The indicative content falls into four categories

Research Methods:
- Individual organisation: maintenance of research log/folder to record intentions, activities and results.
- The Planning of Research: Defining the purpose and parameters of research. Reviewing evidence. Research models, strategies and design.
- Sources of Data/Problems of Comparability: Published and unpublished data; primary and secondary sources; research bodies/pressure groups; web site sources; interviews; documentary methods; observation; case-study research.
- Research Methods and Specific Problems
Surveys: design; principles, problems and methods of sampling; structured/unstructured interviewing; questionnaire design; analysis of survey data, problems of analysis.
Experimental methods: design of tests (including simulation tools); collecting and collating of data; calculations, errors and margins;
Other techniques: fieldwork, participant and non-participant observation; document research; interviews.
- Research Presentation and Appraisal: presentation and analysis of statistics/numerical results; presentation and reporting of research findings. Critical appraisal of reports and statistics. Oral presentations.
- Research and Policy: demands for research; consideration of options/policy; recommendations; ethical considerations when deciding policy.

Business Practice:
- Team work: team structures and natural life, identifying team member strengths and weakness.
- Business planning: standard accounting reports, business plans, cost estimation, project management.
- Finance: accounts, taxation, loans, grants, venture capital and PLC.
- Understanding the impact and roles of EU directives, relevant ISO standards and international cross-references.

Innovation:
- Product Life cycles: bath tub curve, product life extension through innovation
- Sources of ideas: me-2 versus me-only, market cannibalism, need. Ideas generation methods: focus groups, group methods, individual methods.
- Understanding the difference between marketing and sales, understanding the link between market intelligence and new product development.
- Communication with customers and clients.

Enterprise and entrepreneurship:
- Being entrepreneurial, within a business, as an employee, as a manager.
- Starting your own business
- Understanding government agendas and special initiatives, putting them into context with relation to engineering practice.
- Presentations and pitches.

100% in course assessment (Learning outcomes 1 and 2) based on a portfolio of work based on a case study exploring the development of a new, innovative company; culminating in an exposition of the business plan.

Targeted lectures by academic staff will be supported by guest lectures from relevant agencies and external bodies. A group case study will enable students to explore and synthesise the knowledge uncovered. It is expected that external bodies will work with the groups.

1 hour per week lecture (some by visiting lecturers).
2 hours per week group based activity (that may incorporate presentations from visiting lecturers).

Design studio for group work.
Visiting lecturers

Disqualified combination with CE20047-6 Enterprise and Entrepreneurship

Creswell, J.W. (2008) Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches, 3rd Edn., Sage Publications, Inc.

Flick, U. (2007) The SAGE Qualitative Research Kit, Eight Volume Set Edn., Sage Publication Ltd.

Whitcomb, C. (2013) Effective Interpersonal and Team Communications Skills for Engineers, Wiley-Blackwell.

Stutely R (2012) The Definitive Business Plan: The Fast Track to Intelligent Business Planning for Executives and Entrepreneurs, 3rd Edn., Pearson Education Ltd

Walsh, C (2008) Key Management Ratios, Financial Times/ Prentice Hall

Frost and Sullivan Business Reports applicable to the case study.

1. DEMONSTRATE AN AWARENESS OF THE IMPORTANCE OF BUSINESS SKILLS/AWARENESS IN SMALL, MEDIUM AND LARGE ENGINEERING ESTABLISHMENTS.
(Enquiry, Knowledge & Understanding)

2. HAVE THE ABILITY TO FIND, DEVELOP AND ANALYSE BUSINESS INFORMATION IN ORDER TO DEVELOP A BUSINESS PLAN, RESEARCH A MARKET, PITCH AN IDEA AND/OR PROPOSE A STRATEGIC CHANGE.
(Analysis, Communication, Reflection)