Module Code - Title:
EP4003
-
ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND INNOVATION
Year Last Offered:
2025/6
Hours Per Week:
Grading Type:
N
Prerequisite Modules:
Rationale and Purpose of the Module:
The aim of the module is to help students to develop an entrepreneurial mindset that includes creativity, innovation and diagnostic abilities. The course focuses on entrepreneurship and innovation for new start-up businesses as well as entrepreneurial behaviour within larger organisations. Key objectives are to introduce students to the theory and practice of entrepreneurial creativity and innovation and to provide an understanding of the nature of entrepreneurship, the characteristics of the entrepreneur, the intrapreneur and the role of the socio-cultural and economic environment in fashioning innovative entrepreneurship. In addition the module examines the process of managing innovation.
Syllabus:
This module commences with an introduction to the nature and development of entrepreneurship and emphasises the strong link between entrepreneurship and innovation. This leads to an overview of the schools of thought on entrepreneurship and an understanding of the entrepreneur and the entrepreneurial process. Creativity and innovation are examined with contextual emphasis on innovation in products, services and processes; product strategy, and new product/service development. Corporate entrepreneurship is explored and creative thinking is applied to identify venture opportunities, business planning, networking and technology transfer.
Learning Outcomes:
Cognitive (Knowledge, Understanding, Application, Analysis, Evaluation, Synthesis)
On completion of this module students should be able to
Distinguish the nature and development of entrepreneurship
Identify and categorise the characteristics and schools of entrepreneurs.
Recognise and apply innovation, creativity and new product/service development processes in business.
Describe the entrepreneurial and business planning processes
Affective (Attitudes and Values)
On completion of this module students should be able to
Understand the need for entrepreneurial activity and the enterprising process
Value creativity and innovation in business
Understand the general behavioural characteristics of entrepreneurs
Recognise the significance of business planning to successful enterprise
Psychomotor (Physical Skills)
N/A
How the Module will be Taught and what will be the Learning Experiences of the Students:
The module will be taught using interactive lectures and experiential tutorials. The learning experiences will be based on a range of teaching methods from creativity exercises, case studies, videos, and entrepreneurial personality profiling all of which are designed to encourage reflection, analysis, interpretation and discussion while developing subject knowledge, and skills and abilities in proactivity, responsibility, creativity, collaboration, and articulation.
Research Findings Incorporated in to the Syllabus (If Relevant):
Prime Texts:
Michele O¿Dwyer (2012)
Innovation and Entrepreneurship (Module EP4003)
, University of Limerick. Palgrave Macmillan and Wiley Higher Education. ISBN 978-1-11996-629-6
Other Relevant Texts:
Bessant, John and Tidd, Joe (2007)
Innovation and Entrepreneurship
, Wiley, ISBN 978-0-470-03269-5
Burns, Paul (2011)
Entrepreneruship and Small Business: Start-up, growth and maturity 3e
, Palgrave. ISBN 978-0-230-24780-2
Programme(s) in which this Module is Offered:
BBBUSTUFA - BUSINESS STUDIES
BBBSFRUFA - FRENCH
BSELECUFA - Electronics
BBBSGEUFA - GERMAN
BBBSJAUFA - JAPANESE
Semester(s) Module is Offered:
Spring
Module Leader:
Ben.Kiely@ul.ie