Introduction to Business and Economics (Summer School) module (SS03001)
Learn about enterprise and entrepreneurship and be equipped with the skills required to generate, evaluate, and enact your entrepreneurial ideas
In this module, you will be introduced to university entry-level subject-specific knowledge, related understanding, and some of the subject-specific skills required of undergraduates.
You will learn about enterprise and entrepreneurship in the wider business context, and be equipped with the skills required to generate, evaluate, and enact your entrepreneurial ideas. You will also be able to gauge your potential as an entrepreneur.
We want you to understand the basic nature of entrepreneurial and creative people, and how entrepreneurs are considered to be more than businesspeople. The module also aims to provide a more general grounding in areas such as reflective practice, research skills, group work, and presentation skills, which will be useful to you in your future studies and beyond, regardless of whether or not you go on to pursue an entrepreneurial path.
What you will learn
In this module, you will:
- be introduced to enterprise, creativity, and entrepreneurship
- explore business in the wider context
- gain an understanding of 'ideation' and the 'business concept canvas'
- study "the art of engaging presentations: techniques for captivating your audience"
By the end of this module, you will be able to:
- better understand enterprise and entrepreneurship
- demonstrate your research skills by researching the theories which underpin enterprise and entrepreneurship, the level of entrepreneurship shown by existing entrepreneurs, and developing new ideas that could become feasible businesses
- think critically and reflect on group work by developing a 'concept canvas'
present ideas your ideas and work in groups by outlining a business idea
Assignments / assessment
- individual essay (50%)
- evaluate the entrepreneurial characteristics of an existing entrepreneur
- group presentation of a business idea (40%)
- reflective report (10%)
- reflect on your experience of working as part of a group
This module does not have a final exam.
Teaching / timetable
| Week | Topic |
| 1 | Introduction and assessment Enterprise and creativity Introduction to the theory of entrepreneurship; and Self-Testing – personality and creativity Introduction to idea generation Essay Writing |
| 2 | The Entrepreneur – Personality Types Introduction to Ideas Canvas The Big Challenge and Context Idea Generation Students Developing your ideas |
| 3 | Research Skills and Market Research Business environment Business Policies Presentation Skills and Populating Canvas Students Developing your ideas Assignment Essay Due |
| 4 | Students Populating Canvas Assignment Presentation of Ideas Assignment Reflective Report |