Strategic Management of Start ups

Teacher(s)

Kamp Bartholomeus;

Language

English

Prerequisites

Good level of English and acquaintance with basics of business science and micro-economics.

Main themes

Starting up a wholly new business (opportunity identification, market segmentation/positioning/timing, marketing, managerial/group dynamics implications, resources/funding implications)
Growing a new business (growth trajectories and styles, and their coping mechanisms)
Internationalization of new / young businesses (foreign entry modes, born globals)
Dealing with decline and exit dynamics of new / young businesses (interactions between start-ups and established/incumbent/big business, corporate venturing)
Replacement of founders and succession of leadership at start-ups (growth cycle/stages, investment rounds and management renewal)

Learning outcomes

At the end of this learning unit, the student is able to :
1	Assess the market readiness / potential of start-up value propositions Assess the strengths and weaknesses of (management) teams behind start-ups Assess the investment readiness of start-ups Understand competitive dynamics (opportunities and threats) around start-ups and the markets they address See through cultural and personal propensity for entrepreneurship according to start-up growth styles

Content

The course concentrates on the specificities of start-ups, young SMEs and born globals and the role of entrepreneurship and strategy for such businesses.
It builds on entrepreneurship theories, growth management, strategic management, international business, and group dynamics.
Similarly, it approaches crises and shocks (“critical incidents”) as windows of opportunities for start-ups and as triggers for change and adjustments.
It refers both to the start-up phase of SMEs, and to subsequent phases of the business life cycle: on how to manage and implement a sustained growth strategy (including the expansion to foreign/global markets) and on how to avoid decline or disappearance of a business.

Teaching methods

Evaluation methods

Online resources

Moodle: https://moodle.uclouvain.be/course/view.php?id=820

Bibliography

To be specified on Moodle

Teaching materials

• Reading material, video material via Moodle

Faculty or entity

CLSM