Engineering Entrepreneurship

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2016:

200 hours

100 points of study or equivalent advanced standing within the MC-ENG Master of Engineering

None

Skills in teamwork, report writing, oral presentation, creative problem solving

None

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

AIMS

The aim of this subject is to examine the nature of entrepreneurial behaviour and its role in both small and large organisations within an engineering context. Students will learn various processes by which successful new ventures are created by developing their own enterprise proposal within small groups.

This subject is available as an elective in many of the Melbourne School of Engineering's Masters programs. It is designed to introduce participants to their potential as technical entrepreneurs.

INDICATIVE CONTENT

Business planning, financial management, sources of finance, creativity, innovation, entrepreneurial behaviour, successful technical entrepreneurs.

INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES (ILO)

On completion of this subject the student is expected to:

1. Describe and discuss the theoretical frameworks and concepts which have been developed to explain entrepreneurial behaviour
2. Identify the characteristics of entrepreneurial people who operate in small and large organisations
3. Use various techniques for creating business opportunities
4. Prepare and present a business model for a new venture
5. Discuss the sources of finance for new ventures and the ways financiers and large corporations evaluate business plans and proposals for new ventures and be able to sell the business concept to potential funding sources
6. Describe how to work on the business and not just in the business and thus become value creators.

• Participation and learning journal (20%); time commitment of approximately 25-30 hours (2,000 words; due week 12; individual submission). Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) 1 to 6 will be addressed by participation and the learning journal
• Final group presentation (20%); time commitment of approximately 25-30 hours (due week 12; group submission). This will address ILOs 1 and 4.
• Business model (60%); time commitment of approximately 75-80 hours per student (5,000 words; due week 12; group submission). ILOs 1, 2, 4 and 6 will be addressed by the business model.

Disciplined Entrepreneurship by Bill Aulet, Wiley 2013, ISBN 978-1-118-69228-8

The Startup Owner’s Manual by Steve Blank and Bob Dorf, 2012, K&S Ranch Inc Publishers, ISBN 978-0-9849993-0-9
Business Model Generation by Alexander Osterwalder and Yves Pigneur, 2010, Wiley, ISBN 978-0470-87641-1
The Lean Startup by Eric Ries, Crown Business 2011, ISBN 978-0-307-88789-4

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

• Awareness of the fundamentals of business planning and financial management
• Capacity for creativity and innovation
• Ability to use a systems approach to complex problems
• Ability to communicate effectively, with the engineering team and with the community at large
• Ability to manage information and documentation
• Ability to function effectively as an individual and in multidisciplinary and multicultural teams
• Capacity for lifelong learning and professional development.
  

LEARNING AND TEACHING METHODS

Learning will take place through a series of interactive workshops with the workshop leader as well as outside speakers.

INDICATIVE KEY LEARNING RESOURCES

A reading pack will be made available to enrolled students ahead of the semester. Additional reading material will be available throughout the semester.

CAREERS / INDUSTRY LINKS

Successful engineering entrepreneurs will give guest presentations during the subject. Students successfully completing the subject will be able to use the skills they have gained to take their ideas further.