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A Basic Course in Entrepreneurship

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    A

    BASIC COURSE

    INENTREPRENEURSHIP

    Leslie Nii Tete Annan

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    Table of Contents

    1. ENTREPRENEUR ........................................... 4

    Why start a business? ................................................ 6

    Qualities of an entrepreneur .................................. 9

    2. WHY SMALL BUSINESSES FAIL IN

    GHANA! .................................................................... 133. HOW NOT TO FAIL AS AN

    ENTREPRENEUR! ................................................20

    4. BUSINESS PLANNING............................... 23

    5. TIME MANAGEMENT................................. 24

    6. EMPLOYMENT.............................................. 26

    Self-employment ................................................. 27

    Wage Employment ............................................. 29

    Unemployment ..................................................... 31

    Causes of Unemployment ................................. 347. BUSINESS COMMUNICATION ............... 37

    Forms of communication................................... 38

    Types of Communication................................... 39

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    Barriers to communication in Business .......... 44

    8. SMALL SCALE BUSINESS ......................... 46

    9. SOURCES OF BUSINESS FINANCE ...... 49

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    1. ENTREPRENEURAn entrepreneur is a person who creates a new

    business in the face of risk and uncertaintyfor the purpose of achieving profit and

    growth by identifying opportunities and

    assembling the necessary resources to

    capitalize on those opportunities. The

    entrepreneur therefore combines the factors of

    production to produce goods and services with

    the aim of making profits.

    TYPES OF ENTREPRENEURS

    1. The Artisan Entrepreneur: This entrepreneurmay have technical job experience but may

    lack essential skills like communication and

    management. An example is a carpenter.

    Some characteristics of such an entrepreneurare:

    I. He rarely delegates authority

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    II. He uses little capital resource to createand operate the business

    III. He does the selling personallyIV. His planning focus is usually limited to

    the present.

    2. The Opportunistic Entrepreneur: Thisentrepreneur supplements his/her technical

    expertise with managerial and

    administrative skills. The contractor is anexample.

    Some characteristics of such an entrepreneur

    are:

    I. He often delegates authorityII. He mobilizes more capital resource toocreate and operate the business than the

    artisans

    III. His planning focus goes beyond thepresent, he plans for the future

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    FUNCTIONS OF AN

    ENTREPRENEUR

    1. Takes risks to make use of theseopportunities

    2. Introduces innovations- newness, variationor uniqueness

    3. Mobilizes capital for a business4. Organizes labour and production5. Plans ahead- aiming to limit the factors of

    uncertainty and increase his chances of

    success

    6. Perceives opportunities in the environment7. Sells his products at a profit. Without profit

    there will be no entrepreneur. It is both thereward and motive for entrepreneurship

    WHY START A BUSINESS?

    You start business:

    1. To make a lot more money2. To get out of a professional rut

    Bureaucracy

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    3. To be ones own boss4. To prove to others that one can do it5. To advance technology, society etc.6. To develop and deploy talents one feels that

    he has outside his specialization7. To compete with somebody

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    Motivations for Starting a Business

    Pull Influences

    a. Desire for independenceb. Desire to make use of an opportunityc. Turning a hobby or previous work

    experience into a job

    d. The possible profit you will makePush Influences

    a. Redundancy or being out of workb. Unemployment (or threat of)c. Disagreement with previous employer

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    QUALITIES OF AN ENTREPRENEUR

    1. He is an Active rather than a reactivepartaker in his own business. He makes

    the most strategic decisions and sees to itthat he is part of the team that is

    working on achieving it.

    2. An entrepreneur has a Bold self-confident personality. An entrepreneur

    with relevant knowledge, skills,

    information and having a successful

    experience in the past possesses great

    degree of self-confidence. He thus

    confidently puts forward his case andgets needed help or gets people to

    patronize his products and services.

    3. Innovativeness is one of the qualities ofan entrepreneur. This quality helps him

    to create new products and services tobeat competition. He uses feedback and

    the habit of learning from mistakes and

    setbacks, to create new products and

    services.

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    4. Determined: shows itself in his eagernessto make the enterprise succeed and a

    determination to organize the resources

    necessary for success. He does not easily

    become disappointed, discouraged ordepressed by setbacks or failures. He is

    always optimistic in his outlook.

    5. Although he likes challenges, he prefersnot to gamble. He is a Moderate Risk-

    Taker. Moderate risks are those whichprovide a reasonable and challenging

    chance of success.

    6. He has a sense of personal responsibility.He takes responsibility of the outcome of

    his actions and decisions. In the process ofdecision making he commits his efforts,

    knowledge, skills and investments.

    Should he fail, therefore, he only has

    himself to blame, not his workers or his

    clients. And should he succeed, he onlyhas his entrepreneurial skills to attribute

    his success.

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    7. He seeks concrete feedback onperformance. He wants to know how he

    is doing-whether good or bad. The

    feedback may be in the form of profits,

    sales, percentage control of the market,size of the firm in terms of number of

    workers, volumes of production, rate of

    growth and customers reaction. Thusthey are excellent listeners.

    8. He is more concerned with task ratherthan people. He cares about what is

    supposed to be done first and then

    about the people who will do it second.

    That is why he puts profits and business

    goals ahead of personal rivalries and

    hostilities. He is objective and always tries

    to keep personal relationships apart

    from business matters. He shuns

    favoritism and nepotism.

    9.

    He is achievementoriented. It is what hegets in the long run that they are

    concerned with. He tends to like the

    feeling of having accomplished

    something by his own efforts. More often

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    he competes on the basis of excellence. A

    Successful entrepreneur possesses a desire

    to overcome hurdles, to solve problems

    and to reach his goals. He is extremely

    persistent, but he is also very realistic inrecognizing what he can and cannot do.

    By knowing the past and present, he is

    able to predict the future events about

    the business.

    10.He tolerates uncertainty. Well awarethat there is great uncertainty with new

    start-up businesses, he is comfortable

    with it. That he wont make money earlyin his business doesnt push him awayfrom his goal.

    11. He is self-starter. When opportunitystrikes him he takes the initiative to

    work on it or not. Successful

    entrepreneur are experienced, including

    having intimate knowledge oftechnology and market place in which

    they will compete and have some

    general management skills. He exerts

    influence without formal power. He

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    knows when to use logic, and when to

    persuade, when to concede and when to

    maintain his stance.

    2. WHY SMALL BUSINESSES FAIL INGHANA!

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    There are countless reasons why small businesses

    fail, but over here we will discuss a few we

    consider pertinent.

    A. Lack of ExperienceSome entrepreneurs go into SSBs with the

    philosophy of What- Kwame-is-doing-I-can-

    also-do. They follow their pride and desire to

    compete. They then enter into businesses theylack the requisite experience for. If you want to

    establish a school, you dont do so because you

    have the money. You should have the

    experience of managing a school or an

    establishment similar to school.

    Furthermore entrepreneurs are so caught up in

    their lofty ideas that they disdain the need for

    experience in the field they are pursuing.

    B. Poor Financial ControlThey must admit it. SSB owners must own

    up to their financial illiteracy. Most business

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    owners especially the artisan entrepreneurs lack

    basic accounting and book keeping skills that

    go against them in the long run. They

    consequently misappropriate money that comes

    into the business. On other occasions too since

    they have everything under their control -

    including the income being gained, they use the

    business resources for personal interests. This

    creates a shortage in terms of the money thebusiness accrues in the long run.

    C. Management IncompetenceYes, you could have a vision for a grand

    business and might also have a lot of energy tosee to its operation. Nevertheless, when a

    management expert is lacking in the

    organization then the company is bound to fail.

    D. Lack Of CapitalEven though SSBs are the easiest businesses to

    start, people still dont find the capital to start

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    their own business. This most surely is owned to

    the fact that Ghanaians have a poor saving

    habit. Else most adults by age thirty could have

    some savings to rely on to start their own

    business in Ghana.

    Capital for a business comes in two forms,

    working capital and seed/starting capital. These

    different capitals are all important for the

    business to succeed. When you lack the seed

    capital the enterprise doesnt even come to

    being. And when you have the seed capital but

    do not have the working capital to sustain it

    then your initial efforts would be in vain.

    Getting money in the form of loan from other

    individuals or institutions is rather a pain in the

    neck for up-and-coming entrepreneurs. You lose

    so much time and money in the process of

    securing a loan. When secured, the loan has aninterest rate that eats into your income with

    each passing month.

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    E. Careless Customer CreditAn advantage consumers think Small Scale

    Business have over other business is the credit

    owners give to customers who patronize their

    products. However when the credit is given,

    poorly recorded or unwisely monitored credit

    becomes bad debt for the business owner.

    F. Over investing in fixed AssetsHaving fixed Assets is good for a business. It is

    good because at a time you need a loan for

    expansion or what not these fixed assets like the

    building and equipments could serve ascollateral. Yet when you over invest in fixed

    assets you leave less money for the operation of

    the business. There is need for real cash to

    operate the business. On the other hand fixed

    assets too could be destroyed over night.

    G.Failure to Plan

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    It is said that, failing to plan is planning to fail.

    Most small business owners tend to think that

    the small size of their business is reason enough

    not to have a Business Plan. But this is a wrong

    notion since every business that seeks to make

    profit should go by a plan. Lacking a business

    plan gives room for misuse of income and

    unnecessary expenditure. These two problems

    can sink any business.

    H.Inability to make theentrepreneurial transition

    The entrepreneurial transition is the point where

    the custodian of the business relinquishes some

    or full control of the business to others so that

    the business would thrive better in the

    competitive environment. Sometimes

    entrepreneurs are so tied to their companies

    that even their death could spell the collapse of

    their companies. However entrepreneurs are

    advised to learn to give up some of the control

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    of the organization to experts for their own and

    their business sake.

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    3.HOW NOT TO FAIL ASAN ENTREPRENEUR!

    A. Know Your Business in DepthA man who knows what he is about hardly

    falters. An entrepreneur- whether artisan or

    opportunistic, is called upon to know his business

    in depth. New technologies and techniques drop

    in an entrepreneur who yearns to be successful

    doesnt allow these things to pass him by.

    Knowing more about what you do makes you a

    formidable opponent to your competitors.

    B. Prepare a Business PlanIt is very necessary to have a plan. You take any

    route if you dont know where you are going.

    The future of your business shouldnt be onlyclear in your mind but also it must be written in

    black and white on paper. Have a documented

    plan. Seek the advice of a consultant if you

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    cant write one because running a business is as

    complicated as building house, no matter the

    size you still need to have a plan.

    C. Manage Financial ResourcesGood financial discipline helps you to avoid

    mismanaging you already scarce resources. You

    need not take it for granted that your business

    might be making profit or not. Seriously keeprecords of cash that flows into and out of the

    business. This tells you whether you are actually

    in business or you are playing cha-cha with

    your money.

    D. Understand Financial StatementsA small business owner should learn to

    understand some basic accounting to make

    head and tail of financial statements. When youunderstand financial statements you can make

    strategic plans for the business.

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    E. Learn To Manage PeopleEffectively

    The human resource in the company is

    considered as a vital asset of the organization.

    This being the case, the entrepreneur should

    learn to communicate and interact with his

    workers for the progress of the organization. If

    mismanaged, people could bring down a

    company with gossip, unnecessary competition

    and envy.

    F. Keep In Tune with YourselfMost often entrepreneurs are the life wire oftheir businesses. Many businesses have folded up

    with the death of the owner. But entrepreneurs

    are urged to delegate some unimportant tasks

    so that they dont end up doing everything and

    suffering for it.

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    4.BUSINESS PLANNINGA Plan is the conception of objectives or an aim,an end or a goal that you deliberately decide to

    accomplish and how you will go about to do

    this.

    A BUSINESS PLAN

    A business plan is a written document of how

    you will do your business, who you will do yourbusiness, what you will do it with, where you will

    do it and why you will do it.

    IMPORTANCE OF A BUSINESS PLAN

    1. It focuses attention on objectives in termsof mission and vision of the business.

    2. It facilitates control of the business assetsand liabilities.

    3. It gives room for innovation andcreativity.

    4. It helps in better co-ordination so thatevery employee does his/her work

    effectively and efficiently.

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    5. It eliminates uncertainty in businessactivities.

    ADVANTAGES OF PLANNING

    1. Planning brings about flexibility inbusiness operation

    2. You avoid pressure3. You work to your maximum ability4. It enables workers to produce more

    within a short time.

    5.TIME MANAGEMENTHe who is faithful in what is least is faithful alsoin much; and he who is unjust in what is least is

    unjust also in much.

    Luke 16:10

    Time Management is defined as becoming more

    efficient at doing things that are important

    within a given period of time.

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    Characteristics of someone who manages histime well

    a. His work is of a great qualityb. He produces/ does more than his colleagues

    in a given time.c. He does/accomplishes whats important.

    How to Manage Your Time Well

    Appropriate delegation

    Dont give the very important work tosomeone else, yet dont be afraid to askfor help on a given task.

    Broach difficult tasks first

    You attack tasks that you know you can

    tackle but seem very difficult, firstly.

    Control Interruption-

    Handle interruptions to suit you dont letthem handle you. Learn to say nograciously to tasks that are not relevant

    at a particular moment in time.

    Define the task

    How long will the task take?

    What to do about the task?

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    Whom to deal with in accomplishing the

    task?

    Evaluate your used time, what do you and how

    do you use your time? Do you do more work oryou play more?

    Feel at ease; enjoy yourself while getting at a

    goal

    Go D & C: Divide and conquer tasks that seem

    overwhelming, larger than your presentcapacity.

    Have alternatives for how you spend time

    Institute some free time. Where there is a

    prospect of free time you dont feel anxiouswhen you are busy.

    6.EMPLOYMENT

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    Some Keywords

    Employee is someone who works for aperson or an organization in return for

    payment. Employer is an individual or an

    organization that hires or recruits others

    to render service in the name of the

    company he owns.

    Self-employment

    It is when an individual combines the factors of

    production to come out with a product or a

    service that meet the needs or wants of the

    market.

    Advantages of Self employment

    1. There is only one person taking decisions-this should lead to decisions being made

    quickly.

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    2. As soon as an element of the marketalters, the entrepreneurs recognizes it

    and acts quickly

    3. A lack of chain of command and thesmall size of the organization should

    mean that the entrepreneur has control

    over the Workforce.

    Disadvantages of Self-employment

    1. If the organization grows, one person willnot be able to cope with the increase

    volume of decision

    2. There is inadequate capital for one-manbusiness, because the owner may find it

    difficult to raise large sums of money due

    to lack of collateral security.

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    3. The liability of the owner is unlimitedbecause, if the owner incurs heavy losses,

    his assets can be sold to pay off the debt.

    4. The success of the business dependsmostly on how active the owner is.

    Consequently in the event of sickness,

    retirement or death of the owner the

    business might collapse if there is nobody

    to manage it.

    Wage Employment

    Wage employment is when an individual is

    willing and prepared to offer his skills and time

    in exchange for a salary or a wage from an

    employer. This employer could be an individual

    or an institution. A Secretary working in

    Procredit Savings and Loans Company Ghana is

    in wage-employment.

    Advantages of Wage Employment

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    1. The employees get a token in the formof salaries or wages at an agreed period.

    2. The management and the success of thebusiness do not solely depend on theemployee though he has a part to play

    to uplift the image of the business and

    also contributes too to the achievement

    of the companys goals.

    3. He has the chance to seek for a new jobif he wants to. That is, he can choose to

    leave or stay in the business if there is no

    job satisfaction.

    Disadvantages of Wage Employment

    1. Any abnormal profit only accrues to theemployer. Since you are given

    remuneration at a given time, the

    employer can choose to offer you a

    bonus to serve as a motivation if he

    wants.

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    2. With the wage employment yourfreedom is sometimes restricted because

    your employer can sometimes let you

    work on non-working days such as a

    weekend or a holiday.

    Unemployment

    This is where people are willing to work at the

    current wage rate and actively looking for workbut cannot find one. This can also be described

    as proportion of the labour force that is

    involuntarily without work.

    Types of Unemployment

    Seasonal UnemploymentThis is the type of unemployment that is mostly

    experienced by companies whose production is

    structured according to seasons and changes.Some Ghanaian agricultural farmers are

    confronted with seasonal unemployment.

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    Frictional UnemploymentWhen there is change in the methods of

    production frictional unemployment could

    occur. For instance as technology has increased

    some companies start to employ the use of

    machines to do certain jobs instead of humans.

    The messenger who used to carry hand written

    and spoken message from one worker to

    another or from one company to another is no

    more in employment. This is because the fax

    machines as well as telecommunications

    machines have been introduced in these

    companies. Also the introduction as the combine

    harvesters, bulldozers into agricultural

    operations has replaced farm labourers. So its

    said that the messengers and the farm laboures

    are frictionally unemployed.

    Structural UnemploymentThis is the type of unemployment caused by

    technical changes that brings about changes in

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    the composition of demand or pattern of

    demand. Changes in demand due to the

    invention of new commodities or even changes

    in taste and fashion may bring about declining

    industries. For example a Ghana grown rice

    industry collapses because people are no more

    interested in buying Ghanaian rice. The

    employees working in this industry would find

    themselves without work. They are then in asituation of structural unemployment.

    Cyclical UnemploymentAlso known as Mass Unemployment, Cyclical

    Unemployment happens anytime there iseconomic depression in a country. Economic

    depression is a situation where the demand for

    goods and services are reduced because even

    the means to pay for these things are small or

    no more.

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    Causes of Unemployment

    1.

    Lack of Skills

    Employable skills are lacking in Ghana. You see

    many Ghanaians who boast of diverse skills but

    they lack the requisite ones such as Information

    Communication Technology and Interpersonalskills to help them get and maintain an

    employment.

    2. Lack of Entrepreneurial skillsWhile there are so many graduates from

    tertiary institutions of education, there are not

    many who have the entrepreneurial skills to

    establish and run their own business.

    3. The Introduction of newtechniques/Technological

    advancement

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    When there is an introduction of new techniques

    workers especially lay ones are declared

    redundant. Machines then come to the work

    that they used to do at the work place.

    4. Lack of capitalThose who lack employment almost always lack

    the capital to start their own businesses. So in

    the long run they remain the unemployed.

    5. Too Few CompaniesOur technical and secondary schools continue to

    churn out graduates, yet only few vacancies- if

    any exists at all- can be found in the companies

    around. Ghana for many years has remained

    more of a consumer than a producer and for

    that matter the import margin is greater than

    the export margin. Where a country is aproducer you find more factories and companies

    around, which inevitably provide employment

    opportunities for the youth.

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    6. Rural Urban DriftThe rural urban drift has caused over

    population and a high demand for employment

    in the cities and towns. The youth desert their

    rural dwellings into the urban areas seeking

    white-collar jobs that dont exist.

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    7.BUSINESSCOMMUNICATION

    Generally, the exchange of information between

    people, e.g. by means of speaking, writing, or

    using a common system of signs or behavior is

    considered communication. Communication can

    also be defined as the process by which peopleshare information, ideas and attitudes.

    Importance Of Communication

    1. Communication makes it possible formanagement to give instructions tolower level workers to work

    2. Workers problems and grievances can bemade known to management

    3. Communication helps workers to knowall decisions taken by management thatreally affects them and the firm as whole

    4. Through communication, a report onwork done is sent to management for

    control purposes.

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    5. Communication makes it possible forworkers to make suggestions or decision

    to management as to the best method

    of work.

    6. Communication aids in the appraisal ofemployees. Through effective

    communication, management is able to

    evaluate the work of subordinates, give

    feedback on performance, and jointlydraw plans to eradicate any weakness as

    well as improve their strength

    Forms of communication

    Formal communication

    This is the official means of sending information

    relating to work. It takes the form of letters,

    memoranda, report and speeches presented at

    meetings, workshops and seminars.

    Informal Communication

    This is the information given without the

    authority or permission of any superior. Informal

    communication takes place among superiors,

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    subordinates as well as peers. It takes the form

    of rumour or gossip.

    Types of Communication

    1. Internal CommunicationIt takes place within an organization. Internal

    communication occurs among employees,

    between a manager and his subordinates,

    between a director and his departmental heads.

    This type of communication originates and ends

    within the same organization, takes the form of

    memo or letter.

    2. External CommunicationIt takes place between an organization and the

    outside world. It may be between a business

    and its suppliers, creditors, customers, the

    government etc. It originates from themanagement of one organization to an

    individual or group of individuals outside the

    establishment or from one management to

    another companys managements.

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    Business Communication Tools

    The primary tools for communicating

    information in business include e-mail messages,memos, letters, reports, phone calls, meetings,

    and conversations. To determine which is the

    best to use in a given situation, start by asking

    yourself the following questions:

    How much information do I have to passalong?

    How many people will receive themessage?

    How quickly does it need to reach them? How much time do the recipients need

    to respond to it?

    How formal should the presentation be? Is the message confidential? How are people likely to respond to it?

    E-mail Messages

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    Because of its speed and informality, e-mail is

    ideal for routine communication between

    coworkers. For instance, an e-mail message is

    usually the best means of announcing a new

    policy, introducing a recent hire, informing

    colleagues of a meeting time, and reminding an

    employee of an approaching deadline.

    E-mail messages are also useful for day-to-day

    or extremely timely exchanges with peopleoutside the company. Because of their low cost,

    they often are preferred for communicating

    with overseas contacts.

    E-mail EtiquetteExchanging e-mail messages is like having a

    conversation without seeing the face or hearing

    the voice of the other person. You have only the

    persons words, but none of the visual and

    auditory cluesinflections, facial expressions,and gestures, for instancethat help explain the

    underlying meaning of the words.

    Because of the impersonal and often informal

    nature of e-mail, the tone and substance of

    messages can easily be misinterpreted. To help

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    avoid confusion and hurt feelings, Internet users

    have developed a loose set of rules known as

    netiquette (network etiquette), including

    guidelines for being a responsible and courteous

    e-mail correspondent.

    Memos

    Although e-mail messages are now used instead

    of memos for most intercompany

    communication, memos are still suitable for

    notes sent to people higher in the company

    hierarchy, especially in conservative companies.

    The memo is also appropriate for lengthy,

    formal communications to coworkers that may

    eventually be circulated to your supervisors or

    to contacts in other companies.

    Letters

    The letter is now used primarily for formal

    correspondence with clients, customers, and

    others outside the company, particularly people

    you have not met.

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    Imagine, for instance, that you need to ask for

    advice or information from someone you do not

    know personally. The person will likely give a

    letter more attention than an e-mail message

    because a letter conveys an added element of

    formality and courtesy.

    Reports

    A complex document of more than ten pages,

    especially one that will be shown to outside

    contacts, is best presented as a report. A routine

    report can be easily produced using a word

    processor and a laser printer. Important reports

    for potential clients, stockholders, or others you

    might want to impress usually should be

    professionally designed and printed, often in full

    color on heavy or glossy paper.

    Phone Calls, Conversations, and Meetings

    The main advantage of a phone conversation is

    that it allows both parties to respond to each

    other immediately. If you and a coworker have

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    several questions for each other, asking them in

    a single phone call is usually less time-consuming

    than exchanging a long series of e-mail

    messages.

    Personal matters or topics that might elicit a

    highly emotional response are best discussed in

    person. As common sense will tell you, sending

    an e-mail or memo reading Youre fired! is not

    the most delicate or responsible way of dealingwith a difficult situation.

    Face-to-face meetings are usually the safest

    way of communicating confidential information.

    Meetings are also useful when a quick group

    decision is needed on a particular problem orissue. Important side benefits of meetings are

    that they allow employees in different

    departments or divisions to become acquainted

    and can often foster a sense of shared mission

    among coworkers.

    Barriers to communication in Business

    1. Psychological:

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    a. Semantic problems- meaning ofwords that differ in peoples minds.

    b. Emotional hang-ups-anger,frustration and excitement.

    c. Stereotyping- Prejudice,discriminationd. Distorting information intentionally

    for personal gain

    2. Physiological:a. Bad handwritingb. Hearing problemsc. Bad eyes

    3. Physical: Noise in the environment,outdated equipment, poor or bad

    lighting

    4.

    Cultural: Different spoken language,meta-linguistic incompetence that

    affects your understanding of innuendoes

    and metaphors.

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    8.SMALL SCALE BUSINESSCHARACTERISTICS OF SMALL SCALEBUSINESSES

    A. A business that employs from one totwenty nine (29) people. It may also be a

    business that employs ten or fewer

    people with an initial capital of 25

    Million Ghana Cedis

    B. The managers of small scale businessesare its owners who are accountable and

    responsible to themselves.

    C. They are responsible for all liabilityincurred by the business and of course

    they are the sole beneficiaries of the

    profits.

    Examples of Small Scale businesses are tailoring,

    carpentry, weaving, carving, retail outlets,communication and catering services.

    ADVANTAGES OF SMALL SCALE BUSINESS

    1. Easy and simple formation, since littlecapital is needed to start it.

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    2. Quick decision-making: owner does notneed to consult anybody in taking a

    decision

    3. There is the sense of independencebecause the manager is the owner andhe report to no one.

    4. Enjoyment of privacy: Business Plans aremostly kept secret by the owner since

    hes not compelled by law to publish.

    5. Theres flexibility: one can react quicklyto change and can adopt his or her

    operations to local conditions.

    6. Opportunity to be a jack of all trades.On is able to acquire varying degrees ofknowledge and skill.

    7. Customers are offered goods and servicesto their specification. That is according to

    the quality and quantity that suits them.

    8. The nation gains by means of theinnovation and creativity that Small

    Scale Businesses introduce.

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    DISADVANTAGES OF SSBS

    1. Inadequate financial capital: they donthave collateral security to qualify them

    for loans from the banks.

    2. Inefficient management: Lack ofmanagement knowledge and expertise

    on the part of the owners.

    3.

    Theres no advantage of large scaleproduction hence theres no advantageof larger profit margin.

    4. Bad judgement can lead to collapse andthis comes as a result of sole

    responsibility.

    5. Owners of SSBs usually depend onoutmoded technology since they cantafford the new technology.

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    9.SOURCES OF BUSINESSFINANCE

    This refers to the various means by which peopleor organization can get money to operate a

    business. There are two sources namely short

    term source and long term source.

    SHORT TERM SOURCES

    1. Trade Credit: This involves the purchaseof products that is backed by a promise

    to pay later.

    2. Loans: they are either short-term orlong-term money borrowed by theentrepreneur form financial institutions

    or individuals. Interest is charged on a

    loan. There is need for collateral for large

    sums.

    3. Overdraft: A customer of a bank isallowed to withdraw more money than

    that which is in his account to a certain

    limit. Interest is charged only on the

    actual amount overdrawn. There is need

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    for collateral security in case of large

    sum.

    4. Personal Savings: An entrepreneur mayuse his past savings at a bank or with asusu collector.

    5. Venture Capitalist: Investment groupswho are interested in ingenuous and

    creative ideas to develop into profitable

    businesses.

    6. Leasing: some organizations lease outsome fixed assets which are lyig idle and

    would not be used immediately at a fee.

    7. Hire purchase: under this theentrepreneur undertakes (promises) topay for items purchased in installments

    after an initial deposit has been paid.

    The entrepreneur (here the buyer) takes

    the product completely after paying the

    last installment.

    8. Gifts from friends and family membersare short-term sources of finance.

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    LONG TERM SOURCES

    1. Shares: usually for large companiesshares (units of a companys capital) are

    bought by investors (shareholders).

    2. Debentures: These are securedtransferable loan stocks and are usually

    secured against an asset of a company so

    that should the business fail to pay them

    back they can lay claim to the asset.

    3. Sale of Assets: the company sells someassets to obtain some required cash.

    4. Retained Profits: This involves puttingaside part of the net profit to beploughed back into the business.

    5. Sale and Lease Back: A company couldsell its buildings or assets for a capital

    sum and at the same time, lease the

    asset back for its own use form thepurchaser for a long term at a specificrent.