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University College for Interdisciplinary Learning


Essential Enterprise

Course Unit Code

UCIL22002

Also available in Semester 1.

Course Unit Details

  • Level 2
  • 10 Credits
  • Masood Entrepreneurship Centre (Alliance Manchester Business School)

Overview

A commercial mindset is essential for anyone who aspires to succeed in the world of business, or who wishes to understand the importance of enterprise in society. The philosophy behind this unit is to help you think like a business professional. In many situations, there is no 'right or wrong' answer, but a range of options that need to be selected from. However, making that decision is complicated. For many firms, the challenge is to make a profit while engaging in corporate social responsibility. How can a business develop, deliver and market products and services that society needs, in an ethical way? Who gets to judge this and how?

In this unit, you will explore the principles that are key to the creative enterprise looking to grow and innovate in a modern-day economy. Using case examples and individual as well as group-work, you will develop your skills in terms of enterprise, innovation and creative problem-solving, generating a range of improvements and new product/service ideas. You will also consider how enterprise and innovation impacts you and the wider community. We will explore issues that are of growing concern for the ethical business and a society increasingly more interested in values.

This unit forms part of the Enterprise Challenge.

If you are interested in other enterprise units please see the Masood Entrepreneurship Centre.

Aims

This unit aims to support graduate employability through improving awareness and understanding of key business and enterprise principles including how to:

  • Identify key principles and concepts that inform contemporary business practice
  • Analyse elements of value creation across different organisations
  • Evaluate how businesses innovate and develop new, improved products and services that meet customer needs and wants.
  • Create a structured business report, using the evidence base to support your case
  • Reflect on how the enterprise principles discussed in the unit will help with your own future learning and professional practice

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of the unit you will be able to:

  • Understand the Importance of Enterprise in Society
  • Identify the different ways in which value can be created
  • Analyse the competitive environment and market requirements for a product or service.
  • Evaluate key factors that contribute to successful enterprises.
  • Identify, select and critically evaluate relevant and reliable sources of information.
  • Evaluate how innovation may be used to develop new, improved products and services
  • Create a structured business report, using the evidence base to support your case
  • Reflect on how enterprise principles encountered in the unit will impact on your own learning and professional development

Syllabus

  • Consumers and Customers wants and needs
  • Sustainable Consumption
  • Competition and competitive advantage
  • Responsible business
  • Developing a product or service for the value driven consumer or customer
  • Basics of Intellectual Property
  • Marketing and distributing your offerings
  • Getting the costs right
  • Generating revenues
  • Financial accounting

Assessment

  1. Business Proposal - Could be a new business idea OR based on an existing business - 300 words (upper limit 400 words) (10%)
  2. Final Report - Report demonstrating understanding and application of key business principles and concepts to the chosen case - 2000 words (+/- 10%) (60%)
  3. Infographic - Infographic that visualises business data and summarises information for the chosen case (using VIsme, Piktochart, Canva or venngage) - Infographic size should be in the following range: Width: 600 to 800 px Height: 2000-2400 px (this is equivalent to about three slides) (30%)

Eligibility

UCIL units are designed to be accessible to undergraduate students from all disciplines.

UCIL units are credit-bearing and it is not possible to audit UCIL units or take them for additional/extra credits. You must enrol following the standard procedure for your School when adding units outside of your home School.

If you are not sure if you are able to enrol on UCIL units you should contact your School Undergraduate office. You may wish to contact your programme director if your programme does not currently allow you to take a UCIL unit.

You can also contact the UCIL office if you have any questions.

Teaching Staff

Suneel Kunamaneni

Teaching and Learning Methods

The course unit's objectives will be achieved through a number of learning and teaching methods in order to maximise your learning experience:

  • 10 x 2 hr lectures or workshops including at least one guest speaker.
  • Student led class and on-line discussion will allow constructive and collaborative learning
  • Teaching material and directed learning activity will introduce key concepts and principles to students as a basis for further work.
  • Significant use of case studies /real world organisational analysis will be used to encourage integration and synthesis of theory with practice
  • Learning resources will enrich the scope of the module content and introduce a broad number of examples and perspectives to the candidates.
  • Students will be expected to engage in individual learning through research for their assessment and further develop their independent learning skills.

Reading widely and following current events is positively encouraged as this enables analysis of key events and the ability to predict the impact that they will have on business organisations, individuals, non-profit organisations and governments throughout the world.

Timetable

TBC

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