LO1 Demonstrate an understanding and critical awareness of the theoretical and practical issues relevant to entrepreneurial activity, specifically with regard to the creation of a new business venture.

Course :  HEP  MSc and MBA programmes

Module Code and Title : DLMM10

Assessment : Individual Assignment

Due Date :

Word Length : Assignment 1 - 10 minute Business Pitch (35%)

Assignment 2 - 3000 +/- 10% for the Business Plan (65%)

(Please refer to AQH-F15 Guidance for Students on the Penalty for Exceeding the Limit for Assessed Work)

Module weighting : 100 marks

Your completed work MUST be submitted electronically via the DLMM Module Canvas site (under Assessment tab).

The work will be assessed and marked and returned electronically, within the deadline stated in the programme regulations.  

The module learning outcomes you are required to evidence in your assignments are:

  1. Demonstrate an understanding and critical awareness of the theoretical and practical issues relevant to entrepreneurial activity, specifically with regard to the creation of a new business venture.
  2. Understand the nature of uncertainty, complexity, opportunity and risk, and the methods of dealing with them
  3. Know how to manage uncertainty and complexity
  4. Demonstrate project management skills including planning and the use of financial models
  5. Use strategic analysis in choosing strategic options

The assessment is weighted Assignment one 35% for the Business Pitch Presentation and Assignment one 65% for the Business Plan.  To commence your assignment you need to decide on the business venture you are to develop, research this and answer the questions below.  This information is necessary to both assignment one and two:   

.  State the name of the business, provide an evaluative review detailing the:

- industry sector the business venture operates in,

- what the business venture does

- what are the key challenges the business will face

- how the business venture meets the needs of its market, ie the local or international need.

Harvard referencing must be used to support your business venture idea.  

Assignment one is a business pitch that is personal to you and should be presented appropriate to reflect your idea and skills.The Business Plan must be written in the third person and presented as a professional report.

SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENTS

The Business Pitch is uploaded as a media file.  You must clearly indicate who you are and your student number in the business pitch.Any references for the business pitch must be included in the business plan reference list section.  

The Business Plan must be submitted to Canvas as detailed below and contain a:

  • a front page with your name, student number, the module number, the programme and the assignment title
  • a reference list
  • a bibliography
  • a appendices of relevant information

The content of the Business Pitch and Plan will demonstrate learning undertaken during the module and apply analytical models appropriate to inform business strategy on where value creation can be applied for competitive advantage to establish and grow your business venture successfully.  

All assignments are to use Harvard Referencing and apply your research and learning undertaken in the module.

 

The Summative Assessments are:

1.0 THE BUSINESS PITCH

The business pitch is to last 10 minutes.This is to be recorded and uploaded to Canvas as a media file.You can use Review, your phone or computer to record your business pitch.This is to be uploaded as a media file onto the Canvas Assignment Portal by the submission date.

The business pitch should last for 10 minutes and will cover the following areas:

- A review of the business venture you are to develop

- An evaluation of the growth opportunities for the business venture

- The customers/stakeholders of the business venture

- A reflection of the entrepreneurial skills and traits that you have, to establish and grow the business venture

- Identify where you will need support to develop the business venture to support.

In the pitch you will need to refer to sources of information used to develop the business venture and support the evaluation of your own skills and traits by referring to the work of theorists.In the pitch you should refer to support you will require to develop the business venture successfully.If you wish to, you can use a powerpoint presentation to support you in delivering your business pitch.  

2.0 THE BUSINESS PLAN

Research the market sector in which the business venture operates and produce a business plan to deliver a critical evaluation of the business environment, the resources required and the strategy you have chosen to support business growth.The plan must identify opportunities for uniqueness and suggest how this will support the business venture in gaining competitive advantage within the sector.The report must use detailed and referenced analytical models, appropriate to the business venture.

The business plan must cover the activities listed below.

· Carry out detailed research to provide you with up-to-date information appropriate to delivering a strategic level investigation on the business venture.The research information should enable you to carry out a critical evaluation of the business’s environment providing information to support decisions appropriate to the success of the venture.The analysis will include identifying areas of risk appropriate to the business sector the venture will operate in.  

· The business plan must review the theory of entrepreneurship and include an evaluation of the research associated with the skills and qualities of an entrepreneur necessary for a business venture to succeed.The plan will incorporate an appraisal of how these needs will be addressed in your business venture.

· Demonstrate critical understanding of how project management, financial management, decision making models theory and apply to the development of the business venture.

· Deliver a critical appraisal of the business venture’s planned development in relation to the business industry/sector it is to operate in.

· Identify the strategy to be applied to the business venture and evaluate the key considerations and risks associated with the strategy, as applied to your business venture.

2.1 Submission of Assessment:

• Submitted via the Canvas assignment sites by Monday 1.00 pm of week 5 for assignment one and week 8 for assignment two.

• Formal feedback and results will be provided 4 weeks after the submission date on Canvas.Please note that if marks are released prior to assessment boards students should be aware that they are subject to ratification and may change depending on the outcome of the assessment board. 

• The University`s Post Graduate Generic Marking Criteria attached will be used to assess the work. 

LO1 Demonstrate an understanding and critical awareness of the theoretical and practical issues relevant to entrepreneurial activity, specifically with regard to the creation of a new business venture.

2.2 Referencing your work

In this institution the Harvard method of referencing is used.

The Harvard method of referring to publications and of arranging references uses the author`s name and the date of the publication.References are listed at the end of the text in alphabetical order by author`s name. The general format of a journal reference is shown below:

Smith, J. (1999) How to succeed! Journal of Entrepreneurs, 1(2), p. 34-56

Author’s name and initials are listed first, followed by year of publication in brackets.Then there is the title of article and the journal where article appears, which is in italics. Finally, state the volume and issue Number (in brackets) along with the pages where article can be located.

A short guide to Harvard referencing is available on the library site.

LO2 Understand the nature of uncertainty, complexity, opportunity and risk, and the methods of dealing with them

2.3 Academic Integrity and Misconduct:

Your attention is drawn to the University’s stated position on plagiarism. THE WORK OF OTHERS, WHICH IS INCLUDED IN THE ASSIGNMENT MUST BE ATTRIBUTED TO ITS SOURCE (a full bibliography and/or a list of references must be submitted as prescribed in the assessment brief).

Please note that this is intended to be an individual piece of work.Action will be taken where a student is suspected of having cheated or engaged in any dishonest practice.Students are referred to the University regulations on plagiarism and other forms of academic irregularity.Students must not copy or collude with one another or present any information that they themselves have not generated.

For further information on academic integrity and misconduct see https://my.sunderland.ac.uk/display/AQH/Academic+Integrity+and+Misconduct

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