In the first place, the only difference between an international business plan and a local business plan is the global implications and ramifications, notwithstanding the larger global market, and the attendant cross-border practices and dynamics that need to be considered.

Nevertheless, a business plan is just a road map, to show you how to go to where you want to go from where you are.

At its core, is the systematic game plan, which highlights all the strategic and tactical initiatives of completing the journey.

It has all these key elements:

1) Executive Summary;
2) Unique Selling Proposition/Unfair Advantage;
3) Organisational Background (including vision and mission statements);
4) Global/Local Market Analysis;
5) Global/Local Competition Analysis;
6) Vulnerability Audit;
7) Marketing Plan/Product Launch;
8) Manpower Plan;
9) Financial Analysis (with a detailed 12-month statement);
10) Sensitivity Analysis;
11) Contingency Plan;
12)   Game Plan (with a detailed 1-year plan, including all the strategic and  tactical initiatives in tandem  with predefined corporate objectives);

Your  game  plan encapsulates all your long-range goals and objectives which  are  systematically translated  into specific, prioritised and executable   tasks which you need to  accomplish daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly,   and annually.

For implementation and execution, it contains the following critical elements:

- specific objectives for each predefined task;

- metrics to measure your progress;

- accountability, as some tasks may need to be shared;

- resources you need to get the work done respectively; 

[I call them the 7 Ms': Money; Men; Methods; Machines; Materials; Metrics; and Mojo]

- timetable for completion of each predefined task;

Moreover,   your game plan also provides a clear snapshot all potential  obstacles  and/or  roadblocks that may pop up, and also a slew of  possible  strategies to  deal with them. They serve as your  contingency plan.

Before  I sign off, I like to point out that the  fire test for your business  plan will come from your consistent  follow-up and massive  follow-through  of whatever you have set out to do,  as laid out in your  game plan.

Furthermore, the business - and  game - plan is not  etched in stone. You have to stay laser-focused on  your  strategic goals  and objects, but remain steadfastly flexible in  your  tactical  execution.