This foundation unit will provide an introduction to the essential concepts and frameworks relevant to the fields of strategy, innovation and entrepreneurship. Topics covered will include the key elements of business strategy, including developing a business mission, understanding the external environment, reviewing internal resources and capabilities, and business and corporate strategy. The importance of entrepreneurial activity and the challenges faced by startup ventures, as well as examples of successful and unsuccessful business innovations, will be highlighted. The emphasis of the unit will be on understanding the strategic activity of both startup and established businesses and will focus on issues relevant to entrepreneurs as well as business managers.

For small open economies such as Australia's, opportunity identification and exploitation are often critical to firms' long-term growth and survival. Identifying new markets, developing new products and implementing new business models are highly-regarded and valuable skills for entrepreneurs and business managers alike. In addition to exploring the special problems (and advantages) associated with entrepreneurial start-ups, the unit will explore commercialisation and corporate venturing. Topics include opportunity recognition, structuring a business and investment proposal, venture capital and other funding sources, market entry strategies as well as entrepreneurial and creative leadership. The unit is structured around your learning from engaged practice, and requires you to work with startup and early stage businesses.

The business landscape is changing, with increasingly global business models and rapidly changing competitive environments buffeting established businesses.  Businesses that have 'survived' startup are immediately challenged to build sustainable business models that continually leverage into new markets and products. This unit centres on business- and corporate-level strategy, focussing on the development of skills and knowledge required to spark and cope with rapid business growth. Topics will include harnessing and leveraging resources and capabilities, internationalising ventures, forming alliances, mergers and acquisitions and avoiding the pitfalls of rapid growth.  You will also explore the processes involved in strategy formulation, including decision-making and design thinking.  The unit is structured around your learning from engaged practice, and requires you to work with businesses in their search for growth options and their appropriate funding.  

Entrepreneurial business opportunities do not always relate to early-stage or start-up businesses. Later-stage business investments, whether buying existing businesses or turning around failing enterprises, are a significant and growing focus of entrepreneurial activity. This unit explores the process of acquiring and reinvigorating established businesses and how to secure private equity funds (leveraged buy-outs) or corporate funding. The focus is on opportunity evaluation, business model innovation, management and revitalisation rather than financial structuring. You will have the opportunity to apply the functional skills learned in core strategy, finance, marketing, and management units to real opportunities. As well as being of interest to those wishing to acquire and manage their own business, the unit is appropriate for those working in 'big' business and the financial markets.

Intellectual property (IP) represents the property of your mind, intellect, and proprietary knowledge. There are a number of means of protecting your IP, including patents, copyright and trademarks.  Creating IP does not necessarily mean you own the rights to use it, as most forms require you to take formal steps to register your IP and obtain the legal rights of ownership (both in Australia and internationally).  This unit of study will cover aspects including the concept of IP, how to identify and protect it in a local and international context, creating the conditions to encourage and leverage IP in a commercial context, how to manage a portfolio of IP, and enforcement scenarios. The unit concentrates on how to utilise IP to create, control and exchange value, with particular attention paid to the practice of open innovation. 

This unit of study is designed to assist you develop your understanding of research methods and business issues specifically related to your area of interest. You will complete a major research project that will explore the phenomena of strategy, innovation or entrepreneurship in a context of your choice, or as proposed by an academic. For example, you could study two corporations that have successfully (or unsuccessfully) grown a business from an invention; or you could research a specific problem confronting an entrepreneurial business. Your study would address a specific issue of interest to academia or industry, as well as your future career.

Social entrepreneurs are committed to furthering a social mission through enterprises that rank social, environmental or cultural impact on a par with, or even above, profit. Intersecting the business and not-for profit worlds, social entrepreneurship addresses many complex local and global problems. This unit will critically introduce the concept and develop frameworks for understanding social entrepreneurship (also referred to as social enterprise and social innovation). Teaching and learning will utilise case studies, and include the opportunity to apply real-world experiences. Topics will include creating innovative social enterprises, sustainable business models, philanthropy and funding, impact assessment, and leadership. The unit is structured around your learning from engaged practice, and requires you to work with social enterprises.

The creative industries include architecture, design, film, television, music, the performing arts, advertising, publishing and the visual arts. These industries are characterised by the presence of creative individuals, large and powerful distributors (such as film studios) and the leveraging of copyright. Business success is driven by imagination and novelty, with creativity and innovation essential. This unit explores enterprise development in these industries, and will be of use to those intending to work in these industries, as well as those applying the skills and capabilities to other industries. Topics will include the creative entrepreneur, leveraging copyright, business model innovation in the creative industries, and the opportunities (and dangers) of the new digital economy. The unit is structured around your learning from engaged practice, and requires you to work with businesses in the creative industries.