Durham University
Programme and Module Handbook

Postgraduate Programme and Module Handbook 2012-2013 (archived)

Module BUSI44W15: New Venture Creation and Enterprise Skills (Block Taught)

Department: Business School (Business)

BUSI44W15: New Venture Creation and Enterprise Skills (Block Taught)

Type Tied Level 4 Credits 15 Availability Available in 2012/13 Module Cap None.
Tied to N1KY07
Tied to N6K107

Prerequisites

  • None.

Corequisites

  • None.

Excluded Combination of Modules

  • New Venture Creation and Enterprise Skills (Distance Learning)

Aims

  • To provide students with an advanced understanding of, and practical skills relating to, key processes associated with starting, operating and growing a successful entrepreneurial venture, including its financial dimensions.

Content

  • The entrepreneurial process and new venture creation
  • Creativity, innovation and idea generation
  • The opportunity business model
  • Competitors and the external environment
  • Strategies for sustainable competitiveness
  • Entrepreneurial marketing
  • Entrepreneurial finance – theory and raising capital
  • Accounts – interpreting financial performance
  • Building an entrepreneurial organisation
  • Management team and leadership
  • Managing enterprise growth
  • Learning from entrepreneurs’ experience

Learning Outcomes

Subject-specific Knowledge:
  • By the end of the module students should have:
  • an advanced understanding of the concepts associated with recognising and developing entrepreneurial opportunities;
  • a critical appreciation of the theories and tools relevant to entrepreneurial strategies, management team formulation and managing growth;
  • an advanced understanding of the role and impact of investors in entrepreneurial firms;
  • a nuanced understanding of the challenges involved in new venture creation and achievement of sustainability.
Subject-specific Skills:
  • By the end of the module, students should be able:
  • to prepare a commercially viable business plan;
  • to critically evaluate business plans.
Key Skills:
  • Written communication;
  • practical planning processes;
  • organising and time management;
  • problem solving and analysis;
  • computer literacy;
  • data gathering;
  • networking;
  • interpersonal communication.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

  • Learning outcomes will be met through a combination of taught input, groupwork and discussion, supported by guided reading.
  • The summative assessment of the module, by written assignment, is designed to test the acquisition and articulation of knowledge and critical understanding, and skills of application (including data collection, interpretation and presentation

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Activity Number Frequency Duration Total/Hours
Workshops (a combination of taught input, groupwork, exercises and discussion), timetabled in blocks 24
Preparation and reading 126
Total 150

Summative Assessment

Component: Written Assignment Component Weighting: 100%
Element Length / duration Element Weighting Resit Opportunity
Business plan 3000 words 100% Same

Formative Assessment:

Students receive feedback on their contributions in the workshops.


Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University