CINEC Campus

Engineer as an Entrepreneur

FE4312

BSc. Batch 01 - Semester 07

Instructions:
Answer all questions
This is an open book examination. Duration: 03 hours

Question No. 01

Mini case study:

Deshan is a fresh graduate in the field of Automotive Engineering. He carries one year of work
experience in a multinational automobile company but is always self-encouraged to work in self-
employment. He also has a talent for developing mobile applications and has won the “best
innovative mobile application of the year” award for 2019. Therefore, he wanted to link his mobile
app development skills with the engineering qualification in a new opening business. His father
has promised him to provide the initial capital of establishing his new firm, and two young
employees of his father’s company will transfer to the new firm. Deshan has already invented a
mobile software that automatically informs the caller/sender that the driver is driving and calling
back time precisely by analyzing the time to finish the journey. This application has a feature to
notify drivers to call back after the journey finishes. This application will minimize the number of
traffic accidents causing the use of mobile phones while driving.

Considering the facts given in the case study:

a) How can you recognize Deshan as a Technopreneur? Give five (05) reasons. (05 marks)

b) Deshan’s father will cover the start-up’s initial capital”. Define equity capital and identify
two (02) possible additional sources of equity capital he could use. (05 marks)

c) Develop an SPT analysis of Deshan’s proposed business. (10 Marks)

(Total: 20 Marks)

Question No. 02

a) Define Financial Feasibility analysis and provide an example for each element. (05
Marks)
b) Briefly explain Porter’s Five Forces in Building and Construction industry. (05 Marks)
 c) “The entrepreneur always seeks for, a revolution, a change and an adventuring.”
Evaluate this statement by explaining the three (03) ways to identify an opportunity with
industry evidence. Give examples. (10 marks)
(Total: 20 Marks)

Question No. 03

a) List five (05) ways in which a new product can fail. (05 Marks)
b) What factors will you consider building team dynamics in the R&D project? (05
Marks)
c) “To win the marketplace, first win the workplace”, Discuss how far this statement is valid
to an entrepreneur in Sri Lanka with two (02) pieces of evidence in the local market.
(10 marks)
(Total: 20 Marks)

Question No. 04

a) What is a Competitive advantage? Provide 03 examples. (05 Marks)

b) Briefly explain the difference between a manager and a leader. (05 Marks)
c) “In the beginner’s mind, there are many possibilities, but in the experts, there are few”.
Discuss this statement by highlighting the importance of Competitive Intelligence in
Entrepreneurship. Provide at least two (02) examples. (10 Marks)

(Total: 20 Marks)
Question No. 05

Write short notes on any Four (04) of the following.

(a) Disruptive Innovation
(b) Relationship Marketing
(c) Subscription Business Model
(d) Income Statement
(e) PESTEL
(Marks: 4x5= 20)

(Total: 20 Marks)

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Prepared by: Dr Kalpana Ambepitiya (15.10.2021)