BAM6302 - Starting and Growing Your Own Business

Objectives:

On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:

1. Critically understand and use a variety of strategic models to develop and critically evaluate business start-up ideas
2. Explore and assess the impact of various environmental/marker/competitor factors upon the development of a new business
3. Create a detailed and viable business plan
4. Present their proposal effectively and creatively to a variety of audiences.

Content:

This module will prepare students to consider the reality of starting their own business as a viable alternative to seeking employment upon graduation. This module is supported by external input from successful entrepreneurs delivered as part of the Masters level module MBS2272 running during semester 2. The key difference of this module is the applied natuire of the material:
Theoretical models will be presented, used and critiqued as practical tools in the development of the viable business start-ups and in nurturing and growing small businesses.

The content and assessment strategy if semester 1 will encourge students to develop business start-up idea to which the various tools and models can be applied producing a progressively more robust and considered business plan throught the course.

The fundamentals of the theoretical knowledge-base will be delivered by the academic input while the guest speakers will provide cutting-edge and practical material creating a coherent and rigorous 'enterprise culture'.

The detailed module content will therefore vary according to the available expertise and contemporary factors affecting business start-ups and will include a croad coverage of topics such as (but not limited to):
Idea generation and creativity
Market Segmentation and targeting
Business Planning and Understanding the competitive environment
Financial Issues: Costing, raising finance, tax issues
Target Marketing and brand development
Legal context of new business

In addition, practical skill elements of the module will include:
Poster presentations
Business start-up simulation game
Development of marketing/promotional material
An opportunity to observe and participate in a 'Dragon's Den' style competition.

Learning and Teaching Information:

Semester 1 will involve a series of lectures and worrkshops from the module co-ordinator which will support the students in preparing to take full advantage of the Masters level workshop series they will attend in semester 2

Lecture/workshops x 5
Contact hours: 10

2 hour workshops x 10
Contact hours: 20

Assessment:

001 Report 1 x 2,000 words End of Sem 1 25%
002 Poster presentation 1 x 500 words or equivalent During Sem 2 25%
003 Business plan 1 x 3,000 words or equivalent End of Sem 2 50%


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