Unit Outline
BMA357
Freelancing and Small Business
Semester 1, 2024
Bronwyn Eager
Tasmanian School of Business & Economics (TSBE)
College of Business and Economics
CRICOS Provider Code: 00586B
Unit Coordinator
Bronwyn Eager
Email: Bronwyn.Eager@utas.edu.au
 
What is the Unit About?
Unit Description
This unit aims to develop students’ understanding of how to identify, communicate, and build their skills to meet market needs and design flexible and sustainable career pathways and small business opportunities. The unit explores freelancing and small business sectors, including small business management theories, concepts, technologies, and strategies. Students will develop a personal work/life career plan for future (self)employment to enhance their success in the new world of work. Students will also learn to design business models and develop strategies for enhancing business efficacy in real-world small business contexts. This unit is designed as a highly interactive and applied learning experience with innovative modes of delivery.
Intended Learning Outcomes
As per the Assessment and Results Policy 1.3, your results will reflect your achievement against specified learning outcomes.
On completion of this unit, you will be able to:
1.
Evaluate and apply small business management theories and concepts to promote sustainable business practices.
2.
Critically evaluate contemporary small business management challenges and opportunities using theory and research.
3.
Communicate small business strategies and practices.
Requisites
REQUISITE TYPE
REQUISITES
Anti-requisite (mutual excl)
BMA227
Alterations as a result of student feedback
None
 
 
Teaching arrangements
ATTENDANCE MODE
TEACHING TYPE
LEARNING ACTIVITY
CONTACT HOURS
FREQUENCY
On Campus
Workshop
6-hr workshop plus lunch break, Week 3 and Week 7 (2 times per semester)
6
Study Period 2 times
Independent Learning
5-hrs independent learning
5
Weekly
Online
Workshop (Online)
Online Workshop commencing Week 1
1
Weekly
Individual Study
Interaction with learning materials provided via MyLO including recordings, audio, videos, and readings.
1
Weekly
Attendance / engagement expectations
If your unit is offered On campus, it is expected that you will attend all on-campus and onsite learning activities. This is to support your own learning and the development of a learning community within the unit. If you are unable to attend regularly, please discuss the situation with your course coordinator and/or our UConnect support team.

If your unit is offered Online, it is expected you will engage in all those activities as indicated in the Unit Outline, including any self-directed learning.

If you miss a learning activity for a legitimate reason (e.g., illness, carer responsibilities) teaching staff will attempt to provide alternative activities (e.g., make up readings) where it is possible.
 
The Tasmanian School of Business and Economics regularly hosts Masterclasses and Industry Engagement and Employability Events, which students are encouraged to attend. Registration and details will be available via the College of Business and Economics channel on the Uni App and/or via your Unit Coordinator. 
 
 
How will I be Assessed?
 
For more detailed assessment information please see MyLO.
Assessment schedule
ASSESSMENT TASK #
ASSESSMENT TASK NAME
DATE DUE
WEIGHT
LINKS TO INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES
Assessment Task 1:
Assessment Task 1: Design Your Work Life Project
Week 6
50 %
LO1, LO2, LO3
Assessment Task 2:
Assessment Task 2: Small Business Project
Week 12
50 %
LO1, LO2, LO3
 
Assessment details
    
Assessment Task 1: Assessment Task 1: Design Your Work Life Project
Task Description:
This assessment provides you with the opportunity to craft your future career. Grounded in the principles of Design Thinking, you’re offered a structured pathway to explore, design, and prototype your professional future – be it as a freelancer, a small business owner, or employee.

The assessment requires you to engage in a series of activities and document these in a provided workbook.

To support you in completing the assignment, multiple activities will be run throughout the semester, supplemented by resources in the unit’s online learning modules.

Task Length:
Workbook - Students are invited to submit a draft of their workbook for feedback prior to due date (Week 6).
Due Date:
Week 6
Weight:
50 %
 
CRITERION #
CRITERION
MEASURES INTENDED
LEARNING OUTCOME(S)
1
Communicate the application of small business management theories and concepts to explore and design future career pathways
LO3
2
Critically evaluate future career pathways using small business management theories and concepts
LO2
3
Conduct research to evaluate the sustainability of future career pathways
LO1
 
Assessment Task 2: Assessment Task 2: Small Business Project
Task Description:
In this assignment, you’re invited to explore the exciting world of small business and business model design. You have the option to either focus your assessment on an existing small business or your own small business venture.

The assessment requires you to 1) engage in a series of activities and document these in a provided workbook, and 2) create a presentation that describes how you applied small business management theories, concepts, strategies, and technologies to design a sustainable business.

To support you in completing the assignment, group-based activities will be run throughout the semester, complemented by content available in the unit’s online learning modules.

Task Length:
Workbook + 6-minute (+/- 1 minute) presentation
Due Date:
Week 12
Weight:
50 %
 
CRITERION #
CRITERION
MEASURES INTENDED
LEARNING OUTCOME(S)
 
1
Apply small business management theories and concepts to design a sustainable business model.
LO1
2
Conduct research to validate and critically evaluate the design of a sustainable small business.
LO2
3
Communicate an evidence-based and sustainable small business model.
LO3
 
 
 
How your final result is determined
To pass this unit, you need to demonstrate your attainment of each of the Intended Learning Outcomes, achieve a final unit grade of 50% or greater, and pass any hurdle tasks.
 
Submission of assignments
Where practicable, assignments should be submitted to an assignment submission folder in MYLO. You must submit assignments by the due date or receive a penalty (unless an extension of time has been approved by the Unit Coordinator). Students submitting any assignment in hard copy, or because of a practicum finalisation, must attach a student cover sheet and signed declaration for the submission to be accepted for marking.
 
Requests for extensions
If you are unable to submit an assessment task by the due date, you should apply for an extension.
 
A request for an extension should first be discussed with your Unit Coordinator or teaching support team where possible. A request for an extension must be submitted by the assessment due date, except where you can provide evidence it was not possible to do so. Typically, an application for an extension will be supported by documentary evidence: however, where it is not possible for you to provide evidence please contact your Unit Coordinator.
 
The Unit Coordinator must notify you of the outcome of an extension request within 3 working days of receiving the request.
Late penalties
Assignments submitted after the deadline will receive a late penalty of 5% of the original available mark for each calendar day (or part day) that the assignment is late. Late submissions will not be accepted more than 10 calendar days after the due date, or after assignments have been returned to other students on a scheduled date, whichever occurs first. Further information on Late Penalties can be found on the Assessments and Results Procedure.
 
Review of results and appeals
You are entitled to ask for a review of the marking and grading of your assessment task if there is an irregularity in the marking standards or an error in the process for determining the outcome of an assessment. Details on how to request a review of a mark for an assignment are outlined in the Review and Appeal of Academic Decisions Procedure.
 
 
 
Required Resources
Required reading materials
 
 
Recommended reading materials
Burnett, B., & Evans, D. (2021). Designing your new work life: How to Thrive and Change and Find Happiness--and a New Freedom--at Work. Vintage.

Osterwalder, A., & Pigneur, Y. (2013). Business model generation: A Handbook for Visionaries, Game Changers, and Challengers. John Wiley & Sons.
 
Reading Lists provide direct access to all material on unit reading lists in one place. This includes eReadings and items in Reserve. You can access the Reading List for this unit from the link in MyLO, or by going to the Reading Lists page on the University Library website.
 
Other required resources
In addition to the texts/software recommended above, you are also expected to be familiar with the key academic journals in the discipline from which useful insights may be derived. In particular, you are encouraged to review regularly the relevant papers that are published in:
American Journal of Small Business
Harvard Business Review
International Small Business Journal
Journal of Small Business Management
Sloan Management Review

Useful Websites
• ACNielsen: http://www.nielsen.com/au/en.html
• Australian Bureau of Statistics: www.abs.gov.au/
• Australian Financial Review: www.fairfax.com.au
• Australian Government Small Business Website: http://australia.gov.au/topics/business-andindustry/abn-acn-business-management/small-business
• Australian Retailers Association: www.retail.org.au
• Business Government: http://www.business.gov.au/Pages/default.aspx
• Business Review Weekly: www.brw.com.au
• Export Council of Australia: http://www.export.org.au/eca/homepage
• Tasmanian Small Business Council: http://www.tsbc.org.au
• The Business Times: http://www.businesstimes.com.sg