SM9413 - Introduction to Entrepreneurship

You will learn through presentations, seminars, workshops, independent learning and work-related projects. The presentations will improve your knowledge and understanding by introducing you to mainstream academic theory. The seminars and workshops will help you to test their value and their limitations, as well as giving you a chance to discuss them with the tutors and your peers. You will be encouraged to apply the theory to business examples.
Learning is supported by tutors and the overall pattern is set out in a Teaching and Learning Plan (TLP) which describes the key topics and guided sessions, and lists key readings, preparation and individual and group activities. The module is about entrepreneurship and you will have to be actively entrepreneurial in identifying and exploiting learning opportunities in the local economy.

Support will include feedback from peers and tutors during small group seminars and tutorials. In addition to this you will be supported by the University’s e-learning portal which will provide you with the Teaching and Learning Plan, Assessment Brief and other electronic support facilities.

You will be provided with an electronic reading list which comprises a number of key academic sources, journal articles and published reports which support the development of your knowledge on this module.

All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. The reading list for this module can be found at: http://readinglists.northumbria.ac.uk
(Reading List service online guide for academic staff this containing contact details for the Reading List team – http://library.northumbria.ac.uk/readinglists)

Knowledge & Understanding:

• Demonstrate knowledge of academic theories of entrepreneurship and an ability to interpret them. (MLO1)

Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:
• Identify and evaluate business, management and leadership knowledge as a means to understanding the strategy and performance of small, medium and global companies. (MLO2)

• Search for, evaluate and interpret qualitative and quantitative data to support investigation into business activity. (MLO3)

Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):

• Demonstrate an ability to include cultural and ethical context in analysis of entrepreneurial activity (MLO4)

The summative assessment will occur in the form of

• Group and individual presentation (30%) (MLO1,2,3,4)
• Report presenting an evaluation of a start-up business (2,000 words, individual, 70%) (MLO1,2,3,4)

Formative assessment will be given interactively from peers and tutors/coaches throughout the course. More structured feedback is scheduled into some of the workshop sessions.

This is a level 4 course forming part of the first year of the programme. The only requirement is admission to the degree course.

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Entrepreneurs are crucial for business and economic success. However, there are widely different academic approaches to understanding
them, their behaviour and the factors that help them thrive. This module introduces you to entrepreneurship through the key principles,
examples and theories in the field, and includes looking at local businesses as well as global success stories such as Facebook, Amazon and LinkedIn.
The module also helps you understand, analyse and explain start-up businesses – their founders, as well as their economic and social impact
– and how governments respond to innovation and enterprise. On the way you’ll meet some fascinating people with brilliant ideas, as well as [learn how they’ve overcome?] various challenges.