Business Motivation Theory Busines Plan

7 The Business Motivation Model,

7.1 Overview

Fundamental to the Business Motivation Model is the notion of motivation:: if an enterprise prescribes a certain approach for its business activity, it ought to be able to say why; that is, what result(s) the approach is meant to achieve.

if an enterprise prescribes a certain approach for its business activity, it ought to be able to say why; that is, what result(s) the approach is meant to achieve.

Sometimes it is difficult to uncover such motivation, especially in operations that have been going on for some time.

All too often it turns out to be "...because we had to find a workaround for a system that didn't do quite what was needed."

This may describe business work practice, information systems, or both.

A cornerstone of any work addressing motivation has to be the enterprise's aspirations (its Vision) and its action plans for how to realise them (its Mission). Refinements were introduced — Vision into Goals and Objectives, and Mission into Strategies for approaching Goals, and Tactics for Achieving Objectives. The general term End was adopted to refer broadly to any of the 'aspiration' concepts (Vision, Goal, Objective) and the term Means to refer generally to any of the 'action plan' concepts (Mission, Strategy, Tactic). This conjunction of Ends and Means — being and doing — provides the core concepts of the Model1.

Refinements were introduced — Vision into Goals and Objectives, and Mission into Strategies for approaching Goals, and Tactics for Achieving Objectives. The general term End was adopted to refer broadly to any of the 'aspiration' concepts (Vision, Goal, Objective) and the term Means to refer generally to any of the 'action plan' concepts (Mission, Strategy, Tactic). This conjunction of Ends and Means — being and doing — provides the core concepts of the Model1.

The general term End was adopted to refer broadly to any of the 'aspiration' concepts (Vision, Goal, Objective) and the term Means to refer generally to any of the 'action plan' concepts (Mission, Strategy, Tactic). This conjunction of Ends and Means — being and doing — provides the core concepts of the Model1.

An enterprise, however, cannot operate on this Model alone — the business needs to take into account the numerous Influencers that can hinder or assist its operation. These Influencers provide Opportunities that would help the enterprise operate, as well as Threats that would thwart it. Influencers also represent Strengths from within that the enterprise could exploit or Weaknesses that it should compensate for.

These Influencers provide Opportunities that would help the enterprise operate, as well as Threats that would thwart it. Influencers also represent Strengths from within that the enterprise could exploit or Weaknesses that it should compensate for.

Influencers also represent Strengths from within that the enterprise could exploit or Weaknesses that it should compensate for.

But is an Influencer inherently a Strength or Weakness — is it always a Threat or Opportunity? That determination comes from an Assessment of the impact of an Influencer on the stated Ends and Means — an Assessment such as is developed in

That determination comes from an Assessment of the impact of an Influencer on the stated Ends and Means — an Assessment such as is developed in the SWOT2 analysis. In this commonly-used technique, Internal Influencers (assessed to be Strengths and Weaknesses) and External Influencers (assessed to be Opportunities and Threats) are analysed as a part of business plan

In this commonly-used technique, Internal Influencers (assessed to be Strengths and Weaknesses) and External Influencers (assessed to be Opportunities and Threats) are analysed as a part of business plan
development.

Once an Assessment has identified relevant Influencers in terms of their impact on Ends and Means, Directives (Business Policies and Business Rules) can be put in place to govern and guide the enterprise Courses of Action. Directives keep the enterprise on

Directives keep the enterprise on a course and moving toward its Desired Results. Because of their integral role in guiding Courses of Action,

Directives are included in the set of Means concepts.

Business Rules are noteworthy in that regard. Business Rules sharpen the Business Tactics because they make Courses of Action concrete at the operational level.

Business Rules can also provide specific remedies when a Course of Action fails, and specific resolutions to conflicts that inevitably arise among the Ends.

In short, Business Rules provide the leverage needed for building effective, adaptable business solutions and systems.

In short, Business Rules provide the leverage needed for building effective, adaptable business solutions and systems.

Understanding the motivation for Business Rules is crucial in that regard.
• When a Business Rule is encountered, you can ask where it would fit — which Influencer, on which End or Means, does it address?

• When a Business Rule does not seem to fit, it can be challenged. Does it perhaps support some older Means or End that:
1. In fact, this is the essential distinction between Ends (the being — "what you aspire to be") and Means (the doing — "the actions you intend to take to get there").

We express this distinction in our terms 'Desired Result' and 'Course of Action'.

2. Note that SWOT is an example of a well-established technique: other techniques (and specialisations of Assessment) may be substituted – but they should be adequate replacements for SWOT.

8 BMM Adopted Specification is no longer relevant to the enterprise? Was it a workaround for some historical information system deficiency or organisational issue that is no longer relevant?

As you can see.........

This e-book is not for the faint-hearted.

It goes to the very root of Business Planning and why and how the steps were taken are a science and not an art.

I have used the book to pass my Busines Strategy at Doctorate level. It is tough reading

I recommend that Business Planners buy this book which will give you a solid foundation in crafting Busines Plans That Work!

regards

Dr. M J Freestone. B.Com. Hons. MBA. BA. FCIS. FCIBM.