Business Planning (MGT5176)

This course examines the processes of entrepreneurship as they relate to planning a start-up and/ or expanding a business. The creation of a business plan is an essential part of funding applications in both the public and private sectors integrating all aspects of a business proposal to allow an assessment of viability to be made. 

Timetable

Teaching will take the form of lectures, tutorials and student-led workshops

Course Aims

• This course examines the processes of entrepreneurship as they relate to start up and growth businesses. The module explores the character and behaviour of the entrepreneur in exploiting opportunities and examines the critical role of culture in developing entrepreneurial organisations. The module also examines the processes of creating a business, organising and financing a business. The role of external bodies such as government, banks, local authorities, technological agencies and others in supporting business is examined.

Specific aims are:

• To  develop a business plan
• To examine the development of entrepreneurs and their behaviour
• To examine decision making and risk assessment
• To examine Innovation and its importance
• To create and evaluate business ideas
• To understand and assess support available to business
• To assess the needs of a business as it starts and grows

Intended Learning Outcomes of Course
By the end of this course, students will be able to:

• Summarise and demonstrate an understanding of the nature of entrepreneurial behaviour
• Explain the relationship between entrepreneurship and innovation
• Demonstrate a systematic approach to the evaluation of opportunities
• Evaluate the nature and consequences of business risk
• Construct a business plan, analyse and constructively criticise business proposals
• Analyse and evaluate the processes used to develop a business
• Analyse and evaluate the relationship between the functional areas of a business
• Analyse and evaluate their own performance and learning
• Demonstrate team working and presentational skills

Minimum Requirement for Award of Credits

• Students must submit at least 75 percent by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course's summative assessment.