Entrepreneurship Project (20cr)
| Code | School | Level | Credits | Semesters |
| BUSI4632 | Business | 4 | 20 | Spring UK |
- Code
- BUSI4632
- School
- Business
- Level
- 4
- Credits
- 20
- Semesters
- Spring UK
Summary
The entrepreneurship project is a problem-solving experiential learning module offering the opportunity to apply the ‘toolbox’ of knowledge, skills and experiences developed in the taught modules. Students work in self-selected teams to address a live opportunity/challenge provided by a project sponsor organisation.
Each student group are introduced to a company representative and an agreed project brief who they then work with in a consultancy capacity to explore and refine a problem statement together that is feasible for the students to deliver against during the semester that will offer the organisation value. Students are then responsible for managing subsequent interactions with the project sponsor organisation, collating and analysing primary and secondary data and keeping the representative up to date with progress. Mentoring is provided to offer support and guidance with project management, research methodology and the application of theoretical constructs taught in the autumn semester core modules to the project within an entrepreneurship context. The outcome of the project work should demonstrate an understanding and application of entrepreneurship theories in practice and also provide a series of tangible and actionable recommendations to the project sponsor organisation.
Target Students
Only available for MSc Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Management students and MSc Exchange students.
Classes
- One 3-hour lecture each week for 11 weeks
3 x 30 minute supervision meetings per group.
Assessment
- 75% Report: 5,000 word group project report
- 25% Assignment: 1,000 word individual reflection. Reassessment of this module is a 3,000 words individual report (100%).
Assessed by end of spring semester
Educational Aims
To create a valuable opportunity for students to put the knowledge, skills and experience they have gained from core entrepreneurship, innovation and management modules undertaken in the previous semester into practice working on a live opportunity/challenge provided by a project sponsor organisation. Students can learn experientially by exploring and developing their problem-solving skills within the context of a real-world group project experience interacting with a professional person(s) to deliver a tangible benefit to the organisation.Learning Outcomes
Knowledge and understanding
This module develops a knowledge and understanding of:
- Markets - the development and operation of markets for resources, goods, and services
- Customers and stakeholders - customer expectations, service, and orientation
- Finance - the sources, uses and management of finance
- People - strategic and operational HRM, meeting future organisational requirements, people development, HR systems
- The management of resources
- The management of projects
- Communications - the comprehension and use of relevant communications for application in business and management, including the use of digital tools
- Business innovation - creativity, intrapreneurial - and entrepreneurial behaviour and enterprise development, and the management and exploitation of intellectual property
- Leadership and management of people within organisations - leadership, organisational behaviour, and motivation
Intellectual skills
This module develops:
- Being able to think critically and be creative: manage the creative processes in self and others; organise thoughts, analyse, synthesise, and critically appraise. This includes the capability to identify assumptions, evaluate statements in terms of evidence, detect false logic or reasoning, identify implicit values, define terms adequately and generalise appropriately
- Being able to solve complex problems and make decisions: establish criteria, using appropriate decision-making techniques including identifying, formulating and solving business problems; and the ability to create, identify and evaluate options; the ability to implement and review decisions
- Using information and knowledge effectively in order to abstract meaning from information and to share knowledge, including the use of quantitative skills
Professional practical skills
This module develops:
- The ability to conduct research and enquiry into business and management issues either individually or as part of a team through research design, the collection and analysis of qualitative data, synthesis and reporting
- Effective performance within team environments and the ability to recognise and utilise individuals' contributions in group processes and to negotiate and persuade or influence others; team selection, delegation, development and management.
- Leadership and performance management: selecting appropriate leadership style for different situations; setting objectives, motivating, monitoring performance, coaching and mentoring
- The ability to recognise the need for and initiate change and to be able to manage change
Transferable (key) skills
This module develops:
- Effective communication: networking, listening, oral and written communication of complex ideas and arguments, using a range of media, including the preparation of business reports
- High personal effectiveness: critical self-awareness, self-reflection and self-management; time management; conflict resolution, displaying commercial acumen, the ability to continue to learn through reflection on practice and experience
- Soft skills: understanding the needs of others and empathy towards them; sensitivity to diversity in people and in different situations