Entrepreneurship and Innovation

Core Modules

• Venture Creation and Financial Planning

  This module will introduce you to the basic theories and practices related to business planning and the entrepreneurial start-up process. You will look at the discovery of business opportunities, the development and assessment of business ideas, the formation of founding teams, and how to preparare a business plan.

• Corporate Entrepreneurship

  In this module, you will critically analyse and gain systematic understanding of subject specific knowledge, theories, concepts, and frames that underlie corporate entrepreneurship and its relationship with innovation. In particular, the role and importance of management tools and techniques; strategy and competitive advantage; creativity and innovation will be explored. Digital tools to search, analyse and manage information responsibly will incorporated and you will learn to perform professionally as an entrepreneur and to influence effective teamwork.

• Entrepreneurship and Innovation: Theory and Practice

  In this module, you’ll gain an understanding of the theoretical underpinnings and development of both entrepreneurship and innovation and will learn to evaluate sources and strategies of innovation for competitive advantage.  It contains two halves; The first half introduces contrasting perspectives on the practice of entrepreneurship by considering the contribution of several influential theorists and the second half of the module develops an understanding of the key debates and businesses challenges within the fields of both entrepreneurship and innovation and how these impact upon opportunity seeking and resource allocation within the firm.

• Dissertation Preparation and Research Methods

  In this module you will develop your analytical research skills so that you are better prepared for your dissertation project. You will look at approaches to management research and the assumptions upon which they are based, and consider how to critically evaluate primary and secondary data sources. You will examine how to choose appropriate quantitative and qualitative research methods for data collection and subsequent analysis, and how to conduct research in a systematic and critical reflective manner. You will also analyse the ethical implications of research investigations and their impact upon findings.

• Independent Business Research Project

  In this capstone module you will be given a topic, drawn from current issues faced by businesses, and you will be expected to identify and select an organisational or industry context. You will expected to undertake a substantial review of secondary sources, comprising both academic journals and industry publications. Using relevant market research techniques, you will undertake a substantive and unique primary research study, providing a critical analysis with key insights. You will be asked to make justified and feasible managerial suggestions, prepare an executive summary, and deliver a presentation to communicate your findings.

Optional Modules

There are a number of optional course modules available during your degree studies. The following is a selection of optional course modules that are likely to be available. Please note that although the College will keep changes to a minimum, new modules may be offered or existing modules may be withdrawn, for example, in response to a change in staff. Applicants will be informed if any significant changes need to be made.

• Technology Entrepreneurship

  This module explores the role played by technology entrepreneurship, like identifying emerging technologies, launching- and growing firms, regional economic development and selecting the appropriate stakeholders for effective commercialisation. You’ll be introduced to the management tools and frameworks needed for successful exploitation of technology-based opportunities and will develop a theoretical understanding of the process of market opportunity identification, evaluation and planning in the context of new technologies. Areas around value proposition design, business model construction, intellectual property protection and securing a sustainable advantage will be explored.

• Business Ethics and Social Entreprenuership

  In this module you will develop an understanding of the role of business in modern society from an ethical perspective. You will look at different types of business, including publicly traded multinationals, small and medium-sized enterprises, social enterprises and family firms. You will examine the issues in these organisational types and articulate moral arguments from a range of perspectives, critiquing alternative models of business, including social entrepreneurship, fair trade and microfinance.

• Family and Small Business Management

  In this module you will develop an understanding of the challenges and opportunities of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). You will consider family businesses as a distinct type of organisation, looking at their strengths and weaknesses. You will examine the prevalence and economic contribution of family firms, as well as issues of governance, strategic management, succession, change and transgenerational value creation, and relationships and conflicts between family members.

• Start Ups & NPD

  This module seeks to provide students with knowledge of the key aspects involved in the entrepreneurship process. The module will provide students with an understanding of how to start and grow a new venture. Emphasis is given to introducing students with an understanding of how to develop and translate entrepreneurial ideas into achievable opportunities. The module examines the nature of business planning and covers various aspects of successful new product development such as product development, idea identification and market segmentation, product specification and life cycle, market positioning and sales planning, as well as exploring business modelling and pricing. The module also introduces students to assembling different resources such as people, finance and investment, together with developing strategies for growth, exit and failure.