MODULE TITLE: – ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Assessment Type:

ASSIGNMENT 1 (2,000 words)

Select a small firm of your choice in the business to business or business to consumer sectors’ that has been trading for no more than 10 years and present it as a business case study in written report format. Cover the history of the business, the nature of the business, the main target markets served by the business, the objectives set for the next five years, the original vision and mission set for the new venture by the entrepreneur and evaluate and comment on whether the original vision and mission set at the start-up stage have been met and /or adhered to. Use analytical frameworks in your work.  (500 words)

Using the case study you have constructed from the above task as a vehicle for discussion and analysis and using appropriate evaluative frameworks critically appraise and discuss the organisation’s approach to pricing. Suggest how a more entrepreneurial approach to pricing might be used by management to improve profit margins, cash flow and the reputational marketing of the firm. Present your suggestions and recommendations in the form of 24 months business plan for pricing strategy objectives, targets and implementation. Use analytical frameworks in your work.  (1,500 words)

Total 2,000 words – 100% of the available marks for assignment 1 – present in report format)

Learning Outcomes to be achieved: L1, L2, L4, L5 and L6 (see Learning Outcomes listed below).

ASSIGNMENT 2 (2,000 words)

Using the case study for the start-up company developed and discussed in assignment 1 critically evaluate how the firm collects and uses information. Having appraised the firm’s information gathering and utilisation capability put forward entrepreneurial suggestions as to how management might be able to improve the marketing intelligence and insight position of the firm. Take budget and other constraints into consideration. Put your suggestions in the form of a management report to be discussed by senior staff. Use examples of entrepreneurial market intelligence and insight in your work and use the case study as a vehicle for discussion. (2,000 words)

Indicative Assessment Requirements for the Module;-
There are two individual assignments (of 2,000 words each). Students’ are to submit in report format via Turnitin on or before the due time and date.

Module Learning Outcomes to be Assessed:-

Learning Outcomes for the module BABS602 are coded L1 to L6 below.
Upon successful completion of the module the students will be able to:

L1. Analyse, discuss and critically determine the important driving forces which condition the contexts of new venture development.
L2. Appraise and evaluate how successful entrepreneurs and investors create, find, and differentiate profitable and durable opportunities;
L3. Identify and determine the necessary financial and non-financial resources available for new ventures; the criteria used to screen and evaluate proposals, their attractiveness and risk, and know how to obtain start-up and early growth capital.
L4. Diagnose and interpolate the critical tasks to be accomplished, the hurdles to be overcome during start-up and early growth, and what has to happen to ensure success.
L5. Interpret and prescribe the opportunity screening criteria to actual start-up ideas, and subsequently develop a business plan suitable for presentation to investors and industry participants.
L6. Devise, develop and critically analyse integrated financial projections for start-up ventures.

Assignment Question 1
Learning Outcomes to be achieved: L1, L2, L4, L5 and L6 (see Learning Outcomes listed above).

Subject:
Select a small firm of your choice and present it as a case study in the form of a written report. Demonstrate whether you consider the original vision and mission set for the business at the start up stage by the entrepreneur have been met and/ or adhered to. Use analytical frameworks in your work.

Task:

ASSIGNMENT 1 (2,000 words)

Select a small firm of your choice in the business to business or business to consumer sectors’ that has been trading for no more than 10 years and present it as a business case study in written report format. Cover the history of the business, the nature of the business, the main target markets served by the business, the objectives set for the next five years, the original vision and mission set for the new venture by the entrepreneur and evaluate and comment on whether the original vision and mission set at the start-up stage have been met and /or adhered to. Use analytical frameworks in your work. (500 words)

Using the case study you have constructed from the above task as a vehicle for discussion and analysis and using appropriate evaluative frameworks critically appraise and discuss the organisation’s approach to pricing. Suggest how a more entrepreneurial approach to pricing might be used by management to improve profit margins, cash flow and the reputational marketing of the firm. Present your suggestions and recommendations in the form of 24 months business plan for pricing strategy objectives, targets and implementation. Use analytical frameworks in your work. (1,500 words)

Total 2,000 words – 100% of the available marks for assignment 1 – present in report format)

Learning Outcomes to be achieved: L1, L2, L4, L5 and L6 (see Learning Outcomes listed below).

STUDENT GUIDELINES FOR ASSIGNMENT CRITERIA RE: QUESTION ONE

•    Use a specific small firm venture and develop this venture as a short CASE STUDY (500 words). Cover the history, nature of the business, target markets, the objectives, vision and mission set for the new venture. Evaluation and comments on whether the original vision and mission set at the start-up stage have been met and /or adhered to. Use of analytical frameworks in the work.   (Up to 25 marks)

•    Students’ should use the business start-up case developed in the first part of assignment 1 in considering the use of pricing within the firm in the rest of the assignment. (Up to 12 marks)

•    Critical analysis and imaginative entrepreneurially based suggestions and recommendations for future pricing improvements together with a clear rationale and justification. (Up to 15 marks)

•    Demonstrating and employing your knowledge of entrepreneurship and your entrepreneurial skills developed on the course within the assignment. (Up to 13 marks)

•    Demonstrate a good grasp of entrepreneurial theory and practice in the construction and content of the business report on achieving improved entrepreneurial pricing strategies to improve cash flow, profit margins and the reputational marketing of the enterprise. (Up to 13 marks)

•    Conceptual models and academic frameworks should be used to support the points made in the report where appropriate. (Up to 12 marks)

•    Write in report format and produce a case study and management report of professional quality in terms of content, structure and standard of presentation. (Up to 10 marks)

•    Additional material can be placed in the appendix. The appendix does not count in terms of the word length requirements. Only relevant additional material to support the written work in the actual report should be included in the appendix.

•    Similar examples may be used as such examples have been covered on the program. A critical discussion and examination is required for the above points.

The above are simply indications. Any relevant answer should be accepted as long as it contains the salient issues and answers the question set.

TOTAL = 100 MARKS

Your work must be presented in a report format style. As an academic piece of work you are expected to link theory and practice. Make full use of the academic and other literature to support the points made. Give a critical discussion and evaluation of the different positions held in the literature evidence. You should take care to ensure that the work you submit has a high standard of structure and presentation. You must acknowledge the sources of information and evidence using the Harvard referencing system. All assignments are subject to the University’s regulations on plagiarism and must be submitted in electronic form for checking.

Guidelines to students’

Criteria for excellent/good, average, poor/inadequate answers

Excellent/ good answer

Excellent and good students’ will use a specific small firm and develop this firm as a short CASE STUDY. They will cover the history, nature of the business, the objectives, vision and mission set for the new venture. They will provide an evaluation and produce comments on whether the original vision and mission set at the start-up stage have been met and /or adhered to. Students’ will use analytical frameworks’ in the work. Students’ will provide a critical analysis and imaginative entrepreneurially based suggestions and recommendations for future pricing improvements together with a clear rationale and justification. Excellent and good students’ will demonstrate their knowledge of entrepreneurship and their entrepreneurial skills developed on the course within the assignment. They will be expected to provide a logical and cogent critical discussion and provide an answer containing academic and conceptual depth. The difference between excellent and good is likely to be in the areas of the extent of criticality provided in the discussion, the degree of focus on the specific question asked, structure and provision and critical evaluation.

Average answer

•    Average students’ will produce a short small business case study but such a case is likely to be less well structured and less informative than with the case of excellent and good students above. They are likely to discuss price and will put forward some suggestions as to how the pricing strategy of the enterprise may be improved in the future. They may mention cash flow and the effect of pricing policy on the perceived reputation of the enterprise. The suggestions made may lack the entrepreneurial imagination and depth given by excellent and good students’ discussed above. Average students’ may not adhere completely to the specific question given and answers may lack focus and be rather general in nature. Answers may lack the degree of criticality and entrepreneurial focus asked for in the question.

Poor/ inadequate answer

•    Poor and/ or inadequate answers’ are likely to be too generic with the candidate failing to answer the specific question set. There is likely to be a small business case study but this may be poorly constructed and lack focus. There may well be a discussion on pricing and future pricing improvements but this discussion may be superficial and lack critical depth. There will be little critical examination or discussion and the answer will be more descriptive than analytical. There will be limited evidence of the ability to apply entrepreneurial skills and knowledge. The difference between a poor but marginally successful answer and a inadequate answer that fails to achieve the required standard for a pass grade is like to be one of degree in terms of structure, the level of focus, critical examination and critical discussion provided.

STUDENT GUIDELINES FOR ASSIGNMENT STRUCTURE

Please ensure that your assignment has:
•    A table of contents
•    A list of figures and/ or list of tables where appropriate
•    Introduction/ Executive summary
•    Literature Review- and Critical Analysis
•    Conclusions
•    References / Presentation
•    Bibliography
•    Appendices if appropriate
•    TOTAL = 2,000 WORDS
It is emphasised that this report is to be the work of the individual student and should reflect individual entrepreneurial ideas; comprehension of the tasks involved; views; critical awareness; use of theory; interpretation and judgements; use of evidence; evaluation and a systematic approach to the use of research.

The above requirements are indicated as the required areas of focus for you to articulate your individual responses. The submission of your work for assessment should be organised, clearly structured in the order outlined above.

CRITERIA IN TERMS OF CONTENT, TOPIC KNOWLEDGE, UNDERSTANDING AND SYNTHESIS, APPLICATION, ANALYSIS, EVALUATION AND RECOMMENDATIONS, REFERENCING AND PRESENTATION FOR ASSIGNMENT 1 ARE PROVIDED ON THE PAGE BELOW:
MARK    29 or less    30 – 39    40 – 49    50 – 59    60 – 69    70 +

CONTENT:
Has the question been answered?
Vague, random, unrelated material    Some mention of the issue, but a collection of disparate points    Barely answers the question – just reproduces what knows about the topic    Some looseness/
Digressions    Well focused    Highly focused
TOPIC
KNOWLEDGE
Is there evidence of having read widely, use of appropriate and up to date material to make a case?    No evidence of reading.
No use of theory – not even hinted at implicitly.    No evidence of reading.
An implicit  hint at some knowledge of theory, etc.    No evidence of reading.  Very basic theories mentioned but not developed or well used.    Some reading evident, but confined to core texts.    Good reading.
Good range of theories included.    Excellent reading.
Well chosen theories.
UNDERSTANDING & SYNTHESIS
Are ideas summarized rather than being reproduced, and are they inter-related with other ideas?
No theory included.    Vague assertions/poor explanations.    Long winded descriptions of theory.
Some long winded sections.
Some quotations but stand alone.
Some inter- connections.    Good summary of theory.
Good use of quotations that flow with narrative.
Good inter-connections.    Succinct, effective summaries of theory.  Excellent choice and threading of quotations into argument.  Good counterpoising of a range of perspectives.
APPLICATION
Does it show appropriate use of theory in a
practical situation?    No examples    No/limited/
inappropriate examples    Few examples    Uneven examples    Good examples    Excellent range of examples.
ANALYSIS
Does it identify the key issues, etc in a given scenario, proposal or argument?    Vague assertions about issues.    Largely descriptive with no identification and analysis of central issues.    Limited insight into issues.    Some good observations.    Good, detailed analysis.    Comprehensive range of issues identified and discussed fully.
EVALUATION & RECOMMENDATIONS
Does it critically assess material?
Are there a workable and imaginative solutions?    No evaluation.    Uncritical acceptance of material.    Some evaluation but weak.  Little insight.    Good interpretation.  Some but limited sophistication in argument.
Good critical assessment.  Independent thought displayed.    Full critical assessment and substantial individual insight.
REFERENCING
Thorough and accurate citation and referencing    No referencing    No referencing    Limited/poor referencing    Some inconsistencies in referencing
Appropriate referencing    Appropriate referencing
PRESENTATION
Logical and coherent structure to argument and effective presentation
No structure apparent.
Poor presentation.
Poor structure.
Poor presentation.    Acceptable, but uneven structure.
Reasonable presentation.    Reasonable structure.
Good presentation.    Good argument.
Well presented material.    Excellent argument.
Very effective presentation format.

ASSIGNMENT 2
Learning Outcomes to be achieved: L1, L2, L3, AND L5 (see Learning Outcomes listed above).

Subject:
Critically evaluate how the management of the firm developed in the case study in assignment 1 collects and makes effective use of information and intelligence. Put forward entrepreneurial suggestions as to how the marketing intelligence and insight position might be improved in the format of a management report.

Task:

ASSIGNMENT 2 (2,000 words)

Using the case study for the start-up company developed and discussed in assignment 1 critically evaluate how the firm collects and uses information. Having appraised the firm’s information gathering and utilisation capability put forward entrepreneurial suggestions as to how management might be able to improve the marketing intelligence and insight position of the firm. Take budget and other constraints into consideration. Put your suggestions in the form of a management report to be discussed by senior staff. Use examples of entrepreneurial market intelligence and insight in your work and use the case study as a vehicle for discussion. (2,000 words)

Total 2,000 words – 100% of the available marks for assignment 2 –present in report format)

Learning Outcomes to be achieved: L1, L2, L3, AND L5 (see Learning Outcomes listed below).

STUDENT GUIDELINES FOR ASSIGNMENT CRITERIA RE: QUESTION TWO

•    Students’ should use the business start-up case developed in the first part of assignment 1 in considering the use of information and intelligence within the firm in the rest of the assignment. (Up to 12 marks)

•    Critical analysis and imaginative entrepreneurially based suggestions and recommendations for future market intelligence and insight improvements together with a clear rationale and justification. (Up to 25 marks)

•    Taking budget and other constraints often faced by a small firm into account when making suggestions and recommendations for improving the research and intelligence capability of the enterprise. (Up to 13 marks)

•    Demonstrating and employing knowledge of entrepreneurship and your entrepreneurial skills developed on the course within the assignment. (Up to 15 marks)

•    Demonstrate a good grasp of entrepreneurial theory and practice in the construction and content of the business management report on achieving improved entrepreneurial intelligence and market/ business research strategies to improve the future performance of the enterprise. (Up to 13 marks)

•    Conceptual models and academic frameworks should be used to support the points made in the report where appropriate. (Up to 12 marks)

•    Produce a management report on proposals to improve the marketing intelligence capability of the enterprise of professional quality in terms of content, structure and standard of presentation. (Up to 10 marks)

•    Additional material can be placed in the appendix. The appendix does not count in terms of the word length requirements. Only relevant additional material to support the written work in the actual report should be included in the appendix.

•    Similar examples may be used as such examples have been covered on the program. A critical discussion and examination is required for the above points.

The above are simply indications. Any relevant answer should be accepted as long as it contains the salient issues and answers the question set.

TOTAL = 100 MARKS

Your work must be presented in a report format style. As an academic piece of work you are expected to link theory and practice. Make full use of the academic and other literature to support the points made. Give a critical discussion and evaluation of the different positions held in the literature evidence. You should take care to ensure that the work you submit has a high standard of structure and presentation. You must acknowledge the sources of information and evidence using the Harvard referencing system. All assignments are subject to the University’s regulations on plagiarism and must be submitted in electronic form for checking.

Guidelines to students’

Criteria for excellent/good, average, poor/inadequate answers

Excellent/ good answer

•    Excellent and good students will provide a robust critical explanation and discussion of the importance of information and intelligence to the small entrepreneurial firm. They will provide an academically detailed account of the nature of market intelligence and research along with a critical discussion of the importance of information, research and intelligence to the small start-up firm in a number of important areas. Students’ will provide a detailed critical analysis and imaginative entrepreneurially based suggestions and recommendations for future market intelligence and insight improvements together with a clear rationale and justification. Budgetary and other constraints associated with a small business will be taken into account in the report provided. Entrepreneurial principles will be applied to the subject area and feature throughout the answer. The management report provided will be informative and of a professional standard. The difference between excellent and good is likely to be in the areas of the extent of criticality provided in the discussion, the degree of focus on the specific question asked, structure and provision and critical evaluation.

Average answer

•    Average answers will contain a coverage of the nature and importance of information, research and intelligence to the small entrepreneurial firm although the treatment is likely to be less academic and less robust than answers provided by excellent and good students’ discussed above. There will be some appreciation of the different uses that market intelligence can be put to and some relevant examples may be used. However average answers are likely to be more descriptive and lack the critical depth asked for in the answer. There is likely to be less entrepreneurial depth in the answers given. Overall answers are likely to be less robust conceptually and more superficial analytically. Students’ may not concentrate their answer on the case study developed in assignment 1. The literature will be less well used to support the position the student arrives at regarding appropriate entrepreneurial methods of collecting and utilising market intelligence to improve future business performance.

Poor/ inadequate answer

•    Poor and/ or inadequate answers in both parts are likely to be too generic with the candidate failing to answer the specific question set. There will be little critical examination or discussion and the answer will be more descriptive than analytical. Students’ may not make specific use of the case developed in assignment one or answer in the context of a small firm specifically especially in the area of resources and budget and other constraints associated with the smaller firm. There may be less entrepreneurial content in the answers provided. Suggestions and recommendations may lack sufficient justification. The management report produced is likely to be less well structured and professionally presented. The difference between a poor but marginally successful answer and an inadequate answer that fails to achieve the required standard for a pass grade is like to be one of degree in terms of structure, the level of focus, critical examination and critical discussion provided.

STUDENT GUIDELINES FOR ASSIGNMENT STRUCTURE
Please ensure that your assignment has:
•    A table of contents
•    A list of figures and/ or list of tables where appropriate
•    Introduction/ Executive summary
•    Literature Review- and Critical Analysis
•    Conclusions
•    References / Presentation
•    Bibliography
•    Appendices if appropriate
•    TOTAL = 2,000 WORDS
It is emphasised that this report is to be the work of the individual student and should reflect individual entrepreneurial ideas; comprehension of the tasks involved; views; critical awareness; use of theory; interpretation and judgements; use of evidence; evaluation and a systematic approach to the use of research.

The above requirements are indicated as the required areas of focus for you to articulate your individual responses. The submission of your work for assessment should be organised, clearly structured in the order outlined above.

CRITERIA IN TERMS OF CONTENT, TOPIC KNOWLEDGE, UNDERSTANDING AND SYNTHESIS, APPLICATION, ANALYSIS, EVALUATION AND RECOMMENDATIONS, REFERENCING AND PRESENTATION FOR ASSIGNMENT 1 ARE PROVIDED ON THE PAGE BELOW:
MARK    29 or less    30 – 39    40 – 49    50 – 59    60 – 69    70 +

CONTENT:
Has the question been answered?
Vague, random, unrelated material    Some mention of the issue, but a collection of disparate points    Barely answers the question – just reproduces what knows about the topic    Some looseness/
Digressions    Well focused    Highly focused
TOPIC
KNOWLEDGE
Is there evidence of having read widely, use of appropriate and up to date material to make a case?    No evidence of reading.
No use of theory – not even hinted at implicitly.    No evidence of reading.
An implicit  hint at some knowledge of theory, etc.    No evidence of reading.  Very basic theories mentioned but not developed or well used.    Some reading evident, but confined to core texts.    Good reading.
Good range of theories included.    Excellent reading.
Well chosen theories.
UNDERSTANDING & SYNTHESIS
Are ideas summarized rather than being reproduced, and are they inter-related with other ideas?
No theory included.    Vague assertions/poor explanations.    Long winded descriptions of theory.
Some long winded sections.
Some quotations but stand alone.
Some inter- connections.    Good summary of theory.
Good use of quotations that flow with narrative.
Good inter-connections.    Succinct, effective summaries of theory.  Excellent choice and threading of quotations into argument.  Good counterpoising of a range of perspectives.
APPLICATION
Does it show appropriate use of theory in a
practical situation?    No examples    No/limited/
inappropriate examples    Few examples    Uneven examples    Good examples    Excellent range of examples.
ANALYSIS
Does it identify the key issues, etc in a given scenario, proposal or argument?    Vague assertions about issues.    Largely descriptive with no identification and analysis of central issues.    Limited insight into issues.    Some good observations.    Good, detailed analysis.    Comprehensive range of issues identified and discussed fully.
EVALUATION & RECOMMENDATIONS
Does it critically assess material?
Are there a workable and imaginative solutions?    No evaluation.    Uncritical acceptance of material.    Some evaluation but weak.  Little insight.    Good interpretation.  Some but limited sophistication in argument.
Good critical assessment.  Independent thought displayed.    Full critical assessment and substantial individual insight.
REFERENCING
Thorough and accurate citation and referencing    No referencing    No referencing    Limited/poor referencing    Some inconsistencies in referencing
Appropriate referencing    Appropriate referencing
PRESENTATION
Logical and coherent structure to argument and effective presentation
No structure apparent.
Poor presentation.
Poor structure.
Poor presentation.    Acceptable, but uneven structure.
Reasonable presentation.    Reasonable structure.
Good presentation.    Good argument.
Well presented material.    Excellent argument.
Very effective presentation format.

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