WM9A2-15 Digital Entrepreneurship & Financing
Introductory description
The Digital Entrepreneurship and Financing module is primarily designed to cater to aspiring entrepreneurs, focusing on the essential strategies and methodologies entailed in conceptualizing, nurturing, and scaling a business concept into a revenue-generating entity. Central to the module's pedagogical objectives is the exploration of digital technologies as pivotal enablers in the transition from ideation to actualization, with a particular emphasis on the potential for disruptive innovation within this context. Throughout the duration of the module, a thorough examination of pertinent case studies in digital disruption, such as Uber and Airbnb, will be conducted to ascertain the underlying determinants contributing to their remarkable growth trajectories. This analytical approach aims to distill actionable insights and lessons transferrable to the formulation and refinement of novel business concepts.
Module aims
The primary objectives of the module are to facilitate the cultivation of a systematic framework among students for the generation of innovative business concepts, rooted in meticulous market opportunity analysis, and to harness digital technologies and tools for the establishment of streamlined start-up ventures. Additionally, the module endeavours to explore pathways conducive to robust expansion and enduring viability of business operations. Furthermore, a pivotal aim of the module is to furnish students with comprehensive insights into financial management practices tailored to start-up businesses, encompassing an detailed overview of diverse funding mechanisms requisite for the initiation and sustenance of entrepreneurial endeavours.
Outline syllabus
This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.
What is a Digital Enterprise?
- Definition and comparison with traditional businesses.
- Case studies.
What is Digital Financing? - Definition.
- Case studies.
- Identification of opportunities for Digital Financing.
Forming a Digital Enterprise - Market research and idea development.
- Digital business model development.
- Digital technology development and innovation.
- Funding – including seed funding and crowdfunding.
Growing a Digital Enterprise - Digital technology development and enhancement.
- Growth and digital hacking.
- Compliance and legal regulations
Managing a digital enterprise. - Continuous deployment.
- Innovation, dispersion and diversification.
Learning outcomes
By the end of the module, students should be able to:
- Demonstrate the ability to work in a group and develop a comprehensive business pitch presentation using key learnings from the module.
- Critically evaluate markets and industries, and identify opportunities for disruption and innovation.
- Evaluate and assess different business models options to identify the most optimum choice given the business idea and market dynamics.
- Critically assess the various revenue generation and costing models to create reasonable financing requirement projections.
- Critically analyse the target audience needs and develop an appropriate business idea/product that can be converted into a profitable business venture.
Indicative reading list
-Zero to One: Notes on Start ups, or how to build the future - Peter Thiel & Blake
-Venture Deals: Be smarter than your lawyer and venture capitalist - Brad Feld & Jason Mendelson
-Digital entrepreneurship research: A systematic review - Paul et al, 2023 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2022.113507
-CrowdFunding - A literature review and research directions - Moritz, A., Block, J.H. (2016). Crowdfunding: A Literature Review and Research Directions. In: Brüntje, D., Gajda, O. (eds) Crowdfunding in Europe. FGF Studies in Small Business and Entrepreneurship. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-18017-5_3
-Exploring the Role of Social Media: An Innovative Tool for Entrepreneurs - Bansal & Saini ( 2022) - DOI:10.4018/978-1-6684-6133-4.ch004
-Venture Capital’s Role in Financing Innovation: What We Know and How Much We Still Need to Learn - Lerner & Nanda (2020) - Harvard Business Review
-The Lean Startup: How Today's Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses - Eric Ries
View reading list on Talis Aspire
Interdisciplinary
A mixture of technology/computing topics and business topics
International
Topics are of high international demand
Subject specific skills
Industry analysis skills, technology analysis and identification of relevant applications in a variety of business contexts , an ability to apply best practice in the growth hacking, rapid product development and continuous deployment., the ability to design and develop a convincing business model, financing models for entrepreneurship, digital financing
Transferable skills
Business strategy development, financial analysis, presentation skills, teamwork, research, creative thinking and Innovation Mindset.
Study time
| Type | Required |
|---|---|
| Lectures | 20 sessions of 1 hour (13%) |
| Seminars | 10 sessions of 1 hour (7%) |
| Online learning (independent) | 60 sessions of 1 hour (40%) |
| Assessment | 60 hours (40%) |
| Total | 150 hours |
Private study description
No private study requirements defined for this module.
Costs
No further costs have been identified for this module.
You do not need to pass all assessment components to pass the module.
Assessment group A3
| Weighting | Study time | |
|---|---|---|
| Business Model & Financing Plan Presentation | 30% | 18 hours |
|
The students will be asked to develop a Business Pitch for a new business idea which would include Identification of the market opportunity, generation of product/business idea, a profitable business model and an overview of financing requirements. Peer assessment will be included in this assessment component. |
||
| Business Report | 70% | 42 hours |
|
The Essay based business report will include a crisp view of the market opportunity, development of a business plan/product, business model generation and financing requirements. |
||
Feedback on assessment
Verbal feedback for in-module element. Written feedback and annotated scripts for post-module element
Courses
This module is Optional for:
- Year 1 of TWMS-H1S4 Postgraduate Taught e-Business Management (Full-time)