Program Overview

SME Business Development

This course equips business leaders and managers with the essential skills and knowledge for sustained growth and success.

Key Facts

• Start dates: Online course: Start any time between 1 September to 30 November 2025. In-person course: To be confirmed.
• Cost: $690 + GST per person. Regional Business Partners funding available.
• Duration: 6 x 2-hour modules/workshops
• Location: Palmerston North, Whanganui or online
• Time commitment: 50 hours

Overview

This course equips business leaders and managers with the essential skills and knowledge needed to review their current operations and develop effective plans and strategies for sustained growth and success.

Who This Course Is For

This course is intended for SME business owners and management-level employees who are tasked with decision-making responsibilities situated across all sectors of NZ industry. Participants are those who possess in-depth understanding of their day-to-day business operations and who could benefit from developing specific strategic management and planning knowledge and skills to apply within their organization, industry, or sector.

What You'll Get

Successful participants will receive a Massey University Certificate of Achievement and 5 credits added to their academic record at Massey. This course provides learning and assessment equivalent to stage 1 university learning and NZQA level 5 vocational training.

Entry Requirements

Participants will be currently working in a business leadership or management role within their organisation (for example, a role with decision-making delegation and authority).

Topics

The topics covered in the course include:

• business planning and strategy
• market and industry analysis
• operations and risk management
• financial management
• human resources and succession planning
• marketing and communications

Learning Outcomes

At the completion of this course participants will be able to:

1. Identify and apply foundational business planning and business development concepts to their organisation.
2. Understand and apply financial, human resources, and strategic management principles to their organisation.
3. Analyse opportunities for business development and design appropriate responses.
4. Reflect on business decisions and develop a customised business plan for their organisation.

Assessment

Participants will create an individual portfolio throughout the course, applying the concepts learned to their current workplace. Formative feedback will support participants as they progress through workbook exercises, which will be provided to guide the participants in reflection and application of the principles from each module to their own organisational context.

The portfolio, a compilation of the workbook exercises and reflections, will serve as tangible evidence of the participant's ability to integrate and apply the course material to practical, real-world business scenarios and demonstrate the learning outcomes.

Practical/Workplace Requirements

Participants will not be required to undertake additional workplace or practical requirements. However, they will be working in a relevant industry role concurrent to the course, which will enable them to apply course content to their organisational context as part of their assessed portfolio.