BUSI4Q330: Entrepreneurship: Theory and Practice (Level 4)

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• To introduce students to the research literature on entrepreneurship, and to theories, methods and empirical evidence that are prevalent on the topic of entrepreneurship. In doing so, the module will allow students to develop their critical skills and to analyse the internal and external factors that impact entrepreneurship and how they intertwine to create success.
• To develop students understanding of how entrepreneurs use their social skills to acquire resources, and the characteristics of ventures which are ethically and socially oriented.
• To ground students understanding of these theories and topics in the different theoretical methodological frames that influence entrepreneurship research (both positivist and interpretivist), and explore contemporary themes such as identity and temporality.

• What Is Entrepreneurship: Theoretical Roots and Definitions
• Psychological Theories of Entrepreneurship
• Entrepreneurial Opportunities and New Ventures
• Social, Cultural and Political Dimensions of Entrepreneurship
• Corporate entrepreneurship/intrapreneurship
• Social entrepreneurship
• Critical approaches to entrepreneurship

Subject-specific Knowledge:

• Have a critical understanding of the forefront of knowledge on entrepreneurship at individual and firm level, as well as the foundations for entrepreneurship literature and the role of context
• Have a critical understanding of how to balance the perspectives and interests of those parties who might finance a new enterprise
• Be able to identify the various environmental factors, external to the individual, which can influence the extent of entrepreneurship in society
• Be able to describe and discuss the concept of social enterprise and corporate social responsibility
• Have a critical appreciation of how entrepreneurship connects to innovation in large businesses
• Have a critical understanding of the theoretical and methodological frames that influence entrepreneurship research

Subject-specific Skills:

• Have developed skills of critical awareness and synthesis and be able to apply these to problem solving
• Be able to reflect on role of the entrepreneur in new venture creation

Key Skills:

• Written communication.
• Understanding of the extant literature and identifying research gaps.
• Formulating and communicating research questions that are relevant and novel.
• Developing, critically evaluating and implementing research designs.
• Managing research projects and time.

• The module will be delivered in a workshop format over four days, also including lecture-type delivery, but with a stronger focus work in small groups and individual work on the students planned research. Reading materials in preparation for the workshop are provided online.
• The following learning and teaching methods will be used to inform the pedagogic structure of the module:
• The lectures will be developed around the key concepts as mentioned in the indicative module content and will use a range of live examples and cases from business practice to demonstrate the application of theoretical concepts.
• The Group work will focus extensively on business case study of local entrepreneurs and their venture and selected journal articles. It is designed to help students to both develop and analyse case studies. The case will be selected at the location where the course module is held to encourage students to analyse entrepreneurship in different contexts and to develop research skills in response to the case.
• The Individual work will include class exercises consisting of individual work based on self-assessment questions and on other set tasks to provide students with the opportunity to develop critical and practical skills.
• The module assessment will require the students to produce a research report based on the above-mentioned case study of a local entrepreneurial initiative. The students have to produce an essay that reflects upon the key dimensions of the case that reasonated with them during the module. They will be asked to provide a critical review of the relevant literature on these dimensions and tie them to the case study. Practically, it will require that the students engage in fieldwork, visiting the local entrepreneurs on their site during the module, and keep notes that will subsequently inform their analysis.

The formative assignment is designed to test students acquisition of subject specific knowledge and skills through their interrogation of a key concept in entrepreneurship. In the first instance, this will be tested via an individual assignment (1000 words) that deals with a key concept such as social entrepreneurship, or corporate entrepreneurship (for example). This will provide students with experience of researching about and then subjecting to review and critique a key concept in entrepreneurship theory.

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