Business Planning (5cr)

Objectives (course unit)

This business planning course focuses on the basics of business planning, how to create logical and consistent business plan for a starting SME. After completing the course the students know what are the different parts of a business plan, how the parts fit together and how to write and present it in an interesting way also from financing point of view.

After completing the course, the students will be able to:

Communicate and co-operate about business planning in English.
Find business ideas and create a business model and business strategy.
Analyse markets, customers and competitors.
Write a comprehensive, consistent business plan.

Content (course unit)

What is business planning all about?
How to create a business model and a business strategy?
How to plan a business from the idea to execution and finances and present it in a logical, consistent manner?
How to think in an entrepreneurial and creative manner when starting a new business?

Exam schedules

EXAM: December 2016 (tentatively week 48 or 49)
PRESENTATIONS: December 2016 (tentatively week 49 or 50)

Assessment methods and criteria

- Group project: Business plan 50 %
- Individual exam 50 %
- Active participation

Teaching methods

Connectivist learning philosophy, contact teaching, collaborative work, individual work, digital learning tools, classroom exercises

Learning materials

e-book or printed book: Alexander Osterwalder and Yves Pigneur. 2010. Business model generation: a handbook for visionaries, game changers, and challengers.
Articles and other materials selected by the teacher.

Student workload

135 hours altogether:
- contact teaching & virtual learning (1/3),
- individual work (1/3)
- project work (1/3).

Content scheduling

2nd period 2016

Completion alternatives

None

Practical training and working life cooperation

Possibility to prepare a business plan for a real company and real case (depending on own activity of the students)

International connections

None

Further information

None

Assessment criteria - fail (0) (Not in use, Look at the Assessment criteria above)

Fails to complete any of the required assignments.

Assessment criteria - satisfactory (1-2) (Not in use, Look at the Assessment criteria above)

Student can communicate and co-operate about business planning in English.
He/she understands the basics of business planning and how to build a business model, verified by the exam at basic level.
The business plan contains all basic elements.

Assessment criteria - good (3-4) (Not in use, Look at the Assessment criteria above)

Student can communicate and co-operate about business planning in English.
He/she understands the basics of business planning and how to build a business model, verified by the exam at good level.
The business plan is comprehensive.

Assessment criteria - excellent (5) (Not in use, Look at the Assessment criteria above)

Student can communicate and co-operate about business planning in English.
He/she understands the basics of business planning and how to build a business model, verified by the exam at exellent level.
He/she can write a comprehensive, consistent and credible business plan.