The table below illustrates the program of the courses included into the “Enterprise Creation training” module and the respective number of videolessons.
Each course is described according to UTIU standards, specifying its description, aims, contents, division according to courses in lessons and a further division of the lessons according to topics.
Course: Entrepreneur and enterprise: An introduction
The course introduces the participants to the ECP courses, to the reasons and benefits obtained by attending the programme. During this first course the aims and topics included into the module are illustrated.
To help the participants to understand the concept of entrepreneurship and appreciate the ‘charms’ of being an entrepreneur.
to be defined
· Familiarization
· Programme objectives: Why ECP is being organized?
· What will be the benefit to the participants? What is the assistance that the participants can expect from the ECP?
· Input structure: What topics shall be covered during the ECP?
· Who is an Entrepreneur? What are the types of enterprises?
· What are the advantages and challenges involved in being an entrepreneur?
· Handouts for learners
1. Programme schedule (time table of ECP)
2. Note on ‘Charms of being an entrepreneur’
· Slides: (Attached in a separate folder)
3. Programme objectives
4. Input structure
5. Assistance available
6. Entrepreneur and enterprise
7. Charms of being an entrepreneur
· Lesson 1: Entrepreneur and enterprise: An introduction
o Familiarization
o Programme objectives: Why ECP is being organized?
o What will be the benefit to the participants? What is the assistance that the participants can expect from the ECP?
o Input structure: What topics shall be covered during the ECP?
o Who is an Entrepreneur? What are the types of enterprises?
o What are the advantages and challenges involved in being an entrepreneur?
Course: Entrepreneurial Competency – Awareness
The course aims at highlighting which are the skills required to an entrepreneur and their importance as it regards entrepreneurship.
To make the participants aware of Personal Entrepreneurial Characteristics that contributes to top performance.
to be defined
· Participant’s perception of what it takes to be a tope performer.
· A brief of the research study that led to Identification of competencies (in the interest of credibility).
· Description of Entrepreneurial competencies.
· Handout for learners
o A list of Entrepreneurial Competencies
· Slides
o A list of Entrepreneurial Competencies
· Lesson 1: Entrepreneurial Competency – Awareness
o Participant’s perception of what it takes to be a tope performer.
o A brief of the research study that led to Identification of competencies (in the interest of credibility).
o Description of Entrepreneurial competencies.
Course: Entrepreneurial Competency – Self Analysis
By this course the participant is invited to auto-assess his skills and to discuss how to enlarge them.
To let the participants know where they stand with respect of various entrepreneurial competencies.
to be defined
· Helping the participants assess their level of entrepreneurial competencies
· Sources of developing competencies
· Approach to strengthening the competencies
Self-rating questionnaire, slide and handout on ‘competence development process’
· Lesson 1: Entrepreneurial Competency – Self Analysis
o Helping the participants assess their level of entrepreneurial competencies
o Sources of developing competencies
o Approach to strengthening the competencies
Course: Information Inputs
The course aim is to get the learner know what are the main sources of information that can be useful for his entrepreneurship activity.
· To understand the tasks that lie ahead of the potential entrepreneurs in the process of setting up of a small enterprise
· To be aware of the support system for MSME sector
· To know the possible nature/ extent of support that the potential entrepreneurs can expect from various institutions for setting up and managing their enterprises
· To be aware of Personal Entrepreneurial Competencies (PECS) relevant to information gathering.
to be defined
· Flowchart of tasks involved at start-up state of an enterprise
· Institutional support to MSME sector covering financial, infrastructural, technical, managerial and legal aspect.
· Overview of procedures/ formalities for setting up of a small enterprise
· Necessary and sufficient conditions for accessing support from various institutions
· PECs: Information seeking, persistence, persuasion and self-confidence
· Locally relevant materials by way of brochures/handouts from concerned institutions
· ‘Sources of information’
· A flow chart indicating the steps involved in setting up a small enterprise indicating the licensing requirements, procedures/formalities involved in seeking clearances form regulatory bodies (local Municipal Corporation for instance)
· Lesson 1: Information Inputs
o Flowchart of tasks involved at start-up state of an enterprise
o Institutional support to MSME sector covering financial, infrastructural, technical, managerial and legal aspect.
o Overview of procedures/ formalities for setting up of a small enterprise
o Necessary and sufficient conditions for accessing support from various institutions
o PECs: Information seeking, persistence, persuasion and self-confidence
Course: Business Opportunity Guidance
This course supplies a guide to a business evolution phases starting from the generation of the starting idea up to the study of the business opportunities matching them to the learner’s personal skills.
· To acquire skills in environmental scanning for Business Opportunity Identification
· To be aware of possible business opportunities (manufacturing/service sector) relevant to the prevailing environment
· To understand the process of preliminary evaluation of business ideas
· To be able to identify one or more business ideas for further evaluation and confirmation
· To practice certain PECs as a part of internalization process
to be defined
· Understanding what constitutes a Business Opportunity
· Process of environment scanning for opportunity identification
· Exposure to certain pre-identified business opportunities relevant to the environment and the target group
· Process of preliminary evaluation of business ideas - Certain theme-specific PECs
· Process of relating a given business idea to one's own capabilities and limitations
· Identifying one or more business ideas for further perusal
· Information needs for Business Plan Preparation
· Handouts to participants
o Statements 1 and 2 that deals with ‘personal profile’ and OIS framework (attached)
o Sources of Idea Generation (Refer to Part II, Module VII)
o Snap Investigation of Business Ideas: A Checklist (Refer to Statement 3, Part I, Module VII)
o Sample pre-feasibility study(Refer to Statement 4, Part I, Module VII)
o Common errors in Opportunity Identification (Refer to Part III, Module VII)
o Copy of slides
· Slide
o Business Opportunity Identification: Sources of Idea Generation
o Innovative Approaches to Project Opportunity Identification
o Seven Feasibilities
o Business opportunity identification – Caveats
o Information needs for preparation of Business Plan
· Lesson 1: Business Opportunity Identification
o Understanding what constitutes a Business Opportunity
· Lesson 2: Business Opportunity – environment and sectors
o Process of environment scanning for opportunity identification
o Exposure to certain pre-identified business opportunities relevant to the environment and the target group
· Lesson 3: Business Opportunity evaluations
o Process of preliminary evaluation of business ideas - Certain theme-specific PECs
o Process of relating a given business idea to one's own capabilities and limitations
· Lesson 4: Rationalize business ideas
o Identifying one or more business ideas for further perusal
o Information needs for Business Plan Preparation
Course: Market Assessment (MA)
This course supplies a presentation of the basics of marketing oriented to the 4Ps and make participants get aware of the need to understand customers, competitors and the reference sector providing also some tools for collecting information.
· To understand the importance of MA as an essential prerequisite to business plan preparation
· To develop skills in assessing the market for a given product or service
· To firm-up the business opportunity
· To gather market-related information with a view to develop a market plan
· To facilitate field work for MA
to be defined
· Basics of marketing focusing on consumer orientation
· Overview of MA process
· Formulations of MA objectives and identifying information needs
· Relating information needs to market plan
· Introduction to information gathering instruments
· Developing a plan for MA exercise
· MA Report: Purpose, format, presentation style
· Field work for data collection
· Preparation of market assessment reports
· Handouts for participants
o An introduction to marketing
o Market Assessment: An Overview
o Case study: ACT Company
o Information Needs for Market Assessment
o Approaches to Information Collection
o Primary Data Collection
o Format for MA report
· Slide
o Introduction
o Marketing: An overview
o Steps involved in Market Assessment
o Information needs
o Information gathering instruments
o Questionnaire design
o Sampling
o Market assessment report
· Lesson 1: Basics of marketing
o Basics of marketing focusing on consumer orientation
· Lesson 2: Market evaluation
o Overview of MA process
o Formulations of MA objectives and identifying information needs
o Relating information needs to market plan
· Lesson 3: Information and market plan
o Introduction to information gathering instruments
o Developing a plan for MA exercise
· Lesson 4: Reporting
o MA Report: Purpose, format, presentation style
o Field work for data collection
o Preparation of market assessment reports
Course: Business plan
The course supplies an introduction to the principles of business plan, to its aims and its basic contents also with reference to entrepreneurial skills.
· To equip the participants with the skills in preparing a Business plan
· To help them commence the process of preparing a business plan for their chosen ventures
to be defined
· Terminologies used in a business plan
· What is a Business Plan?
· Why a BP?
· What goes into a BP?
· How to prepare a BP?
· Caveats
· Revisit entrepreneurial competencies
· Handouts for participants
o Terminology relevant to Business Plan preparation
o Guidelines for preparation of Business Plan
o Case study
· Slide
o Why businesses plan?
o Nature of BP
o Key components of BP
o BP Format
· Lesson 1: Introduction to the business plan
o Terminologies used in a business plan
o What is a Business Plan?
o Why a BP?
· Lesson 2: Draw up a business plan
o What goes into a BP?
o How to prepare a BP?
o Caveats
o Revisit entrepreneurial competencies
Course: Working capital
This course supplies the key definition of the concept of working capital and its importance in managing the levels of investments, supply and needs assessments.
· To help participants understand the concept of working capital and hence, be in a position to determine the requirement of the same
· To equip them with skills to manage the working capital
to be defined
· What is working capital?
· Operating cycle
· Assessment of working capital
· Financing of working capital
· Management of working capital
· Handouts for participants
o Working Capital Management
· Slide
o What is working capital?
o Importance of working capital management
o Operating cycle
o Assessment of working capital requirement
o Financing of working capital
o Tips on working capital management
· Lesson 1: Working capital
o What is working capital?
o Operating cycle
o Assessment of working capital
o Financing of working capital
o Management of working capital
Course: Break Even Analysis
In this course the participants will study more in depth concepts like fix and variable costs and later on they will learn how to carry on a break-even analysis as a tool to assess company sustainability and also as decision-making tool. A few examples will enable them to understand what the most important indicators for calculating the break-even point are.
· To help participants understand the concept of Breakeven Analysis
· To equip them with skills to apply the concept to assess the risks involved in a business
· To recap relevant entrepreneurial competencies
to be defined
· What is Break Even Analysis?
· Calculating the Break Even
· Practice the Illustration
· Application of Break Even Analysis
· Handouts for participants
o Break-Even Analysis: Concept and Implications (to be distributed subsequent to the conclusion of the exercise)
o Exercise
· Slides
o What is breakeven point?
o Fixed cost
o Variable cost
o Illustration
o Breakeven Point – Calculation
· Lesson 1: Break Even Analysis
o What is Break Even Analysis?
o Calculating the Break Even
o Practice the Illustration
o Application of Break Even Analysis
Course: Financial Accounting, Books of Accounts and Financial Statements
This course aims at illustrating to the participants the main accounting terms and the aims of accounting, including company main transactions. Special attention will be devoted to double entry bookkeeping and to the obligation of keeping books of accounts.
· To help participants appreciate the need for maintaining proper accounting records
· To equip them with skills to record financial transactions
· To recap relevant entrepreneurial competencies
to be defined
· Terminology
· Accounting transactions
· Double entry bookkeeping
· Books of accounts
· Financial statements
· Handouts for participants
o Financial Accounting and Statements
· Slides
o What is bookkeeping?
o Why are Books of Accounts Maintained?
o Typical Business Transactions
o Major Accounting Concepts
o Exercises
o Formats for Journal and Ledger
o Books of Accounts and relevant formats
o Trial Balance
o Balance Sheet
o Profit and Loss Account
· Lesson 1: Introduction to finactial accounting
o Terminology
o Accounting transactions
· Lesson 2: Books of accounts
o Double entry bookkeeping
o Books of accounts
o Financial statements
Course: Costing
This course will give an overview of the motivations for good management of the costs discussing the different cost items and the nature of general expenses, also by giving some examples.
· To help participants understand the components of cost in a typical business
· To equip them with skills to arrive at the cost
· To recap relevant entrepreneurial competencies
to be defined
· Definition
· Elements of Cost:
· Overheads:
· How to calculate total cost?
· Handouts for participants
o Costing
· Slides
o What is cost?
o Basic elements of costs
o Overheads
o Components of costs
· Lesson 1: Costing
o Definition
o Elements of Cost:
o Overheads:
o How to calculate total cost?
Course: Marketing
The aim of this course is to illustrate the concept of marketing starting from customers’ needs and show the basic steps for preparing a marketing plan.
Customers’ needs will be discussed with reference to their orientation, to the market share, to competition and on basis of the product characteristics. In addition, they will explain how to integrate the business plan to the marketing plan.
· To help participants understand the concept of marketing going beyond ‘selling’
· To equip them with skills to prepare a ‘market plan’ for their chosen ventures
· To recap relevant entrepreneurial competencies
to be defined
· Understanding the term ‘marketing’
· The importance of market study to understand the customer, the competitor and the environment
· 4Ps of marketing with focus on ‘consumer orientation’
· Product features
· Approaches to pricing
· How to develop a competitive edge?
· Distribution channels and parameters for decision on the same
· Approaches to business promotion for mall enterprises
· Preparation of Market Plan
· Handouts for participants
o Marketing Management for Small Business
o Marketing Plan Worksheet
· Slides
o Marketing mix
o Understanding the customer, the competitor and the market environment
o Pricing
o Distribution Channels
o Developing competitive edge
o Market plan/Market programme
· Lesson 1: Marketing and market
o Understanding the term ‘marketing’
o The importance of market study to understand the customer, the competitor and the environment
· Lesson 2: Consumers and product
o 4Ps of marketing with focus on ‘consumer orientation’
o Product features
· Lesson 3: Marketing and decisions
o Approaches to pricing
o How to develop a competitive edge?
o Distribution channels and parameters for decision on the same
· Lesson 4: Promotion and market plan
o Approaches to business promotion for mall enterprises
o Preparation of Market Plan
Course: Human resource planning
Through this course the participants will be enabled to understand teh importance of human resource planning, highlighting the main sources of recruitment, training and on how to professionalise staff.
· To help participants appreciate the importance of human resource planning
· To equip them with skills to formulate human resource plan for their chosen ventures
· To recap relevant entrepreneurial competencies
to be defined
· What is Human resource planning?
· Recruitment
· Training
· Job Rotation
· Tips
· Handouts for participants
o Human Resource Planning Marketing Plan Worksheet
· Slides
o What is HR Planning?
o Sources of recruitment
o Selection
o Training
o Motivation
o Tips on HR Planning
· Lesson 1: Human resource planning
o What is Human resource planning?
o Recruitment
o Training
o Job Rotation
Course: Production Planning and Control
In this course we wish to introduce participants to the concepts of planning and control of the production showing the difference and their different stages. After this first introduction will share the importance of the supplies and maintenance and the concepts of of planning and control will be revised as systematic process oriented to efficiency, problem-solving and monitoring.
· To enable the participant understand the meaning and importance of Production Planning and Control (PPC)
· To equip the participants with the skills to follow a systematic approach to PPC
· To recap relevant PECs
to be defined
· Understanding the term ‘PPC’
· Stages in production planning
· Types of production plans
· How to go about planning and controlling production activities?
· Redcap of entrepreneurial competencies
· Handouts for participants
o Production planning and control
· Slides
o Systematic steps to innovation?
· Lesson 1: Production Planning and Control
o Understanding the term ‘PPC’
o Stages in production planning
o Types of production plans
o How to go about planning and controlling production activities?
o Redcap of entrepreneurial competencies
Course: Project implementation
The course aims at illustrating the main causes of delay that affect projects execution and at introducing participants to the actions required to access to fundings such as, for instance, preparation of the required documentation.
· To help participants appreciate understand the causes of delays in project implementation
· To recap relevant entrepreneurial competencies
to be defined
· Reasons for delays in project implementation
· Monitoring implementation
· Details of procedures /formalities for seeking necessary clearness/permissions from relevant regulatory agencies
· Handouts for participants
o Project implementation
· Lesson 1: Project implementation
o Reasons for delays in project implementation
o Monitoring implementation
o Details of procedures /formalities for seeking necessary clearness/permissions from relevant regulatory agencies
Course: Entrepreneurial Competencies: Systematic Planning
The course is based on the carrying on of game of role in which each participant interprets a boat construction company in order to learn the activities related to systematic planning by means of simulations.
· To help the participants understand the approach to and importance of Systematic Planning
· To illustrate various aspects of entrepreneurial behaviour such as:
o Seeking challenge (Self-confidence)
o Concern for quality
o Taking personal responsibility for success or failure
o Ability to cope with stress
o Information seeking
o Efficiency Orientation
to be defined
· Systematic planning approaches
· “Boat making” rule game
· Slides
o Process of systematic planning
· Handouts for participants
o Instruction sheet
o Boat making exercise data record sheet
o Approach to systematic planning
· Lesson 1: Entrepreneurial Competencies: Systematic Planning
o Approach to systematic planning: game statement, rules, context, timing, reporting.
Course: Entrepreneurial Competency - Concern for Quality, Efficiency Orientation and Innovation
This course will take into account entrepreneurial skills previously learnt to enable them to use them in a company in the field of quality, efficiency and innovation. The participants will be called to carry on classical cognitive exercises to simulate the generation of new ideas.
1. To enable the participant understand that:
o It is possible to improve upon a given product
o It is possible to improve upon a given process/a facet of work involving managing of a venture, and
o That to bring about such improvements, there is a necessity to generate new ideas (hence innovation)
2. To illustrate the point that it is necessary to generate new ideas in order to do things faster, cheaper or with fewer resources (i.e. efficiency orientation)
to be defined
· Systematic steps for innovation
· Brainstorming
· Exercise
· Handouts for participants
o A brief for the exercise
o Brainstorming chart
o Note on innovation
· Slide
o Systematic steps to innovation
· Lesson 1: Entrepreneurial Competency - Concern for Quality, Efficiency Orientation and Innovation
o Systematic steps to innovation
o Brainstorming
o Exercise
Course: Entrepreneurial Competencies: Persuasion and use of Influence Strategies
During this course the participants will be required to rebuild real or imaginary situations in which they found difficulties and therefore to take part in a game of role in which they will deal with affecting dynamics.
· To let the participants understand:
o That there are always some less controllable factors in the sphere of work of an entrepreneur
o That when an entrepreneur encounters a situation on whose outcome has little control, he may experience a variety of negative feelings and stress that may reduce his ability to respond effectively
o That such less controllable situations could be handled through sue of a variety of strategies to influence others ad persuade them to do what he wants them to
to be defined
· ‘Role play’ on approaches to persuade a banker to sanction term loan for a small venture
· Influencing strategies
· Handouts for participants
o 'Role brief" of a hypothetical situation where an entrepreneur approaches the Branch Manager of a Bank for loan
o Note on persuasion and use of influence strategies
· Slide
o Starting point for persuasion
o Stages in applying influence strategies
· Lesson 1: Entrepreneurial Competencies: Persuasion and use of Influence Strategies
o ‘Role play’ on approaches to persuade a banker to sanction term loan for a small venture
o Influencing strategies
Course: Action plan for venture launching
Course aims at supplying some notions on the procedure required to start up a small enterprise. The topics will be deepened with the use of action plans format.
· To facilitate clarity on the steps to be taken to launch the chosen venture
· To formulate a tome table project implementation that could be used as a control tool
to be defined
· Stages involved in launching a small venture
· Practicum on action plan preparation
· Handouts for participants
o Action plan format
· Lesson 1: Action plan for venture launching
o Stages involved in launching a small venture
o Practicum on action plan preparation