MM399-Digital Entrepreneurship

Module Provider: Leadership, Organisations and Behaviour
Number of credits: 20 [10 ECTS credits]
Level:6
Terms in which taught: Spring term module
Pre-requisites: MM1F10 Student Enterprise or MM270 Practice of Entrepreneurship
Non-modular pre-requisites:
Co-requisites:
Modules excluded: MM302 Entrepreneurial Project
Current from: 2023/4

Module Convenor: Dr Matteo Borghi
Email: m.borghi4@henley.ac.uk

Type of module:

Summary module description:

Digital enterprises face a range of challenges that differentiate them from non-digital start-ups. They often operate in hyper-competitive winner-takes-it-all markets from inception. To succeed in this environment, they need to leverage digital technologies to shape novel business models, market their products and services and develop monetization strategies until they find product-market-fit, and achieve a scalable method of customer acquisition, typically by targeting global markets from the outset.

The module discusses how digital entrepreneurial ventures take advantage of the tensions and opportunities arising from current technological change. It then explores the approaches, methods and strategies employed by entrepreneurial, digital companies in validating and developing products, gaining market and customer traction, competing for scale in hyper-competitive markets as well as in monetizing their product, service and data offerings. It explores entrepreneurial marketing methods used by digital entrepreneurs including approaches to customer development. Finally, it also discusses data-driven decision making processes.

Aims:

By the end of this module, you will be able to:

• Understand the major features of the digital economy including recent trends in digital technology; 


• Illustrate how entrepreneurial organisations use digital technology to shape novel and sometimes disruptive business models;


• Gain knowledge of how entrepreneurs use digital marketing methods to achieve customer growth, and understand and apply digital marketing techniques;


• Understand how entrepreneurs exploit different monetization strategies and mechanism in highly competitive digital business contexts.

Assessable learning outcomes:

• Illustrate the major features of the digital economy including recent trends in digital technology;? 


• Understand and discuss how entrepreneurial organisations use digital technology to shape novel and sometimes disruptive business models; 


• Appreciate how entrepreneurs use digital marketing methods to achieve customer growth, and understand and apply digital marketing techniques;  


• Appraise and discuss how entrepreneurs exploit different monetization strategies and mechanisms in highly competitive digital business contexts.

Additional outcomes:

Throughout this module, you will be equipped with a range of skills including:

• Teamwork capabilities


• Communication and presentation capabilities


• Skills in data-analysis and digital marketing skills


• Entrepreneurial skills

Outline content:

• The digital economy and the impact of technology entrepreneurship on society, labour markets and industrial organisation


• Entrepreneurial strategy for digital ventures I: Competitive dynamics


• Entrepreneurial strategy for digital ventures II: Entrepreneurial techniques for rapid business model iteration


• Entrepreneurial strategy for digital ventures III: Monetization strategies


• Management by data and data-analytics


• Digital Entrepreneurship and Marketing

Brief description of teaching and learning methods:

This module is delivered across the Autumn Term with two-hour sessions held on a weekly basis. Sessions are comprised of a combination of formal lectures, guest lectures from digital entrepreneurs and group work on digital enterprise challenges.

Summative assessment- Examinations:

Summative assessment- Coursework and in-class tests:

Week 10: Team Presentations (10 minutes each team)

End of term/course (Week 11 of Spring Term): in-class test including multiple-choices (10%) and one essay question (90%).

Formative assessment methods:

Penalties for late submission:

Penalties for late submission on this module are in accordance with the University policy.

(Please refer to the Undergraduate Guide to Assessment for further information: http://www.reading.ac.uk/internal/exams/student/exa-guideUG.aspx)

The Module Convenor will apply the following penalties for work submitted late, in accordance with the University policy.

• where the piece of work is submitted up to one calendar week after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for the piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of five working days;


• where the piece of work is submitted more than five working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: http://www.reading.ac.uk/web/FILES/qualitysupport/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Assessment requirements for a pass:

40%

Reassessment arrangements:

Reassessment is based on an individual essay (length: 2,500 words) to be submitted during the resit period.

Additional Costs (specified where applicable):

Required text books: £60 -  Details to be confirmed

Computers and devices with a particular specification: Students are required to bring their own laptops with Internet connection; approximately £60 per group for digital advertising 

Last updated: 3 August 2023