Aims

This module aims to provide postgraduate students with an advanced understanding of the complexities involved in the creation, growth, and sustainability of small business ventures both new and existing, particularly within a rapidly evolving environment. The module offers both theoretical insights into the entrepreneurial process and opportunities for practical implementation, focusing on the development of a start-up. Students will engage with advanced business models and emerging technological tools to foster the knowledge, skills and mindset to validate, build and scale a business, drawing on contemporary entrepreneurial theory and practice.

The module adopts a social constructivist approach building learning through interaction, encouraging students to critically reflect on their entrepreneurial mindset and to develop adaptive, creative, and strategic thinking. A central focus will be on the application of lean start-up methodology and its role in business model validation and execution. By the end of the module, students are expected to enhance their entrepreneurial skill set and leadership capabilities, fostering innovation, independent decision-making, and adaptability in a fast-changing global market. In addition, business history will be used to identify past examples, cases and narratives that show how entrepreneurship unfolded, in order to better understand related challenges in the present.

The reflective practice component encourages students to critically evaluate their entrepreneurial journey, linking theory to practice and developing the necessary competencies for navigating uncertainty, managing risks, and responding to dynamic market conditions. Additionally, the module supports the cultivation of essential global graduate attributes, such as; creativity, critical and analytical thinking, problem solving, adaptability, digital literacy, collaborative and leadership skills, resilience, and strategic foresight.

Outline Of Syllabus

Contemporary Business Context: Analysis of dynamic changes in the global enterprise environment, focusing on digital transformation and disruption.
Advanced Entrepreneurial Mindset & Creativity: Examination of entrepreneurial cognition, creativity, and innovation as key drivers of business success.
Entrepreneurial Opportunity: Identification and evaluation of entrepreneurial opportunities, leveraging creative problem-solving and innovative thinking.
Design Thinking for Innovation: Application of design thinking principles to identify customer needs, prototype solutions, and iterate business ideas to drive innovation and enhance user-centred product and service development.
Lean Start-up Methodology: Exploration of lean start-up theory, customer validation, and iterative business model development.
Business Model Canvas & Value Proposition Design: Advanced application of the Business Model Canvas to define and refine value propositions and brand identity.
Reflective Practice: Critical self-reflection on the entrepreneurial journey and decision-making processes, supported by theoretical insights.
Enterprise Growth, Development, and Change: Strategies for scaling start-ups, managing growth stages, and adapting to changing market conditions with an emphasis on scalability and sustainable growth.
Marketing in the Digital Age and the Attention Economy: Exploring marketing strategies, with a focus on how businesses can effectively capture and retain consumer attention in the highly competitive attention economy.
Emerging Technologies and Entrepreneurship: Exploration of the potential of emerging technologies to support entrepreneurial ventures. This includes understanding how these technologies can be leveraged to innovate business models, enhance creativity, efficiency, create competitive advantage.
Practical Application: Ongoing practical activities that integrate theory with real-world business scenarios.
Legal Context: In-depth analysis of legal frameworks, intellectual property protection, and compliance issues for start-ups.

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

N/A

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

N/A