Latest on planning
UK businesses keen to invest are held back by inflation
- Article
- 09 Aug 2022
About 66% of businesses plan to seek funding for business investment, according to research, while the same number have been negatively affected by rising inflation.
Sustainability is a long-term plan, not a quick win
- Article
- 08 Jun 2022
EY UK Managing Partner for Sustainability Rob Doepel on why striking a balance between the visible quick wins – and the longer-term systemic changes needed to make a real difference is needed to avoid accusations of greenwashing.
Do Levelling Up building plans align with SDGs?
- Article
- 16 May 2022
Levelling Up targets for greener housing aim to meet UN’s Sustainable Development Goal for human settlements. But are current UK skills and finance models prepared for it?
Ukraine crisis highlights need for scenario planning
- Article
- 24 Mar 2022
Uncertainty in business is rife – no more so than at the moment. But having formalised risk management processes in place allow you to better respond to changing circumstances.
Exclusive
Effective scenario planning
- Article
- 13 Dec 2021
Own the unknowns and create order out of chaos
Woolcool targets opportunities for better business
- Article
- 22 Nov 2021
Sustainable wool-based packaging firm Woolcool is pushing the boundaries of what a future company should look like. Its managing director explains what role the business plans to play in wider society.
Reports
COVID-19: Six actions for finance professionals on cash flow
- Helpsheets and support
- 2020
1 July 2021: How to get cash flowing into your business. This guide shares six practical actions finance professionals may wish to consider when considering cashflow to support their businesses through the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis.
Preparing smarter business plans
- Report
- 2020
The ICAEW Business and Management Faculty shares hints and tips for businesses writing a business plan at a time when many businesses are applying for finance to help them through the pandemic.
Exclusive
Special Report 63: Innovation
- Report
- 2018
- PDF (1,674kb)
Innovation is key to improving productivity and efficiency. This report covers the subject with practical and interesting articles.
Re engineering the planning system
- Helpsheets and support
- 2015
Annual planning as businesses use it today is one of the greatest mistakes organisations have made since 1494.
Special Report 47: Smarter business planning
- Report
- 2014
- PDF (1,467kb)
Creating a written business plan offers the opportunity for an enterprise to clarify and understand it's objectives before exposing them to a wider group. This report will help to draw up your plans and offer some ideas which you haven't considered.
Exclusive
Special Report - Strategic planning
- Report
- 2004
A special report on strategic choices, the role of the finance director and the core elements of corporate strategy.
eBooks
The ICAEW Library & Information Service provides full text access to a selection of key business and reference eBooks from leading publishers. eBooks are available to logged-in ICAEW members, ACA students and other entitled users. If you are unable to access an eBook, please see our Help and support advice or contact library@icaew.com.
Exclusive
How to write reports and proposals
- eBook
- 2013
- Patrick Forsyth
- Kogan Page
A practical guide to writing persuasive business proposals.
Exclusive
How to write a business plan: creating success
- eBook
- 2013
- Brian Finch
- Kogan Page
A guide to writing business plans for non-specialists.
Exclusive
Developing new products and services: learning, differentiation, and innovation
- eBook
- 2012
- G. Lawrence Sanders
- Business Expert Press
A guide to producing competitive products by differentiation.
Exclusive
Strategic planning fundamentals for small business
- eBook
- 2010
- Gary May
- Business Expert Press
Business strategy for small and medium-sized enterprises.
Exclusive
Making the business case: proposals that succeed for projects that work
- eBook
- 2009
- Ian Gambles
- Gower
A practical guide to writing a business case. It is written for anyone, novice or expert, who needs to produce a business case, whether for a defined project or a broader programme.
Exclusive
Consultant's quick start guide: an action plan for your first year in business, The
- eBook
- 2009
- Elaine Blech
- Pfeiffer
A guide to working as a consultant from a US perspective.
Exclusive
How to prepare a business plan
- eBook
- 2008
- Edward Blackwell
- Kogan Page
A practical guide to writing a business plan for SMEs.
Exclusive
How to build a successful consulting practice
- eBook
- 2006
- Jack Phillips
- McGraw-Hill
Practical guide to creating and sustaining a consulting practice.
Terms of use
You are permitted to access, download, copy, or print out content from eBooks for your own research or study only, subject to the terms of use set by our suppliers and any restrictions imposed by individual publishers. Please see individual supplier pages for full terms of use.
Business press
The Library provides access to leading business, finance and management journals. These journals are available to logged-in ICAEW members, ACA students and other entitled users subject to suppliers' terms of use.
Exclusive
Text analytics and the accounting profession
- Article
- 01 Jul 2021
- John Alarcon, Liu Yue, Kevin C Moffatt, Sheneya Wilson
Article discuss the latest trends in text analytics in the accounting profession where firms are using text analytics software in accounting, auditing, tax, and business advisory for automation, compliance assurance, fraud detection, or planning purposes.
Exclusive
Exit planning for small business
- Article
- 01 Jun 2021
- Jon Augelli
- Strategic Finance
Article on the exit planning process for small businesses owners. Areas discussed include assembling an advisory team, determining financial goals, exit strategies, succession planning and personal considerations for owners and their families.
Exclusive
Be ready: How business continuity planning helps organizations plan for emergencies
- Article
- 01 Nov 2020
- Dan R.Reid
- Quality Progress
The COVID-19 pandemic is just one example of why organizations need a business continuity plan to protect their resources and supply chain. The article gives a business continuity process example and looks at some of the ISO standards relevant to continuity planning.
Exclusive
Right and wrong approaches to marketing planning
- Article
- 25 Apr 2019
- Lee Frederiksen
- Accounting Today
Article looks at the difference between marketing and business plans and the four methods for marketing plans that accountancy firms use and their varying results.
Exclusive
CFOs: How to enable finance as a business partner
- Article
- 20 Mar 2019
- Neil James
- CFO Innovation Asia
How to use the integrated business planning (IBP) approach to support finance business partnering in your organisation. IBP can be used in various elements of performance appraisal by the finance business partner, such as budgetary control, alignment of KPIs and risk management.
Exclusive
Effective financial projections for a startup
- Article
- 01 Mar 2019
- Tiffany Hovland
- Journal of Accountancy
Practical considerations to help startups develop a business plan with meaningful financial projections.
Articles and books in the ICAEW Library collection
The collection of the ICAEW Library & Information Service includes a range of articles, books and reports on business planning. Use the links below to see what we have available to request in our Library catalogue (Libcat).
Turnaround management: unlocking and preserving value in distressed businesses
- Library book
- 2019
- A.Tilley
- Globe Law and Business
This practical book draws upon the author's 25 years' experience in turnaround management. It guides the reader through the key issues including staunching cash burn, creating cash generation, identifying viable business elements, eliminating loss-making sectors and excess cost, and identifying a revised strategy, a credible business plan and the management team to implement them.
How to write a business plan
- Library book
- 2013
- B. Finch
- Kogan Page
Designed to lead you through writing your own business plan, including the structure, business background, proposal, financial information and using business plans for bidding.
The business plan workbook
- Library book
- 2012
- C.Barrow
- Kogan Page
A guide to all aspects of business planning, aimed at entrepreneurs, senior executives and students. Based on methodology developed at Cranfield School of Management and using successful real-life business plans, book brings together the process and procedures required to produce that persuasive plan.
To find out how you can borrow books from the Library please see our guide to borrowing books.
You can obtain copies of articles or extracts of books and reports through our document supply service.
External resources - Templates
Business planning templates
- Start Up Loans Company
Business plan template from the Start Up Loans company, the UK government funded scheme which provides advice, loans and mentoring to start-up businesses. An annotated version of the template provides guidance on the type of information, examples and evidence that should be included.
Free sample business plans
- Bplans
A large collection of free business plans for a wide variety of business sectors. Each plan outlines the following sections: executive summary, objectives, mission, keys to success, company summary, products, market analysis summary, strategy and implementation summary, management summary, and financial plan.
Growthink business plan template and guide for entrepreneurs
- Growthink
Detailed template and guide from the US consultancy firm, updated for 2021. The template covers the following sections: executive summary, company overview, industry analysis, customer analysis, competitive analysis, marketing plan, operations plan, management team, and financial plan.
Prince's Trust business plans
- Prince's Trust
The Trust's 'Where to start' section provides a business plan template (Word and pdf format), plus business plan financial tables (Excel format).
Terms of use
ICAEW accepts no responsibility for the content on any site to which a hypertext link from this site exists. The links are provided 'as is' with no warranty, express or implied, for the information provided within them. Please see the full copyright and disclaimer notice.
External resources - Advice and guides
Business & IP Centre
- British Library
The British Library's Business and Intellectual Property Centre offers information and workshops on business planning and growing your business in general.
How to write a business plan
- Startups
The planning section of startups.co.uk includes information on what a business plan is, what it should cover and what not to include. The website also provides news and information to get your small business going.
How to write business plans and business cases
- Walkerstone
Guide from business trainers Walkerstone, setting out a detailed structure for a good business plan.
Incorporation and names
- GOV.UK
Guidance from Companies House setting out the main requirements for incorporating a company in the United Kingdom. Includes guidance on choosing a name for your business.
Terms of use
ICAEW accepts no responsibility for the content on any site to which a hypertext link from this site exists. The links are provided 'as is' with no warranty, express or implied, for the information provided within them. Please see the full copyright and disclaimer notice.
External resources - Atom Content Marketing guides
Finance your high-growth business
- Atom Content Marketing
Whether you need to invest in developing new products and approaching new markets, or fund increasing levels of working capital as sales increase, the right financing lets you make the most of your growth potential.
Find the right premises for growth
- Atom Content Marketing
If you expect your business to grow quickly, it can be difficult to get suitable premises for your needs. Though you may not need much space now, the situation could be very different in 12 or 18 months' time.
Plan and budget for growth
- Atom Content Marketing
Business planning is particularly important for businesses targeting high rates of growth. You need to be able to respond immediately to developments in what are often young and fast-moving sectors.
Write a business plan
- Atom Content Marketing
A well-researched and written business plan is an essential tool. Discover how to structure and write a business plan and what information to include. Section includes business plan templates, business plan checklist and short video explaining business plan layouts.
Terms of use
ICAEW accepts no responsibility for the content on any site to which a hypertext link from this site exists. The links are provided 'as is' with no warranty, express or implied, for the information provided within them. Please see the full copyright and disclaimer notice.
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