Module Catalogue 2024/25

Pre Requisite Comment

N/A

Co Requisite Comment

N/A

Aims

The Internet and related technologies have created a fast pace environment that is underpinned by continuous technological innovations. These innovations give rise to new opportunities that can be exploited in order to create value for all stakeholders in a broad range of sectors and broad range of interest groups.

This module will offer students the opportunity to work on a new digital business idea, that will add value but with real emphasis on working within the framework of the UN SDG's.

In doing so, it will provide the necessary context for the students to identify business opportunities created by Internet and other relevant technologies (e.g. mobile apps) and the mechanisms for exploiting value based on them, value being very broadly defined.

Underpinning the above will be the key aim of developing the individual by reflexive behaviours.

Outline Of Syllabus

The module will cover the following key topics.

•       Introduction to the journey….
•       Ideation “The Lightbulb”, inspiration of innovation.
•       Developing the value proposition, learning
•       Market research and Validating your hypothesis, learning, pivoting, learning.
•       Developing your business model
•       Prototype & Create a MVP – BETA testing
•       The global marketplace – The Internet.
•       The legal, ethical, and moral obligations of a digital business
•       Sustainability and CSR
•       The money, Seed funding & Sources of growth funding.
•       The people, building your team, finding a co-founder
•       The Launch, product to market


Guest speaker(s) will be deployed when available and feasible to do so.

Intended Knowledge Outcomes

• Develop a capability to assess start-up opportunities in the digital economy with specific focus on sustainability in a global context.
• Develop a capability to critically assess a range of issues, strategies and practices
impacting upon and critical to the development and transition from the search for a seedling start-up to execution of a business venture, with consideration of ethical and moral issues with respect to the digital economy.
• Appraise the role reflexive behaviour plays in development of the individual and wider team.

Intended Skill Outcomes

On completion of this module the students will be able to:-

• Effectively collaborate with others, forming teams capable of tackling complex issues and problems and act autonomously to organise and communicate tasks related to the digital start-up.
• Demonstrate a capability to learn independently and develop professionally through critical self-awareness, self-reflection and reflexive practice, self-direction (resilience) and originality throughout the entrepreneurial journey.
• Understand the needs of others and utilise empathy towards them, and show sensitivity to diversity to group colleagues and those in different situations.
• Analyse and solve complex problems in creative and innovative ways in order to develop the necessary practical knowledge for preparing an e-commerce business.
• Execute and operate industry compatible software for self development and team co-ordination.

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

The lectures and seminars will focus on developing student practical knowledge and skills in the lecture sessions developed each week. Small group teaching will allow for dynamic learner interaction, guided by the facilitating member of academic staff.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

The business proposal (presentation and report) will test the students’ grasps of the practical skills and knowledge necessary to develop an e-commerce plan. Students will need to brainstorm and undertake the necessary research to identify emerging opportunities that could potentially be commercially viable. Then, they will need to search for a business model before developing a business proposal to pursue these accordingly. The reflective log will expect students to reflect on their practice and teamwork and on that of others, identifying strong and weak points and coming up with suitable suggestions to improve their practice in the future. The reflective log will be submitted in the form of a video with the weekly journal as a digital appendix. This will allow for a more personal expose of the reflective learning journey, employing a contemporary digital medium.

General Notes

N/A