2016/17 Undergraduate Module Catalogue

LUBS1890 Starting Your Own Business

10 Credits Class Size: 210

Module manager: Emilee Simmons
Email: E.L.Simmons@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) View Timetable

Year running 2016/17

Mutually Exclusive

LUBS1015 Enterprise in Action
LUBS1120 Enterprise and Entrepreneurship
LUBS2080 New Enterprise Planning

This module is not approved as a discovery module

Module summary

This module offers a blended theoretical & practical experience in setting-up and running a business. Its interactive sessions allow students to delve into the issues of planning, financing, managing and operating their own virtual company. In small groups, students work towards establishing a company, which allows them to learn about business and being an entrepreneur. As such, students make decisions about all aspects of their business, with opportunities to evaluate their progress and change their strategies as they progress. This module is supported by both online learning and on-campus workshops.

Objectives

This module aims to provide students with the opportunity to learn about entrepreneurship and business planning both independently and in groups using videos, podcasts, reading and other online materials. Within workshops students will be provided with the opportunity to take what they have learnt online and put this into practice, during innovative and collaborative activities.

Learning outcomes

Upon completion of this module students will be able to:
- Recognise and apply basic general small business management skills in the areas of planning, organising, directing & controlling
- Identify and apply standard management practices
- Recognise the underlying principles of how enterprises are created and run

Skills outcomes

Skills outcomes
Upon completion of this module students will be able to:
Transferable
- Apply a range of key skills to Decision Making, Group Work, Business Planning, Self-Directed Learning and Problem Solving
- Employ functional concepts & operations in activities

Subject specific
- Reflect on their own personal goals and values in relation to starting an enterprise

Syllabus

Indicative content:
- Understanding entrepreneurship and enterprise creation
- Developing management practices such as committee meeting procedures, action-planning, analysis and evaluations
- Understanding management function roles that shape a company including marketing, finance, HR, sales and operations
- Understanding the range of funding available to start a new business
- How to articulate a business plan and pitch to potential investors

Students will become part of collaborative group to form a new venture in order to understand how businesses are formed and developed.

Teaching Methods

Delivery type Number Length hours Student hours
Workshop 1 1.5 1.5
Seminars 8 2 16
Lecture 3 2 6
Private study hours 76.5
Total Contact hours 23.5
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) 100

Private study

Online Collaborative Learning
- 10 hours of online coursework & activities

Self-Directed study
- 20 hours Company meetings and activities
- 26.5 hours preparing assessed coursework
- 20 hours learning materials (online & offline)

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

Attendance will be expected at every session, and non-attendance without good reason followed up.

Each in-class session is interactive with group work and discussion, with online activities allowing for individual reflection as well as group collaboration, so involvement is key to this process. Progress will be monitored and issues will be addressed during the interactive workshop and online learning sessions.

Methods of Assessment

Coursework
Assessment type Notes % of formal assessment
Presentation Each company will present a pitch on their business with support from a 8-page Business Plan 30
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) 30

Resit by 2 hour written examination.

Exams
Exam type Exam duration % of formal assessment
Unseen exam 2.0 Hrs Mins 70
Total percentage (Assessment Exams) 70

Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated

Reading List

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 3/29/2017

Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team