Air dan fungsi kepada badan manusia

Air Sumber Kehidupan

   Air merupakan keperluan asas kepada semua kehidupan. Setiap hari manusia, haiwan dan tumbuh-tumbuhan menggunakan air sebagai punca minuman. Air diminum secara langsung oleh manusia dan haiwan. Tumbuh-tumbuhan pula menyerap air untuk membuat makanan.

   Air mencakupi 70% daripada keluasan bumi. Namun begitu jumlah air tawar adalah kecil. Kebanyakan air hanya boleh didapati di laut dan lautan yang luas terbentang.

   Sungai merupakan aliran air yang mengalir dari kawasan pergunungan ke kawasan yang lebih rendah. Air sungai berpunca dari hujan yang turun di kaki gunung atau bukit dan kemudian mengalir ke laut. Amat sukar untuk mendapatkan sungai yang bersih dan membekalkan sumber air kepada manusia. Oleh itu seharusnya sungai perlu dijaga untuk memastikan bekalan air bersih berpanjangan.

   Pada zaman dahulu kebanyakan sungai dijadikan alat perhubungan yang penting dan sumber protein. Setelah jalan raya dibina, sungai hanya berfungsi sebagai jalan perhubungan di kawasan pedalaman, sumber makanan dan sebagainya.

   Kemajuan yang dicapai telah memberi faedah yang cukup besar kepada manusia sendiri. Suatu ketika dahulu manusia terpaksa bersusah payah untuk mendapatkan bekalan air dari sungai, kolam, perigi atau laut. Dengan perkembangan teknologi, memudahkan manusia untuk terus mendapat manfaat daripada kemajuan tersebut.

   Bekalan saluran paip merupakan salah satu kemudahan yang diperolehi daripada teknologi. Manusia hanya perlu memutarkan kepala paip untuk mendapatkan air. Bahkan di negara-negara yang beriklim sejuk sederhana, bekalan air panas turut disediakan untuk memudahkan manusia memanaskan badan.

   Air bukan sahaja diperolehi daripada sungai, tasik, kolam atau terusan, tetapi turut menggunakan air laut. Proses penutrealan telah dilakukan di negara-negara yang kekurangan air tawar untuk memenuhi permintaan. Selain itu terdapat juga beberapa buah negara menjalani proses pengitaran air kumbahan untuk digunakan semula.

   Teknologi ini mencakupi pelbagai aspek segi sumber bekalan, takungan, saluran paip dan proses pengitaran. Sekiranya tidak terdapat peningkatan dalam kejuruteraan, bekalan air tidak dapat disalurkan ke kawasan kediaman seperti hari ini.

Air merupakan sumber kehidupan pertama bagi manusia, selain hewan dan tumbuhan tentunya. Banyak sekali manfaat yang bisa di berikan oleh air untuk tubuh manusia, diantara penjelasannya sebagai berikut :

Air Bekerja Dengan Ajaib

Bila Anda minum banyak air bersih dan jernih, maka hal tersebut akan memacu peningkatan kesehatan Anda, di mana para peneliti menemukan bahwa, makin hari makin banyak keuntungan dengan minum air dalam jumlah yang cukup bagi kesehatan, termasuk:

Pencernaan dan metabolisme yang lebih baik

Minum air dalam jumlah yang cukup menjadikan baik pencernaan maupun metabolisme dapat bekerja pada kapasitas maksimalnya.  Faktanya, penelitian terbaru dari University of Utah menyatakan bahwa kekurangan air dapat menyebabkan menurunnya metabolisme.

Memperbaiki kemampuan dan daya tahan tubuh

Anda akan mampu bekerja lebih keras/berat bila mendapatkan air yang cukup.  Sebagai tambahan, air dapat memperkuat daya tahan tubuh Anda.  Karena air dapat menaikkan simpanan glycogen, suatu bentuk dari karbohidrat yang tersimpan dalam otot dan digunakan sebagai energi saat Anda bekerja.

Tahan lapar

Rasa lapar kadang merupakan penyamaran dari rasa haus.  Sewaktu anda mengalami dehidrasi (kekurangan air) Anda mungkin merasa ingin makan padahal yang Anda butuhkan sebenarnya adalah air.  Anda juga dapat memanfaatkan efek rasa kenyang dari minum air untuk mencegah makan berlebihan.

Mengurangi risiko terhadap beberapa macam penyakit

Para peneliti saat ini meyakini bahwa cairan atau tepatnya air dapat berperanan aktif dalam mengurangi resiko terhadap beberapa penyakit seperti: batu ginjal, kanker saluran kencing, kanker kandung kemih, dan kanker usus besar (colon).  Minum cukup air dapat pula menghindari sembelit.

Senjata ampuh melawan masuk angin atau pilek

Antibodi dalam lendir yang melapisi kerongkongan berfungsi untuk menjerat virus pilek.  Daya tahan ini akan melemah apabila Anda dehidrasi (kekurangan air) kerana akan menyebabkan lendir mengering.  Sebagai catatan banyak ahli kesehatan merekomendasikan air sebagai ekspektoran yang efektif untuk mengurangi batuk.

Pelembab wajah paling ampuh

Dengan minum banyak air membantu kulit Anda tetap kenyal dan kencang serta mengurangi garis-garis dan kerut pada wajah.

Menangkal rasa letih akibat melakukan perjalanan

Udara panas dapat menyebabkan Anda dehidrasi dan akan menimbulkan rasa letih pada saat dan setelah perjalanan.  Minumlah banyak air sebelum melakukan perjalanan dan satu gelas tiap jam perjalanan Anda.

Mengatasi migrain/sakit kepala

Para peneliti menyatakan bahwa dehidrasi dapat mengakibatkan migrain/sakit kepala, jadi bila Anda sering mengalami migrain adalah sangat penting untuk minum air dalam jumlah yang cukup.

Sedangkan Fungsi Air yang utama adalah :

1. Membentuk sel-sel baru, memelihara dan mengganti sel-sel yang rusa
2. Melarutkan dan membawa nutrisi-nutrisi, oksigen dan hormon ke seluruh sel tubuh yang membutuhkan
3. Melarutkan dan mengeluarkan sampah-sampah dan racun dari dalam tubuh kita
4. Katalisator dalam metabolisme tubuh
5. Pelumas bagi sendi-sendi
6. Menstabilkan suhu tubuh
7. Meredam benturan bagi organ vital

Antara terbaik di Sarawak

Awang pernah berkhidmat di kilang (yang dirahsiakan namanya) dari 2008 hingga awal tahun 2012.

Diberitakan hanya 3 kilang mendapat sijil ini di Sarawak.

Tahniah utk semua warga kilang tersebut.

Usaha gigih dan berterusan membuahkan hasil.

Awang pernah meletakkan logo di pejabatnya berbunyi

"WE ARE THE BEST!"

Terima kasih semua.

Tips Kesihatan : Kesan Kekurangan Air Putih Terhadap Tubuh Badan

Tahukah anda kurang air, bahaya bagi darah dan sel-sel otak? 

Tahukah anda bahawa pengaruh air terhadap sistem kerja darah dan ginjal adalah sangat besar. Jika kita mengambil air kurang dari 8 gelas sehari, efek secara keseluruhan memang tidak terasa. Tapi sebagai penyelesaian, tubuh akan menyeimbangkan diri dengan mengambil sumber dari komponen tubuh sendiri, di antaranya dari darah. Kekurangan air bagi darah amat berbahaya bagi tubuh. 

Sebabnya adalah darah akan menjadi kental dan pekat. Akibatnya, perjalanan darah sebagai alat pengangkutan oksigen dan zat-zat makanan pun akan terganggu. Darah yang kental tersebut juga akan melewati ginjal yang berfungsi sebagai filter atau alat untuk menyaring racun dari darah. Ginjal memiliki saringan yang sangat halus, sehingga jika terpaksa menyaring darah yang kental maka ginjal harus bekerja lebih ekstra keras. Kemungkinan besar ginjal akan rosak dan juga berkemungkinan besar kelak akan mengalami “cuci darah” atau dalam bahasa medik biasa disebut hemodialisis. Bagaimana pula dengan otak? Perjalanan darah yang kental tersebut juga akan terhambat ketika melewati otak. Padahal, sel-sel otak paling memerlukan zat-zat makanan dan oksigen yang dibawa oleh darah. Sehingga fungsi sel-sel otak tidak mampu berjalan dengan optimal dan bahkan sel-sel otak akan cepat mati. Kondisi tersebut akan semakin memicu timbulnya masalah strok. Kerana itu jangan sampai kekurangan air!!! Kesan Kekurangan Air Dalam BadanKajian menunjukkan kehilangan dua peratus cecair badan boleh menyebabkan : 

1. Lemah daya ingatan (ingatan jangka pendek). 

2. Sukar membuat kiraan, walaupun yang mudah.

3. Sukar memberi tumpuan terhadap perkara yang dilakukan terutamanya pada skrin komputer atau bahan bacaan bercetak. 

4. Tekanan darah menurun. 

5. Jumlah oksigen yang sampai ke otak berkurangan menyebabkan mudah rasa mengantuk. 6. Lesu pada waktu siang. 

7. Sakit belakang. 

8. Dehidrasi. 

9. Sakit kepala. 

10. Memperlahankan kadar metabolisma badan.

11. Meningkatkan risiko kanser usus, kanser pundi kencing dan kanser payudara. 

12. Sendi dan otot mengalami kekeringan cecair. 

13. Menyukarkan penyingkiran bahan toksik. 

14. Meningkatkan keinginan untuk makan. 

15. Darah menjadi lebih pekat .

16. Mudah keliru. 

17. Degupan jantung semakin meningkat. 

18. Menjejaskan tindak balas kimia dalam badan.

19. Tubuh akan mengalami dehidrasi. Dehidrasi ini menyebabkan cairan di otak akan menurun, pengangkutan oksigen yang seharusnya mengalir ke otak pun berkurang. Akibatnya, sel-sel otak menjadi tidak aktif dan berkembang.

20. Gangguan fungsi kognitif (kepandaian) otak. Jika kita kekurangan air putih, otak tidak mampu menjalankan fungsi normalnya lagi, terutama fungsi kognitif yang akhirnya membuat kita menjadi senang lupa dan kurang konsentrasi.

21. Mengganggu fungsi ginjal. Ini kerana air sangat penting untuk mencegah penyakit batu karang. Dengan cukupnya air dalam badan, maka komponen pembentukan batu karang menjadi lebih mudah luruh bersama air kencing. 

22. Pelbagai gejala ringan dan berat akan timbul. Kekurangan air yang dialami oleh tubuh akan menyebabkan gejala ringan dan sedang seperti lelah, haus, batuk kering, badan panas, sakit kepala, air kencing pekat, denyut nadi cepat, hingga gejala berat seperti halusinasi dan kematian. 

23. Mudah terkena infeksi kerana bakteria tidak mampu keluar akibat kurang minum, kita akan mengalami infeksi. Gejalanya seperti suhu badan yang sedikit meningkat, rasa ngilu terutamanya saat akhir buang air kecil, perasaan ingin buang air kecil yang tidak dapat ditahan-tahan, dll. 

24. Kulit menjadi kusam. Ini karena kurang minum air menyebabkan aliran darah dalam kapilari di kulit juga tidak maksimal.  Jadi apakah alasan anda untuk tidak menggantikan air manis dengan air putih? 

Ramai yang tahu bahawa air putih begitu berharga tetapi tak ramai yang memanfaatkannya. Malas untuk sering ke tandas barangkali. Ayuh kita didik anak-anak untuk memanfaatkan sepenuhnya keajaibannya. 

Adab Minum Rasullah SAW

1. Nabi melarang umatnya minum berdiri. Ini kerana ternyata secara perubatan, dalam tubuh kita terdapat penapis dipanggil sfringer. Saringan tersebut dapat terbuka ketika kita duduk, dan tertutup ketika kita berdiri. Air yg kita minum belum 100% steril untuk di olah oleh badan. Bila kita minum sambil berdiri, maka air tidak tersaring oleh sfringer kerana tertutup. Air yg tidak tersaring oleh sfringer terus masuk ke pundi kencing, boleh menyebabkan penyakit batu karang. 

2. Nabi juga melarang meniup air yg panas.. Logiknya kerana terdapat karbon dioksida (CO2) pada udara hembusan tersebut. Jika ditiup ke air maka CO2 itu akan larut didalam air akan menghasilkan cecair bersifat asid, H2CO3 (asam karbonat) yg menyebabkan penyakit jantung dan masaalah perut tidak selesa.

3. Nabi menggalakkan mandi sebelum waktu subuh kerana suhu air pada waktu tersebut dapat membantu membuang lemak-lemak degil dalam badan. 

4. Nabi melarang makan diselang-seli dengan minum air kerana ia menyebabkan banyak udara terperangkap di dalam badan dan menyebabkan badan berangin. Sentiasa ada hikmah disebalik larangan dan suruhan Rasulullah SAW. Jadi ikutlah walaupun sedikit, kerana sedikit yang dilakukan secara beristiqamah (berterusan) adalah lebih baik dari banyak tanpa istiqamah.

A Good Business Idea

Any good business ideas could be an invention, a new product or service, or an original idea or solution to an everyday problems. A good business idea does not necessarily have to be a unique products or services. Majority of the entrepreneurs credited their accomplishment to the exceptional execution of ordinary ideas. The chances of success therefore will be far greater if you can market a product that is similar to existing offerings, while providing greater value to customers.

Here are a few ways to build upon the already existing material and would still provide a profit-driven concept:

1. Develop ideas as an extension of an existing product (i.e. adding camera and song features to a mobile phone).
2. Create an improved service (fast delivery services).
3. Market a product at a lower price (via e-commerce e.g. amazon.com).
4. Add value to an existing product or service (i.e. reputable brand name or delivery service).
5. Altering their quality or quantity.
6. Introducing automation, simplification, convenience (i.e. smart product).
7. Personal interests or hobbies – many people find ways to turn their hobbies into successful businesses.
8. Work experiences, skills, abilities – a business, related to the work you do.
9. A familiar or unfamiliar product or service.
10. Spot the latest trends.
11. Changing the delivery method, packaging, unit size or shape.
12. Increasing mobility, access, portability or disposability.
13. Simplifying repair, maintenance, replacement or cleaning.
14. Changing their colour, material or shape.

A survey of entrepreneurs found that most new start-up companies are involved in industries where they had significant work experience. The personal contacts and domain expertise developed on the job have proven to be valuable to many individuals who contemplated launching a business of their own. Anybody who intends to start a business in a new industry are therefore encouraged to firstly become an "apprentice" for a suitable period of time. By doing that, you could avoid costly mistakes and at the same time be able to assess whether you enjoy the work before making a serious financial commitment.

Generating Ideas

TECHNIQUES FOR GENERATING IDEAS

In general, entrepreneurs identify more ideas than opportunities because many ideas are typically generated to find the best way to capitalise on an opportunity. Several techniques can be used to stimulate and facilitate the generation of new ideas for products, services and businesses. Figure 4.1 list the techniques.

Figure 4.1: Techniques used to stimulate and facilitate the generation of new ideas for products, services and businesses

Developing Business Ideas

For a start, you could pursue the following tasks:

1. Identify the value proposition of your business idea
   This is to identify and briefly describe the unique value that you may be able to bring to your customers that your competitors cannot.
2. Discuss products/services with prospective customers
   Would they buy from you, at what price, with what frequency etc.?
   
   Why would they prefer your products to the competitors’? Find out what they really think – there is a danger that people will tell you what they think you would like to hear. Listen carefully to what is being said; watch carefully for qualifications, hesitations etc. and don't brow beat respondents with your ideas – you are looking for their views.
3. Assess the market using in-depth market research
1. How is the market segmented (by price, location, quality, channel etc.)?
2. What segments are you targeting?
3. How large are these segments (in terms of volume) and how are they changing?
4. What are the price make up/structures?
5. What market share might be available to you bearing in mind your likely prices, location, breath of distribution, levels of promotion etc.?
4. Analyse your competitor
1. Who are they and how do they operate?
2. Are they successful and why?
3. How would they react to your arrival?
4. What makes you think that you could beat the competition?
5. At whose expense will you gain sales?
5. Consider possible start-up strategies
1. Will you be able to work from home or part-time?
2. Will you seek a franchise or set up an in-store concession?
3. Will you start by buying in finished products for resale as a precursor to manufacturing?
4. Will you contract out manufacturing?
5. Will you buy an existing business or form an alliance?
6. Could you lease or hire equipment, premises etc. rather than buy?
7. How will you stimulate sales?
6. Set approximate targets and prepare first-cut financial projections
   Estimate possible sales and costs to get a feel for orders of magnitude and key components and to establish a rough break-even point (that is when your sales might start covering all your costs).
7. Prepare a simple action plan
   Cover the first year of operations to highlight the critical tasks and likely funding needed before the business starts generating a positive cash flow. This is critical especially if you have to undertake significant product or market development or need to give credit to customers.
8. Critically examine ideas from all angles
1. Can I raise enough money?
2. Can I get a premises/staff etc.?
3. Will the product work?
4. How will I promote and sell?

Capital Consideration for Business Idea

Capital Consideration: Financing and Revising Your Business Idea

The financial elements have to be taken into consideration to help you to start up this new idea.

• How much capital/investment money is needed? Where will you go for this kind of financial support?
• How long will you be able to handle the initial losses using your own resources?
• What other resources can contribute to extend your involvement so that you can turn your initial losses into profit?
• How long it might take to develop and execute the business plan so that it will be profitable?
• What kind of profit margin will the business generate?
• How will you market the realistic but optimistic loss or profit business proposal to investors so that they will want to get involved with your business?

You must remember that whether you generate an idea by yourself or in connection with someone in a shared context environment, the questions you answer should still follow the above suggestions to assist you in assessing your financing capabilities and requirement to support your business plan.

Assessing the Information

Once you have developed your idea, you can move on to assessing the information that will help you in convincing potential investors or bankers (Kaplan, 2003).

Where to look for information? Below are some of the common sources of information on potential markets that can help your business development by Kaplan, (2003).

Table 4.1:  Where to Find Information

Source of Information	Description
Experts in field	Contact well-known entrepreneur to get advice.
Internet	Visit the website of companies with new products or technologies.
Library	Use libraries to access references and specialised bibliographies.
Questionnaires surveys	Use mail, telephone, Internet, or professional interviews. Write and prepare questions to give you the right data.
Existing research	Use investment banking firms, advisory services, or consulting firms to gather data. Request them to send you their findings as well.
Trade association	Visit trade shows, and read trade publications.
Market research firm	Hire a firm to prepare a report on market survey for the proposed idea.

Sources: Adapted from Kaplan, J. M.  (2003).  Patterns of entrepreneurship. Hoboken NJ: John Wiley.

Kaplan, (2003), emphasised that , approximately two million businesses are started each year, and from 50,000 to 100,000 filed for bankruptcy within 10 years. And approximately 85% of these new businesses close within the first 5 years of operations.  They are not all bankrupts but the owners have decided to close shop for a numbers of reasons and among the reasons are limited resources, inexperienced management and lack of financial assistant.

No matter how long you want to stick with your business, you need to formulate a plan and a schedule. It will be helpful to analyse the potential of your business idea through an opportunity analysis.

Opportunity Analysis

Preparing Opportunity Analysis

The opportunity analysis consists of five different stages. See Figure 4.2.

Figure 4.2: Phases in opportunity analysis

Below are the explanation for Figure 4.2.

1. Phase 1:  Seize the Opportunities
   In this phase, we need to know what are the underlying factors that creates opportunities. Figure 4.3, illustrates the main factors that may create business opportunities and Figure 4.4 shows where ideas for opportunity originate.


Figure 4.3: Factors that create opportunity


Figure 4.4: Where do ideas for opportunity originate?
2. Phase 2:  Investigate the Need through Market Research
   It is necessary to identify, measure and document the need for the product or service. This process will identify the steps and questions you will need to customize your personal research and derive certain assumptions on the possible success rate in launching this product or service into the market.
1. Preliminary questions
• Will this product be serving customers’ real needs?
• Competition – What is the difference about the product or service that will cause the customer to choose it over the competitors’ products or services?
• Proprietary questions – Can the product be patented or copyrighted?
• Advertisement and packaging – What type of advertising and promotional plan will be used to market the product?
• Costs – How much will materials and labour cost? What is the rate of increase in costs for future expansion?
• Sales – What distributions and sales methods will be used?
2. Prepare data collection
   Having established the variables for data collection, your next step is to design the questions. Data collection can come from various sources such as collecting primary data through surveys and observations or using secondary data available from statistical departments, publications, newspapers etc. The data will be more reliable if your sample size is adequate for the investigation you are undertaking.
3. Execute a study to get answer
   To support the preliminary research and to execute your findings, you must look into secondary data. At this step, you can use your personal source to create questions. Then choose a small number of relevant companies who specialises in this industry that will be selected as representation of the whole population. You can pose your questions to the experts of this group. Then you will need to facilitate the participants to answer the questions in a similar manner to establish a consistent trend for analytical purposes.
4. Analyse and interpret the results
   At this stage you already have your primary data. This is the time where you have to do the interpretation based on your findings. Many entrepreneurs do their research with limited funds. You can cut costs with the following recommendations:
• Use search engines, web pages, online database;
• Use the telephone instead of mail surveys and door-to-door interviewing; and
• Avoid collecting unnecessary data.
3. Phase 3:  Develop the Plan
   Once an opportunity has been identified, you should develop a business plan. Your business plan is an outline or blueprint of how you will create your business. Implementing the plan is a much more difficult task. Many prospective businesses experience problems or failure due to the improper implementation of their business plan. Implementation requires commitment and dedication. As unforeseen problems will emerge, your persistence and perseverance are critical.
   
   Implementing your business plan will include:
• Providing guidance in planning and organising the activities and goal;
• Determining the viability of the business and application in selected market;
• Raising equity and securing financing; and
• Hiring management and  staff.
4. Phase 4:  Determine the Resources Needed
   For a start-up venture that uses new technology for product or service, the financial and resource requirements can be quite substantial. You may not have the capabilities to provide for these using your own resources. Therefore, to ascertain what are the capabilities and resources required, answering the following questions can serve as a guide:
1. Do you have business and financial support?
   Can the business operate in a cost-effective manner? How about management capabilities and knowledge of financial gaps?
2. Are you prepared for personal contacts and networking?
   Who will make contacts with the right companies/business partners? How should the network be set up?
3. Have you considered financing requirement?
   Where will you go for the financial support? Can this business sustain over possibly a year or two?
4. Do you have the right set of technical skills?
   Do you have the technical skills and experience to do this business?
5. Phase 5:  Manage the Distinguishing Features of the Business
   You have invested your time, money, experiences and energy in setting up the new venture. This is the final step where you need to run your business, applying your management structure and style in handling questions and solving difficult operational issues.  Now is the time to follow a path blazed by most successful businesses. How?
1. Keep planning
   Planning should account for and accommodate changes in designing, testing and marketing to prepare for business opportunity. You can model after the process used by most successful entrepreneurs which among others including the following:
• Test the business concept;
• Determine the improvement needed;
• Define problem and anticipate barriers;
• Align strategic partners for the process;
• Able to prepare a pricing strategy  and anticipate future changes; and
• Be competitive at all times.
2. Deliver a Total Solution
   Nowadays, all companies regardless of whether they are small or big and operating in the same market, try to offer the entire range of products or services to customers. They are trying their best to deliver a total solution to satisfy customer and investor needs.
3. Cultivate Advanced Resources
   The layoffs of highly skilled workers from major corporations are actually creating an important opportunity for your company. These trained and effective personnel are potential candidates craving for an opportunity to apply their business skills and experience to launch a new business. They can provide information about the competitors, market and customers.

OER June 2012

Selection of outside business advisory, boards or consultant

• Integrity
• Sense of duty and commitment
• Competence
• Demonstrated track record
• Objectivity
• Willingness to speak the brutal truth
• Lack of ego

Sources of business ideas

1. Experiences
2. Hobbies and interests
3. Skills
4. Experiences as customer
5. Business relationships and network
6. New invention or tech
7. Copy that already exists

Enterprise Development

1. A Business Plan
2. A strategic growth plan
3. An exit plan.

Business Plan

Why Business Plan Fails?

The business plans fail because of the following factors:

1. The plan is constructed around strategies that are defined inaccurately.
2. The plan, while substantial, cannot be described clearly by management.
3. The plan lacks detailed information about job responsibilities and operating schedules.
4. The plan does not state goals and objectives lucidly and in professional terms.
5. The plan is incomplete.

Table 3.6 suggests some do’s and don’ts when writing business plans.

Table 3.6: Business Plan Do’s and Don’ts

Business Plan Segment	Do’s	Don’ts
Executive Summary	Get right to the point	Write more than a page and a half.
Management	Play up your previous successes.	Paper over the gaps in your team.
Marketing	Send a product sample, if you can.	Under price your services because you failed to get good market data.
Financials	Run cash flow models at different growth rates.	Inflate or understate your margins.
Overall	Have a friend proofread your plan	Forget to use feedback

Source: Prince, C. J. (2000). The ultimate business plan. Success, 44-49.

Importance of a Business Planning

1. Illustrating your business vision
   In most cases, a business plan is created to explain and illustrate the vision you have for your business, and to persuade others to help you achieve that vision. To accomplish this, you will need to demonstrate your plan on paper, proving that you have a firm visualisation of what your business is going to be. It needs to convince others that your business concept can be successful, and that you possess the expertise, either alone or collectively to assure that it will be both successful and profitable.
2. Lead you to focus on what you should be doing
   While it is obviously important to be able to present your business concept in a way that allows others to understand quickly and precisely what you wish to conduct, you also need to develop a business plan for your own use. The process of developing your business plan will require you to focus exactly on what you are trying to achieve, precisely where you want to be going, and exactly how you plan to get there. It will force you to detail out the many expenses involved to open your business, the projected sales and monthly expenses of actual operation, and the volume of business you will need to generate to meet your obligations.
3. Business plan is a good source for investors to look at
   Most potential investors will want to see a business plan before they consider funding your business. Although many businesses are tempted to use their business plans solely for this purpose, a good plan should set the course of a business over its lifespan.
4. As a key role in business resources allocation 
   A business plan plays a key role in allocating resources throughout a business. It is a tool that can help you attract new funds or that you can use as a strategy document. A good business plan reveals how you would use a bank loan or investment you are asking for.
5. Gives an idea at which direction you are now 
   A business plan can be used as a tool to identify where you are now and in which direction you wish your business to grow. A business plan will also ensure that you meet certain key targets and manage business priorities.

10 Benefits of Business Planning

Maloney and Boulay (1998) indicated that there are various reasons why people develop a plan. They suggested that some of the ten reasons or benefits are as follows:

1. Creates a common focus and a sense of motivation and ownership.
2. Establishes a common language and commitment.
3. Clearly establishes operating challenges and obstacles.
4. Defines specific operating and staff development initiatives essential for growth.
5. Focuses everyone on the importance of serving both the internal and external customer.
6. Establishes financial operating goals.
7. Defines operating priorities.
8. Benchmarks your marketing and sales strategies against your competition.
9. Provides for the bases of a stronger relationship with your lenders.
10. It creates a definition for success and longevity.

Rumput Napier / Gajah