BUSINESS ENTERPRISE

This module focuses on developing an understanding of own personality and social identity, ambition, motivation and goals, as well as understanding resilience, tolerance of ambiguity, risk and failure, exploring the concept of social capital and applying it to the individual. Developing personal effectiveness and knowing how to maintain personal presence in a collaborative setting will be key features of the module. Investigating the power of networking to develop powerful partnerships will be incorporated. This module builds on an understanding of entrepreneurial mindset, behaviours, attributes and competencies and how these can be optimised for own effectiveness, reputation and impact.

The aim of this module is to develop a practical understanding of the role of social enterprise. Social enterprises are more commonly referred to as the Third Sector which is a move away from the terms ‘not-for-profit’ no longer used by social enterprises. Indeed, social enterprises are very much for profit and the profit is a joint primary focus with social impact. There is a recognition of the need to generate profit to create the impact. First and foremost, social enterprises are set up for social good and to trade to fulfil that impact – businesses that trade for people and the planet, not personal profit of shareholders. The emergence of the nascent Fourth Sector which combines private, public and non-profit sectors (Third sectors) will also be incorporated.

Given that brand reputation is now the biggest risk facing businesses today, this module offers an exploration of how digital brands are viewed, built, managed and measured to ensure firms' superiority and sustainability in profits. This module focuses on the development of industry-based knowledge and practical skills required to succeed in management. The importance of digital media will be analysed in the communication of brands to key stakeholders.

This module provides you with the key legal and regulatory requirements for the early stages of setting up and running a business. The initial decision will be on the legal structure of the business and as the business grows the entrepreneur needs to consider the implications for the legal structure and the responsibilities and duties of the personnel involved. You will learn about the practicalities of establishing the business, the administration of the business, compliance and regulatory issues, as well as tax implications. In addition to this, entrepreneurs will want to protect their ideas, such as a new design for a product, an app or a brand name and therefore the key aspects of intellectual property law will be considered. From here the module examines the key legal issues such as online agreements and data protection which have been raised by the use of electronic trading platforms enabled by new technology. 

The module is a progression from the level 4 module Venture I – Idea Generation, focusing on determining the feasibility of one idea over another thereby progressing to concept development and testing. It focuses on the core processes of testing and prototyping and their critical role in the successful commercialisation of ideas. One will be selected for the development of an MVP or prototype and taken forward to the final year module Venture III – Creation and Launch.

This module focuses on the development of strategic priorities to deliver business at speed in an environment where digital technology has reshaped traditional revenue and business models. It features an exploration of innovation and digital technologies and their impact on organisations and how their application can inform organisational improvement and development. Critiquing innovation and digital technology’s impact on data and knowledge management for analysing business decision-making will be incorporated, as well as developing an awareness of interpersonal skills of effective listening, influencing techniques, negotiation and persuasion.

An organisation has a variety of stakeholders and networks which need to be engaged with and managed either as a business owner, manager or an employee. In this module, you will explore how to approach various stakeholders, learn how to develop relationships, build rapport, negotiate and overcome conflicts with a range of internal and external stakeholders and networks from various backgrounds. You will also holistically develop your own personal effectiveness and learn how to maintain personal presence in a collaborative setting. Investigating the power of networking to develop powerful partnerships will be a key feature. Evidence will be generated throughout the academic year which will culminate in developing a portfolio to demonstrate increased personal effectiveness and relationship building.

E-commerce has revolutionised the way in which customers interact with businesses. More than ever, it is important for brands to build a powerful online presence. This module will furnish you with the theoretical and practical knowledge required to build your own e-commerce platform and design optimised customer journeys which delight customers and keep them coming back to your website again and again.

Our course offers you the chance to undertake a paid 48-week placement to give you invaluable first-hand experience in the industry. In your Graduate Advantage sessions, you will be provided with the essential skills and tools to apply and secure your own placement (with support from Hired).

The underlying premise of the module is that risk taking is an entrepreneurial activity which seeks to achieve two things: the creation of value for stakeholders, and establishment of sustainable competitive advantage within the markets which businesses operate. The module examines the application of enterprise risk management techniques and the responsive strategies employed by businesses operating within increasingly complex and dynamic environments. The concept of risk is initially defined and discussed, followed by an in-depth examination of frameworks, models and techniques designed to identify, categorise, measure and manage risk.

High growth businesses are driving job creation and growth across countries. They are an increasingly critical part of the economy, making a significant contribution to economic growth and national productivity. Key features of this module include exploring scale-up indicators and drivers of acceleration, the use of data to identify and facilitate connections, engagement in peer to peer networks, understanding of investment readiness and evolving funding models.

This module Venture III culminates the enterprise knowledge, understanding and competencies developed through the modules Venture I and Venture II by enabling you to create and launch your business idea. These modules are a key mechanism through which you will develop the skills of independent learning, creative thinking, conceptualisation, innovation, problem-solving and value creation. The project is an individual activity performed by you through a series of underpinning lectures, workshop sessions and finally individual tutorials under the supervision of an appropriately experienced tutor. A detailed venture handbook will be produced to guide you. The showcase of students’ start-ups at an enterprise fair is intended to be of suitable quality and professionalism exhibited in an event for peers and industry professionals. Accordingly, this module is designed for students who have a foundation in venture concept development, testing and prototyping and have a clear venture concept to create and launch for Venture lll. Alternatively, students without this critical background are recommended to choose the Entrepreneurial Project instead.

A new way of doing business. Freelancing is emerging as a vessel for modern, busy people to thrive as entrepreneurs. It gives them freedom to manage multiple careers in a way that works for their life and commitments. In this module, you will develop your creativity skills, learn to 'think outside the box' and create and critically assess your own opportunities to identify tangible market potential and sustainability. In addition, you will have the opportunity to learn a range of skills including creating an on-line presence and social media as well as traditional marketing, on and offline networking, project management, influencing and negotiating skills and strategic career planning.

This module will build upon both practical and theoretical financial concepts and methods developed through earlier modules. The intention of this module is to provide an in-depth knowledge of concepts previously studied and to develop new concepts relevant to the financial operations of business. This module will be particularly useful to students who may wish to develop a career within a financial role and/or to students who wish to examine further how finance influences the short term and long term strategies of businesses.

We live in an interconnected world, so it's important to examine how organisations explore new market opportunities beyond national boundaries. As a result, you will become more aware of the technological, communication and transportation challenges businesses face and the options they consider when seeking a foothold in a new country.

In order to offer meaningful career pathways, what sort of strategies should a business consider? How can it meet the challenges it faces while creating an environment that retains talented employees? You will be exploring contemporary strategies in HR that shape benchmark employers in the industry.