Solusi University

Faculty of Business
Master of Business Administration (MBA)
Bsad 600 Entrepreneurial Development- 3cr.
Course Outline
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Course Description
The course is designed to provide students with a solid background in entrepreneurship with
special emphasis on entrepreneurial skills; characteristics of successful entrepreneurs; the role of
entrepreneurship in economic growth and development; factors in the formation and launching of
a new venture; development of a business plan and small business management. The course is
also intended to enable the student to comprehensively describe and illustrate entrepreneurship
and apply the concepts to a typical Zimbabwean context.
Course Objectives
By the end of the course, students should be able to: define the concept of entrepreneurship.
define the term entrepreneur; list and explain the characteristics of entrepreneurs;
advantages and disadvantages of being an entrepreneur; describe different types of
entrepreneurs and discuss the importance of the entrepreneurs background.
explain the entrepreneurs role as a catalyst in economic growth and development.
explain the role of SMEs in the economy generally and Zimbabwe specifically.
explain the nature and composition of the business environment and its impact on
businesses.
Identify the push and pull factors that motivate entrepreneurs to go into business.
identify different sources of business ideas, describe the entrepreneurial process and
determine the various resources needed to start an own small business.
identify and describe the different ways of entering the business world (local entry
strategies)
differentiate between entrepreneurship and intrapreneurship
business success, failure and turnaround measures
discuss the importance of ethics in businesses.
International business opportunities
describe the barriers faced by youth and women entrepreneurs and how the barriers can
be handled.

Course Requirements
1. Each lecture begins with a prayer.
2. All students are expected to attend all lectures and be punctual, attentive and actively
participate in class.
3. There will be an in class test and a final exam. No make up tests will be given for absence
or poor performance.
4. There will be group presentations of assigned topics and case studies in class.
5. Take home assignment is given at the end of the course outline.
Course Content
1. The concept of Entrepreneurship
2. The entrepreneur- definition
Differentiate between entrepreneur and entrepreneurship
Characteristics of entrepreneurs
Types of entrepreneurs
Background of entrepreneurs
Advantages and disadvantages of being an entrepreneur
3. The entrepreneurs role as a catalyst in economic growth and development
The role of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the economy of Zimbabwe.
4. Composition of the business environment (micro, market and macro sub-environments) and
the impact of these sub-environments on businesses.
Environmental scanning and its importance
An enabling business environment (Its importance and how it can be created).
5. Entrepreneurial motivation (the push and pull factors)
6. The entrepreneurial process- finding business ideas and opportunities
Evaluating business ideas and opportunities
Feasibility studies
7. The establishment of a business Analysing the market
Factors to consider e.g. resources required,
Location (advantages & disadvantages)
Local entry strategies (advantages & disadvantages)
8. Corporate venturing/ Intrapreneurship/ Corporate entrepreneurship
Definition of intrapreneurship
Intrapreneurship vs Entrepreneurship (similarities and differences)
Definition of an intrapreneur
Characteristics of an intrapreneur
The role of an intrapreneur
Characteristics of businesses that encourage entrepreneurship
Why businesses need intrapreneurs
Implementation of intrapreneurship in the Zimbabwean context
9. Business success, failure and turnaround measures
Key indicators of business success
Key indicators of business failure

Turnaround measures

10. Business ethics- Definition of terms

Sources of unethical behaviour
The importance of ethics in business
The role of an entrepreneur in promoting ethical behavior
Ethics in businesses in Zimbabwe
11. International business opportunities
The importance of international business
Factors to consider before going international
The contribution of e-commerce
Globalisation-definition
The impact of globalization on businesses in general and small businesses in particular.
12. Women & youth entrepreneurship
Reasons for studying women & youth entrepreneurship
Characteristics of women & youth entrepreneurs
Contribution by women & youth entrepreneurs to economic growth and development
Challenges faced by women & youth entrepreneurs and how these can be handled.
Examination and Grading Scheme
The final letter grade will be determined as follows:
Class presentations (Individual & Group)
10%
Business Plan
15%
In class test
15%
Final Exam
60%
Total
100%
The Grading Scale Will Be As Follows:
A 80-100
A- 75-79
B+ 70-74
B 65-69
B- 60-64
C+ 55-59
C 50-54
D 45-49
F 0-44
Recommended Textbooks and other sources
1. Badenhorst, J. A., Cant, M.C., Cronje, G.J., Toit, G.S. Du., Erasmus, B.J., Grobler, P.A.,
Kruger, L.P., Machado, R., Marais, A.de K., Marx, J. Strydom, J. & Mpofu, R.T. (2003)
Introduction to Business Management. 6th Edition. Cape Town: Oxford University Press.
2. Co, M.J. Groenewald, J., Mitchell, B., Nayager, T., Van Zyl, J. & Visser., K. (2007)
Entrepreneurship-Fresh Perspectives. Cape Town: Person Prentice Hall.
3. Nieman, G., Hough, J., Nieuwenhuizen, C. (2008) Entrepreneurship- A South African
Perspective, Pretoria: Van Schaik Publishers.
4. The internet
5. Newspapers
N. B. Read wider than this list. Also, consult scientific journals.