Student must attempt any TWO questions:

Q1. Which of the following influences on the growth of a firm are likely to be the strongest in their impact: 1) the entrepreneur(s); 2) the strategic positioning of the firm and its operational procedures; 3) the external environment?

Q2. Paul Scully, Minister for Small Business, recently said: “scams and profiteering schemes are despicable at any time, but particularly so if they seek to exploit the Covid-19 pandemic” (BBC News, 2020). Are governments justified in taking action to encourage economically productive forms of entrepreneurial activity and to discourage those that are economically destructive? Extend your arguments beyond the economic sphere to cover the social and environmental impacts of entrepreneurial activity.

Q3. Does a high rate of business closure indicate a country is more entrepreneurial? Explain your answer.

Q4. Why do so many women not want to seek external finance and, if they do, then seek so little compared to men?

There is a word limit of 2000 words for the whole paper, including references.

You are expected to spend approximately 8 hours on this paper.

The material needed to answer the questions is covered in the module.

Your answers should be analytical. They should synthesise source material, make links and suggest alternative perspectives, analyse where arguments are strong and whether there are any omissions, and evaluate arguments weighing up the evidence and come to a conclusion.

Plan your writing well by underlying the key words of the question. Refer back to these key words throughout your writing to ensure you keep on track.

Acknowledge and cite where your ideas come from. This not only avoids plagiarism but also shows that you are part of a conversation about a particular topic.

Be consistent in your use of referencing. If your referencing is messy and inconsistent it is a clue that little care was taken with the actual writing.

Not all sources are the same. Use academic sources (journal articles, books) or sources such as reports, newspaper articles, podcasts, TED talks.

Conclude clearly.

Submit a PDF version of your completed paper using the appropriate link on Canvas.