Posted: June 11th, 2015

Entrepreneurship Assignment

This is assessed through two pieces of coursework.
• Case Study Assignment
• Business Planning Assignment

a. Case Study Assignment

The case study assignment will contribute for 70 per cent of the module assessment. It can be in the form of an essay or report and should be typed or word-processed; it should comprise no more than 1,500 words.

Aim

The aim of the individual case study is to show your understanding of a number of entrepreneurship concepts from the module and your ability to apply these in a meaningful, insightful and balanced way. The case study assignment emphasises an understanding and application of concepts you have studied in the module to analysing the entrepreneurial process, the role of the entrepreneur and entrepreneurial outcomes.

Background

“Timmons’ described successful entrepreneurs as ‘patient leaders, capable of instilling tangible visions and managing for the long haul. The entrepreneur is at once a learner and a teacher, a doer and a visionary.’ This is all very different from the charismatic hero much loved by folklore. Timmons talks about six dominant themes (‘core attributes’) for successful entrepreneurs and ‘desirable traits’:”

1. Leadership
2. Commitment and determination
3. Opportunity Obsession
4. Tolerance of risk, ambiguity and uncertainty
5. Creativity, self-reliance and ability to adapt
6. Motivation to excel

Alongside this he identifies some desirable traits:

1. Intelligence
2. Creativity & Innovation
3. Energy & Health
4. Emotional Stability
5. Capacity to inspire
6. Values

Adapted from: Entrepreneurship & Small Business, Burns, Palgrave Macmillan 3rd Ed, 2011:441. This is taken from the ‘Original Source’ (latest edition): New Venture Creation – Entrepreneurship for the 21st Century, Timmons & Spinelli, McGraw Hill 8th Edition, 2008

Required

• Discuss briefly the terms entrepreneur and entrepreneurship.

• Select an ‘entrepreneur’ and illustrate with examples to what extent Timmons core and desirable attributes are applicable to them. You may tabulate your findings. ( the Entrepreneur I choose is FADI GHANDOUR, Previouse CEO of ARAMEX ( Int’l express courier company) ( www.Aramex .com)

• Critically evaluate whether these attributes alone fully explain the successful launch and growth of your entrepreneurs venture. What other factors are critical?

• Based on your response and understanding of entrepreneurship following on from the module, what do you conclude about successfully launching and growing a new venture?

• How has this learning impacted you personally in terms of being an entrepreneur or more entrepreneurial?

You are reminded to make use of examples from your analysis and draw upon wider reading of the entrepreneurial literature, in your response.

Additional Guidance:

You can select an entrepreneur who has created a business or social enterprise and your research can be based on ‘desktop’ research or an interview. The entrepreneur need not be well known and you may use someone you know personally. Draw on multiple data sources, clearly reference your work and make use of theoretical frameworks and academic literature discussed through the module and wider reading. The aim is to demonstrate a thorough and grounded understanding of the entrepreneurial process.

Issues you may wish to consider in your analysis include (this is for guidance only):

• the background of the entrepreneur
• the source of the idea
• how the idea was translated into an opportunity
• the role of the entrepreneur(s) and how they coped with risk and uncertainty
• the role of the environment
• the role of social capital
• the types of resources used and how they were acquired
• the role of luck

Further guidance will be provided throughout the course of the module.

Assessment Criteria for Individual Case Study
At the highest level there is no ‘perfect solution’. However higher marks will be awarded for:
• Understanding & Analysis – identification and critical analysis of key issues, quality of reasoning, clear conclusions.
• Evidence of further reading – beyond lecture notes and core text.
• Use of relevant theories, frameworks and terminology.
• Creativity – in evaluation and presentation
• Structure, Style & Presentation of work – clear organisation, logical flow with appropriate use of tables, diagrams and appropriately referenced.

b. Business planning assignment
The business planning assignment will contribute 30 per cent of the overall module assessment.
The assignment is in the form of a business model evaluation and should be typed or word-processed; it should comprise no more than 1,000 words.
The appendices should not exceed 8 pages.

Assignment aims
The aim of the assignment is to show your understanding of a number of entrepreneurship concepts from the module and your ability to apply these in a meaningful, insightful and balanced way. The assignment emphasises an understanding and application of concepts you have studied in the module to identify, develop and evaluate a business idea and distinguish an ‘idea’ from an ‘opportunity’.
Assignment task
Identify a potential business idea, explore this and construct a business model. Evaluate whether or not your business model is feasible. The format of your final report will vary according to the nature of the business but it should typically include:
 Product/Service Description (Business Concept)
 Market Research
 Financial projections (One year cash flow and profit and loss, break even, investment requirements)
 Evaluation of the business model
 Supporting Documents (where necessary)
Ensure that you clearly indicate how much investment would be needed to start the business. The business model should be as realistic as possible, keep assumptions to the minimum, including about your own skills and abilities.
The evaluation of the concept should address the following:
 What are the strengths and weaknesses of the concept?
 Is the business concept feasible?
 Would you pursue this venture? Why or why not?