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Learning Outcomes

TopCompared to major corporations, start-up firms and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) often face resource limitations in competing for markets. As such, strategies for major corporations, which often assume implicitly that sufficient resources are available for strategy implementation, may not be applicable for start-up firms and SMEs.

This course focuses on formulating competitive strategy for start-up firms and SMEs, taking into explicit consideration of the limitations of such firms compared to major corporations. This course aims to:
• Provide students an appreciation of the limitations that start-up firms and SMEs face in competing for markets, and the implications of such limitations in formulating competitive strategies for start-up firms and SMEs.
• Introduce students to some competitive strategy frameworks, concepts and theories that relevant and/or unique for start-up firms and SMEs.
• Enhance students’ skills in applying general marketing concepts and theories to formulate strategies for start-ups and SMEs in competing for markets.
• Enhance students’ ability to develop more effective business and marketing plans that take into consideration the particular difficulties faced by start-up firms, and SMEs.

Students are expected to apply theories and concepts introduced in the course to solving business and strategy problems, through:
• Evaluation of business start-up proposals,
• Project work, in which students are required to do the following,
o Formulate a competitive strategy for a start-up or SME.
o Prepare a comprehensive “Business Plan” for a start-up or SME.
o Present their competitive strategy and business plan, and critique their peers’ presentations and proposals.