entreprenuership lessons

Course Description	Entrepreneurship is a specialized business course designed to provide students the skills needed to effectively organize, develop, create, and manage their own business. This course is based upon the Marketing Education Framework which includes business, management, and entrepreneurship; communication and interpersonal skills; economics; and professional development foundations. Emphasis is placed on the functions of marketing: distribution, financing, marketing information management, pricing, product/service management, promotion, and selling. Additional topics to be addressed are assessment of personal skills, the components of the free enterprise system and its place in our global economy, human relations and interpersonal skills, the importance of business ethics, and the role quality and service play in business. Students will develop a written business plan for a business of their choice.
Course Objectives	The objectives of this course are to: Identify and describe the major steps and requirements for starting a small-scale business. Describe strategies for nurturing or growing a business. Appreciate the challenges of entrepreneurial actions in international context. Critically analyse entrepreneurial ventures from historical and field literature to identify causal factors in success or failure of such ventures. Identify distinctive bases of sustainable competitive advantage that are essential to the success of an entrepreneurial firm.
Learning Outcomes	By  the end of the course, students will be able to: 1.              Craft a draft business plan for future use in seeking venture capital and other supports. 2.              Appreciate the levels and impart of risk taking to a business. 3.              Design business process improvements. 4.              Familiarize themselves with classical elements of a business plan and develop skills in understanding the factors that venture capitalists look for in evaluating such plans.
Teaching and Learning	The class will meet for 3 hours each week. Class time will be used for a combination of lectures & presentations/discussions.
Week(s)	Detailed Course Outline
1- 2	Introduction to Entrepreneurship ·      Overview ·      Definition of Entrepreneurship ·      Venture, venture capitalist and adventure ·      Goal setting/planning ·      Risk taking/resource management ·      The role demands of business ·      Reasons for failure (internal and externals factors)
3 – 5	Variety in Entrepreneurship Concept of “change agent” and “entrepreneurship” A manager versus an entrepreneur Pros and cons of working for self versus others Social ventures Profit motive versus a dream
6	Characteristics of Successful Entrepreneurs Growth of women entrepreneurs Factors most and least important to entrepreneurs Survey – Are you an entrepreneur?
7	Entrepreneurial Skills ·         Seven steps to a successful venture ·         Trying a venture ·         Finding a mentor
8	TEST WEEK  April, 2017)
9	Innovation The challenges of innovation and how to encourage it Student project
10	Identifying and Assessing Opportunity ·         Profiling entrepreneurs ·         Market research ·         Student project
11	You – the Idea Machine ·         Examining the creative process ·         Idea generation ·         Left and right brain thinkers ·         Student project
12	Planning Your Venture ·         Goal setting – vision ·         Financial planning – costs, break-even and statements ·         Market strategy – target market, surveys and advertising
13-15	Business Plan Generation ·         Capstone course project