International Business Plan
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Required outline
This outline must be followed and every section must be titled. Additional subsections are allowed. The body begins with the Executive Summary (page 1); the title page and table of contents are not numbered.
- I.Executive Summary
One- to three-page summary of the business model.
- II.Analysis of the International Business Situation
Economic, governmental and legal analysis of the trading country; trade area and cultural analysis; trade-document requirements.
- III.Problem
The top problems the product/service addresses.
- IV.Customer Segments
Target market (age, income, population, demographics) and buying behavior for the product/service.
- V.Unique Value Proposition
Why the product/service is different and worth buying.
- VI.Solution
Top features of the product/service that solve the problem.
- VII.Channels
The pathways to your customers.
- VIII.Revenue Streams
Revenue model and lifetime values.
- IX.Cost Structure
Acquisition, distribution, HR and other costs.
- X.Detailed Financials
Projected income/expenses, cash flow, year-end balance sheet, 3-year plan, and a plan to meet capital needs.
- XI.Key Metrics
The key activities that must be measured.
- XII.Competitive Advantage
What stops it from being easily copied or bought.
- XIII.Conclusion
Specific request for financing; summary of supporting points.
- XIV.Bibliography
Required. List every source of information used in the entry. Each section, including this one, must be titled.
- XV.Appendixoptional
Optional. Exhibits that support the entry but are not important enough for the body (sample surveys, letters, background data). If included, its pages are numbered too.
Penalty Point Checklist
Judges deduct these points before scoring. The scanner checks all of them automatically. Rules shown are the ICDC defaults — your district or association may vary.
Must be signed by all participants and the chapter advisor and placed in front of the written entry. Only physical or digital signatures count — typed names in a font are not accepted. Do not number this page.
The body is limited to 20 pages, plus the title page and table of contents. The appendix counts toward the 20.
All pages are numbered in sequence starting with the executive summary and ending with the final appendix page. Do not use separate/blank pages between sections or as section title pages.
The entry follows the outline in the Written Entry Guidelines for the event. Each section must be titled. Additional subsections are permitted.
Must be typed and use 8½ × 11-inch pages. Handwritten corrections, notes, charts and graphs are penalized.