STUDY GUIDE

BMSB5103

Small Business Management

PART ONE: COURSE INTRODUCTION

Synopsis
This course covers step by step knowledge and insights needed to lead and
manage a small business. Entrepreneurs build small businesses to fulfil dreams
for themselves, their families, their employees and their communities. This
course focuses on effective management of a small business venture which will
improve the odds for success. The course highlights relevant and important
areas such as entrepreneurial strategies, opportunities for small businesses,
effective business plans for a small business, small business management,
marketing and financing. It concludes that a small business can protect and
improve quality of life by creating jobs and providing new products and services.
A small business can also create tremendous personal value for both
entrepreneurs and the investors who back them with money and time.

Objectives
The general aims of this course are to:
1.

Nurture understanding of differences between and issues related to small

vis--vis large businesses;

2.

Explain the features and traits of successful entrepreneurs and their

businesses;

3.

Develop skills in building a business plan and managerial capabilities in

establishing, developing and growing entrepreneurial small businesses;

4.

Integrate managerial knowledge to manage a small business more

effectively and efficiently; and

5.

Discuss related issues in becoming an entrepreneur and successfully

managing a small business.

Learning Outcomes
By the completion of this course, you should be able to:
1.

Function within or in conjunction with small firms;

2.

Apply principles of business and development for a small business;

3.

Analyse roles played by small businesses in Malaysia and distinguish

between small and large businesses;

STUDY GUIDE

BMSB5103

Small Business Management

4.

Equip students with theoretical and practical knowledge in small business

management; and

5.

Apply management theories and practices learnt in other courses earlier.

Study Load
It is a standard OUM practice that learners accumulate 40 study hours for every
credit hour. As such, for a three-credit hour course, you are expected to spend at
least 120 hours of learning. Table 1 gives an estimation of how the 120 hours can
be accumulated.
Table 1: Allocation of Study Hours
Activities

No. of Hours

Reading course materials and completing exercises

60

Attending 5 seminar sessions (3 hours for each session)

15

Engaging in online discussions

15

Completing assignment(s)

20

Revision

10

Total

120

Main Textbook(s)
Longernecker, J. G., Moore, C. W., & Petty, J. W. (2010). Small business
management: An entrepreneurial emphasis (15th ed.). Australia: SouthWestern.

Assigned Readings
Barringer, B. R., & Ireland, R. D. (2010). Entrepreneurship: Successfully
launching new ventures. Boston: Pearson.
Burgess, S. (Ed.). (2002). Managing information technology in small business:
Challenges and solutions. Victoria: Group Publishing.
Hatten, T. S. (2003). Small business management: Entrepreneurship and beyond
(2nd ed.). Boston: Houghton Miflin Company.
Ryan, J. D., & Hiduke, G. P. (2003). Small business: An entrepreneurs business
plan. Australia: South-Western.
6

STUDY GUIDE

BMSB5103

Small Business Management

Scarborough, N. M. (2012). Effective small business management (10th ed.).

Boston: Pearson.
Schaper, M., Volery, L., Weber, P., & Lewis, K. (2011). Entrepreneurship and
small business. Australia: John Wiley.
Thomas, C., &,Carlyn, B. (2005). Database systems (4th ed.). Pearson Education.

Additional Recommended Readings

Katz, J. A., & Greene, R. P. (2009). Entrepreneurial small business (3rd ed.). US:
McGraw-Hill College.
Thompson, A. A., Strickland, A. J., & Gamble, J. E. (2010). Crafting and
executing strategy: Concepts and cases. Boston: McGraw-Hill.
Zimmerer, T. W., & Scarborough, N. M. (2009). Essentials of entrepreneurship and
small business management (6th ed.). New York: Pearson Education, Inc.

Assessment
Please refer to myVLE for information on the assessment format and
requirements.