Entrepreneurship and Company Creation
Code: 104747Credits: 6
| Degree programme | Type | Course |
|---|---|---|
| Interactive Communication | OB | 3 |
Contact lecturer
- Name :
- Jordi Alcover Quilez
- Email :
- jordi.alcover.quilez@uab.cat
Group languages
You can consult this information at the end of the document.
Prerequisites
No previous requirements are necessary to take this subject.
Objectives
- Understand the fundamentals of business management as applied to digital and interactive communication projects and organisations.
- Analyse the main business models within the digital ecosystem, identifying the mechanisms of value creation, monetisation, and long-term economic sustainability.
- Understand how digital platforms, technological ecosystems, and network economies drive innovation and the development of new business models.
- Understand the impact of digital transformation, artificial intelligence, and emerging technologies on business models, production processes, and organisational strategies.
- Analyse the role of entrepreneurship within the Spanish economic and social context, as well as the institutional and legal frameworks that foster entrepreneurial activity.
- Explore the different forms of professional practice in the digital environment, ranging from self-employment and freelance work to the creation and scaling of startups and innovative companies.
- Understand the fundamentals of services marketing and digital marketing as applied to interactive communication projects, as well as their contribution to value creation and organisational positioning.
- Develop a critical perspective on business management, innovation, and digital entrepreneurship, assessing both the opportunities and the risks, as well as the economic constraints and the ethical and social challenges faced by organisations.
- Foster the ability to develop viable, sustainable, and scalable digital business ideas through a critical, innovative, and value-oriented approach.
- Apply economic analysis, business strategy, and innovation tools to the design, development, and management of digital projects.
Learning outcomes
- Distinguish the salient features in all types of documents within the subject.
- Cross-check information to establish its veracity, using evaluation criteria.
- Submit course assignments on time, showing the individual and/or group planning involved.
- Plan and execute projects in the field of entrepreneurship and business start-ups.
- Speak and write clearly, fluently and effectively in both official languages in order to argue a case correctly.
- Differentiate between workers' characteristics on the basis of their workplace responsibilities.
- Display the knowledge needed to lead multidisciplinary teams efficiently.
- Use knowledge of the law and management to understand the structure of new-media companies.
- Demonstrate skills leadership e. initiative for project company.
- Work as part of a team, taking an ethical approach to coursework.
- Propose new methods or well-founded alternative solutions.
- Identify the social, economic and environmental implications of academic and professional activities within one's own area of knowledge.
- Propose viable projects and actions to boost social, economic and environmental benefits.
- Propose projects and actions that are in accordance with the principles of ethical responsibility and respect for fundamental rights and obligations, diversity and democratic values.
- Propose projects and actions that incorporate the gender perspective.
- Communicate using language that is not sexist or discriminatory.
- Critically analyse the principles, values and procedures that govern the exercise of the profession.
- Explain the explicit or implicit deontological code in your area of knowledge.
- Evaluate the impact of problems, prejudices and discrimination that could be included in actions and projects in the short or medium term in relation to certain people or groups.
- Consider how gender stereotypes and roles impinge on the exercise of the profession.
- Analyse a situation and identify its points for improvement.
- Weigh up the risks and opportunities of both one's own and other people's proposals for improvement.
- Analyse the indicators of sustainability of academic and professional activities in the areas of knowledge, integrating social, economic and environmental dimensions.
- Propose new ways to measure the success or failure of the implementation of innovative proposals or ideas.
Contents
Contents
The course presents an applied and updated vision on the creation and management of entrepreneurial projects in the communication sector. It will be worked on from both an economic and strategic perspective, with an emphasis on professional autonomy, innovation and adaptation to the digital context. The contents are organized in the following blocks:
1. Introduction to the Economics of Communication
Introduction to the fundamental economic and business concepts that explain how companies and the communication industries operate.
2. Business Models
Analysis of the main business models and the mechanisms through which organisations create value, generate revenue, and achieve long-term sustainability.
3. The Environment and Stakeholders
Study of the competitive environment and the key stakeholders that influence organisational strategy, decision-making, and business activity.
4. Fundamentals of Marketing
Introduction to the core principles of marketing as a tool for identifying needs, creating value, and positioning organisations and brands.
5. Services Marketing
Analysis of the specific characteristics of marketing as applied to services and communication projects.
6. Digital Communication and Artificial Intelligence
Study of digital strategies, channels, tools, and artificial intelligence applications that are transforming communication, business models, and relationships with audiences.
7. Finance and Taxation
Introduction to the essential financial and tax concepts required to understand the economic viability and management of projects and organisations.
8. Pricing and Monetisation
Analysis of pricing strategies and monetisation techniques to effectively assess the value of products, services, and professional work.
9. Corporate Governance and Team Management
Introduction to the main models of corporate governance, leadership, and team management applied to organisations and businesses.
10. Final Conclusions
Integration of the course contents through a critical reflection on the main challenges and opportunities facing organisations in today’s environment.
A detailed schedule outlining the content of each session will be presented on the first day of the course and will be available on the course’s Virtual Campus, where students will find all teaching materials and necessary information for eƯective course monitoring. Should the teaching modality change for reasons of force majeure according to the competent authorities, the teaching staff will inform students of any modifications to the course schedule and teaching methodologies.
Learning activities and methodology
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | 4 | 0.16 | 1, 2, 8 |
| Seminars | 10 | 0.4 | 4, 5, 7, 9, 10 |
| Practical workshop | 10 | 0.4 | 3, 4, 5, 7, 10 |
| Personal study | 15 | 0.6 | 1, 2, 6, 8, 9 |
| Preparation of works & practices | 42 | 1.68 | 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 |
| Oral presentations | 4 | 0.16 | 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 |
| Lectures | 28 | 1.12 | 1, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9 |
| Analysis, approach and oral presentation of real cases and case studies | 4 | 0.16 | 3, 5, 9, 10 |
| Tutorial | 3 | 0.12 | 3, 4, 5, 10 |
The course consists of a theoretical part and a practical part that will be conducted in person.
In the theoretical part, an introduction to the main concepts of entrepreneurship and business creation will be provided, complemented by exercises, readings, and other digital resources.
In the practical part, knowledge of entrepreneurship and business creation will be deepened through exercises and analysis of real cases, with the aim of providing tools to develop a project based on a personal idea or a problem provided by a real organization, which will be presented during the last sessions of the course.
The teaching methodology may be modified once the course instructor is established.
Assessment
Continuous assessment activities
| Title | Weight | Hours | ECTS | Learning outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Final group practical work | 40% | 10 | 0.4 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 23, 24 |
| Oral presentation of the work | 10% | 5 | 0.2 | 3, 5, 9, 11, 16, 17, 22 |
| Individual theory exam | 40% | 10 | 0.4 | 1, 2, 5, 8 |
| Class attendance and participation | 10% | 5 | 0.2 | 1, 5, 7, 8, 10 |
To pass the subject, each one of the assessment activities must be approved, which consists of two theoretical exams that each will count a 30% of the note, and a group work that will be held in the seminars and with work at home, and that will be 30% of the mark.
Class attendance seminars is mandatory, and it is only admitted that the student miss 20% of the sessions.
Qualifications of any evaluable test will be uploaded to the Virtual Campus and the student may review the correction with an individual tutorial.
The last weeks of the course will be devoted to re-evaluation activities. Students will be able to recover the theoretical part with a theory recovery exam. To recover the practical work, the students will have to pass a practical recovery exam.
Students will be entitled to the revaluation of the subject. They should present a minimum of activities that equals two-thirds of the total grading.
In the case of a second enrolment, students can do a single synthesis exam/assignment that will consist of an exam. The grading of the subject will correspond to the grade of the synthesis exam/assignment. This exam will not be reassessable.
The students will be qualified as Non-evaluable if they do not attend any of the three activities of continuous assessment or the recovery test.
The student who performs any irregularity (copy, plagiarism, identity theft...) will be qualified with 0 in this assignment or exam. In case there are several irregularities, the final grade of the subject will be 0.
Use of AI
For this course, the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies is permitted exclusively for in market information research tasks, support tasks, such as bibliographic or information searches, text correction or translations, or as support for structuring the content of deliverables. Students must clearly identify any parts generated with these technologies, specify the tools used, and include a critical reflection on how AI has influenced the process and final outcome of the assignment. Failure to disclose the use of AI in this assessed activity will be considered a breach of academic integrity and may result in a partial or total penalty to the assignment grade, or more serious sanctions in severe cases.
Single Assessment
The single assessment system for this course consists of the following assessment activities:
A) 40% Final written examination
An individual written examination designed to assess students’ acquisition of theoretical knowledge and their ability to analyse the concepts covered throughout the course. A minimum mark of 5/10 is required to pass this assessment component (mandatory requirement to pass the course).
B) 30% Case study
Individual resolution of a business case related to the course contents, in which students must apply economic, strategic and management tools to justify their analysis and decision-making.
C) 30% Business Plan
Submission of a comprehensive business plan for a communication-related project, including, among other aspects, the business model, market analysis, stakeholder analysis, marketing plan, and financial and economic feasibility.
A (40%) + B (30%) + C (30%) = 100% Final Course Grade
Resit Assessment (Continuous and Single Assessment)
In accordance with current university regulations, students are eligible for the resit assessment only if they have previously completed at least two-thirds of the assessable activities in the course.
The resit assessment consists of the following compulsory activities:
A) Business Case Study (50%)
Students must solve a business case related to the course contents, demonstrating their ability to analyse real-world situations, identify key issues, and propose well-founded solutions.
B) Individual Presentation on a Course Topic (50%)
Students must prepare and orally deliver a presentation of 30 to 40 slides on one of the topics covered during the course. The presentation should include a critical review of the relevant literature, up-to-date examples, and real-world cases that demonstrate the ability to connect theoretical concepts with contemporary business practice.
The assessment will particularly consider:
- Conceptual rigour;
- Critical thinking and analytical skills;
- Quality of the sources used;
- Application of theoretical concepts to real-world cases;
- Quality of the presentation materials;
- Oral communication and argumentation skills.
Warnings
- The dates of the tests will be given on the day of the course presentation and will be notified on the Virtual Campus.
- If there are changes in the evaluation system, they will be notified on the day of thecourse presentation and on the Virtual Campus.
- Students who do not attend any of the evaluable tests or the recovery will be graded as Not evaluated.
- If any student commits an irregularity that may lead to a significant variation of an evaluation act, this evaluation act will be graded with 0, regardless of the disciplinary process that may be instructed. If several irregularities occur in the evaluation acts of the same course, the final grade for this course will be 0.
- In this course, the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies is not permitted at any stage. Any assignment containing content generated by AI will be considered a breach of 5 academic integrity and may result in a partial or total penalty to the assignment grade, or more serious sanctions in severe cases.
Bibliography
Handbook:
De Mateo, Rosario; Laura Bergés; Marta Sabater (2009) Gestión de empresas de comunicación. Sevilla/Zamora: Comunicación Social.
Elson Alfonso, Cristina (2022). Nuevos modelos de negocio: Emprendimiento en la era de la tecnología (Colección Manuales, núm. 707). Editorial UOC, S.L.
Noam, Eli (2019) Managing Media and Digital Organisations. Palgrave Macmillan (Springer)
Vara Miguel, A. (2023). Modelos de negocio para los medios digitales: Un recorrido teórico conceptual. Madrid: Editorial Fragua. ISBN 978-84-1289-489-9
Zeithaml, Valerie A., Bitner, Mary Jo, & Gremler, Dwayne D. (2009). Marketing de servicios. McGraw-Hill Interamericana de España S.L.
Other references:
Albarran Alan B. (2010) The Media Economy New York. Routledge. Taylor & Francis
Albarran Alan B. Silvia M. Chan-Olmsted y Michael O. Wirth (eds.) (2006) Handbook of Media Management and Economics. London, Mahwah: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Almirall, E. (2025). Qué hacer cuando todo cambia: Esquiva la irrelevancia y aprovecha la era de la IA generativa. Editorial Planeta.
Campos, Francisco (coord.) (2011) El nuevo escenario mediático. Sevilla/Zamora: Comunicación Social.
Cerezo, Pepe. (2019) Los medios ante los modelos de suscripción. Barcelona. Editorial UOC
De Mateo, Rosario; Laura Bergés; Anna Garnatxe (2010) “Crisis, ¿qué crisis?: Los medios de comunicación: empresas y periodismo en tiempos de crisis”. En: Francisco Campos (coord.) El cambio mediático. Sevilla/Zamora: Comunicación Social.
Departamentode Documentación Iberley (2022). Implantación de un plan de igualdad: Guía paso a paso de cómo implementar un plan de igualdad en la empresa. Colex. ISBN 978-84-1194-786-2
European Commission (2011) GREEN PAPER on the online distribution of audiovisual works in the European Union: opportunities and challenges towards a digital single market. Brussels, 13.7.2011
COM(2011) 427 final.
European Commission (2009) Creative Content in a European Digital Single Market: Challenges for the Future. A Reflection Document of DG INFSO and DG MARKT, 22 October 2009.
McChesney, Robert W. (2008) The Political economy of media: enduring issues, emerging dilemmas. New York, N.Y. : Monthly Review Press.
Picard, Robert (2011). The Economics and Financing of Media Companies. New York: Fordham University Press
Salaverría, Ramon. (2020) Digital Native News Media: Trends and Challenges. Media and Communication, 2020, Volume 8, Issue 2.
Torres Sáez de Ibarra, A., Monteagudo, L., & Vázquez, T. (2025). La integración de la IA en las agencias de publicidad, comunicación y en los medios de comunicación. En J. Sánchez Navarro & P. A. Hellín Ortuño (Eds.), Inteligencia Artificial: retos y oportunidades para la formación y el empleo en el ámbito de la Comunicación (pp. 273–288). Universidad CEU San Pablo. ISBN 978-84-10176-09-6
Software
Office software.
Course groups and languages
The information provided is provisional until November 30. After this date, you will be able to consult the language of each group through this link. To access the information, you will need to enter the course CODE
| Type of teaching | Group | Language | Semester | Shift |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (TE) Theory | 6 | Catalan | second semester | afternoon |
| (SEM) Seminars | 61 | Catalan | second semester | afternoon |
| (SEM) Seminars | 62 | Catalan | second semester | afternoon |