Final answer:
Competitors should not have access to a venture's business plan because they could use the information against the business. Lenders, investors, and suppliers may have justified reasons for access due to their financial involvement or business relationships with the venture.
Step-by-step explanation:
Within the context of a business, the creation and sharing of a business plan is a strategic activity that involves providing detailed information about the company's products, revenues, costs, and future strategies. This document is highly valuable to people within the organization and to specific external parties such as lenders, investors, and suppliers who all may use this information to assess their engagement and risk with the venture. However, one group that should not have access to a venture's business plan is its competitors. Competitors could use such strategic insight to their advantage by countering the company's moves, copying strategies, or pre-emptively securing market advantages.
Lenders and investors, especially venture capitalists, often provide the financial capital necessary for growth, and this financial involvement justifies their access to the business plan. These parties require a comprehensive understanding of the business to assess risk and make informed decisions. Moreover, suppliers might be granted access to parts of the business plan that relate to their supply agreements or long-term business relationships. Overall, the sharing of a business plan is a considered decision that balances transparency with the need to protect strategic information.