Developing Enterprise Awareness (QAA 1,6)

Developing Enterprise Awareness (QAA 1,6)

Group Size ? 1.) Small group (teams of 4-6)
2.) Individual Task
3.) Large Group
4.) Any

Small group (teams of 4-6)

Learning Environment ? 1.) Lecture Theatre
2.) Presentation Space
3.) Carousel Tables (small working group)
4.) Any
5.) Outside
6.) Special

Lecture Theatre, Carousel Tables (small working group)

QAA Enterprise Theme(s) ? 1.) Creativity and Innovation
2.) Opportunity recognition, creation and evaluation
3.) Decision making supported by critical analysis and judgement
4.) Implementation of ideas through leadership and management
5.) Reflection and Action
6.) Interpersonal Skills
7.) Communication and Strategy

1Creativity and Innovation 6Interpersonal Skills

Objective:

To develop awareness and capability for enterprise amongst second year business undergraduate students.

Introduction:

During the autumn term of 2012 Cardiff University Enterprise supported Dr Sarah Hurlow of Cardiff Business School develop and deliver a contained exercise to develop awareness and capability for enterprise.

The 20 credit module entitled 'Management Theory and Practice' is a second year undergraduate optional module. The intervention was delivered to a total of 27 students.

Business graduates leave university with a high level knowledge about how businesses operate; however there is increasing evidence that 'knowledge' is only one element of what employers and new businesses need.

"It is not just the possession of knowledge or skills that define a graduate and the contribution she (or he) makes to the workplace, it is the capacity to articulate them, to think about how they relate to other forms of knowledge and skills, and to reflect upon the different domains in which they may be applied" Sir Tim Wilson (2012) A Review of Business–University Collaboration, pg. 32.

Enterprise capability has a connection to employability, innovation, commercialisation, knowledge transfer and business start-up, however there is a distinction between the generic use of the term 'enterprise' in reference to business venture creation and a sense of 'practical action'. The development of an entrepreneurial capability moves beyond knowledge acquisition to a range of intellectual, emotional and social skills that allow for the application of creative ideas and innovations.

Activity:

During the semester students' were asked to collaboratively generate business ideas using Ketso.

Ketso is 'a hands-on kit for creative engagements' [http://www.ketso.com/] and was run as a four hour workshop which, due to time timetabling, was split over two weeks.

Ideas and collaboration were inspired by two guest speakers. The first guest speaker was Christian Amodeo who established the local Cardiff brand called 'I loves the diff' in 2009. The second was Gwion Larsen who established 'iPhone sales and repairs' with a gift from his parents on graduating from Cardiff University in 2010. Both highlight that entrepreneurs are not always the known national celebrity faces, but often just an ordinary local person with a good idea.

Impact:

The teaching intervention was successful with generally received positive student engagement and feedback. The student groups developed their business ideas into well considered business propositions that were presented as part of final assessment. The final assessed presentations demonstrated a good level of research, interpretation, understanding and application of commercial awareness and associated skills among students.

Learner outcome:

The examples of curriculum development for enterprise related outcomes were originally outlined by Neil Coles at the International Enterprise Educators Conference under the heading 'From Archaeology to Zoology; an A-Z of enterprise in the curriculum'. For his work in contextualising enterprise for any subject, Neil won the 2013 National Enterprise Educator Award.

Resources:

For a How To Guide on utilising external presenters, see 'Guest Lecture Guidance.'

References:

About the Author
This guide was produced by Neil Coles (Senior Enterprise Learning Officer, Cardiff University). If you would like to contact the author, please use this email address:- enterprise@cardiff.ac.uk.