A 2,000 word group business plan (60%)
A 15 minute group presentation relating to the business plan (25%)
An individual 500 word reflection (15%) on development of underpinning strategic agility and career ambition competencies.

Learning
Introduction to a new business planning process for application to a real life business challenge.

Practice
Students act as consultants for a business start-up and will apply the knowledge and understanding from other modules onto a new enterprise development.


Students will:

• Produce a business plan for presentation & scrutiny by the idea or business owner/panel of academic experts.

• Have opportunity to develop & demonstrate an entrepreneurial strategic competency by collaboration within a diverse multidisciplinary environment with the support of mentors.

• Focus in on learning by doing and for this reason are able to keep a reflective log to monitor underpinning competency development.

1. Employ a range of critical evaluation techniques to understand the business start-up process Application

2. Systematically explore existing and generate new innovative and enterprising approaches to starting up a business
Problem Solving

3. Adopt a structured approach to market research and industry analysis to create a business plan for a business start-up and to evaluate the commercial potential of an idea.
Enquiry

4. Reflect on the development of strategic agility and career ambition competencies to enhance employability and/or career advancement in positions of management and leadership.
Reflection

The module adopts a problem/practice work based approach to teaching & learning:

• An intensive business plan development workshop
• Mentoring sessions selected from the relevant business and research community
• Practical workshops dedicated to feedback and presentation
• Participation in peer discussion and directed reading of relevant texts
• Independent research of entrepreneurship related literature.

This module can also be undertaken as part of the Blended Learning (BL) delivery pattern. BL is defined as the thoughtful integration of each of the following in order to maximise student flexibility:
- Independent study (student reading/research and assessment preparation);
- Guided independent study (homework, group tasks and e-support in Blackboard);
- Online scheduled contact time (at least 10% of total contact time is online lessons where the tutor is ‘present’) and
- Classroom contact time.
Learning activities may include (this list is not exclusive):
- Presentation activities;
- Structured discussion activities;
- Group work activities;
- Reflection activities;
- Formative and summative assessment activities;
- Problem-based learning activities.

• VLE learning support material to be provided for independent learning
• Module handbook
• Academic journals and industry magazines
• Problem/practice based case examples

Buzan, T. (2014). Mind maps for business. 2nd ed. Harlow: Pearson Education Limited.

Foroutan-Esfahani, F. (2012) Entrepreneurship: from Carsrud, A.L. & Brännback, M. (2014) Handbook of research methods and applications in entrepreneurship and small business. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar.
idea to success. Cranbrook: Global Professional.

Kumawat, H.S. (2009) Modern Entrepreneur and Entrepreneurship: Theory, Process and Practice, 1st edn, Sunrise Publishers and Distributors, New Delhi.

Osterwalder, A. and Pigneur, Y. (2010) Business Model Generation: a handbook for visionaries, game changers, and challengers. John Wiley & Sons.

Shelters, D. (2013) Start-Up Guide for the Technopreneur: Financial Planning, Decision Making and Negotiating from Incubation to Exit, 1. Aufl.;1; edn, Wiley, SG.

Parker, S. (2012). The Economics of Entrepreneurship. Cambridge University Press

An exciting opportunity to act as consultants to a real-life start-up business. This module will challenge you to synthesise your understanding of entrepreneurship theories and empirical research and the knowledge you will have gained from previous studies, other modules on the MBA programme and your previous work experience to develop a business plan which a local enterprise will use to guide them on their start-up journey.