Leader: Dr Glennis Hanley

Offered

Clayton Second semester 2008 (Day)

Synopsis

This unit examines the role and nature of small firms in industrial economies, including types of ownership and structures and the types of people who own and manage them. It also examines entrepreneurs and entrepreneurial behaviour, family firms and the trend for women to leave large firms to start up their own business. Issues of managerial planning and skills are also discussed, particularly as they relate to the management of people at work.

Objectives

The learning objectives of this unit are to:

• explain the role of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in the Australian economic context;
• identify and explain the contemporary public policy framework in which SMEs operate;
• describe and explain the different forms of SME ownership structures and the issues associated with each type;
• identify and explain the practical implications of business planning and the managerial skills needed to successfully operate a SME.

Assessment

Within semester assessment: 60%
Examination (2 hours): 40%

Contact hours

Three hours of class contact

Prerequisites

MGC1010 and MGC1020 and any four second-year units

Prohibitions

MGC4325, MGW3901