BX3072 - Managing Small and Medium Enterprises

Small to medium enterprises (SMEs) are the major drivers of employment growth and innovation world wide. This subject deals with the role of SMEs providing insight into how these businesses can be successful as well as investigating the pitfalls that lead many SMEs to fail. A central topic will be the application of management theories, many of which were developed in large-scale enterprises, in an SME. Students will be applying their knowledge and skills developed from previous subjects in; accounting, entrepreneurship, finance, HR, marketing, operations and strategy, together with knowledge acquired in this subject, to develop a full business plan to launch a new SME Venture.

There are additional charges for this subject; please contact the School for details.

Learning Outcomes

• understand the fundamentals, concepts and processes of Small to Medium Enterprises;
• evaluate various concepts of small business ownership and their relationship to the overall economy;
• provide students with a practical background in the forms of business, the development of complete business plans and systems, (including a feasibility analysis and complete inter-related plan: Concept, model, strategy, marketing, operation, human resource and financial plans), and the integration of venture capital;
• students will understand the technical information needed to plan, own and operate a small business.

Graduate Qualities

• The ability to adapt knowledge to new situations;
• The ability to define and to solve problems in at least one discipline area;
• The ability to think critically, to analyse and evaluate claims, evidence and arguments, and to reason and deploy evidence clearly and logically;
• The ability to deploy critically evaluated information to practical ends;
• The ability to find and access information using appropriate media and technologies;
• The ability to evaluate that information;
• An understanding of the economic, legal, ethical, social and cultural issues involved in the use of information;
• The ability to select and organise information and to communicate it accurately, cogently, coherently, creatively and ethically;
• The acquisition of coherent and disciplined sets of skills, knowledge, values and professional ethics from at least one discipline area;
• The ability to reflect on and evaluate learning, and to learn independently in a self directed manner;
• The ability to manage future career and personal development;
• The ability to read complex and demanding texts accurately, critically and insightfully;
• The ability to speak and write clearly, coherently and creatively;
• The ability to generate, calculate, interpret and communicate numerical information in ways appropriate to a given discipline or discourse;
• The ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences;
• The ability to lead, manage and contribute effectively to teams;
• The ability to work with people of different gender, age, ethnicity, culture, religion and political persuasion;
• The ability to work individually and independently;
• The ability to select and use appropriate tools and technologies;
• The ability to use online technologies effectively and ethically.

Note: Minor variations might occur due to the continuous Subject quality improvement process, and in case of minor variation(s) in assessment details, the Subject Outline represents the latest official information.