MKT3006 Small and Medium Enterprise Development (SMED)

MKT	3006	2, 2010	EXT	Small and Medium Enterprise Development (SMED)	1	Toowoomba
Subject	Cat-nbr	Term	Mode	Description	Units	Campus

Academic group:	FOBUS
Academic org:	FOB004
Student contribution band:	3A
ASCED code:	080301

Staffing
Requisites
Other requisites
Rationale
Synopsis
Objectives
Topics
Texts
Reference materials
Student workload
Assessment details
Graduate qualities and skills
Important assessment information
Assessment notes
Other requirements
Production date
PDF version

STAFFING

Examiner: Graham Young
Moderator: Michael Gardiner

REQUISITES

Pre-requisite: MKT1001

OTHER REQUISITES

Computer, e-mail and Internet access: Students are required to have access to a personal computer, e-mail capabilities and Internet access to UConnect. Current details of computer requirements can be found at <http://www.usq.edu.au/ict/students/standards/default.htm>.

RATIONALE

This course is designed to enable students to gain practical insights into the unique managerial challenges associated with starting, managing and growing a small to medium sized enterprise (SME). While the SME sector is of vital significance to all economies in terms of employment levels and contribution to gross national products, it nevertheless continues to be characterised by high failure rates and unsatisfactory performance levels. This course, directed as it is towards professionals, intending entrepreneurs and owners and managers of SMEs, seeks to ultimately improve overall success rates and performance levels in the sector.

SYNOPSIS

This course addresses the three critical areas within the `history' of an SME. These include development and planning, management and implementation and business future. In the development and planning section, students will be asked to address all issues which contribute to the writing of an appropriate business plan. In the management and implementation section issues relating to the successful implementation of the business plan and on-going functional management tasks will be addressed. Finally, the business future section will examine issues which impact upon the future direction of the SME, including impacts of environmental factors and growth aspirations. Throughout the course, students will be required to continually apply the concepts and principles to their selected SME case enterprises. Reference will also be made to many other SMEs to provide as wide a context mix as possible.

OBJECTIVES

On completion of this course students will be able to:

1.: provide a definition of a SME within the Australian context
2.: identify and contrast how a SME differs from a large business
3.: discuss the differences found amongst SMEs elsewhere in the Asia Pacific region
4.: list and appraise the key factors that typically contribute to the ongoing success of a SME
5.: list and appraise the key factors that typically cause SMEs to fail
6.: define and describe the personal characteristics of entrepreneurs
7.: list and describe the components of a comprehensive business plan for SME
8.: apply the processes for evaluating the viability of businesses and business concepts
9.: construct an effective business plan for a SME.

TOPICS

	Description	Weighting (%)
1.	Module 1: SME definitions and characteristics	15.00
2.	Module 2: Comparing and analysing business options	15.00
3.	Module 3: Preparing a business plan	25.00
4.	Module 4: Managing key functions	25.00
5.	Module 5: Managing growth	15.00
6.	Module 6: Contemporary issues in small business and entrepreneurship	5.00

TEXT and MATERIALS required to be PURCHASED or accessed

ALL textbooks and materials are available for purchase from USQ BOOKSHOP (unless otherwise stated). Orders may be placed via secure internet, free fax 1800642453, phone 07 46312742 (within Australia), or mail. Overseas students should fax +61 7 46311743, or phone +61 7 46312742. For costs, further details, and internet ordering, use the 'Textbook Search' facility at http://bookshop.usq.edu.au click 'Semester', then enter your 'Course Code' (no spaces).

Schaper, M & Volery, T 2007, Entrepreneurship and small business, John Wiley & Sons, Milton, Queensland.
(2nd Pacific Rim edition)

Summers, J & Smith, B 2010, Communication skills handbook, 3rd edn, John Wiley & Sons, Milton, Queensland.

REFERENCE MATERIALS

Reference materials are materials that, if accessed by students, may improve their knowledge and understanding of the material in the course and enrich their learning experience.

Allen, KR 2007, Growing and managing a small business: an entrepreneurial perspective, 2nd edn, Houghton Mifflin, Boston, Massachusetts.

Hatten, TS 2009, Small business management: entrepreneurship and beyond, 4th edn, Houghton Mifflin, Boston, Massachusetts.

Hodgetts, RM & Kuratko, DF 2008, Small business management: essential tools and skills for entrepreneurial success, John Wiley & Sons, New York.

STUDENT WORKLOAD REQUIREMENTS

ACTIVITY	HOURS
Assessments	80.00
Private Study	85.00

ASSESSMENT DETAILS

Description		Marks out of	Wtg(%)	Due date	Objectives assessed	Graduate skill	Level assessed
ASSIGNMENT 1		30	30	23 Aug 2010	All	U1, U2, U3, U4, U8, U9, U10	3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3
ASSIGNMENT 2		70	70	25 Oct 2010	All	U1, U2, U3, U4, U8, U9, U10	3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3

GRADUATE QUALITIES AND SKILLS

Elements of the following USQ Graduate Skills are associated with the successful completion of this course.

Ethical Research & Enquiry (Skill U1)	Advanced (Level 3 )
Sustainable Practice (Skill U10)	Advanced (Level 3 )
Problem Solving (Skill U2)	Advanced (Level 3 )
Academic, professional and digital literacy (Skill U3)	Advanced (Level 3 )
Written & Oral Communication (Skill U4)	Advanced (Level 3 )
Managmt, Planning & Org Skills (Skill U8)	Advanced (Level 3 )
Creatvty, Initiative & Entrprse (Skill U9)	Advanced (Level 3 )

IMPORTANT ASSESSMENT INFORMATION

Attendance requirements:
If you are an international student in Australia, you are advised to attend all classes at your campus. For all other students, there are no attendance requirements for this course. However, it is the students' responsibility to study all material provided to them or required to be accessed by them to maximise their chance of meeting the objectives of the course and to be informed of course-related activities and administration.
Requirements for students to complete each assessment item satisfactorily:
To satisfactorily complete an individual assessment item a student must achieve at least 50% of the marks. (Depending upon the requirements in Statement 4 below, students may not have to satisfactorily complete each assessment item to receive a passing grade in this course.)
Penalties for late submission of required work:
If students submit assignments after the due date without prior approval of the examiner, then a penalty of 5% of the total marks gained by the student for the assignment may apply for each working day late up to ten working days at which time a mark of zero may be recorded.
Requirements for student to be awarded a passing grade in the course:
To be assured of receiving a passing grade a student must achieve at least 50% of the total weighted marks available for the course.
Method used to combine assessment results to attain final grade:
The final grades for students will be assigned on the basis of the aggregate of the weighted marks obtained for each of the summative assessment items in the course.
Examination information:
There is no examination in this course.
Examination period when Deferred/Supplementary examinations will be held:
Not applicable.
University Student Policies:
Students should read the USQ policies Definitions, Assessment and Student Academic Misconduct to avoid actions which might contravene University policies and practices. These polices can be found at the URL http://policy.usq.edu.au/portal/custom/search/category/usq_document_policy_type/Student.1.html.

ASSESSMENT NOTES

1.	Assignments: (i) The due date for an assignment is the date by which a student must despatch the assignment to the USQ. The onus is on the student to provide proof of the despatch date, if requested by the examiner. (ii) Students must retain a copy of each assignment submitted for assessment. This must be produced within 24 hours if required by the examiner. (iii) In accordance with university policy, the examiner may grant an extension of the due date of an assignment in extenuating circumstances. (iv) The examiner will normally only accept assignments which are electronically submitted through the USQ Study Desk for this course. Students who are unable to meet this submission requirement should contact the examiner of the course to negotiate alternative arrangements.
2.	Text books: Please note that it is the responsibility of the student to acquire a copy of the text book as soon as their enrolment in the course has been confirmed. Extensions will not be granted on the basis of the student not having a copy of the text, if the text is available from the USQ Bookshop.
3.	Referencing in assignments: Harvard (AGPS) is the referencing system required in this course. Students should use Harvard (AGPS) style in their assignments to format details of the information sources they have cited in their work. The Harvard (AGPS) style to be used is defined by the USQ Library's referencing guide at <http://www.usq.edu.au/library/help/referencing/default.htm>.
4.	Word count in assignments: Students must put the 'word count' for their assignment on the front page of the assignment. The word count is the number of words in the body of the assignment report and does not include the title, executive summary, list of references or appendices. To grade an assignment a marker does not need to read more words than the word limit of the assignment.
5.	Course weightings: Course weightings of topics should not be interpreted as applying to the number of marks allocated to assessment.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

Computer, e-mail and Internet access: Students are required to have access to a personal computer, e-mail capabilities and Internet access to UConnect. Current details of computer requirements can be found at <http://www.usq.edu.au/ict/students/standards/default.htm>.

This version produced 17 May 2011.