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651 ratings

Edward D. Hess

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Offered By

Grow to Greatness: Smart Growth for Private Businesses, Part I

University of Virginia

About this Course

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This course, developed at the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia and taught by top-ranked faculty, focuses on challenges faced by existing private businesses when they attempt to grow substantially.

Flexible deadlines

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Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

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Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Coursera Labs

Includes hands on learning projects.

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Approx. 9 hours to complete

English

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What you will learn

Common myths and truths about growth in business
Growth readiness assessment
The 4 P's of growing a business: planning, prioritization, pace and process
Four ways to grow your business: scale and CVP, innovating, outsourcing and strategic acquisitions

Skills you will gain

Planning
Entrepreneurship
Business Intelligence
Innovation
Strategic Management

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Coursera Labs

Includes hands on learning projects.

Learn more about Coursera Labs

Approx. 9 hours to complete

English

Could your company benefit from training employees on in-demand skills?

Try Coursera for Business

Instructor

Instructor rating

4.76/5 (81 Ratings)

Edward D. Hess

Professor of Business Administration

Darden School of Business

86,913 Learners

2 Courses

Offered by

University of Virginia

A premier institution of higher education, The University of Virginia offers outstanding academics, world-class faculty, and an inspiring, supportive environment. Founded by Thomas Jefferson in 1819, the University is guided by his vision of discovery, innovation, and development of the full potential of students from all walks of life. Through these courses, global learners have an opportunity to study with renowned scholars and thought leaders.

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Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

Content Rating98%(3,318 ratings)

Week1

Week 1

4 minutes to complete

Course Overview

4 minutes to complete

1 video (Total 4 min)

Week2

Week 2

2 hours to complete

The Truth About Growth

This module presents an overview of growth in business with common myths and truths. There is a required reading: Edward D. Hess, "Growth is the Dynamic Confluence of Strategy, Entrepreneurship, and Values." An option case study reading on Eyebobs Eyeware, Inc is also available. Please visit the Eyebobs website at https://www.eyebobs.com and think about whether Julie's vision and customer value proposition connects with you. What do you like about the site? What do you dislike? Why is her website so important to her business? What should Julie do to keep her website "fresh"?

2 hours to complete

8 videos (Total 82 min), 1 reading, 1 quiz

Week3

Week 3

2 hours to complete

Fellers Gourmet Workshop

2 hours to complete

3 videos (Total 66 min), 1 reading, 1 quiz

Week4

Week 4

2 hours to complete

The 4 P's

2 hours to complete

7 videos (Total 87 min), 1 reading, 1 quiz

7 videos

The Infrastructure of Growing a Business: Planning, Prioritization, Pace and Processes21mDefender Direct Case Study22mDefender Direct: Planning, Prioritization, Pace and Processes 10mPrioritization: What, Whom, and Why? Where is the biggest fire?9mProcesses: 99% Defect Free On Time Delivery to Customers5mPacing Growth: Controlling Your Gas Pedal3mDefender Direct Interview with Dave Lindsey14m

1 reading

Module 4 Readings10m

1 practice exercise

The 4 P's30m

Week5

Week 5

2 hours to complete

Four Ways to Grow a Business

2 hours to complete

8 videos (Total 83 min), 1 reading, 1 quiz

8 videos

How to Scale Your Business with Enchanting Travels Case Study19mCustomer Value Proposition6mEnchanting Travels Case Study: Processes14mImproving Your Business and Franchise Opportunities10mLearning Companies: Innovating in Your Business5mScaling: Planning, Processes, Outsourcing, and Ways to Grow Your Business5mStrategic Acquisitions3mEnchanting Travels Interview with Parik Laxminarayan16m

1 reading

Module 5 Reading10m

1 practice exercise

Four Ways to Grow a Business30m

Week6

Week 6

1 hour to complete

Creating a Growth Plan

This module dives into the logistics of creating a growth plan for Barger & Sons, Inc. The required reading is Edward D. Hess, "C.R. Barger & Sons, Inc.," Case Study. Eric Barger faces a big growth challenge. His primary product is concrete septic tanks. His product does not differ from his competitor's products. His business is not well known. He does not sell to the end user. His customers buy based primarily on price. His business has stopped growing and is not that profitable. His father has said the business must grow or it will be closed. Your assignment is to use the concepts you learned in the previous modules to create a growth plan for this business. For this assignment, please list all the growth ideas you can create for him to consider. Do not narrow his choices, but be realistic with your ideas. It will help you to think about growth options using the four ways to grow a business: improvements, innovation, scaling, and strategic acquisitions. A second way to think about his growth options is in functional business terms: product design; supply of raw materials; product manufacturing; product pricing and terms; product sales; delivery; customer service; technology; and marketing. Your end work should be a list of realistic growth ideas.

1 hour to complete

5 videos (Total 46 min), 1 reading, 1 quiz

Week7

Week 7

1 hour to complete

Final Exam

1 hour to complete

Reviews

4.7

189 reviews

5 stars
80.18%
4 stars
16.28%
3 stars
1.99%
2 stars
0.92%
1 star
0.61%

TOP REVIEWS FROM GROW TO GREATNESS: SMART GROWTH FOR PRIVATE BUSINESSES, PART I

by YPOct 18, 2015

Excellent course, highly recommended. One of the very rare courses I will take again as both the material and teacher were really good.

by MCSep 20, 2015

This is a well explained course that gives many incites, examples and provides the reading material to you at no cost. Ed Hess is an awesome professor, I took both the Grow to Greatness courses in

by AMApr 29, 2020

The professor is great! A lot of energy and a lot of passion in his classes. He makes it fun and engaging while never being with him in the same room. Great effort and great work! Enjoyed the class

by EBOct 29, 2015

Great course. I have an MBA and 20 years of business experience and learned a TON, and was reminded of many fundamental truths. Highly recommended.

View all reviews

Frequently Asked Questions

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Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:
The course may not offer an audit option. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid.
The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I purchase the Certificate?
When you purchase a Certificate you get access to all course materials, including graded assignments. Upon completing the course, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
Is financial aid available?
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.

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Grow to Greatness: Smart Growth for Private Businesses, Part I

Grow to Greatness: Smart Growth for Private Businesses, Part I

About this Course

What you will learn

Skills you will gain