E-Course Ltd: A Business Plan for Distance Learning Students

E-Course Ltd, an online education provider, will focus on distance learning students as its major target market segment. The company will offer different ways of learning to cater to the needs of every student, unlike traditional distance learning courses that only provide text materials. To achieve this, E-Course Ltd will conduct market analysis regularly to determine the needs and requirements of students, which will help in providing appropriate services to each student. The company will also focus on social media marketing and digital marketing to increase awareness among students about its new online portal for education. With Mr. Johns as CEO, the company will manage various functions effectively, including finance, marketing, human resources, and operations.

Business Plan
E-Course Ltd

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Executive summery.........................................................................................................................1
Objectives........................................................................................................................................1
Mission............................................................................................................................................1
Vision...............................................................................................................................................1
Key to success..................................................................................................................................1
Company summery..........................................................................................................................2
Company ownership........................................................................................................................2
Start-up Requirements.....................................................................................................................2
Location and facilities......................................................................................................................3
Sales strategy...................................................................................................................................3
Services............................................................................................................................................4
The Market.......................................................................................................................................5
Market Analysis summery...........................................................................................................5
Market Segmentation...................................................................................................................5
Target Market Segment strategy..................................................................................................6
Management Summary....................................................................................................................6
The Management Activity...........................................................................................................6
Personal Plan...............................................................................................................................6
Financial summary.......................................................................................................................7
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................7
references.........................................................................................................................................8

LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Start-up requirements of E-Course Ltd.............................................................................2
Table 2: Rates of different courses of E-Course Ltd.......................................................................5
Table 3: Human resource plan for e-course Ltd..............................................................................6
Table 4: Income statement of E-course Ltd for presenting financial position................................7

EXECUTIVE SUMMERY
The current business plan is based on developing a website or online portal for education
which will be operated by E-Course Ltd. This organization will provide different courses to
distance learning students using the distinct ways such as text based courses, video conferencing,
audio and video recording. Regarding this company will require appropriate amount of fund
which can be arranged by suitable financial resources such as bank loan and owner’s capital.
OBJECTIVES
In order to make online portal for E-course Ltd, online business needs to focus on
different objectives which are described as under:
 To launch a simple and user friendly portal which is more appealing to students.
 To add each and every feature to enroll and attend online classes.
 To hire skilled and experienced tutor for providing online education to students of world
wide.
 To increase the facility for students to access web portal for 24/7 and frequently asked
question.
 To increase revenue stream of E-Course Ltd by 50% till year 3.
 To increase the profitability of the company by 20% till the year 3.
MISSION
Mission of E-course Ltd is providing universal access to the world’s best education. For
attaining this mission, this organization will make effective partnership with top universities and
organizations of whole world for offering different online courses for every single student.
VISION
Vision of E-Course Ltd is developing a service based education organization whose
primary goal is exceeding the expectations of customers. Along with this, this online business
organization wants to increase the number of clients by 25% every year by effective marketing
and word-of mouth referrals. In addition, changing the status of
KEY TO SUCCESS
For getting success and attaining all goals E-course Ltd needs to improve and update
existing videos on regular basis. Along with this, company can get success by making tutorial for
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all universal students. Along with this, regular research and development on different subjects
will also help in expanding courses and business (Noor, Razak and Muhamad, 2012).
Appropriate solution of each question of every students will help in developing good image and
experience in every students which will play important role in getting success in future. Along
with this, interaction and proper support with all clients will also help in getting success.
COMPANY SUMMERY
Business owner will start an online business for providing online education facilities for
all students of worldwide. It will provide service to all students of Diploma, undergraduate,
graduate and post graduate. Study services will be provided on website or online portal. At the
time of start-yup company will focus on appropriate management of the business and its different
functions such as finance, marketing, information and communication system, legal implications
and economic environment and stability, etc. Services of the company will focus on needs and
requirements of all students (Adeyoyin, 2005). Along with this, all tutorials and audio and video
of different courses will be text-based. It will help in improving understanding of every student.
In addition, in future company wants to expand and diversify its business operations.
COMPANY OWNERSHIP
Mr. Johns wants to start this business in UK so, he will be the owner of this organization.
He has completed his business studies from London University and he has corporate experience
of ten years of different industries. Along with this, he has his own capital to start this business in
effective manner. HE wants to start a online platform of education in the form of a new
registered company E-course Ltd.
START-UP REQUIREMENTS
Table 1: Start-up requirements of E-Course Ltd
Particulars £
Legal and Professional fee 1300
Stationary expenses 500
Development cost of website and portal 10000
IT Expenses 4000
Miscellaneous expenses 1200
Total Start-up cost 17000
assets
Cash 12000
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Fixed Assets 10000
Total requirements of funds 39000
Start-up funding
Total expenses to Fund 23000
Assets to fund 16000
Total funding requirements 39000
Available capital 60000
Startup capital 60000
Year 1 39000
Year 2 21000
Additional funding Nil
LOCATION AND FACILITIES
The company will be established in London to reduce startup cost. For this business,
company will require high speed internet connection, computers, fixed land lines, fax line,
proper infrastructure. The domain name for the website of this course is already reserved. The
website will be developed and designed by professionals and experienced software engineers
(Zott, Amit and Massa, 2011). For storing all the information and managing all the operations,
company will need an effective database and Enterprise Resource Portal (ERP) like System
Application and Product (SAP), oracle, etc. It will also require bio metric system and latest
technologies which helps in managing all the work appropriately
SALES STRATEGY
E-course ltd is an online portal which provides huge range of various kinds of courses.
For this, enterprise will have to research various academic subjects that universities and
institutions provides to their students. It also has to build contacts with students and experienced
faculties at global level. To determine whether the company will able to provide all those courses
or not, it will match course syllabus, content and requirements with their set of expertise. The
portal is consist of download able files such as text based, video files and audio files. To interact
with students and faculty members either in group or face to face, there is facility of video and
audio conference call (Ireland and et.al, 2011).
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SERVICES
At the time of Start-up E-course Ltd will provide some basic education services to their
students. These services will cover the following subjects:
 Finance
 Human Resource Management
 Marketing
 Operation Management
 Business
 Ethics
 Information and Communication technology
 Business Law
 Economics
 English
 Mathematics
 Accounting
 Management
 Hotel Management
But, after one or two year at the time of expansion, E-course Ltd will start some
professional courses and training for specific students (Charantimath, 2005). These courses or
services will focus on the following subjects:
 Sap programming
 R language
 SPSS learning
 Big Data
 Excel to MYSQL
 Business Analytical
 Science
For increasing the number of students, at the time of start-up E-course Ltd will provide
free access to every student but company will provide certificate on the basis of standard and
fixed rates (Kourdi, 2010). But after six months E-Course will charge some specific amount on
every course on which are mentioned below:
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Table 2: Rates of different courses of E-Course Ltd
Type of course Rates of tutorials
Text based complete course £20-£100
Text based individual course (as
per the needs of student)
£5-£40
Text based exams or test £20-£30
Video conferencing £10 per conference
Audio and video recording £20-£80
Rate of every cost can be changed as per the demand of students, time and hours. Along
with this, E-course Ltd will also provide specific offers and discount to its regular and loyal
students (Amran, 2012).
THE MARKET
Distance learning students are the major target of E-course Students because these
students uses the education facilities of different universities without regular attendance. So,
these can easily influence by the online studies of E-course Ltd. Along with this, distance
learning courses do not provide different facilities for guiding students but E-Course Ltd will
offer different ways of learning for their every students (Cavusgil and et.al, 2014). So, distance
learning students of world will be the major target of the company.
Market Analysis summery
Analysis of the UK education market has reflected that E-course Ltd will get great
opportunity to enhance its business operation at large level. Along with this, it will get huge
number of students for different types of courses. But, organization needs to use different
marketing activities such as social media marketing and digital marketing for increasing
awareness of every student about their new online portal of education (Market Analysis, 2015).
Market Segmentation
E-course Ltd will decide its market segment on the basic of the methodologies of
teaching. Distance learning students is the major segment which will be target by E-course Ltd.
These students can use the only text materials from the different university but they cannot get
appropriate guidance for every subject. But, E-Course Ltd will provide appropriate distance
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learning course with suitable guidelines and study material in the form of text, video and audio,
etc. so, E-course Ltd will chose the segment of distance learning students (Belohlavek, 2011).
Target Market Segment strategy
Focus on needs and requirements of every students is the major strategy for target
distance learning students segment. Therefore, concentration targeting is the major approach of
E-Course Ltd. Regarding this, company will conduct analysis of the market on regular basis
which will help in determining needs and requirements of students by which E-course can
provide appropriate services to every student.
MANAGEMENT SUMMARY
Mr. Johns will play the role of CEO of E-Course Ltd, so, he will have responsibility of
managing different functions of the company in effective manner (Kumar, 2008). So, he will
manage different activities of finance, marketing and human resources and operations using
appropriate skills and knowledge.
The Management Activity
There are different management activities which needs to be focused by E-course Ltd
which are as follows:
 Management of funds.
 Human resource management including recruitment and selection.
 Management of different operations and production activities (Ammann, 2012).
 Management of different activities of Marketing and advertisement.
Personal Plan
Table 3: Human resource plan for e-course Ltd
Personnel/ Payroll £ £ £
Mr. Johns 15000 20000 25000
2 personnel for part time 10000 12000 14000
1 personnel for part time as a quality
analyst
10000 10000
Total number of human resources 3 4 4
Total payroll 25000 42000 49000
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Financial summary
Table 4: Income statement of E-course Ltd for presenting financial position
Particulars Year 1 (£) Year 2 (£) Year 3(£)
Sales 60000 70000 95000
Direct cost of sales 6000 7000 9000
Total cost of Sales 6000 7000 9000
Gross Profit 54000 63000 86000
Gross profit ratio in % 90.00% 90.00% 90.53%
Expenses
Salary and wages 25000 42000 49000
Marketing expenses 100 200 150
Depreciation 1000 1000 1000
Other utilities 200 200 200
Insurance 1000 1000 1000
Rent 10000 10000 10000
Other 1000 0 0
Total expenses 38300 54400 61350
Profit before interest and tax 15700 8600 24650
Interest 0 0 0
Taxes incurred 1413 774 2218.5
Net profit 14287 7826 22431.5
Net profit Ratio in % 23.81% 1118.00% 2361.21%
CONCLUSION
All facts and figures have reflected that E-course Limited will operate its business in
successful manner as well as it will attain all financial and non-financial objectives effectively.
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REFERENCES
Books and journals
Adeyoyin, O. S., 2005. Strategic planning for marketing library services. Library Management.
269(9). pp.494–507.
Ammann, P., 2012. Small Buisness Digest: Buisness Voices Now Online!.Small.
Amran, A., 2012. Exploring Online Sustainability Disclosure among Malaysian
Company. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences. 65. pp.761-767.
Belohlavek, P., 2011. Unicist Business Strategy. Blue Eagle Group.
Cavusgil, S.T. and et.al, 2014. International business. Pearson Australia.
Charantimath, P. M., 2005. Entrepreneurship Development and Small Business Enterprise.
Pearson Education.
Ireland, D. R. and et.al., 2011. Understanding Business Strategy Concepts Plus. 3rd ed. Cengage
Learning.
Kourdi, J., 2010. Business Strategy: A Guide to Effective Decision-making. Profile Books.
Kumar, S. A., 2008. Small Business and Entrepreneurship. I. K. International Pvt Ltd.
Noor, N. M. M., Razak, N. A. and Muhamad, S. A., 2012. Baseline Study on the Readiness of
Islanders in using ICT: A Case Study of Pulau Perhentian. Routlage.
Zott, C., Amit, R. and Massa, L., 2011. The business model: recent developments and future
research. Journal of management. 37(4). pp.1019-1042.
Online
Market Analysis. 2015. [Online]. Available through: <
http://toolkit.smallbiz.nsw.gov.au/part/3/10/49>. [Accessed on 10th December 2015].
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