"An introduction to horticulture business management systems".
Learn the business of horticulture with this module from the prestigious and world-renowned Royal Horticultural Society.
COURSE AIM
Develop an ability to formulate and evaluate strategy as well as to ensure effective business performance in today’s fast changing social, political and economic environment, for horticultural enterprises within one sector of the horticulture industry.
COURSE CONTENT
There are 8 lessons in this module as follows:
1.The Economic Environment
2.External Influences on Horticultural Enterprise
3.Information Management for Horticulture
4.Strategic Planning in Horticulture
5.Implementing Strategies
6.PBL Project:Developing a Business Plan
7.Business Control Systems for Horticulture
8.Evaluating Horticultural Marketing
9.Marketing Strategies for Horticulture
Each lesson should require around 10 hours of work, except for Lesson 6, which will require around 20 hours.
AIMS
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Explain the economic environment in which horticultural business operates.
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Appraise the impact of external influences.
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Establish the type of information required for operations in both commercial businesses and service organisations.
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Examine the process and analyse approaches to strategic planning.
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Examine the process and analyse approaches to strategy formation and implementation.
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Prepare a business plan.
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Assess the importance of business control systems utilising IT integration into financial management; prepare, read and interpret annual statements, appreciate the importance of budgetary control.
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Identify the benefits involved when preparing marketing plans; analyse organisational strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.
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Formulate customer-orientated and realisable strategies for selected markets
What is covered by each lesson?
1. The Economic Environment
The world of economics
Scarcity
Opportunity costs
Goods
Definitions
Economic systems
Economic ownership
Performance criteria for an economy
Other economic performance indicators
Basic economic principles
Law of demand
Law of Substitution
Law of diminishing return
Law of diminished marginal utility
Competition
Sustainability
Total Quality Management
Strategic Planning
Creating a strategic plan
European economic union
European Central bank
Asia Pacific Economic Community
2. External Influences on Horticultural Enterprise
Monopoly
Monopolistic Competition
Oligopoly
Perfect competition
International markets and tradeable commodities
Globalisation
Supply and demand
Market forces
Demand
Supply
Elasticity
Economics of scale
Cost structures
Liquidity
3. Information Management for Horticulture
Scope and nature of office work
Functions of an office
Common jobs in an office: reception, clerical, secretarial, information processing
Departments within an organisation
Office processes
Data knowledge, strage and management
Filing systems
Classifying information
Hard copy
Filing procedure
Active and inactive records
Computer databases
Designing a filing system
Data protection
Financial records
Books needed in business
Different ways to approach bookkeeping
Steps in the bookkeeping process
Developing a record keeping and accounting system
Flow of information
Financial reports
Ledger
Journal
Source documents
Cash transactions
Credit transactions
Returns and allowances
Other business documents
Use of business documents
The cash book
Credit sales and credit purchases journal
The general journal
The ledger
A trial balance
Bank reconciliation
Petty cash
4. Strategic Planning in Horticulture
Strategic planning
Documenting the strategy
Operational planning
Documenting an operational plan
Key components of a business plan
SWOT analysis
A planning procedure
Decisions
What to plan for
Finance
Structure for a Financial plan
Developing a budget
Structure for a marketing plan
Plan drawing
5. Implementing Strategies
Implementing strategy
Benchmarking
Reviewing strategy and strategy management
Environmental audits
Key elements of EIA
Steps in an environmental assessment process
Study design
Baseline studies
Predicting impacts
Mitigation measures
Flora and fauna assessment
Open space management plan
Rehabilitation plan
6. PBL Project: Developing a Business Plan
Business planning
Case study: nursery development plan
Sensitivity analysis
PBL project to formulate criteria required for the successful implementation of a business proposal; develop a business plan.
7. Business Control Systems for Horticulture
Financial statements
The balance sheet
Classification in the balance sheet
Working capital
Profit and loss statement
Link between profit and balance sheet
Depreciation of assets
Analysis and interpretation of accounting reports
Analytical ratios
Ratio yardsticks
Profitability ratios
Operating efficiency ratios
Efficiency ratios and profitability
Liquidity ratios
Liquidity analysis and cash budgeting
Financial stability ratios
Gearing rate of return on investment
Limitations to ratio analysis
Risk
Risk analysis
Contingency planning
Business systems
Quality systems
Innovation management
PERT (Program evaluation and review)
CPA (Critical path analysis)
GNATT ChartsFastest and slowest completion times
Business expansion and sources of finance
Record keeping
8. Evaluating Horticultural Marketing
Introduction
Market research
The marketing mix
Marketing planning
Services marketing
Customer service
Buying, selling and decision making
Different heuristics
Decision making process
Customer satisfaction
Goodwill
9. Marketing Strategies for Horticulture
Target markets and market segmentation
Targeting strategies
Defining your target market
Determining market segmentation
Projecting the future
Positioning
Case study: The market for landscape contractors
The business portfolio
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Distance Learning Horticulture Management Course
Home Study Operational Management in Horticulture
"An introduction to horticulture business management systems".
Study the economics, planning and marketing of the horticultural operation.
Learn about the business side of horticulture.
Learn how to plan and implement effective strategies for your business or service.
An essential qualification for anyone managing a horticultural business.
*A module in the RHS Masters of Horticulture course.
