Plan of Approach

Business Development Plan

Aanenuitbesteden.nl BV
Version 1
Irma Sefrinta (2435016)
Maartje Slot (2432682)
Mai Ngan Ha (2435124)
Nina Mols (2432515)

Aanenuitbesteden.nl BV
Saxion University of Applied Sciences Deventer
IBMS
Mr. Pliester
February 2013 / June 2013
6th March 2013

Table of Contents
1.

Introduction .......................................................................................................................................... 3

2.

Objective of the assignment ................................................................................................................. 4

3.

Objective ............................................................................................................................................... 4

4.

Central research question ..................................................................................................................... 4

5.

Sub-questions........................................................................................................................................ 4
5.1

Market research ............................................................................................................................ 4

5.2

Company name ............................................................................................................................. 5

5.3

Sales Strategy ................................................................................................................................ 5

5.4

Customers ..................................................................................................................................... 5

5.5

Revenue Model ............................................................................................................................. 5

5.6

Plan................................................................................................................................................ 5

6.

Methods of Research ............................................................................................................................ 6

7.

Project organization ............................................................................................................................ 11

8.

Planning............................................................................................................................................... 11

9.

Constraints .......................................................................................................................................... 13

10.

Preliminary table of contents of report .......................................................................................... 13

11.

References ...................................................................................................................................... 15

12.

Statement of Approval .................................................................................................................... 16

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1. Introduction
Business Planning has been regarded as an important subject to focus on in the business world for quite
sometimes. In order to ensure that the students are well prepared to face a real life situation, this
semester the students are required to set up a business development plan for a real company. That will
involve the learning of strategic thinking. Skills from all courses, such as Management Control, Strategic
Management, Human Resource Management, International Law and Sustainable Business Ethics will be
combined to support the completion of the project.
To develop a further and deeper analysis of this subject, one main research question has been set up
together with several sub-questions. Based on these questions, the analysis will be conducted, to get
some insights, and cover every part that needs to be addressed within the final report.
This way, the group hopes that the final report will be able to fulfill every requirement and expectation,
to improve students understanding of how to set up a business development plan and prepare them to
develop and improve their skills as entrepreneurs.
The company the students work with for the following semester is Aanenuitbesteden.nl. It is an
internet-based company, connecting construction companies with each other. The company has been
established in Rijssen, the Netherlands, in 2005. Erik Nieuwenhuis is the founder and director of the
company. At this moment, the company is only operating in the Netherlands.
In principal, Aanenuitbesteden.nl is a tender platform for main contractors and subcontractors. It offers
a database for contractors, which contains subcontractors information that might be interested to work
with them. The process begins when a contractor uploads its project on the website and sends it to
several subcontractors that might be a suitable partner to accomplish the project. Then, the selected
subcontractors can react to it by sending their quotations via the database to the contractor. The main
contractor can then choose with whom he would like to work with, according to the best tender.

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2. Objective of the assignment

2.1

Problem description

Aanenuitbesteden.nl is currently the market leader with the service it is providing. By the end of the
year 2013 they project to reach a market share of approximately 40% within the Netherlands. The
company is convinced that its service providing strategy can be implemented worldwide. At the moment
the company is lacking of foreign market information and business developing skills to expand its
business to an international level.

2.2

Objective

To create a business development plan for www.aanenuitbesteden.nl within 14 weeks period that
consists of ideas and recommendations on how to extend the activities of www.aanenuitbesteden.nl to
Germany and the Republic of Ireland as the first steps to go international.

3. Central research question

What is the best approach for Aanenuitbesteden.nl BV to expand its online service to Germany and the
Republic of Ireland?

4. Sub-questions
4.1
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

General information about company

What is the vision of Aanenuitbesteden.nl?

What is the mission of Aanenuitbesteden.nl?
What is the strategy of Aanenuitbesteden.nl?
What is the market of Aanenuitbesteden.nl?
What is the business model of Aanenuitbesteden.nl?
What is the revenue model of Aanenuitbesteden.nl?
Who are the competitors in the Netherlands for Aanenuitbesteden.nl?
What are the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats for Aanuitbesteden.nl?

4.2

Market research

9. What are specific local industry characteristics and cultures in Germany and the Republic of
Ireland?
10. How does the construction tender procedure work in Germany and the Republic of Ireland?
11. What is the competition in Germany and the Republic of Ireland?
12. Are there online or other forms of services available in German and the Republic of Ireland?
13. What subcontractor databases exist in Germany and the Republic of Ireland?
14. What contractor databases exist in Germany and the Republic of Ireland?
15. What is the geographical spread of the competition in Germany and the Republic of Ireland?
16. What is their customer service portfolio in Germany and the Republic of Ireland?
17. What functional focus in the services is provided in Germany and the Republic of Ireland?
18. What repro services are offered in Germany and the Republic of Ireland?
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19. What calculation offices exist in Germany and the Republic of Ireland?

4.3

Company name

20. What is the best approach and the reasoning to name the company branch in Germany and the
Republic of Ireland?
21. What is/are a suitable name(s) for the company?

4.4
22.
23.
24.
25.

Sales Strategy

What sales strategy should the company adopt in Germany and the Republic of Ireland?
Why or why not should the company work with a local partner?
Why or why not should the company invest in search engine advertising?
Why or why not should the company use social business networks?

4.5

Customers

26. Who are the potential contractors in Germany and the Republic of Ireland?
27. Who are the potential subcontractors in Germany and the Republic of Ireland?

4.6

Revenue Model

28. What is a suitable revenue model fitting to the local situation in Germany and the Republic of
Ireland?
29. What should be the main source of income for the new branch in Germany and the Republic of
Ireland?

4.7

Plan

30. What steps does the company have to perform to enter the market in Germany and the
Republic of Ireland?

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5. Methods of Research
To be able to find answers to the central question and sub questions, different methods and their
procedures have to be used. For that reason, the desk research will be done more frequently rather
than the field research.
For the field research, one entrepreneurial interview needs to take place. The group is planning on
having an interview with Erik Nieuwenhuis, the director of Aanenuitbesteden.nl about entrepreneurship
and the construction industry. Secondly, the group will have an expert interview with a professional in
the field of the construction industry in Germany and the Republic of Ireland.
The desk research will include literature study, including primary and secondary data. Secondary sources
such as books for classes (Making a business plan by Grit, Strategic Marketing by Bradley, Strategic
Management by David) are going to be used. Tertiary sources, similar to encyclopedias, will be used to
get a better understanding of the construction tender market itself and the theories, which need to be
applied. For the literature review, process keywords need to be generated and defined before the
search will be conducted. After that the literature will be obtained, evaluated and recorded.
Internet research will be used to gain additional information on construction tender market. However,
the group needs to be aware that the found information is reliable and based on facts. Sources have to
be checked on validity. The Saxion library is also a source of information that can be used for the project.
An explanatory research will be done by conducting a business development, which includes the current
market situation and a strategy how to approach the market in a different country.
The research time horizon will be cross sectional because the research will only be done once and not
more often.
The research choices will be according to the mixed methods because more than one data collection
technique and data analysis procedure will be used and also qualitative and quantitative data will be of
importance.
The research approach will be inductive. First of all, the data will be collected and structured. Following
this step, the group will try to understand and interpret the data and then put together a business
development plan for the company.
All in all applied research will be done for this project because it should lead to the improvement of
understanding of a particular business problem. It will result in a business development plan. The
findings could be of practical relevance and value to the company. The course coordinator
predetermines the objectives. Finally the research has to be fulfilled in a tight time scale.

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The table below shows how each sub question is approached.

Central research question
What is the best approach for Aanenuitbesteden.nl BV to expand its online service
to Germany and the Republic of Ireland?
Topic
A. General
information
about the
company

Sub question

What is the vision of

1. Aanenuitbesteden.nl?

Descriptive

What is the mission of

2. Aanenuitbesteden.nl?

Descriptive

What is the strategy of

3. Aanenuitbesteden.nl?

Descriptive

What is the market of

4. Aanenuitbesteden.nl?

Descriptive

What is the business

model of
5. Aanenuitbesteden.nl?
What is the revenue
model of
6. Aanenuitbesteden.nl?
What are the
competitors in the
Netherlands for
7. Aanenuitbesteden.nl?

B. Market
research

Purpose of
research

What are the strengths,

weaknesses,
opportunities and threats
8. for Aanuitbesteden.nl?
What are specific local
industry characteristics
and cultures in Germany
and the Republic of
9. Ireland?
How does the
construction tender
procedure work in
Germany and the
10. Republic of Ireland?
What is the competition
in Germany and the
11. Republic of Ireland?

Descriptive

Way of data collection

Interview
Internet research

Descriptive

Descriptive

Descriptive

Descriptive
and
Explorative

Descriptive
and
Explorative
Descriptive
and
Explorative

Primary source
Entrepeneur
interview
Expert interview
Secondary source
Course books
Tertiary source
Encyclopedias
Internet research
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Are there online or other

forms of services
Descriptive
available in Germany and and
12. the Republic of Ireland? Explorative
What subcontractor
databases exist in
Germany and the
13. Republic of Ireland?
What contractor
databases exist in
Germany and the
14. Republic of Ireland?
What is the geographical
spread of the
competition in Germany
and the Republic of
15. Ireland?

Descriptive
and
Explorative
Descriptive
and
Explorative

Descriptive
and
Explorative

What is their customer

16. service portfolio?

Descriptive
and
Explorative

What functional focus in

17. the services is provided?

Descriptive
and
Explorative

What repro services are

offered in Germany and
18. the Republic of Ireland?

Descriptive
and
Explorative

What calculation offices

exist in Germany and the
19. Republic of Ireland?
Why or why not should
the company have a
different name in
Germany and the
C. Company
Republic of Ireland or an
name
20. international name?
What is/are a suitable
name/s for the
21. company?

Descriptive
and
Explorative

Explanatory

Internet research
Creative thinking

Explanatory
Secondary source
Course books

D. Sales
strategy

What sales strategy

should the company
adopt in Germany and
22. the Republic of Ireland?

Descriptoexplanatory

Tertiary source
Encyclopedias

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 Internet
Logical thinking
Why or why not should
the company work with a
23. local partner?
Explanatory

Conclusion

Primary source
Expert interview

E.
Customers

Why or why not should

the company invest in
Search Engine
24 Advertising?

Explanatory

Why or why not should

the company use social
25. business networks?

Explanatory

Who are potential

contractors in Germany
and the Republic of
26. Ireland?

Descriptoexplanatory

Who are potential

subcontractors in
Germany and the
27. Republic of Ireland?

Internet research

Conclusion

Primary source
Expert interview
Internet research

Descriptoexplanatory

Secondary source
Course books
Tertiary source
Encyclopedias

F. Revenue
model

What is a suitable
revenue model fitting to
the local situation in
Germany and the
28. Republic of Ireland?

Internet research
Descriptoexplanatory

What should be the main

29. source of income?
Explanatory

Conclusion

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G. Plan

What steps does the

company have to
perform to enter the
market in Germany and
30. the Republic of Ireland?

Creative thinking
Conclusion

Explanatory

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6. Project organization
Name:
Nina Mols
Maartje Slot
Irma Sefrinta
Ngan Ha Mai

Group Leader
Group Editor
Group Member
Group Member

Student- No.
2432515
2432682
2435016
2435124

Contact (e-mail)
2432515@student.saxion.nl
2432682@student.saxion.nl
2435016@student.saxion.nl
2435124@student.saxion.nl

For the second semester of the third year, the group is with four members: Nina Mols, Maartje Slot,
Irma Sefrinta and Ngan Ha Mai.
Nina Mols -as the group leader- is the person, who contacts Mr. Pliester, to make appointments and to
inform him about the progress. She is responsible for organizing tasks among the team members,
organizing team sessions, control the work of the team members, and control the work schedule.
Maartje Slot-as the group editor-is the person who collects all the documents from other group
members in the Dropbox-account on dropbox.com and makes them into one finished document with
chosen font and style. Doing it that way, it is assured that the milestones will have a common layout.
A group meeting will be held every week on Monday and Wednesday in the MIM area. Here the work of
each other will be checked as well as the grammar or spelling mistakes. Every Wednesday there will be
an appointment with Mr. Pliester.

7. Planning
7.1

Deadline procedure

Week
External deadline Internal deadline
3.1
3.2
VACATION
3.3

Milestone 1
Sunday 19:00

3.4

Milestone 1
Milestone 2
Wednesday 12:00 Sunday 19:00

3.5

Milsetone 2
Wednesday 12:00
Milestone 3
Sunday 19:00

3.6
3.7
RETAKES

Milestone 3
Tuesday 12:00

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EXAMS
4.1
4.2
VACATION
4.3
4.4
Milestone 4
Sunday 19:00

4.5
4.6
4.7
RETAKES
EXAMS
4.10

Milestone 4
Wednesday 12:00

Milestone 1 = Plan of Approach

Milestone 2 = Interview with entrepeneur
Milestone 3 = Market research
Milestone 4 = Final report

7.2
Week

Group planning
Subquestions Tasks

3.1
3.2
VACATION
3.3
3.4

Groupmember
1 2 3 4

Write PoA

Deliver M1
Elevator pitch
Prepare
entrepeneur
interview

3.5
1 to 9
10 to 19
3.6
3.7

Conduct
interview
Deliver M2
Market
research
Market
research
Deliver M3
SWOT
analysis
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RETAKES
EXAMS
4.1
4.2
4.3
4.4
4.5

12 to 22

Explanatory
research
Finalise
report

4.6

Prepare
presentation
Deliver M4
Presentation

4.7

Together
Germany:
Nina, Maartje
The Republic
of Ireland:
Irma, NganHa

8. Constraints
The constraints for the project are the time limitation, various cultural backgrounds and cash limitation.
Regarding time limitation, the report has to be turned in before Wednesday 12.00 oclock, on week 4.6.
Besides that manpower is a precondition. Subsequently, the group has to work in total with four people
with a different cultural background that might cause different opinions and approaches to handle this
project. It has to be taken into account that money is limited as well. Besides those constraints, there
are some requirements the group has to meet as well. It is a condition of the project to interview one
entrepreneur and the APA reference style must be applied throughout the whole report.

9. Preliminary table of contents of report

1. Executive summary
2. Introduction
2.1 Introduction of the company
2.2 Introduction of the problem
2.3 Introduction Business Development Plan
3. General information about the company
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3.1
3.2
3.3
3.4
3.5
3.6
3.7
3.8

Vision
Mission
Strategy
Market
Business model
Revenue model
Competitors
SWOT analysis

4. Market research
4.1 Introduction Market research
4.2 Construction tender business
4.3 Competition including customer portfolios
4.3.1 Direct Competition
4.3.2 Indirect Competition
4.3.3 Repro services
4.3.4 Calculation offices
5. Company name
5.1 Introduction to company name
5.2 National/International
5.3 Company name suggestions
6. Sales Strategy
6.1 Introduction to sales strategy
6.2 Best approach
6.3 Search Engine Advertising (SEA)
6.4 Social Business Network
7. Customers
7.1 Introduction Customers
7.2 Contractors
7.3 Subcontractors
8. Revenue Model
8.1 Introduction Revenue Model
8.2 Source of Income
8.3 Best approach
9. Plan
9.1 Introduction Plan
9.2 Future Steps
9.3 Conclusion
10. Research Methods and theoretical basis (Phase 1-8)
11. References
12. Personal work statement
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10.

References

International Business and Management Studies (2013). In Saxion Course Guide "Business Planning".
Saunders, M., Lewis, P., & Thornhill, A. (2009). Research Methods for Business Students. (5th ed.). Essex
(UK): Pearson Education Limited
Aanenuitbesteden.nl - In minder tijd, meer doen, geld over! (n.d.). Retrieved January 25, 2013, from
https://www.aanenuitbesteden.nl/

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11.

Statement of Approval

Project member 1
Name

Project member 2
Maartje slot

Nina Mols

Name

Title

Ms.

Title

Ms.

Function

Group leader

Function

Group editor

Date

06/03/2013

Date

06/03/2013

City

Deventer

City

Deventer

Project member 3
Name

Irma Sefrinta

Project Member 4
Name

Ngan Ha Mai

Title

Ms.

Title

Ms.

Function

Group member

Function

Group member

Date

06/03/2013

Date

06/03/2013

City

Deventer

City

Deventer

Teacher
Name

Rogier Pliester

Title

Mr

Function

Supervisor

Date

06/03/2013

city

Deventer

Hereby declares a full approval with the plan of approach and all of its content.
After approval the project members have full authority to continue the project.
Signature project member 1:

Signature project member 2:

Signature project member 3:

Signature project member 4:

Signature teacher:

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