MMM052-Entrepreneurial Management for Food Scientists
Module Provider: Leadership, Organisations and Behaviour
Number of credits: 10 [5 ECTS credits]
Level:7
Terms in which taught: Spring term module
Pre-requisites:
Non-modular pre-requisites:
Co-requisites:
Modules excluded:
Current from: 2018/9
Type of module:
Summary module description:
The Entrepreneurial Management module is set within the context of an existing large business and concentrates on the key differences between ‘management’ of ongoing business, and the need for leaders to stimulate the organisation to continually seek and develop innovations for new/future business.
It is distinct from undergraduate modules that focus upon business start-up.
Entrepreneurial Management may involve new product development for existing customers in existing markets, or it may involve adapting existing products for new customers and new markets.
Students will actively participate within a merged lecture/seminar activity-based learning environment. Team- based discussion is used to encourage the emergence of different perspectives, so as to mirror what happens within the social setting of a commercial organisation. It is the responsibility of each student to actively integrate these different perspectives within the team assignments and use them to extend their own prior knowledge.
Aims:
Through the use of a case study (which may involve a presentation from a manager of the organisation) and exposure to other business concepts, students will have the opportunity to learn about some of the behaviours and inter-related thinking that a business must employ in order to grow organically (i.e. not through acquisition or merger) through external awareness of the sources of new business opportunities and internal innovation to take the opportunity.
The case or cases will be drawn from business in the food-related sector.
By the end of this module students will be able to:
• Understand what commercial organisations are and do and which stakeholders they interact with
• Understand the term ‘entrepreneurial management’ and how it differs from ‘ongoing management’
• Understand how and where entrepreneurial managers pro-actively search for business opportunities
• Understand that future opportunities are not a guaranteed success but are uncertain and involve a degree of risk taking based upon incomplete information
• Understand the social reality of how networking (in your informal groups and formal teams) is essential for accessing new knowledge particularly for identifying new sources of opportunities and resources
• Understand basic business terminology and have a very basic understanding of business finance
• Create a powerful story or ‘pitch’ to simulate the real situation of seeking to gain the support from stakeholders/investors who hold important resources not directly under the control of the entrepreneurial manager
• Stand up in front of peers to communicate a convincing business story
Assessable learning outcomes:
An understanding of the essence of a commercial organisation and its capabilities;
An understanding of key organisational concepts of strategy, markets, stakeholders, and entrepreneurial orientation/capability;
Competence in research and presentation of concise information;
Demonstrated ability to identify opportunities for future business;
Demonstrated ability to apply creative solutions to challenges/opportunities;
Demonstrated ability to work in groups to develop and communicate business ideas to exploit opportunities;
Demonstrated self-awareness through reflections concerning entrepreneurial management and entrepreneurial capabilities.
Additional outcomes:
Enhanced inter-personal sensitivity and group dynamic awareness;
Greater understanding of the world of business;
Enhancement of personal CV-related characteristics that employers will value (e.g., previous students expressing ‘raised confidence’ in their assessment centre interviews with Pepsico and Marks and Spencer).
Outline content:
Business organisations’ purpose/objectives
Businesses and their external stakeholders
Businesses and their internal processes and capabilities
The direction and strategy of a business
Case Study of an organisation
Sources of opportunities
Entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial behaviour
External inhibitors and enablers of business
Innovation in product/service and process development
Marketing the new idea
Communicating (pitching) ideas to stakeholders
Attracting resources and satisfying resource providers
Brief description of teaching and learning methods:
This course actively mixes lecture components with seminar activities involving students in Q&As and group/team-based activities.
Sessions comprise an integration of lectures and team-working seminars, guest presentation of the case study and informal group-based presentations.
| Autumn | Spring | Summer | |
| Lectures | 14 | ||
| Practicals classes and workshops | 2 | ||
| Guided independent study | 84 | ||
| Total hours by term | 100.00 | ||
| Total hours for module | 100.00 |
| Method | Percentage |
| Report | 60 |
| Oral assessment and presentation | 40 |
Summative assessment- Examinations:
No examination
Summative assessment- Coursework and in-class tests:
Task 1 (0%): an individual 500 word report that is not marked and is purely for discussion with cohort members for joining a team for Task 2- however, it must be submitted and will be checked by the module convenor.
Task 2 (40%): a team (6-8 students) presentation of the combined (or selected) individual perspectives from Task 1 into an innovative business proposition to gain future profits due in week 27.
N.B. Where there is reasonable evidence, students who do not contribute a ‘fair share’ of effort and thinking to the team, will have marks deducted, or may be required to produce an individual presentation.
Task 3 (60%): an individual report between 1000-1500 words explaining your personal critical review of the team's innovative proposition, with alternative proposition, + your reflections on your entrepreneurial development due in week 30.
Formative assessment methods:
During the seminar/group working component of the mixed lecture, students have an opportunity to provide short presentations to their peers and reflect upon the experience and receive feedback from peers and tutors.
There is no tutor feedback for Task 1- peer feedback will be received during discussion of individual Task 1 content in the process of team formation for task 2.
Tutor feedback on Team Task 2 provides corrective action opportunity before continuation into Task 3.
Penalties for late submission:
Penalties for late submission on this module are in accordance with the University policy. Please refer to page 5 of the Postgraduate Guide to Assessment for further information: http://www.reading.ac.uk/internal/exams/student/exa-guidePG.aspxAssessment requirements for a pass:
50% overall
Reassessment arrangements:
By individual resubmission of a new assignment by September of the same year.
Additional Costs (specified where applicable):
Last updated: 20 April 2018
THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS MODULE DESCRIPTION DOES NOT FORM ANY PART OF A STUDENT'S CONTRACT.