ENTREP 7028 - Managing Strategy & Growth

North Terrace Campus - Semester 2 - 2017

In this course we study the relationship between the entrepreneur, new venture growth and strategy. It provides students with an overview of the internal dynamics involved in growing a new venture including the many aspects that must be considered to ensure the business operates smoothly and meets the needs of its customers while keeping a focus on growth strategy. Intellectual Capital and the Resource Based View are the two main frameworks utilised to examine the dynamic relationships. The course adopts a design approach for an entrepreneur or an advisor to identify key resources that maximise the value creating potential of a fledgling firm.

  • General Course Information
    Course Details
    Course Code ENTREP 7028
    Course Managing Strategy & Growth
    Coordinating Unit Entrepreneurship, Commercialisation & Innov Centre
    Term Semester 2
    Level Postgraduate Coursework
    Location/s North Terrace Campus
    Units 3
    Contact Intensive: 36-40 hours
    Available for Study Abroad and Exchange
    Assumed Knowledge ENTREP 5016 & ENTREP 5018
    Course Description In this course we study the relationship between the entrepreneur, new venture growth and strategy. It provides students with an overview of the internal dynamics involved in growing a new venture including the many aspects that must be considered to ensure the business operates smoothly and meets the needs of its customers while keeping a focus on growth strategy. Intellectual Capital and the Resource Based View are the two main frameworks utilised to examine the dynamic relationships. The course adopts a design approach for an entrepreneur or an advisor to identify key resources that maximise the value creating potential of a fledgling firm.
    Course Staff

    Course Coordinator: Professor Paul Steffens

    Program Director Contact Details:
    Innovation and Entrepreneurship (PG)
    Name: Prof Paul Steffens
    Phone: +61 8 8313 7512
    Email: paul.steffens@adelaide.edu.au



    Teaching Staff
    Trimester 1
    Name: 
    Allan O'Connor
    Short Bio: Dr Allan O’Connor is Senior Lecturer at the Entrepreneurship, Commercialisation and Innovation Centre (ECIC) at the University of Adelaide. Combining experience with SME management, business start-up and consulting, that included product, market, industry, and innovation development, Allan’s teaching experience in entrepreneurship spans a period of fifteen years with particular interests in the assessment of business opportunities, entrepreneurial strategy and developing research skills. Since 2012 he has co-authored the leading Asia Pacific text book, 'Entrepreneurship: Theory, Process and Practice', with Professors Howard Frederick and Donald Kuratko.


    Dr O’Connor’s growing portfolio of more than fifty research publications includes internationally peer reviewed journal articles, book chapters, conference papers, and research reports that are testament to the significance of his research agenda and contribution to his research field. In application, his research is designed to inform educators, policy-makers, regional development agencies and the practicing entrepreneur with respect to creating and managing the resources necessary to foster and develop innovation and entrepreneurship. Allan has also been an invited speaker, visiting lecturer and mentor for programs and conferences in Australia, China, Japan and the United Kingdom.

    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 Gain an understanding of the strategy process and the role of the entrepreneur in maintaining stakeholder value while navigating growth
    2 Conduct a value analysis of a firm to illustrate the relationship between the intellectual capital of an organisation and its value creating logic
    3 Utilise resource based strategy theory to articulate the tangible and intangible resources necessary for a feasible new venture to capture and sustain competitive advantage
    4 Assess the changes in intangible resources that will be required assuming the growth of a new venture and predict the changing role of the entrepreneur within the firm’s management structure
    5 Prepare a set of design principles for a new venture that will guide the growth, acquisition, recruitment and deployment of intellectual capital resources for sustaining a competitive advantage
    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, 2, 3
    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
    2, 3, 4
    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
    3, 5
    Career and leadership readiness
    • technology savvy
    • professional and, where relevant, fully accredited
    • forward thinking and well informed
    • tested and validated by work based experiences
    4, 5
    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
    5
  • Learning Resources
    Required Resources

    The University’s preferred textbook supplier is Unibooks: http://www.unibooks.com.au/ 

    Text book:

    Fredrick, Howard, O'Connor, Allan and Kuratko, Donald F. (2016). Entrepreneurship: Theory, Process and Practice, 4th Edition. Cengage Learning.
    ISBN-13: 978-0-17-035255-0
    ISBN-10: 0-17-035255-2


    Supplemental Readings:

    Alvarez, S.A. and Barney, J.B. (2005) ‘How do entrepreneurs organise firms under conditions of uncertainty?’ Journal of Management, vol. 31, no. 5, pp. 776-793.

    Barney, Jay B., and William S. Hesterly (2010) Strategic Management and Competitive Advantage Concepts and Case, 3rd Edition, Pearson Prentice Hall, New

    Barron, J.N. & Hannan, M.T. (2002) ‘Organizational Blueprints for Success in High-Tech Start-ups: Lessons from the Stanford Project on Emerging Companies’, California Management Review, vol. 44, no. 3, pp. 8-36.

    Churchill, N.C. & Lewis, V.L. (1983) ‘The five stages of business growth’, Harvard Business Review, May-June, pp. 30-50.

    Greiner, L.E. (1972) ‘Evolution and revolution as organizations grow’, Harvard Business Review, July-August, pp. 37-46.

    Hunter, I. (2005) ‘Risk, persistence and focus: a life cycle of the entrepreneur’, Australian Economic History Review, vol 45, no. 3, pp. 244-272.

    Levie, J. & Lichtenstein, G.A. (2010) ‘A terminal Assessment of Stages Theory: Introducing a Dynamic States Approach to Entrepreneurship’, Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, vol. 34, no. 2, pp. 317-350.

    Ma, H. (1999) ‘Creation and Preemption for Competitive Advantage’ Management Decision, vol. 37, no. 3, pp. 259-266.

    Martin, Roger L. 2010. 'The Execution Trap', Harvard Business Review, vol. 88, Iss. 7/8, pp. 64-71.

    McKaskill, T. (2007) Fast Forward Acquisition Strategies for Entrepreneurs, Wilkinson Publishing, Melbourne, Australia. Chapter 5: pp. 51-64.

    Mueller, S., Volery, T. & von Siemens, B. (2012) “What Do Entrepreneurs Actually Do? An Observational Study of Entrepreneurs’ Everyday Behavior in the Start-Up and Growth Stages”, Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, September, pp. 995-1017.

    O’Connor, A. (2001) “Valuation of Technology Businesses‟, Commercialise 2001 Conference, October, Marysville, Australia.

    O’Connor A. & Yamin, S. (2011) ‘Innovation & Entrepreneurship: Managing the Paradox of Purpose in Business Model Innovation’, International Journal of Learning and Intellectual Capital, vol. 8, no. 3, pp. 239-255.

    Penrose, E. (1995) The Theory of the Growth of the Firm, Oxford University Press, New York, pp. 31-42.

    Peppard, J. & Rylander, A. (2001) ‘Using an Intellectual Capital Perspective to Design and Implement a Growth Strategy: The Case of Apion’, European Management Journal, vol. 19, no. 5, pp. 510-525.

    Sarasvathy, S.D. (2005) ‘What makes Entrepreneurs Entrepreneurial?’ Darden Business Publishing, Virginia, Social Science Research Network, UVA-ENT-0065, available at http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=909038&download=yes

    Stabell, C.B. & Fjeldstad, Ø.D. (1998) ‘Configuring Value for Competitive Advantage: On Chains, Shops and Networks’, Strategic Management Journal, vol. 19, pp. 413-437.

    Roos, G., Pike, S. & Fernstrom, L. (2005) Managing Intellectual Capital in Practice, Butterworth-Heinemann: Burlington, MA, USA. Jersey, USA. Chapter 3

    Recommended Resources

    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

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    Workload

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    Learning Activities Summary

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  • 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

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    Assessment Detail

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    Submission

    No information currently available.

    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

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