Business plan vs business model canvas in entrepreneurship trainings: A comparison of students’ perceptions

Abstract

Business model canvas and business plan are prevalent and widespread tools used in entrepreneurship trainings. This study aims to compare the business model canvas and the business plan as tools used in entrepreneurship trainings through the perceptions of business school students, with a user approach. Students were given applied entrepreneurship courses, and have been taught to prepare a business plan and a business model canvas. Then students were asked questions comparing business plan and business model canvas from various aspects. 62% of the students have stated that they find it more difficult to prepare a business plan. On the other hand despite its hardship to prepare, students have stated business model’s superiority to BMC on several issues. According to students’ statements, compared to BMC, business plan is more clear (64.6%), more useful (60.8%), more realistic in revealing the phases of start-up (77.2%), superior in financial planning (74,7%), superior in marketing planning (67.1%), superior in costs (70.9%), superior in describing customer needs and value propositon (60.7%), superior in production planning and supply chain (68.3%). After providing these statements students were asked which system they liked preparing the most. Answers to this question could not be decisively evaluated. Percentage of positive, negative and neutral statements are very similar. Independent samples t-test was conducted to compare business plan and BMC use perceptions scoring for gender. There was not a significant difference in the scores for female and male students.