As one course among many offered in the American Management Association's curriculum, How to Write a Business Plan, Fourth Edition, has been designed specifically for the practicing manager and the future manager. It provides private, self-paced, individualized study; learning and self-evaluation through in-text exercises; and communication between the student and AMA's Educational Services instructors through assignments and a final examination based on the case study as pioneered by Harvard University. Paralleling a business school course of study, AMA's curriculum provides practical information to working professionals who, on their own time and at their own pace, want to continue their education.

This course was prepared by senior staff of The TQS Group, Inc., and McGladrey & Pullen. The TQS Group is a consulting and training firm that specializes in customer-centered quality improvement and organizational reengineering. McGladrey & Pullen is a national accounting and consulting firm.

Edwin T. Crego, Jr., is the Managing Director of The TQS Group's Chicago office. Mr. Crego is a nationally recognized expert in the planning field. He specializes in customer research, strategy development, and organizational change management. Mr. Crego has more than 20 years' experience as a consultant. He was formerly Director of Laventhol & Horwath's Organizational Consulting Division and President of CONSULT, Ltd. He received his MA and BA degrees from the University of Illinois.

Peter D. Schiffrin is the Managing Director of The TQS Group's Philadelphia office. He is an authority in the planning field and is a frequent speaker on strategy, quality, and management issues. Mr. Schiffrin has an MBA from the Wharton School of Business and is a member of the Institute of Management Consultants and the Planning Forum.

James C. Kauss is a management consultant for McGladrey & Pullen, a national accounting and consulting firm that services the middle market. Mr. Kauss helps clients improve their management techniques and raise employee performance levels through improved human resources systems. He typically focuses on teaching strategic planning and executive incentive programs and provides management consulting services.

The publisher wishes to thank the following people for their help in reviewing the manuscript of this course: John Beveridge, CISA, CFE, Ipswich, Massachusetts; Jack Dolmat-Connell, President, Human Resources & Management Consultants, Princeton, Massachusetts; and James M. Lynch, Benchmark Consulting Group, Boston, Massachusetts.

© 2013 e.approach, Inc. - Privacy Policy