Business Plan Vs Business Model Canvas in Entrepreneurship Trainings: A Comparison of Students’ Perceptions

Esra Sena Türko

doi:10.5539/ass.v12n10p55

Abstract

<p>Business model canvas and business plan are prevalent and widespread tools used in entrepreneurship trainings. This study aims to compare the business model canvas and the business plan as tools used in entrepreneurship trainings through the perceptions of business school students, with a user approach. Students were given applied entrepreneurship courses, and have been taught to prepare a business plan and a business model canvas. Then students were asked questions comparing business plan and business model canvas from various aspects. 62% of the students have stated that they find it more difficult to prepare a business plan. On the other hand despite its hardship to prepare, students have stated business model's superiority to BMC on several issues. According to students' statements, compared to BMC, business plan is more clear (64.6%), more useful (60.8%), more realistic in revealing the phases of start-up (77.2%), superior in financial planning (74,7%), superior in marketing planning (67.1%), superior in costs (70.9%), superior in describing customer needs and value propositon (60.7%), superior in production planning and supply chain (68.3%). After providing these statements students were asked which system they liked preparing the most. Answers to this question could not be decisively evaluated. Percentage of positive, negative and neutral statements are very similar. Independent samples t-test was conducted to compare business plan and BMC use perceptions scoring for gender. There was not a significant difference in the scores for female and male students.</p>

Highlights

Introduction and Purpose of the StudyIn the last decade entrepreneurship trainings became very prevalent in Turkey
This study may contribute to new studies producing new hybrid models or modifications in entrepreneurship trainings
For the trainers, how these systems are perceived by the target groups of the entrepreneurship training programmes, is important in terms of success of the training programmes

Summary

Introduction

In the last decade entrepreneurship trainings became very prevalent in Turkey. Trainings were only carried out by Small and Medium Enterprises Development Organization (SMEDO). Trainings began to be carried out by contracted institutions and “SMEDO approved trainings” came out. As the certificate given to the participants at the end of these trainings is a precondition for applying for SMEDO new entrepreneur grant award, the number of trainings increased rapidly. To get this certificate, the grant award, has become the major motivation of the participants. SMEDO entrepreneurship trainings consist of phases for preparing a traditional business plan

Objectives

Methods

Findings

Conclusion