I have picked up as I have gone through the booklets - there is a large quantity of text when you pull all the booklets in arent there.

Firstly, if we were to integrate sustainability into all the booklets it would be a large task. So instead I have made changes where the concept of sustainability could be confused - such as where the language of sustainability is being used to denote business continuity. I have also changed references and related egs from environment to sustainability. Only in minimal places have I made changes that broaden the discussion to include sustainability - and i tend to have made reference to this in the related section in the business plan

It would pay for you also to skim through the booklets and make sure this job is complete and there isnt some obvious place where a sustainability reference would be easy and valuable.

I suggest if there is a way of searching for a word in text that you do that for sustainability to make sure i have picked up all references to the word in all the booklets and ensured that they are in the right vein.

I started to record what changes i was making in the doc - starting each comment with Leigh - however it occured to me that this wasnt the right way of drawing your attn to what i had done so stopped this after a while. anything i think you need to know i have putting in this note --Leanneholdsworth (talk) 00:12, 9 March 2010 (UTC)


 * Great. I will look out for the changes to Business Continutity as different to Sustainability.. my only thought was it might lead people towards thinking we mean sustainability to be only ecological.. I'll take a look in my next round of editing to answer this question.. leighblackall (talk) 00:06, 16 March 2010 (UTC)

References to templates in booklets
in some of the booklets like how to reduce the risk there are references to templates - do we have those in this doc and therefore should we be including references to them? --Leanneholdsworth (talk) 00:22, 9 March 2010 (UTC)


 * These references to Templates where the original structure of the NZTE texts. Where a booklet refers to a Template, it was actually referingto a section within the Business Plan. We have effectively reversed the relationship - knowing that most people just want to get straight into writing their Business Plan, and that we refer them out to info in the Booklets when they encounter a section in the business plan that needs more info. So, we should delete all reference to the word's Template. Please, if you see it, delete it. In saying that, it might be good to check if we are referring to the booklet from the business plan first. We don't want to break a link all together. leighblackall (talk) 00:06, 16 March 2010 (UTC)

Broken links
i have added an external link that is not working - its to the sbn. perhaps you can let me know what i have done wrong - think its in that booklet above. --Leanneholdsworth (talk) 00:22, 9 March 2010 (UTC)


 * I'll look out for it Leanne.. perhaps log any broken links you find here so we can track them leighblackall (talk) 00:06, 16 March 2010 (UTC)

Images
where there are pics in the booklets such as in planning fo the future, manufacturing and industry sector influences it says they will be being updated in march 2010. you probably need to get in touch with them to make sure that there isnt a new version of the booklets etc on the boil and if we should be using a more updated version - i hope not.... and see what we need to be doing about the --Leanneholdsworth (talk) 00:22, 9 March 2010 (UTC)


 * The images currently there are placeholders. I added them just to illustrate to others what and where an image might go. Ideally, I hope to find at least 1 image for each booklet that the designer can use as a basis for designing the covers for each booklet. I will send an email to the NZTE reps to check if they are moving to create a new set of books, and that they might consider joining us on the wiki at some stage. That would be quite an outcome of this project if that were to happen! leighblackall (talk) 00:06, 16 March 2010 (UTC)

Booklets
in booklet index not sure 1-12 and 13+ need to be seperated - that made sense in the business plan but doesnt work i dont think when refered to as additional booklets

I have struggled with where to put a booklet on sustainable business practice. i know we are integrating the concept but i still have generic sustainability content i think needs to be added somewhere. see what you think about where i have put it - in the profile with a reference to a booklet

In terms of the booklets i still ahve some work to do on the manufacturing one and whats important to you and the sustainable business practice. otherwise i am done with the booklets.

i will now be putting my attention back onto text in the business plan. --Leanneholdsworth (talk) 00:22, 9 March 2010 (UTC)


 * Re: 1-12 and 13+ I'll take a look...


 * Regarding a new booklet for Sustainable Business Practice: Ok, great. I think it would certainly be worth creating a Sustainable Business Practice booklet, and for that booklet to be the aggregation of all the content we have attempted to intergrate. Perhaps the Chapter we have for Sustainability becomes that booklet with additional content such as examples and practical steps? Then we would end up with only 2 chapters: The Business Plan and Booklets :) For now, let's just go with the creation of Sustainable Business Practice and consider this later.


 * Re minor edits and additions.. great. Not far to go now, just some close eye work in ironing out copyedit and spotting as many chances for adding sustainability related content into as many of the existing booklets as time permits us. leighblackall (talk) 00:06, 16 March 2010 (UTC)

Comments from Leanne's edits from 19 March to 1 April
Leigh, can you please address these as they are posted. Thanks
 * What is your view on whether there should be a distinction between what's important to me and Why I started this business? It may be too subtle - thoughts plse


 * If there is an opprtunity to consolidate content into one, we shoudl take it. In this case, it seem logical to me. leighblackall (talk) 05:17, 19 March 2010 (UTC)


 * I'm having difficulty with wiki accpeting my selection of text for italics. I am managing to get some of each of my changes italicised though. and my signature is at the end of each one. So hopefully this is going to be enough to alert you to putting the information in the right booklet/example section


 * No worries, Basically italics need a double inverted comma around each paragraph of text leighblackall (talk) 05:17, 19 March 2010 (UTC)


 * the competition section - alludes to list any other points that are not mentioned above - that confuses me - may need clarification?


 * Yeah, I was trying to think of a wayto get rid of the competition section for where it conflicts with sustainability.. you know, protectionism and avoidence of collaboration has adverse affects on sustainability. Imagine if this text was to follow such advice? We wouldn't be on a wiki and we would be using permissive copyrights. And yet there are non-protectionist business models.. a whole nother booklet though leighblackall (talk) 05:17, 19 March 2010 (UTC)


 * the stakeholder engagement section - used to be customer engagement or some such. anyway the bullet on customers seems pretty meaningless to me? needs explanation. perhaps it can be linked to a booklet that explains more?


 * Will look into it.. leighblackall (talk) 05:17, 19 March 2010 (UTC)

24 March points

 * Thanks for above and you have done good work since i worked on it on friday. I have 5 hours of nanny time from now so hopefully you will notice i big chunk from me today. no doubt this point is just the beninning of todays points...

WIth internal links, its great the way the link points to the part within the sustianable business chapter - eg return to sender eco coffins. i note that at the end of the section where it says useful booklets, it doesnt take them directly to the place in the booklet. does that matter?


 * Still thinking about it. So far I think its better to be general with the "useful booklets" list, and link specifically in the see case study on... I'm thinking mainly about print.. you'll notice that the Useful Booklet also says (section...) this is for print. Perhaps when the Booklets are stable enough, we can rethink this linking.. --leighblackall (talk) 09:56, 24 March 2010 (UTC)

Having spent some hours navigating around yesterday I think you may be right to keep the booklets ref general --Leanneholdsworth (talk) 23:20, 24 March 2010 (UTC)

The Stakeholder engagement link to the sustainable business chapter seems to be a bit wonky
 * Not sure.. works find for me here. Sometimes on differing resolution screens, the anchor (the link to a section) get's out because the page fits differently within a screen. --leighblackall (talk) 09:56, 24 March 2010 (UTC)

What I meant was, in the useful booklet section at end of stakeholder engagement, the text reads: Sustainable Business/Sustainable business practice (Section: Stakeholder engagement) - i dont think it is supposed to start with sustainable business before sustainable business practice? --Leanneholdsworth (talk) 23:20, 24 March 2010 (UTC)

Finance Section - I have added an intro sentance - you may not feel it necessary. have also added a couple of sustainability sentances. havent updated the tables to reflect my comments - not confident to do so - dont think it matters but if you do then add in a Sustainability expense in admin expense area


 * Sentences makes sense to me. Table updated. Link to Finance example added. --leighblackall (talk) 09:56, 24 March 2010 (UTC)

Key success factors is a heading right at the end of the business plan. Seems misplaced at the end of the business plan. i would delete it. i think we ask enough similar questions at the start of the business plan


 * I love it when you tell me to delete things. Less is more. This deletion made perfect sense to me. --leighblackall (talk) 09:56, 24 March 2010 (UTC)

the industry sector headings - last section in BP arent quite the same - think the headings need to include industry sector so the sectioin is not confused with the industry influences section earlier in the BP


 * Was a little confused by this.. please check I've done it right. --leighblackall (talk) 09:56, 24 March 2010 (UTC)

Done right :)--Leanneholdsworth (talk) 23:20, 24 March 2010 (UTC)

I would delete the key ratios heading - doesnt add anything that is not in the kpi section
 * :) --leighblackall (talk) 09:56, 24 March 2010 (UTC)

do we need to worry about this message on the sustainable business bookletpage - Warning: This page is 39 kilobytes long; some browsers may have problems editing pages approaching or longer than 32kb. Please consider breaking the page into smaller sections. ?


 * We should try and think of ways to shorten the page. Its no big deal, but it is getting to be a large booklet... on second thoughts, the table that explains how the principles map, could become an appendix if need be... --leighblackall (talk) 09:56, 24 March 2010 (UTC)

I like that idea --Leanneholdsworth (talk) 23:20, 24 March 2010 (UTC)

25 March points

 * Grr just learnt that you shoudl keep saving the page incase your computer locks up and you have to close it down..........


 * I have done the links in a section called how to do sustianable business practice in the SB practice booklet. it needs tidying up and wording better. can you take alook at this? I am trying to be super - efficient Done leighblackall (talk) 01:13, 31 March 2010 (UTC)


 * update the home page structure outline Done leighblackall (talk) 05:32, 27 March 2010 (UTC)


 * resources is a heading at bottom of booklets. i have the links in the SB practice booklet - what were you thinking for resources and should we just include any other links in the SB practice booklet? and on that i cant find those old links. i probably havent got time to go through them now but perhaps you could seperate the section i have started with links into 2 parts - 1 is practical toolsa nd teh other is interesting reading for those who want to increase their understanding of sustainability? Done I have moved your extra supporting links into the bottom section called Further links and resources leighblackall (talk) 01:13, 31 March 2010 (UTC)


 * sorry i see it now - its uat end of SB section - links and resources - leave it to you as to how this is integarted or not with above Done as above leighblackall (talk) 01:13, 31 March 2010 (UTC)


 * on the sus bus booklet it reads as a booklet until it comes down to the "extra information" pieces and then it is bitsy and doesnt flow as a booklet. so above the market, there needs to be perhaps an explnation of why it is linke that? or - what do you think? also can we link back to where the info was prompted from? would that help? Done I think I have managed to clean it all up nicely leighblackall (talk) 01:13, 31 March 2010 (UTC)


 * in the index to what is in the SB booklet on the page that has the index for contents for each of teh booklets, there is not the whole list of what is in the chapter - can you fix that? Done leighblackall (talk) 01:13, 31 March 2010 (UTC)


 * Your reasons for starting your business - i have blended the content for the other booklet - called soemthing like what is important to you? so can you make sure that the indexes now reflect this amalgamation? Done we have merged that content into the Business Profile booklet, deleting the old booklets leighblackall (talk) 01:13, 31 March 2010 (UTC)

26 March points

 * I have made some changes in the business sector booklet that require a link to be done by you plse


 * More about the gloabl reporting initiative subsection in the SB booklet needs formatting Done I have deleted the GRI info as I don't think it was necessary, and it was a verbatim copy anyway. leighblackall (talk) 01:16, 31 March 2010 (UTC)


 * in measuring Sb practice, it seems to have put the social indicators into a box - and not all of them - not sure why - can you look at this?


 * How to lower the risk booklet - in building credibility I have added a point that has gone italic instead of bold... sorry


 * also in same booklet in join business networks the SBN external link needs to be made to work


 * Grr. the case study for formway furniture i have cut and pasted directly from the mfe website. how should we attribute this? and it has gone all screwy in the formatting. I will need to seek copyright release from them leighblackall (talk) 05:34, 27 March 2010 (UTC)


 * the way the examples have worked out I have not done what we discussed which was have a consistent business (3of them in fact) throughout the business plan. I think that would have been good but sometimes to show as wide a variety as possible the examples are different businesses. hope you ok with this. I see only 3 example businesses in the SB Practice booklet..?  leighblackall (talk) 01:16, 31 March 2010 (UTC)


 * the way i have dealt with the strong sustainability issue is to ahve a section about it in the SB booklet. Using examples of strong sustainability would just be intimidating for the main user of this busienss plan I think Agreed leighblackall (talk) 01:16, 31 March 2010 (UTC)


 * Ok. I am done other than writing up the examples for the organisational relationships and reviewing it once you have made the changes from the past couple of days. I have 1.5 hours left in the budget. I reckon it will take no longer than 3 hours to do those couple of things + have our final conversation which I am happy to donate. I would like to be able to wrap it all up by end of play on Thursday. I will prepare invoice now.--Leanneholdsworth (talk) 02:26, 26 March 2010 (UTC)

29 March
FInished other than the review post your changes. ne above re formway - it is an mfe publication that has been cut and pasted from so if you need to seek permission, then i imagine it needs to come from mfe. libby masterton at mfe is in charge of those case studies --Leanneholdsworth (talk) 00:28, 29 March 2010 (UTC)

1 april
the reasons for starting business is still not where i had envisaged it. i was thinking it would be integrated inot the booklet business profile - however, leave this in your camp - not an arm and a leg. thd content needs formatting as well i see the case studies have been changed to examples of sustianable business. that is ok except there are examples peppered throughout the buisness plan. over to you though yesterday i emailed through a para re gri - no worries if you have decided not to use it but incase it has been overlooked that is all for me. Feel free to be in touch if you want to run anything by me. I'm closing the laptop for easter now though. It's been a pleasure and I hope it is useful to many --Leanneholdsworth (talk) 02:12, 1 April 2010 (UTC)