Units
Managing Business Growth
Unit code: MGB324
Contact hours: 3
Credit points: 12
Information about fees and unit costs
This unit is designed to provide skills in the analysis, solutions and implementation of the general management issues that SME owners have to manage in their growing operations. The unit brings together the different functional aspects of managing an established SME and how they are best managed from the owner's (general manager's) point of view. It also provides opportunity to bring students into contact with real world SME owners and their venture management issues.
Availability
| Semester | Available |
|---|---|
| 2012 Semester 1 | Yes |
Sample subject outline - Semester 1 2013
Note: Subject outlines often change before the semester begins. Below is a sample outline.
Rationale
Entrepreneurial management is becoming a critical set of skills for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) that wish to grow rapidly and for small business units (SBUs) in large corporations. This unit examines the venture growth processes for entrepreneurial managers. It focuses on the post start-up issues for the entrepreneurial venture and allows you to analyse exiting venture operations. The unit considers the rapid growth issues in SMEs and examines how to grow and manage an SME in the post start-up phase. This unit is designed for those individuals interested in owning, or who currently own, their own venture and for those working in industries as employees or wishing to work in the SBUs of large corporations.
Aims
This unit is designed to provide skills in the analysis of solutions and implementation of the general management issues that SME owners have to manage in their growing operations. The unit brings together the different functional aspects of managing an established SME and how they are best managed from the owner's (general manager's) point of view. It also provides an opportunity to bring you into contact with real world SME owners and their venture management issues.
Objectives
Course Learning Goals (Undergraduate)
The QUT Business School has established the Assurance of Learning (AOL) Goals to meet contemporary industry needs and standards. Achieving these learning outcomes will assist you to meet the desired graduate outcomes set at QUT - aligned with other internationally renowned business schools. Students will develop the following capabilities relevant to a contemporary global and sustainable business environment:
Have knowledge and skills pertinent to a particular discipline (KS)
1.1 Integrate and apply disciplinary theory and skills to practical situations
1.2 Incorporate the use of technology appropriate to the discipline and context
Be critical thinkers and effective problem solvers (CTA)
2.1 Identify, research and critically analyse information relevant to a business problem or issue, be able to synthesise that information in order to evaluate potential solutions, make recommendations or otherwise effectively address the problem or issue
Be professional communicators in an intercultural context (PC)
3.1 Communicate effectively through written tasks appropriate to varied contexts and audiences
3.2 Communicate effectively through professional oral presentations appropriate to varied contexts and audiences
Be able to work effectively in a Team Environment (TW)
4.1 Demonstrate effective team skills in order to contribute appropriately to the production of a group output
Have a Social and Ethical Understanding (SEU)
5.1 Apply ethical reasoning, standards or codes of practice relevant to the discipline and make decisions that are informed by social and cultural understanding
Unit Objectives
Upon completion of this unit, you should be able to:
1. Display knowledge of the core concepts of SME venture management.
2. Demonstrate an ability to apply theoretical concepts to actual SME venture situations.
3. Explain the issues in SME venture analysis.
4. Demonstrate an ability to synthesise and analyse SME management processes.
5. Explain the theoretical concepts of external and internal environment as they apply to a growing venture.
6. Demonstrate understanding of the entrepreneurial management issues of a growing SME.
The specific course learning goals and unit objectives that apply to this unit are shown in the assessment section of this unit outline.
Content
Approaches to Teaching and Learning
Teaching strategies adopted in this unit foster the analysis of venture operations. Critical inquiry and intellectual debate are encouraged through analysis of case studies and readings on the nature of the venture operation. This unit also requires that you participate in the field by interviewing SME owners and/or those that support them. You will carry out case writing and case analysis of an SME. This process provides you with critical frameworks for the analysis of SME operations.
The program will generally contain one hour of lecture and two hours of tutorial each week (there is no tutorial in Week 1). Associated with each lecture in this unit are links to each tutorial. However there will not always be a clear distinction and the tutorial work may be intermixed with lectures and guest speakers where appropriate. The tutorials will provide a forum in which links will be explored through discussion groups where you can pose comments and queries concerning a particular concept or topic and find out what other students have discussed.
Assessment
Students will receive feedback in various forms throughout the semester which may include:
Assessment name:
Workshop
Description:
You are required to choose a case pertaining to the content of the unit and plan, develop and lead a workshop to maximise the participation of the whole tutorial group. (marks incorporate self and peer assessment of group processes).
Length / Duration: 30-40 minutes
Formative or Summative: Formative and Summative
Relates to objectives:
Unit objectives: 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 and AOL goals: CTA (2.1), PC (3.2), TW (4.1)
Weight:
20%
Internal or external:
Internal
Group or individual:
Group
Due date:
Weeks 4 - 12
Assessment name:
Case Study
Description:
You are required to write a real world critical case analysis of the issues facing a growing SME. You will need to provide a synthesis of the different external and internal issues and make recommendations for the growing venture.
Length / Duration: 2,000 words
Formative or Summative: Formative and Summative
Relates to objectives:
Unit objectives: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and AOL goals: KS (1.1), CTA (2.1), PC (3.1), SEU (5.1)
Weight:
40%
Internal or external:
Internal
Group or individual:
Individual
Due date:
Week 8
Assessment name:
Final Examination
Description:
The final exam will consist of a case and questions covering issues addressed in weeks 1 to 12. Further details will be supplied in class.
Length / Duration: 2 hours
Formative or Summative: Summative
Relates to objectives:
Unit objectives: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and AOL goals: KS (1.1)
Weight:
40%
Internal or external:
Internal
Group or individual:
Individual
Due date:
Central Exam Period
Academic Honesty
QUT is committed to maintaining high academic standards to protect the value of its qualifications. To assist you in assuring the academic integrity of your assessment you are encouraged to make use of the support materials and services available to help you consider and check your assessment items. Important information about the university's approach to academic integrity of assessment is on your unit Blackboard site.
A breach of academic integrity is regarded as Student Misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties.
Resource materials
Prescribed Text
Allen, K. R. et al. (2011). Managing Business Growth, South Melbourne: Cengage Learning.
(This custom publication textbook is available from the QUT Bookshop)
Other Resources
Moorman, Jerry W. and J. W. Halloran, 2006. Successful business planning for entrepreneurs , Mason, Ohio: Thomson/South-Western.
Wickham, Philip A. 2004. Strategic Entrepreneurship , Harlow: Financial Times Prentice Hall.
Scarborough N. M. and T. W. Zimmerer, 2006. Effective small business management: an entrepreneurial approach , Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall.
English, John W., 2003. How to organise and operate a small business in Australia , Crows Nest, N.S.W.: Allen & Unwin.
Welsch, H. P. (ed.), 2004. Entrepreneurship: the way ahead , New York, NY; London: Routledge.
Additional references can also be found at the unit's Blackboard site.
Risk assessment statement
There are no out-of-the-ordinary risks associated with lectures or tutorials in this unit. You should, however, familiarise yourself with evacuation procedures operating in the buildings in which you attend classes and take the time to
view the Emergency video.
Disclaimer - Offer of some units is subject to viability, and information in these Unit Outlines is subject to change prior to commencement of semester.
Last modified: 17-Jan-2013
