Course Syllabus

JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "BUS 305"
COURSE NAME: "Introduction to Entrepreneurship"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Summer Session I 2019

SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Bernhard Schroeder
EMAIL: [email protected]
HOURS: MTWTH 9:00-10:50 AM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
CREDITS: 3
PREREQUISITES: Prerequisite: Sophomore Standing
OFFICE HOURS: by appointment

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course examines the entrepreneurial process, from recognizing opportunity to planning, organizing and growing a new venture. We will highlight innovation and its methods and applications on business opportunity analysis. Topics covered also include significance, status, problems, and requirements of entrepreneurial businesses. Students will have the opportunity to identify a business opportunity and develop the idea to the point of being start-up ready.This course will serve as a foundation for students who might want to own a business, and it is meant to be accessible also for non-business majors.

SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:

Thinking entrepreneurially: mindset, motivation and behavior. Creativity, Opportunity, and Feasibility. Research and Validation. Value Proposition. Business Model. Marketing Strategy. Testing Key Assumptions. Funding the Venture. Pitching the Idea. Building and Growing the Company.

Course content will include materials related to identifying and analyzing market opportunities, evaluating resources required to exploit market opportunities, and launching a new venture. This process will be assessed mainly from the perspective of an individual entrepreneur.

Required Textbooks

Disciplined Entrepreneurship, Author Bill Aulet, Publisher John Wiley (ISBN 978-1-11869228-8)

Business Model Generation Abstract, Authors Alexander Osterwalder and Yves Pigneur, Publisher John Wiley (Provided)

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES:

At macro level, after successful completion of the course the student will have achieved the following student learning outcomes:

- Be able to evaluate business opportunities to generate innovative business ideas

- Systematically conduct research, various industry and competitor analyses and feasibility studies

- Recognize the importance of business models and be capable of writing a business plan

- Understand the value of brand positioning and marketing strategy for a new venture

- Formulate and deliver a persuasive elevator pitch and investor presentation

- Acquired the knowledge of sales forecasting and preparing a simple pro forma three year budget

TEXTBOOK:

Book Title	Author	Publisher	ISBN number	Library Call Number	Comments	Format	Local Bookstore	Online Purchase
Disciplined Entrepreneurship	Bill Aulket	Wiley	978-1-11869228-8)

REQUIRED RESERVED READING:

NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:

NONE

GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:

Assignment	Guidelines	Weight
Class Participation	Attend class and participate actively	7
Individual Quiz Questions	Answer quiz questions based on readings	20
Individual businessidea pitch	Prepare and pitch a business idea tot he class	10
Individual business paper	Prepare a individual business idea paper	18
Individual elevator pitch	Prepare and deliver an elevator pitch in the class	10
Group parer	Group works together aand delivers a paper on a startup idea	20
Group Presentation	Group works together and delivers a presentation on their startup idea in class	15

-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
AWork of this quality directly addresses the question or problem raised and provides a coherent argument displaying an extensive knowledge of relevant information or content. This type of work demonstrates the ability to critically evaluate concepts and theory and has an element of novelty and originality. There is clear evidence of a significant amount of reading beyond that required for the course.
BThis is highly competent level of performance and directly addresses the question or problem raised.There is a demonstration of some ability to critically evaluatetheory and concepts and relate them to practice. Discussions reflect the student’s own arguments and are not simply a repetition of standard lecture andreference material. The work does not suffer from any major errors or omissions and provides evidence of reading beyond the required assignments.
CThis is an acceptable level of performance and provides answers that are clear but limited, reflecting the information offered in the lectures and reference readings.
DThis level of performances demonstrates that the student lacks a coherent grasp of the material.Important information is omitted and irrelevant points included.In effect, the student has barely done enough to persuade the instructor that s/he should not fail.
FThis work fails to show any knowledge or understanding of the issues raised in the question. Most of the material in the answer is irrelevant.

-ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:
ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS AND EXAMINATION POLICY
You cannot make-up a major exam (midterm or final) without the permission of the Dean’s Office. The Dean’s Office will grant such permission only when the absence was caused by a serious impediment, such as a documented illness, hospitalization or death in the immediate family (in which you must attend the funeral) or other situations of similar gravity. Absences due to other meaningful conflicts, such as job interviews, family celebrations, travel difficulties, student misunderstandings or personal convenience, will not be excused. Students who will be absent from a major exam must notify the Dean’s Office prior to that exam. Absences from class due to the observance of a religious holiday will normally be excused. Individual students who will have to miss class to observe a religious holiday should notify the instructor by the end of the Add/Drop period to make prior arrangements for making up any work that will be missed. The final exam period runs until ____________

ACADEMIC HONESTY
As stated in the university catalog, any student who commits an act of academic dishonesty will receive a failing grade on the work in which the dishonesty occurred. In addition, acts of academic dishonesty, irrespective of the weight of the assignment, may result in the student receiving a failing grade in the course. Instances of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Academic Affairs. A student who is reported twice for academic dishonesty is subject to summary dismissal from the University. In such a case, the Academic Council will then make a recommendation to the President, who will make the final decision.

STUDENTS WITH LEARNING OR OTHER DISABILITIES
John Cabot University does not discriminate on the basis of disability or handicap. Students with approved accommodations must inform their professors at the beginning of the term. Please see the website for the complete policy.

SCHEDULE

Course Schedule (tentative)

Class Date	Topic	Reading Homework Assignment

Week 1	Course overview and orientation	Read chapter assignments and answer question (s); startup challenge exercise
	Understand major trends and markets (people)	Read chapter assignments, answer question, review major trends for group project
	Value hypothesis and proposition	Read chapter assignments and answer question (s), Individual pitch due
	Assessing the opportunity/feasibility	Read chapter assignments and answer question (s), groups select project
Week 2	Industry overview and analysis	Groups present industry analysis (five minutes), Individual business idea paper due
	Porters Five forces	Groups present porters five forces analysis, professor feedback
	Societal influences and PEST analysis	Groups present target country trends and PEST analysis
	Completive analysis	Groups present their competitive analysis, professor feedback
Week 3	Customer analysis and persona	Groups present macro and micro customer segments, customer persona
	Needs analysis and solution	Groups present solution at high level, refinement feedback
	Business model analysis	Groups present business model canvas, professor feedback
	Scalability and market share	Read chapter assignments and answer question (s), review seven domains framework (Mullins)
Week 4	Developing a marketing strategy	Groups present marketing strategy, Individual elevator pitch
	Methodology of forecasting sales	Review 3-4 approaches for forecasting sales
	Finalize minimum viable product (MVP)	Groups present final MVP, professor feedback
	Testing key assumptions	Review research methodologies to test key assumptions
Week 5	Taking the MVP into launch	Understanding manufacturing/production and distribution
	Proforma financial statements	Group workshops on key assumptions and financial projections
	Pitching the idea	View pitch videos from startups, finalize group presentation
	Finals Presentations (Group)	Final presentations and group paper due