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2016/17 Undergraduate Module Catalogue

LUBS3007 Enterprise Development Project

20 creditsClass Size: 30

Module manager: Isla Kapasi
Email: i.kapasi@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) View Timetable

Year running 2016/17

Pre-requisites

LUBS2080New Enterprise Planning

This module is mutually exclusive with

LUBS3004Entrepreneurship and Innovation

This module is not approved as a discovery module

Module summary

This module will support you in developing a new enterprise as a live case study, giving you the chance to explore the potential of your ideas by working with subject specialists, industry experts and your peers to evaluate and develop a virtual enterprise.Once you have decided the focus of your project, you will work with your assigned supervisor in developing a portfolio around your enterprise initiative, as well as a reflective log to explore your personal experiences and connections to your wider studies. As an independent project, you will then go out to develop your enterprise, working with a range of industry experts who will assist you in setting objectives. Throughout the year a series of interactive seminars will support you in developing your enterprise proposal while working with your peers in challenging your assumptions and developing solutions.This action-orientated module provides a ‘virtual` experience of developing a new enterprise from scratch, which should be of relevance to both future enterprise opportunities and through employment in existing organisations.

Objectives

This module aims to provide the student with the opportunity to develop independent research, communication, planning and evaluation skills whilst developing a deep understanding of enterprise development challenges. Students will implement an enterprise development project, which may be related to their subject of study, as a ‘live` year-long case study, with the support of a supervisor, seminars, industry advisors and peer-learning, to investigate and develop an enterprise opportunity. The project should take the form of a portfolio that critically examines a new enterprise proposal. It should include some form of primary data gathered in the form of questionnaires, pilot schemes or interviews, may involve the analysis secondary data and application of subject-specific knowledge.

In addition a reflective log will be produced which should include in-depth literature reviews related to appropriate themes and personal reflection to allow students the chance to become expert in their chosen area of interest and to develop skills of evaluating and critiquing the sources of information available alongside their own experiences in directing the project.

A presentation will further provide an opportunity to outline their understanding of the personal challenges faced during the project such as independence, personal motivation and time management, so that students can demonstrate to supervisors and industry advisors how they organized themselves to complete a work of this scale over a sustained period.

Learning outcomes
On completion of this module students will be able to:

- Demonstrate a confident and in depth understanding of new enterprise development processes related to their area of interest.
- Critically evaluate and review literature published in peer-reviewed scholarly journals, make use of market research and industry databases and other appropriate sources.
- Design a project that is appropriate to the opportunity or problem identified and to the field(s) of enquiry, including the ability to reflect on and review procedures in the light of new findings
- Organise, motivate and carry out the project in a timely and successful manner, including hitting a series of milestone deadlines.
- Critically analyse their findings (including negative evidence) and interpret them in a manner that is both appropriate and useful to their chosen field and identified enterprise opportunity
- Present a portfolio as a formal account of their project which outlines the feasibility of the development plan for their project, as well as a scholarly reflective log, appropriately referenced, which illustrates the contribution of their subject of study to this opportunity.

Skills outcomes
Enterprise planning, financial management, analysis, reflection, negotiation, sales, pitching, leadership, innovation.


Syllabus

At the end of Year 2 Semester 2, and linked to the pre-requisite module New Enterprise Planning (LUBS2080), students will receive guidance on choosing and planning their enterprise development project through an information session which will introduce the concept of the project and ask students to start thinking about the subject disciplines, markets and/or industries to which their project relates.

Students will indicate which area they wish to choose as a focus by Week 3 Semester 1 and the module tutor will assign each student to a specific subject discipline, market or industry theme (and therefore a tutor) in one of their preferred areas. Likelihood of getting a first choice will vary with the popularity of the theme and number of tutors available per theme. Students will have an initial appointment with their supervisor by the end of October Year 3 to discuss their basic ideas and a plan of action.

The Year 2 information session will allow students to consider how they may directly build on their work from the pre-requisite module, New Enterprise Planning. Providing information before the summer break will also give students time to research their ideas. Those students taking a year our will therefore not be disadvantaged and have the chance to relate their project to their work placement or country of study. Students will also be given guided support to develop their project once the course begins in Semester 1. As the course itself involves the development of a project idea, no significant work beyond idea generation will be required before the course begins.

As a result of the above, students should have a basic plan of action confirmed with their supervisor by end of October of Year 3. There will need to be an agreed schedule of how the work will be completed which will form the basis of the assessed portfolio.

During the academic year, students will engage in their new enterprise development project as a ‘live` case study, involving both secondary research and primary research with a range of industry representatives through on-site and off-site visits. There will be a series of seminars during the year to support and guide them in both developing their project and relating this back to academic study through personal reflection, which will inform their reflective logs. Seminars will include opportunities for students to present their project work to others and gain peer feedback.

Students will be expected to submit sections of their project portfolio and reflective log at regular intervals so that feedback can be given on both writing and content by supervisors. Aspects of project portfolios will also be reviewed by industry experts who will provide feedback as appropriate. The final portfolio and reflective log will be submitted mid to late April depending on when Easter falls, giving staff time to mark before the next batch of projects begin and allowing students to submit well before exam season.

Indicative seminar content:

- Strategies for growth
- Developing networks, resources and opportunities
- Innovating business models
- New venture processes, start-up, growth and failure
- Reflection, cognition and entrepreneurial learning

Teaching methods

Delivery typeNumberLength hoursStudent hours
Workshop41.306.00
Consultation101.0010.00
Class tests, exams and assessment12.002.00
Seminar72.0014.00
Tutorial101.0010.00
Private study hours158.00
Total Contact hours42.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)200.00

Private study

The project is primarily composed of investigative activities, private study and report writing. The amount of work done per student may vary but should be directly reflected in the success of the piece. The student's independent work should include literature research, project design, project execution, analysis of results and writing up of the experience through both a project portfolio and reflective log of personal learning and wider subject knowledge.

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

Milestone meetings in October, January and April of the final year, allow the module tutor and supervisor to monitor progress. Equally students will be encouraged to let the module tutor know if their supervisor or advisor has been unavailable or has missed the deadline for feedback. This encourages students to develop their professionalism and their expectations of professionalism from others.

Methods of assessment


Coursework
Assessment typeNotes% of formal assessment
Presentation10 minutes10.00
Reflective log2,000 words40.00
Portfolio2,500 words50.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)100.00

Resit is by resubmission of the portfolio or reflective log, depending on which element(s) have been failed. The portfolio must be passed to gain credits for this module.

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 16/08/2016

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