A resource is anything the business needs to carry out its activities. List each one, say what it is used for, and keep start-up costs apart from running costs.
This lesson is part of entrepreneurship and business preparation. The resources you list here feed into planning basic operations and marketing.
How do I list resources for a case?
Go through four groups, and include only what the case uses.
| Group | Examples in a small stall |
|---|---|
| People | the owner, a helper on busy days |
| Physical | pots, soil, a table, a sign |
| Money | a cash float, start-up funds |
| Information and technology | price list, a phone for orders |
Then write the activity next to each item. The activity is what turns a list into an answer.
Worked example: Nurul’s herb stall
Nurul plans to sell potted herbs at a weekend market. She will make 60 pots for the first weekend.
| Item | Activity it supports | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| 60 pots at RM1.50 each | holding the seedlings buyers take home | RM90 |
| 4 bags of soil at RM12 each | filling the pots | RM48 |
| 60 seedlings at RM1 each | the product customers buy | RM60 |
| A signboard | showing the name and price | RM25 |
| A folding table | displaying the pots | borrowed, RM0 |
Start-up total: 90 + 48 + 60 + 25 = RM223.
The table is borrowed, so it costs nothing now. Nurul should note that she must return it if the owner wants it back. A cash float for change is also needed, but it is money she keeps and does not spend.
The mistake that costs marks
The common slip is to list items with no link to the business and to mix start-up costs with running costs.
| Step | Wrong | Right |
|---|---|---|
| Listing | pots, soil, table, sign | pots to hold seedlings, soil to fill them |
| Table | counted as RM0 and forgotten | borrowed, noted as a risk |
| Seedlings | treated as a one-off | a running cost, bought each batch |
| Total | RM223 called start-up | RM223 is the first-batch cost, part one-off, part repeating |
The link to the activity is what the marker looks for.
Check yourself
A mobile car-wash business needs 2 buckets at RM12 each, shampoo for RM18, 5 microfibre cloths at RM6 each and a portable vacuum for RM85. Find the total cost of these items and say which item is most likely to repeat.
Answer
Buckets: 2 × 12 = RM24. Cloths: 5 × 6 = RM30. Shampoo: RM18. Vacuum: RM85.
Total = 24 + 30 + 18 + 85 = RM157.
The shampoo is most likely to repeat, because it is used up. Buckets, cloths and the vacuum last longer, although cloths wear out eventually.
What to study next
Go on to connecting entrepreneurial characteristics with actions. Then test yourself with the practice set.
The business case answer planner helps you map resources to activities before you write. For a teacher to work through cases with you, see online one-to-one Business tuition.