Small business management : launching & growing entrepreneurial ventures / Justin G. Longenecker, J. William Petty, Leslie E. Palich, Frank Hoy.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Part 1: Entrepreneurship : a world of opportunity. The entrepreneurial life ; Integrity, ethics, and social entrepreneurship -- Part 2: Starting from scratch or joining an existing business. Starting a small business ; Franchises and buyouts ; The family business -- Part 3: Developing the new venture business plan. The business plan : visualizing the dream ; The marketing plan ; The organizational plan : teams, legal structures, alliances, and directors ; The location plan ; Understanding a firm's financial statements ; Forecasting financial requirements ; A firm's sources of financing ; Planning for the harvest -- Part 4: Focusing on the customer : marketing growth strategies. Building customer relationships ; Product development and supply chain management ; Pricing and credit decisions ; Promotional planning ; Global opportunities for small businesses -- Part 5: Managing growth in the small business. Professional management and the small business ; Managing human resources ; Managing small business operations ; Managing the firm's assets ; Managing risk.