ENTREP 3008 - Entrepreneurship Research Project

North Terrace Campus - Semester 1 - 2019

This capstone course enables you to gain experience and develop your knowledge in entrepreneurship into high level practical skills. You enhance your interpersonal skills, analytical ability, and business acumen to the stage where you are confident of starting and running a new venture. Knowledge covered and application of activities enable you to demonstrate the practical skills in researching, planning, and executing a business plan for a new venture; exhibit an ability to assess the risks and opportunities in operationalising a business plan; present a high level of competence in comprehension of the entrepreneurial process and ability to communicate that knowledge to others; compile a high level research paper on an entrepreneurial construct that may help in building your envisaged career path.

  • General Course Information
    Course Details
    Course Code ENTREP 3008
    Course Entrepreneurship Research Project
    Coordinating Unit Entrepreneurship, Commercialisation & Innov Centre
    Term Semester 1
    Level Undergraduate
    Location/s North Terrace Campus
    Units 6
    Contact Up to 3 hours per week
    Available for Study Abroad and Exchange N
    Prerequisites 8 BInnovEntr Core Courses including all Level II courses
    Assumed Knowledge Knowledge of the content of core courses for the BInnovEntr
    Restrictions Available for BInnovEntr students only
    Course Description This capstone course enables you to gain experience and develop your knowledge in entrepreneurship into high level practical skills. You enhance your interpersonal skills, analytical ability, and business acumen to the stage where you are confident of starting and running a new venture. Knowledge covered and application of activities enable you to demonstrate the practical skills in researching, planning, and executing a business plan for a new venture; exhibit an ability to assess the risks and opportunities in operationalising a business plan; present a high level of competence in comprehension of the entrepreneurial process and ability to communicate that knowledge to others; compile a high level research paper on an entrepreneurial construct that may help in building your envisaged career path.
    Course Staff

    Course Coordinator: Dr Wendy Lindsay

    Program Director Contact Details: Innovation and Entrepreneurship
    Name: Dr Wendy Lindsay
    Email: wendy.lindsay@adelaide.edu.au

    Teaching Staff
    Semester 1:

    Semester 2:

    Course Timetable

    The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from Course Planner.

  • Learning Outcomes
    Course Learning Outcomes

    On successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

    1 Apply the tools and techniques taught throughout the course to evaluate the factors that contribute to the success/failure of an enterprise
    2 Construct and research the plans for a business based on a perceived opportunity
    3 Present a coherent business plan to a panel in a concise manner
    University Graduate Attributes

    This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:

    University Graduate Attribute Course Learning Outcome(s)
    Deep discipline knowledge
    • informed and infused by cutting edge research, scaffolded throughout their program of studies
    • acquired from personal interaction with research active educators, from year 1
    • accredited or validated against national or international standards (for relevant programs)
    1
    Critical thinking and problem solving
    • steeped in research methods and rigor
    • based on empirical evidence and the scientific approach to knowledge development
    • demonstrated through appropriate and relevant assessment
    1, 2
    Teamwork and communication skills
    • developed from, with, and via the SGDE
    • honed through assessment and practice throughout the program of studies
    • encouraged and valued in all aspects of learning
    2, 3
    Career and leadership readiness
    • technology savvy
    • professional and, where relevant, fully accredited
    • forward thinking and well informed
    • tested and validated by work based experiences
    2
    Intercultural and ethical competency
    • adept at operating in other cultures
    • comfortable with different nationalities and social contexts
    • able to determine and contribute to desirable social outcomes
    • demonstrated by study abroad or with an understanding of indigenous knowledges
    2
    Self-awareness and emotional intelligence
    • a capacity for self-reflection and a willingness to engage in self-appraisal
    • open to objective and constructive feedback from supervisors and peers
    • able to negotiate difficult social situations, defuse conflict and engage positively in purposeful debate
    1, 2
  • Learning Resources
    Required Resources

    Text book:
    No text required

    A set of articles will be provided on the MyUni site to assist you with the content and conduct of this course.
    You will be required to expand your search and reading by sourcing your own articles etc. because this course is aimed at doing independent self-driven research.

    Recommended Resources

    A worthwhile reference text (sourcing and purchasing is optional) that discusses various emerging viewpoints on entrepreneurship theory and its practice is:

    Welsch, Harold (2004) Entrepreneurship: The Way Ahead, Routledge, New York.

    Library Resources
    The University of Adelaide’s Barr Smith Library provides a range of learning resources including texts, journals, periodicals, magazines, and access to online databases and information services. It also offers a virtual library which is accessible via the University’s website. Access to the Library's electronic resources.

    Online Learning
    MyUni is the University of Adelaide's online learning environment. It is used to support traditional face-to-face lectures, tutorials and workshops at the University. MyUni provides access to various features including announcements, course materials, discussion boards and assessments for each online course of study.
  • Learning & Teaching Activities
    Learning & Teaching Modes
    This course is a self-directed learning course supervised by your teaching staff. Support is provided both on-campus and online.
    Workload

    The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

    As a guide, a 3 unit course comprises a total of 156 hours work (this includes face-to-face contact, any online components, and self
    directed study). You can expect to commit 312 hours to this 6 unit course.
    Learning Activities Summary

    This is a draft schedule, that may change during the course delivery if necessary.

    Content

    The Project in Entrepreneurship is a self-directed study program that offers scope for candidates to pursue their own entrepreneurship related interest in three broadly defined areas, namely; innovation and the new enterprise creation process, the strategic management of entrepreneurship or innovation in the context of established organisations, communities or economic regions. The project will require a research element however it may be either an applied research activity or a more theoretical/academic project that targets a specific topic or issue relevant to entrepreneurship and innovation. A candidate will complete the proposed topic submitted to the Course Lecturer for approval prior to commencement of any project work.

    The Project in Entrepreneurship course is therefore designed for a candidate to pursue research into an area or topic related to their entrepreneurship career that holds personal interest or value. Previous candidates have, for example, used the Project as a vehicle to prepare a business plan and undertake a literature review of a critical component of the business proposition that will influence the plans outcome. Alternatively, a candidate may consider preparing an implementation report with a literature review on a single aspect of the implementation. The report could for instance document entrepreneurial strategies adopted by an established organisation to improve its specific innovation or general performance. The literature review could examine a key management issue encountered by the organisation during the implementation of these strategies.

    This course is designed to integrate much of the course work undertaken to date. The decision about what project to undertake is made by the candidate in consultation with the lecturer and/or supervisor. It is expected however that any project will have sufficient challenge and stretch to constitute 20-24 hours per week.

    Consultation Schedule
    There are set classes for this course but students will also work directly with their lecturer on their project. Remember this is a self-study program so it is up to you to plan and make the most of your resources (including your lecturer) to successfully complete this course of study. Appointment times for the review and supervision sessions will be available by prior arrangement.
  • Assessment

    The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

    1. Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
    2. Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
    3. Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
    4. Assessment must maintain academic standards.

    Assessment Summary

    An overview of the course assessment appears in the following Table. Details appear in the following section:

    #AssessmentLengthWeightingLearning Outcomes
    1 Project Proposal Typically 1,000-1,500 words 10% 2
    2 Research Paper 3,000 - 4,000 words 30% 1-3
    3 Major Project Output
    (Plan, report or paper)

    Typically 4,000 – 6,000 words

    50% 1-3
    4 Participation Course duration 10%
    Total 100%
    Assessment Related Requirements

    Candidates will be assessed by participation and submission of three assignments. All assignments must be completed to be eligible to pass the course. Coverage of the lecture materials and participation in the presentation sessions are compulsory. Lectures must be attended or, in special circumstances, an alternate approach to lecture attendance may be negotiated. Participation in the presentations can either be ‘in person’ or by ‘virtual’ means also by negotiation.

    It is expected that assignments will be typed, using word processing software such as Microsoft Word. The preference is for you to hand in a printed and bound assignment, and also submit the file via the MyUni Gradebook.

    Don’t cram too many words onto a page: use a line spacing of 1.5 lines, and a right-hand margin of 4cm (to enable feedback and comments). If software other than Microsoft Word is used, the file format must be one that can be read using Word, such as .doc, .docx or .rtf (rich text format). PDF (Acrobat) format is not acceptable unless accompanied by an editable Microsoft Word document or similar.

    Students should attend all classes in order to pass the course. There is considerable experiential learning in workshops during the intensive classes that build your knowledge and thus enable you to be successful in this course.

    Course results are subject to moderation by the ECIC Board of Examiners
    Assessment Detail
    Assessment 1: Project Proposal
    Weighting: 10%
    Task: This assignment requires the candidate to develop the Project Proposal in consultation with the lecturer and/or supervisor. The Project Proposal will outline the practical area that the student will be working on in relation to the course objectives and demonstrate an awareness of the theoretical aspects that may inform and shape the applied project. The Proposal provides the framework for undertaking both assessment items 2 and 3.

    The Project Proposal will outline the project’s aims, rationale, focus for the research paper, time frames, milestones, and the projects resource requirements. The assignment will need to consider both practical and academic requirements and will show how the research and practical work will integrate.

    The Proposal will be professionally presented in class. The presentation objective is to convince your audience of the project’s merit and that it is a manageable task within the allotted time available to complete it. This presentation will contribute to class discussion on issues relating to project design.


    Assessment 2: Research Paper
    Weighting: 30%
    Task: This assignment is designed for the candidate to demonstrate a capacity to identify and use academic, government, media or general reference sources to expand their knowledge of particular issues encountered in entrepreneurship.

    This course is part of a postgraduate level university qualification and, while the difficulty of the practical side of entrepreneurship is not underestimated, it is also necessary for candidates to develop and exhibit good conceptual and critical thinking skills. You will need, in this assignment, to report on the thinking and intellectual aspects that inform your practical entrepreneurship career and/or pursuits.


    Assessment 3: Major Project Output
    Weighting: 50%
    Task: You are required to present a professionally written report detailing the project work you have negotiated with the lecturer.

    Submission of your MPO includes an oral presentation that is to be professionally presented to an audience that will include external participants. Candidates are required to present and defend their MPO and should succinctly describe the MPO, the major objective(s) of the presentation, any major assumptions and decisions relevant to the MPO and seek to engage or extract commitment from their audience. This presentation will be no longer than 25-30 minutes and will include 10-15 minutes for discussion and questions.

    Candidates are expected to actively participate in questioning, commenting and discussing the material presented by peers during the final presentations. The objective is to be constructive and supportive and assist in the continual refinement and development of the ideas and the skills of each presenter.


    Assessment 4: Participation
    Weighting: 10%
    Task: You are expected to contribute, initiate and comment upon issues relevant to the Projects, in face-to-face discussion and/or in the online forums when used.
    Submission
    All text based assignments must be submitted via MyUni.
    Please refer to step by step instructions: MyUni Learning Centre

    There are a few points to note about the submission of assignments:
    • Assignment Submission:  Assignments should not be emailed to the instructor; they must be lodged via the MyUni Course site (unless specified to do both). Note that assignments may be processed via TURNITIN, which is an online plagiarism prevention tool.
    • Cover Sheet:  Please include in the assignment a completed University of Adelaide Assessment Cover Sheet providing details of yourself and your team members (if applicable), your assignment, the course, date submitted, etc. as well as the declaration signed by you that this is your (your team’s) work.  Note that the declaration on any electronically submitted assignment will be deemed to have the same authority as a signed declaration.
    • Backup Copy of Assignments:  You are advised to keep a copy of your assignments in case the submitted copy goes missing.  Please ensure that all assignment pages are numbered. If your assignment contains confidential information, you should discuss any concerns with the Course Lecturer prior to submission.
    • Extensions of Time:  An application for Assessment Extension should be made well before the due date of the assignment to the Course Lecturer.  Normally, extensions will only be granted for a maximum of two weeks from the original assignment submission date.  Extensions will only be granted in cases of genuine medical, compassionate or extenuating circumstances.
    • Failure to submit: Failure to submit an assignment on time or by the agreed extension deadline may result in penalties and may incur a fail grade.  Note that a late penalty of 5% of the total available marks for that assessment item will be incurred each day an assignment is handed in late (Unless otherwise stated in 'Assessment Related Requirements' or 'Assessment Detail' above). Assignments handed in after 14 days from the due submission date will fail even if a 100% mark is granted for the work.

    Resubmission & Remarking

    Resubmission of an assignment for remarking after reworking it to obtain a better mark will not normally be accepted.  Approval for resubmission will only be granted on medical or compassionate grounds.
    Course Grading

    Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

    M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme)
    Grade Mark Description
    FNS   Fail No Submission
    F 1-49 Fail
    P 50-64 Pass
    C 65-74 Credit
    D 75-84 Distinction
    HD 85-100 High Distinction
    CN   Continuing
    NFE   No Formal Examination
    RP   Result Pending

    Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.

    Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.

    Final results for this course will be made available through Access Adelaide.

  • Student Feedback

    The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.

    SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.

  • Student Support
  • Policies & Guidelines
  • Fraud Awareness

    Students are reminded that in order to maintain the academic integrity of all programs and courses, the university has a zero-tolerance approach to students offering money or significant value goods or services to any staff member who is involved in their teaching or assessment. Students offering lecturers or tutors or professional staff anything more than a small token of appreciation is totally unacceptable, in any circumstances. Staff members are obliged to report all such incidents to their supervisor/manager, who will refer them for action under the university's student’s disciplinary procedures.

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