Studies in Small Enterprise

This course will describe and analyse the characteristics of small enterprises (SE) and the types of skills, knowledge and assistance needed by the successful SE manager-owner. The SE sector in Australia: definitions, statistics, contribution to the economy and society; the SE owner-manager: enterprise, entrepreneurship, requirements for success; SE management: life cycle of the SE, requirements in administrative management, information and finances, networking; problems and failure: resource poverty, causes of failure; assistance: government policy, role of the accountant, banker, others; start-up process: feasibility report; financing the SE: start-up, development, maturity; financial management and control: cash flow and profit, assessment of profitability and liquidity; investment decisions; strategic planning; analysis and assessment of performance: industry benchmarks, role of computer; business plan: preparation and monitoring, relation to the budget system.