Which item is NOT typically part of an operational plan for a new venture?

• A. Production steps, process flows, supply chain, facilities and equipment.
• B. Quality control, inventory, staffing.
• C. Marketing channels and branding strategies.
• D. Risk assessment and compliance protocols.

Answer: (C)

Operational planning focuses on how a new venture will run day-to-day to produce and deliver its offering. It lists the concrete steps to manufacture or provide the service, the sequence of production, how the supply chain will function, and what facilities and equipment are necessary. It also lays out how quality will be controlled, how inventory will be tracked, and what staffing levels and roles are needed to keep operations smooth. It includes risk assessment and compliance protocols to address safety, legal, and regulatory requirements. Marketing channels and branding strategies, while essential to attracting customers, address demand generation and market positioning rather than the internal functioning of operations; they belong in the marketing or business development domain. They may inform capacity planning, but they are not a core component of the operational plan.