LO1: Critically appraise the forms and contexts of entrepreneurship with reference to theoretical concepts and contemporary thinking

Module code and title:

BAM7040 Entrepreneurship and Business Venturing

Assignment No. and type:

CW1 – Business Plan

Assessment weighting:

100%

Submission time and date:

Before 2pm UK Time on Wednesday 12 March 2025

Target feedback time and date:

1pm UK Time on Wednesday 2 April 2025

Assignment task

Using the module materials as a starting point, along with the evidence you have gathered from academic and professional sources, write a 3000-word business plan, justifying a proposed course of action and type of venture. Your chosen entrepreneurial venture must be agreed with your module tutor. Your business plan should critically appraise the forms and contexts of entrepreneurship, formulate approaches to removing barriers to entrepreneurial practice (i.e., the practice of setting up your own business) and propose an evidence-based course of action to achieve an entrepreneurial aim. The business plan should be completed as if being presented to a potential funder of your business venture.

Your business plan should be completed using the template available in the Assignment Brief Information folder on the BAM7040 Blackboard module shell, which provides the outline structure for the business plan.

Your business plan should include, as a minimum, the below sections:

1. A cover sheet
2. An executive summary
3. A table of contents
4. The company and its objectives
5. Legal structure
6. The product(s) or service(s) and descriptions
7. Comparison with competitors
8. Sources of supply
9. Customers
10. Market segments
11. Pricing policy and promotional plans
12. Choice of location and premises
13. Harvard Reference List
14. Appendices

Correct completion of 4 and 5, above, will enable you to meet learning outcome 1. Correct completion of 7, 10 and 11 will enable you to meet learning outcome 2. Correct completion of 6, 8, 9 and 12 will enable you to meet learning outcome 3.

If you are registered with the Disability and Inclusion Services or have a disability, please contact your module leader to discuss how your reasonable adjustments will be applied to this assignment.

This assignment has been designed to provide you with an opportunity to demonstrate your achievement of the following module learning outcomes:

LO1: Critically appraise the forms and contexts of entrepreneurship with reference to theoretical concepts and contemporary thinking

LO2: Formulate approaches to removing barriers to entrepreneurial practice using an evidence-based justification

LO3: Propose a course of action to achieve an entrepreneurial aim using an evidence-based justification

Practicalities: Referencing, presenting and submitting your work

Please see your programme handbook for information on the required referencing style, any presentational requirements and the process for submitting your work.

Confidentiality

You should maintain and respect confidentiality in relation to the protection of personal, technical and/or commercial information of a sensitive nature in your assessed work.

For further information and guidance, please see your programme handbook.

Academic integrity

Academic integrity means taking responsibility for your own work.

When you submit an assignment, you are making a declaration that it is your own work and that you have acknowledged the contribution of others and their ideas in its development (for example, by referencing them appropriately).

For further information and guidance, please see the University website: https://www.bnu.ac.uk/current- students/registry-helpdesk-and-academic-advice/academic-integrity-and-misconduct

0-39 (F)

Fail

Not successful

0, 1, 10, 20, 32, 35, 38

40-49 (D)

Marginal fail Below required standard

42, 45, 48

50-59 (C)

Pass Satisfactory 52, 55, 58

60-69 (B)

Pass Good/Very Good

62, 65, 68

70-79 (A)

Pass Excellent 72, 75, 78

80-100 (A+)

Pass Outstanding

82, 85, 88, 92, 95, 98, 100

Criterion 1 (LO1)

An incomplete plan with

An insufficiently critical

A satisfactory critical

A very good critical

An excellent critical

An outstanding critical

This should include

little to no critical

approach to the

approach to the

approach to the appraisal

approach to the appraisal

approach to the appraisal of

evidence of:

approach taken to the

appraisal of the chosen

appraisal of the chosen

of the chosen form of

of the chosen form of

the chosen form of

• Critical approach

appraisal of the chosen

form of

form of

entrepreneurship,

entrepreneurship,

entrepreneurship,

to the appraisal of

form of

entrepreneurship.

entrepreneurship,

demonstrating synthesis

demonstrating synthesis of

demonstrating synthesis of

the chosen form of

entrepreneurship. Little

Insufficient

demonstrating an

of ideas or different

ideas or different

ideas and different

entrepreneurship;

to no demonstration of

demonstration of

attempt to synthesise

perspectives.

perspectives.

perspectives.

• Reference to theoretical concepts;
• Reference to contemporary thinking.

synthesis of ideas or different perspectives. Little to no reference to theoretical concepts and frameworks associated with entrepreneurship

throughout the plan.

synthesis of ideas or different perspectives. Reference to less than five theoretical concepts and frameworks associated with

entrepreneurship

ideas or different perspectives.

Reference to at least four theoretical concepts and frameworks associated with

entrepreneurship

Reference to at least four theoretical concepts and frameworks associated with entrepreneurship throughout the plan.

Reference to contemporary thinking

Reference to at least five theoretical concepts and frameworks associated with entrepreneurship throughout the plan.

Reference to contemporary thinking from at least 20

Reference to six or more theoretical concepts and frameworks associated with entrepreneurship throughout the plan.

Reference to contemporary thinking from at least 25

Little to no reference to

throughout the plan.

throughout the plan.

from at least 15

academic and professional

academic and professional

contemporary thinking

Insufficient reference to

Reference to

academic and

sources.

sources.

from academic and

contemporary thinking,

contemporary thinking

professional sources.

professional sources.

using less than 20

from at least 15

academic and

academic and

professional sources.

professional sources.

0-39 (F)

Fail

Not successful

0, 1, 10, 20, 32, 35, 38

40-49 (D)

Marginal fail Below required standard

42, 45, 48

50-59 (C)

Pass Satisfactory 52, 55, 58

60-69 (B)

Pass Good/Very Good

62, 65, 68

70-79 (A)

Pass Excellent 72, 75, 78

80-100 (A+)

Pass Outstanding

82, 85, 88, 92, 95, 98, 100

Criterion 2 (LO2)

Little to no identification of barriers to entrepreneurial practice. Little to no evidence to support any barriers discussed.

Few or no approaches to removing barriers to entrepreneurial practice identified.

Inappropriate or no evidence to justify any approaches formulated.

Insufficient identification of barriers to entrepreneurial practice, not supported by sufficient evidence.

Inappropriate or insufficient approaches to removing barriers to entrepreneurial practice identified.

Insufficient use of evidence to justify the approaches formulated.

Some identification of

Clear identification of

Very clear identification of

Outstanding identification of

This should include

barriers to

barriers to

barriers to entrepreneurial

barriers to entrepreneurial

evidence of:

entrepreneurial practice,

entrepreneurial practice,

practice, supported by very

practice, supported by highly

• Identification of

supported by evidence.

supported by relevant

relevant evidence.

relevant evidence.

barriers to

Formulation of

evidence.

Clear formulation of

Very clear and well-

entrepreneurial

approaches to removing

Formulation of feasible

feasible approaches to

presented formulation of

practice;

barriers to

approaches to removing

removing barriers to

feasible approaches to

• Approaches to removing barriers to entrepreneurial

practice;

entrepreneurial practice.

Use of relevant evidence

to justify the approaches formulated.

barriers to

entrepreneurial practice.

Clear use of relevant evidence to justify the

entrepreneurial practice.

Repeated use of very

relevant evidence to justify the approaches formulated

removing barriers to

entrepreneurial practice.

Significant use of highly relevant evidence to justify

• Evidence to justify the approaches formulated.

approaches formulated

for overcoming barriers to entrepreneurial practice.

for overcoming barriers to

entrepreneurial practice.

the approaches formulated

for overcoming barriers to entrepreneurial practice.

Criterion 3 (LO3)

Little to no relevant information provided on the proposed course of action.

Little to no justification for the proposed actions listed in the business plan.

Little to no use of relevant academic or professional sources to justify any proposed business venture.

Insufficient detail provided in the course of action included in the business plan.

Insufficient justification for the proposed actions listed in the business plan.

Insufficient or irrelevant academic and professional sources used to justify your proposed business venture.

Course of action outlined in the business plan.

Justification for most of the proposed actions listed in the business plan.

Use of a satisfactory number of highly relevant academic and professional sources to justify your proposed business venture.

Clear course of action detailed in the business plan.

Justification for all proposed actions listed in the business plan.

Use of a very good number of relevant academic and professional sources to justify your proposed business venture.

Comprehensive course of action detailed in the business plan.

Clear justification for all proposed actions listed in the business plan.

Use of a high number of relevant academic and professional sources to justify your proposed business venture.

Highly comprehensive course of action detailed in the business plan.

Clear justification for all proposed actions listed in the business plan.

Use of a significant number of highly relevant academic and professional sources to justify your proposed business venture.

This should include

evidence of:

• Clear course of

action proposed;

• Proposed action

which can achieve

the entrepreneurial

aim;

• Evidence to justify

the approach

proposed.