Advanced Topics in Entrepreneurship and SME Management
Code: 42781 ECTS Credits: 15| Degree | Type | Year | Semester |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4313384 Applied Research in Economics and Business | OT | 0 | 2 |
Contact
- Name:
- Joan Lluís Capelleras Segura
- Email:
- joanlluis.capelleras@uab.cat
Use of Languages
- Principal working language:
- english (eng)
Teachers
- Joan Llonch Andreu
- Jordi Lopez Sintas
- Stefan Felix van Hemmen
- Alejandro Rialp Criado
- Joan Lluís Capelleras Segura
- David Urbano
External teachers
- Esteban García-Canal
Prerequisites
Students should be familiarised with research methods and techniques in social sciences.
Objectives and Contextualisation
The main objective of this module is to provide students with a solid conceptual and empirical understanding of research on entrepreneurship and SME management. As such, the module is aimed at helping students develop a critical appreciation of the concepts, theoretical frameworks, methodologies, and current research questions that animate the field.
Competences
- Analyse, synthesise and critically evaluate a certain matter of scientific interest and/or real problem case, considering its different perspectives and supporting the results and conclusions obtained.
- Possess and understand knowledge that provides a basis or opportunity for originality in the development and/or application of ideas, often in a research context
- Produce and draft projects, technical reports and academic articles in English, making use of the appropriate terminology, argumentation, communication skills and analytical tools for each context, and rigorously evaluate those produced by third parties.
- Select and apply different and adequate models and/or theoretical frameworks, methodologies and techniques for scientific research, data sources and IT tools for research applied to business and economics.
- Student should possess an ability to learn that enables them to continue studying in a manner which is largely self-supervised or independent
- Understand, analyse and evaluate the main scientific advances and existing lines of research in the area of the creation, development and management of businesses and especially small and medium enterprises (SMEs), in order to integrate them in scientific research, projects and/or public or private policy. (Speciality in Research in Entrepreneurship and Management)
- Work in international and inter-disciplinary teams.
Learning Outcomes
- Analyse, synthesise and critically evaluate a certain matter of scientific interest and/or real problem case, considering its different perspectives and supporting the results and conclusions obtained.
- Apply the main principles and techniques of qualitative analysis, as well as the existing IT tools (Atlas.ti, NVIVO) for the analysis of qualitative data in the area of the creation, development and management of business (SMEs).
- Possess and understand knowledge that provides a basis or opportunity for originality in the development and/or application of ideas, often in a research context
- Produce and draft projects, technical reports and academic articles in English, making use of the appropriate terminology, argumentation, communication skills and analytical tools for each context, and rigorously evaluate those produced by third parties.
- Recognise and distinguish the theoretical, methodological and empirical knowledge associated to current research into strategic, organisational and commercial (marketing) direction and management, and the share or relational capital (alliances and inter-organisational networks) of different types of SME (family, international, innovative, social, etc.), and evaluate their impact on business activity, in order to foster new empirical research in the area.
- Recognise and distinguish the theoretical, methodological and empirical knowledge associated to current research into the creation, growth and internationalisation of new businesses, and to evaluate their consequences for future research.
- Student should possess an ability to learn that enables them to continue studying in a manner which is largely self-supervised or independent
- Work in international and inter-disciplinary teams.
Content
Entrepreneurship and Institutional Economics
Themes:
1- Introduction to the field of entrepreneurship. Main general theories and Institutional Economics.
2- Methodological issues in the entrepreneurship research (bibliographic resources, main journals, structure of the publications, techniques of analysis, data bases -GEM-, etc.).
3- Entrepreneurship and environmental factors: Theoretical and empirical approaches.
4- Informal institutions as a driver of entrepreneurial activity
5- Formal institutions and optimal policy promotion of entrepreneurship.
6- The quality of enforcing institutions and entrepreneurship.
7- Diversity approach in entrepreneurship (entrepreneurial universities, social entrepreneurship, immigrant entrepreneurship, intrapreneurship, female entrepreneurial activity, etc.).
8- Entrepreneurship research agenda in the Spanish and Latin American context.
International Business Environment and International Entrepreneurship
Themes:
1- How to conduct a good literature review in this field
2- Introduction to the international business environment
3- International entrepreneurship as a field of research: Key concepts and definitions, methodologies and lines of research.
4- Conceptual and theoretical foundations of international entrepreneurship
5- Empirical (quantitative and qualitative) studies in international entrepreneurship
New Venture Growth and Strategy in SMEs
Themes:
1- Concept, measurement and patterns of new venture growth
2- Factors influencing new venture growth
3- New venture growth modes and strategies
4- Strategic management in SMEs
5- Strategic analysis: external and internal analysis
6- Strategy formulation: competitive and corporate strategies
7- Strategy implementation: organizational design
Marketing and Networking in SMEs
Themes:
1- Conducting research in marketing
2- Market orientation in SME
3- Relationship between market orientation and entrepreneurship
4- Organization of marketing activities in SME
5- Networking: Concepts and perspectives
6- Networking across the value chain
7- Networking and international expansion
8- Networking and technological innovation
9- Managing Alliances and Alliance Portfolios and networks
Qualitative Methods for Research in Entrepreneurship and SMEs
Themes:
1- Research paradigms in qualitative research
2- Research designs: traditions
3- Qualitative data: Observing, conversing, collecting
4- Analyzing data: coding, categorizing, interpreting
5- Writing a qualitative paper: ordering and communicating concepts
6- The technology of qualitative research
7- Evaluating qualitativeresearch
Methodology
The module includes the following activities: theoretical lectures, practical sessions, seminars, essays, tutorials, personal study and research activities.
The proposed teaching methodology may undergo some modifications according to the restrictions imposed by the health authorities on on-campus courses.
Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.
Activities
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type: Directed | |||
| Theoretical lectures and practical session | 93.75 | 3.75 | 1, 2, 4, 3, 7, 6, 5, 8 |
| Type: Supervised | |||
| Essays and tutorials | 56.25 | 2.25 | 1, 2, 4, 3, 7, 6, 5, 8 |
| Type: Autonomous | |||
| Personal study and research activities | 207 | 8.28 | 1, 2, 4, 3, 7, 6, 5, 8 |
Assessment
The module grade will be based on class attendance (5%), presentation and discussion of essays and problems (50%), readings' presentations and discussion (25%), and exams (20%).
The proposed evaluation activities may undergo some changes according to the restrictions imposed by the health authorities on on-campus courses.
Calendar of evaluation activities
The dates of the evaluation activities of the module (final exams, exercises in the classroom, assignments,...) will be announced well in advance during the semester.
"The dates of evaluation activities cannot be modified, unless there is an exceptional and duly justified reason why an evaluation activity cannot be carried out. In this case, the degree coordinator will contact both the teaching staff and the affected student, and a new date will be scheduled within the same academic period to make up for the missed evaluation activity." Section 1 of Article 115. Calendar of evaluation activities (Academic Regulations UAB). Students of the Faculty of Economics and Business, who in accordance with the previous paragraph need to change an evaluation activity (mainly final exam/s) date must process the request by filling out an Application for exams' reschedulehttps://eformularis.uab.cat/group/deganat_feie/application-for-exams-reschedule
Grade revision process
After all grading activities of the module have ended, students will be informed of the date and way in which the module grades will be published. Students will be also be informed of the procedure, place, date and time of grade revision following University regulations.
Retake Process
"To be eligible to participate in the retake process of the module, it is required for students to have been previously evaluated for at least two thirds of the total evaluation activities of the module." Section 3 of Article 112 ter. The recovery (UAB Academic Regulations). Additionally, it is required that the student will have achieved an average grade of the module between 3.5 and 4.9
The date of the retake exam will be duly announced by the coordination of the program. Students who take this exam and pass, will get a grade of 5 for the module. If the student does not pass the retake, the grade will remain unchanged, and hence, student will fail the module.
Irregularities in evaluation activities
In spite of other disciplinary measures deemed appropriate, and in accordance with current academic regulations, "in the case that the student makes any irregularity that could lead to a significant variation in the grade of an evaluation activity, it will be graded with a 0, regardless of the disciplinary process that can be instructed. In case of various irregularities occur in the evaluation of the same module, the final grade of this module will be 0" Section 10 of Article 116. Results of the evaluation. (UAB Academic Regulations).
Not Assessed Grade
A student can obtain "Not Assessed" grade in the module only when he/she has not participated in any of the evaluation activities within it. Therefore, students who perform even only one evaluation component cannot obtain "Not Assessed" grade in the module.
Assessment Activities
| Title | Weighting | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Class attendance | 5% | 0 | 0 | 1, 2, 4, 3, 7, 6, 5, 8 |
| Exams | 20% | 5 | 0.2 | 1, 2, 4, 3, 7, 6, 5, 8 |
| Presentation and discussion of essays | 50% | 8 | 0.32 | 1, 2, 4, 3, 7, 6, 5, 8 |
| Readings' presentation and discussion | 25% | 5 | 0.2 | 1, 2, 4, 3, 7, 6, 5, 8 |
Bibliography
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- Bryman, A. (1988). Quantity and Quality in Social Research. London, Boston: Unwin Hyman.
- Creswell, J. W. (1998). Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design: Choosing Among Five Traditions.Thousand Oaks (Calif.) [etc.]: Sage.
- Denzin, N.K., and Y.S. Lincoln (1994), Handbook of Qualitative Research. CA: Sage.
- Patton, M. Q. (2002). Qualitative research & evaluation methods (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
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- Bruton, G.D., Ahlstrom, D. and H-L. Li (2010), “Institutional Theory and Entrepreneurship: Where Are We Now and Where Do We Need to Move in the Future?” ETP, 34(3): 421-440.
- Djankov, S., La Porta, R., Lopez-de-Silanes, F, and A. Shleifer (2002), “The Regulation of Entry” Quarterly Journal of Economics 117(1): 1-37 .
- Gartner, W.B. (1985),“A Conceptual Framework for Describing the Phenomenon of New Venture Creation”. Academy of Management Review, 10(4): 696-706.
- Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (2012) Data bases. Available at www.gemconsortium.org
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- Audretsch, D.B. (ed.) (2003): SMEs in the Age of Globalization. Series no.13. UK: Edward-Elgar Publishing.
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Software
- Text editors (Word, Pages, LaTeX, ...).
- Spreadsheets (Excel, Numbers, LaTeX, ...).
- Slide show presentation (PowerPoint, Keynote, LaTeX, ...).
- Statistical/Econometric software and/or for data management (Stata, R, Eviews, Python, ...).