NX9730 - Responsible Business Start up

You will learn utilising the enterprising space of the Incubator at Northumbria University, a living enterprise lab and action leaning model that combines access to industry-leading practical and academic knowledge base, in-person and online support and engagement with the Northumbria’s Enterprise Development Team. Interactive workshop sessions and supported by on-line learning materials and activities will form your learning space. Lectures will be used to introduce the key topics such as innovation and components of a business plans and how to master these components to deliver an effective social enterprise business plan using a research-led approach. Practical workshop activities in which you will apply the methods, techniques and frameworks of analysis of the business environment, business model canvas, and how these models influence your social enterprise business plan outcomes and implementation.



You will also be encouraged to complete self-assessment of your entrepreneurial tendency using The General measure of Enterprising Tendency (GET) (http://www.get2test.net/get2test.html ). Thus, you will very much use ‘learn by doing’ approach in this module. You will have opportunities to engage in discussions with your peers as well as your social enterprise mentor.



An initial workshop will introduce you to the module, assessment and core topics. Subsequent to this you will be guided through a range of subject specific topics delivered over the period of the module such as responsible financing of the business plan, developing an effective rationale and presentation of the business plan according to the pitch audience. Key messages from these sessions will also be available by online learning materials including video/podcast to support your learning outside of the living enterprise lab.



In order to develop your capacity and confidence as an effective learner, you will engage in directed learning. This will be supported by your tutor and social enterprise mentor-guided activities reflected in a learning plan, including prompted reading, activities to undertake and questions to address. However, you will also extend to advanced independent study which entails reading beyond the learning materials/reading list provided and reflecting on its potential relevance for your own development.

You will be supported by appropriate academic content provided by the module tutor and workshops with mentoring guidance from Northumbria’s Enterprise Development Team, hosted at the Northumbria’s Incubator. The taught academic input and Incubator living space will act as supportive, self-reflective and action learning environments where you will benefit from peer-assessment and support and expert advice from successful social entrepreneurs and the Enterprise Development Team.

All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. The reading list for this module can be found at: http://readinglists.northumbria.ac.uk
(Reading List service online guide for academic staff this containing contact details for the Reading List team – http://library.northumbria.ac.uk/readinglists)

Knowledge & Understanding:

Demonstrate critical understanding of how to develop an effective socially responsible enterprise business plan [MLO1].

Critical appraisal of the concepts and components required to deliver an effective socially responsible business plan [MLO2].

Intellectual / Professional Skills & Abilities:

Systematically identify and be able to critically analyse and evaluate the outcomes of your socially responsible business plan [MLO3].



Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):

Demonstrate a critical awareness of professional, ethical, social, legal and sustainability issues involved in the use of researching and developing of an effective and realistic socially responsible business plan [MLO4].

Formative Assessment

Formative assessment of your practical skills, knowledge and understanding, as demonstrated in your submitted assignments, is a key component of the assessment strategy. It forms an integral part of the formal scheduled teaching programme utilising lectures and practical enterprise labs to enable you to use ‘learn by doing’ approach. To foster engagement with your tutors and peers, asynchronous discussion board on the VLE will be used. Formative assessment feedback on your practical lab activities will additionally enable you to undertake self-reflection and to include newly-acquired knowledge and practical skills to refine your tutor-guided and self-directed independent learning and enhance your performance during final summative assessment.

Summative Assessment

The module is assessed by two components:



Component 1 (20%):

Part A (20%): you will prepare a video pitch 20 minutes to present an investor-ready level business plan [MLO1].



Component 2 (80%):

12,000 words socially responsible business plan [MLO2, MLO3].

1000 words reflection on your entrepreneurial tendency, qualities and areas of further development [MLO4].

None

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This option module is suited to students who aim to utilise the contemporary knowledge, academic and professional skills developed at the taught element (semesters 1 and 2) of the Masters programme. This practical, enterprise lab based module is designed to develop your creativity, innovation and social enterprise planning skills. Your aspirations to engage in social entrepreneurship you will benefit from the mentorship, advice and resources provided by Northumbria’s Enterprise Development Team, a highly experienced consultancy team which have supported numerous Northumbria students and graduates in materialising their business plan. An academic tutor will support your theoretical development around an effective social enterprise venture and management of stakeholders. You will engage with successful social entrepreneurs in the North East of England and benefit from their experience and insights in setting up a successful social enterprise activity. You will engage for advice and thought leadership with key members of the Responsible Business research group of the Faculty. Members of the Social Enterprise Advisory Board will act as assessors of the two assessment components you will be required to submit where you will the opportunity to present and provide an in-depth evaluation of your socially responsible enterprise plan and your own development as an entrepreneur.