INFORMATION FOR
STUDENTS
ENTERPRISE
WHAT IS ENTERPRISE?
ENTERPRISE is a skill - the willingness of an individual
or organisation to…
TAKE RISKS - setting up a new business is risky. Even if
the entrepreneur has carefully researched the market,
there's always a chance that customers may reject the
product and that a loss will be made.
SHOW INITIATIVE - make things happen. Successful
entrepreneurs have the drive, determination and energy to
overcome hurdles and launch new businesses.
UNDERTAKE NEW VENTURES - an entrepreneur has to
have the imagination to spot business opportunities that
will fill gaps in the market.
ENTERPRISE SKILLS
An ENTERPRISING person is someone who is
characterised by a particular mix of individuality, creativity,
and leadership
These are KEY SKILLS and increasingly demanded at
school, college and university as well as by employers
ENTERPRISE SKILLS are central to the process of
becoming an ENTREPRENEUR - setting up and running a
business or being self-employed
ENTERPRISE SKILLS
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Team Work
Risk Management
Negotiating & Influencing
Effective Communication
Creativity & Innovation
Positive Attitude
Leadership
• Initiative
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Organising and Planning
Product & Service Design
Problem Solving
Making Ethical Decisions
Financial Literacy
Take a critical look at Enterprise Skills in action by watching
an episode of the BBC’s Dragon’s Den. What would you
have done differently?
ENTERPRISING UK
1
The UK position as the most
entrepreneurial country in Europe
ENTERPRISING UK
5.2
MILLION
Small businesses in the UK
ENTERPRISING UK
2.9
MILLION
Home-based businesses in the UK
ENTERPRISING UK
790
THOUSAND
New businesses in
the UK since 2010
ENTERPRISING UK
99
THOUSAND
New businesses in the
South West since 2010
ENTERPRISING UK
95.5
PERCENT
of firms in the UK employ
less than 10 people
ENTERPRISING UK
2
The UK position in the
Global Innovation Index
ENTERPRISING UK
20
PERCENT
Increase in social enterprises
in the UK in the last 5 years
ENTERPRISING UK
75
PERCENT
of adults in the UK bought
goods online last year
ENTERPRISING UK
18-24
YEAR-OLDS
are twice as likely as other
age groups to start a business
THINKING CREATIVELY
CREATIVE THINKING is the process by which
individuals come up with new ideas or new
approaches to business
NEW IDEAS could result in a new product - a
games console for example - or they could result
in a NEW PROCESS that cuts costs or improves
quality - for example, a bagless vacuum cleaner
Fresh ideas give businesses a COMPETITIVE
ADVANTAGE and help make their goods or
services stand out in the market place
THINKING CREATIVELY
Work with one or two others to make 2 lists…
• 5 new inventions from the last 10 years
• 5 recent innovations
INVENTION & INNOVATION
INVENTION is about making new items or finding
new ways of making things
INNOVATION involves bringing this new idea to
the market - turning an invention into a product
INVENTION & INNOVATION
Can you think of any inventions or innovations
that might make good new business ideas?
LEGAL PROTECTION
ENTREPRENEURS can use the LAW to protect their business
ideas…
REGISTER OWNERSHIP of an invention or new process and
be given a PATENT - this can stop rivals from copying the idea
for a set number of years
COPYRIGHT automatically arises for people creating books,
films, music or games so that they can claim damages if
someone copies their work
REGISTER A TRADEMARK - a symbol or phrase that a
company can register with the government to make their
company distinctive
A patent, copyright or trademark grants LEGAL
OWNERSHIP and is only given for original work
Being your own boss - setting up and running your own
business or being self-employed - isn’t easy, it requires a great
deal of motivation and particular personal qualities and skills
You can take a simple test to see if you are someone who
might be successful at running their own business or being selfemployed
Ask your teacher to give you access to the Enterprise Toolkit
activity COULD YOU BE YOUR OWN BOSS?
SETTING UP YOUR OWN
ENTERPRISE
Probably the best way to develop your ENTERPRISE
skills is to set up your own business!
Why not talk to your teachers and friends and start
planning your own business?
You might find you’ll get lots of support (especially if
your enterprise has a social purpose or will benefit the
school).
USEFUL WEBSITES 1
www.outsetbristol.co.uk
http://schools.fairtrade.org.uk
www.firstport.org.uk
www.makeyourmark.org.uk
www.socialfirms.co.uk
www.princes-trust.org.uk
www.inspiringenterprise.rbs.com
http://mybnk.org
www.openingdoorsnet.biz
https://unltd.org.uk
http://www.o2thinkbig.co.uk
www.buzzbnk.org
USEFUL WEBSITES 2
https://vinspired.com/cashpoint
http://www.catch-22.org.uk/programmes-services/social-action-app/
http://www.princes-trust.org.uk
http://www.rockstarstartup.co.uk
http://www.schoolforstartups.co.uk/launcher
http://www.gle.co.uk
http://www.smarta.com
http://www.virginstartup.org
http://www.startupdirect.org
http://www.fashion-angel.co.uk/start-up-loans
http://www.brightideastrust.com/