Entrepreneurship
This course is designed to provide students with an understanding of the key elements of enterprise, as well as of entrepreneurship as a process. They will deal with key attributes of entrepreneurs, as well as with hard facts such as legal structure and financing. The course aims to make students aware of opportunities, key drivers for business success and risks of entrepreneurship. In addition, it will enhance students’ practical knowledge of business formation and develop their skills in assessing and dealing with issues and challenges in leading and managing in the SME sector.
• Business start-up forms and structures: Issues relating to number of associates, liability, fund raising, organisation, management, rating at banks
• Business planning: Structure, main components, addressees, scope, quality of data of business plans, types and scope of subsidies
• Social, legal, financial environment: Recruitment of adequate staff, restrictions of authorities, self-funding and outside resources
• Start-up process: Business model, business plan, business assets, funding, market research
• Entrepreneurship: Initiative, opportunities and risks of entrepreneurs in the SME sector
• Key attributes of entrepreneurs: Risk tolerance, tenacity, ambition, personality, performance, creativity
• Entrepreneurial leadership: Entrepreneural principles, empowerment of employees to work on the vision, responsibility
• Characteristics of SMEs in Austria: Economic status, legal framework, fiscal and political obstacles
On successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- demonstrate a critical awareness and understanding of Entrepreneurship at the bachelor's level that provides a basis for developing and/or applying new ideas, often within a research context.
- apply knowledge, critical understanding, and problem-solving abilities in new or unfamiliar environments within broader (or multidisciplinary) contexts related to their field of study (Entrepreneurship)
- assimilate knowledge and formulate opinions with incomplete or limited information, but that include a reflection on social and ethical responsibilities.
- communicate their assumptions, and knowledge regarding Entrepreneurship and the rationale underpinning these, to specialist and non-specialist audiences clearly and unambiguously.
- use the acquired skills to allow them to continue to study in a manner that may be largely self-directed and autonomous.
- integrate knowledge from other courses of the master program and practical business and formulate critical judgments with incomplete data.
The course is offered as self-study in e-learning. The learning material is provided in the form of lectures, literature, and lecture notes. Independent learning is required. In the case of paper submissions, further research is expected in compliance with the given scientific standard. LIVE course sessions are offered to support the students with questions regarding the content. Students are supported in their scientific work by corresponding online seminars.
All lectures and learning materials are made available in the online campus GHU Campus. All lectures are recorded and are available for download 24/7. The lecture notes, as well as additional material provided by the lecturer, can also be accessed in the GHU Campus.
Documents for exam preparation consisting of lectures and lecture notes. Additional material provided by the lecturer serves as independent files and can be used to work on the exams. The examination comprises theory questions, reflection, and case study and is intended to confirm all learning objectives.
The assessment consists of a 5000-word Entrepreneurship homework and assesses all learning outcomes. As a master-level assignment, the homework requires a command of a complex and specialized area of knowledge and skills. This implies that, in addition to demonstrating a sound grasp of the ideas and concepts relevant to the topic of thehomework, students will show that they can evaluate aspects such as conventions of approaches, their internal consistency, relevance, and applicability, as well as strengths and weaknesses.
To reach an assessment, students will consider competing approaches and draw on critiques put forward in scholarly literature. The position adopted in the assignment and any claims made must be based on a careful, coherent, and logical arguments, need to be appropriately supported with evidence from relevant scholarly sources, and should be presented in a coherent piece of writing. Sources must be referenced appropriately in-text and in a quote/reference list as set out in the GHU Referencing Guidelines.