Course Title: Corporate Venturing 2

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Corporate Venturing 2

Credit Points: 12


Course Code

Campus

Career

School

Learning Mode

Teaching Period(s)

BUSM1320

City Campus

Undergraduate

630H Management

Face-to-Face

 Sem 1 2006,
Sem 2 2006,
Sem 2 2007,
Sem 2 2008

Course Coordinator: Dr David Gilbert

Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 9925 5196

Course Coordinator Email:david.gilbert@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Availability: By appointment


Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

Corporate Venturing 1


Course Description

In this course students are required to undertake an industry placement.  Industry projects enable students to observe how leading companies actually achieve their targets and maintain a healthy working environment. The project students undertake in consultation with host organisations and course lecturers is to have a market and/or business development focus. You are expected to apply the theory you have learnt in the program so far and be open and responsive to the ways the host company operate.

It is expected that students will spend between 60-100 hours on a project. The projects vary from company to company, and can include such things as:

- development a strategic marketing plan based on current research;
- market research to investigate likely customer perceptions of the product/service
- work with an existing team to develop strategies for the commercialisation of a new product.
- undertake an analysis of internal processes and make recommendations on how the business may be operated more efficiently
- developing a business plan on an existing or new business unit within the company.

Note: The CV2 placement must address improvement in firm performance (i.e. increase in sales per customer; increase in new customers; reduction in expenses, etc.)


Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

On completion of Corporate Venturing 2 students should have:


• A greater understanding of the need to have clear performance indicators and milestones to work to
• A better appreciation of the need to manage one’s time effectively
• A first hand account of identifying or defining benchmarks appropriate to the business they are working within
• A clear understanding of the challenges of managing a growing business in a dynamic market
• An appreciation of the challenges of developing an entrepreneurial culture within an organisation
• The ability to demonstrate a range of enterprising capabilities including such things as how to manage change, communicating effectively with others associated with the project, review, evaluate and modify a project based on activities and circumstances as they arise and
• The ability to communicate the outcomes of the research or tasks undertaken, with recommendations for future action.


At the conclusion of this course students should be able to:

  • conduct themselves in a professional manner
  • have an understanding of what is required to enhance entrepreneurial activity within a corporation
  • successfully undertake project-based work in terms of achieving desired outcomes in a timely and effective manner


Overview of Learning Activities

  • The initial three 3-hour lectures will be focused on project identification and project management. As well, students will receive guidance on how to represent themselves, the program and RMIT in a professional manner. Students will also receive feedback based on last semester’s projects, with tips for managing toward a successful outcome.
  • Subsequent weekly face-to-face lectures will address issues such as client relations, financial analysis, presentation skills, report writing, etc. You may be called on to present on the progress of your project during weekly class sessions.
  • You will be expected to make a contract with the host organisation to confirm the project you will be working on. The project scope, objectives and time-line will be formalised. Students will also be responsible to ensure that Insurance Forms are signed-off on by a representative of the host organisation, the student themselves and an RMIT staff member supervising the project.
  • N.B. Students must have the necessary Insurance Forms in place before a project can formally commence.
  • When in industry placements, you will have the support of both industry and university mentors to assist and guide you through the process.
  • Non-contact hours
    Much of the work you do in Corporate Venturing 1 will be spent on research activities both on the company’s premises and in gathering information in the library, in focus groups and in preparing reports for presentation to staff and fellow students within the review sessions. You may also be required to make formal presentations involving multi-media to representatives from the host organisation.


Overview of Learning Resources

Useful Textbooks include:

Morris, M.H., Kuratko, D.F. & Covin, J.G (2008). Corporate Entrepreneurship & Innovation (2nd edn) Thomson: South-Western Mason OH.

Schwalbe, K. (2006). Introduction to Project Management. Thomson, Boston.

Grellier, J. & Goerke, V. (2006). Communication Skills Toolkit: Unlocking the Secrets of Tertiary Success. Thomson: Melbourne. 

Summers, J. Gardiner, M. Lamb, C.W. Hair, J.F. & McDaniel, C. (2003). Essentials of Marketing. Thomson: Melbourne.


Overview of Assessment

Overview
A range of assessment will be undertaken in this course that may involve examinations, mini-quizzes, essays, business reports, case study analysis, presentations and participation.

Please use the RMIT Business referencing guidelines document for report style found at http://mams.rmit.edu.au/s9sx559hurvc.rtf

Course grades available
Assessment uses the following percentage scale. Your marks may be scaled

Grade Score %
HD High Distinction 80 - 100
D Distinction 70 - 79
CR Credit 60 - 69
P Pass 50 - 59
NN Fail 0 - 49

Academic integrity and plagiarism
RMIT policies concerning academic integrity and plagiarism apply to students in this course. For more details see http://www.rmit.edu.au/academic-policy/assessment_policies

As well, note further requirements in Part B of the Course Overview.