Entrepreneurial Action
You will undertake an action research project focused on understanding and supporting entrepreneurial action in practice.
This is an individual project. If possible, it should be based upon your own organisation as this will grant you better access to research resources and stakeholders.
You will conduct secondary research to support the development of:
- A new entrepreneurial proposition for an organisation;
- Or an idea for an entrepreneurial start-up.
The ‘proposition’ could relate to a new product or service; a new way of doing things; a new department; implementation of something that will change the way the organisation operates e.g. software and systems; the introduction of a new philosophy relating to human resources, production or quality, etc.
You should provide a strong argument for this opportunity in terms of market justification, exploring relevant issues/context behind the idea, the business model/context of successful innovation, and the size and nature of the opportunity. The evidence for this justification is secondary research and academic literature.
This project needs to provide you with an opportunity to understand and manage how to move from opportunity, to idea, to action. This could relate to your study or employability interests and/or current interests within the entrepreneurial management field.
In undertaking the project, students are expected to:
- Identify an idea or opportunity.
- Develop a strong case as to why this opportunity or idea is worthy of consideration as a project, particularly in terms of its value to the appropriate community of practice. Appropriate secondary research, academic literature and the use of metrics should be utilised within this section. Engagement with stakeholders can be demonstrated.
- Develop a project plan to ensure completion within the identified timescales,
- Identify the appropriate resources and internal and external support to develop and deliver the project,
- Demonstrate how you will manage the project in terms of moving from idea to action,
- Reflect on the project against key themes in the academic and grey (i.e. policy and practice) literature related to being enterprising, the role of the individual in moving an idea from concept to action; and the influence of the entrepreneurial task environment.
