BA 260 Entrepreneurship

BA 260: Entrepreneurship (4 h.)

Summer 2008 Course Syllabus

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Instructor: Geoff Archer, MEM, MBA, PhD Candidate

Class Time & Room: MTWR 10:30-12:50pm 102 Owen

Office Hours: MTWR 1:10-2:00pm 330 Bexell Hall

Contact: geoff.archer@bus.oregonstate.edu, Office Phone (541)737-2616

Pre-requisites: None

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OVERVIEW

This course is a focused introduction to entrepreneurship, designed with the assumption that you have little or no business experience. Throughout the semester, you will be exposed to a variety of business strategy and entrepreneurship concepts while developing the ability to present and pursue an entrepreneurial opportunity.

As individuals you will read a textbook, a couple of ‘cases’, and several business plans, and you will write a weekly journal. Simultaneously, you will be working with a team to deliver and present a complete business plan for a new venture. It is expected that you will use a great many other resources to assist your learning, including primary research with potential customers and partners – ‘real world’ interaction is a must.

To clarify, this venture does not necessarily have to be a for-profit business, but can be built around any idea that brings people together to address an opportunity through economic means, such as a non-profit or volunteer organization. The philosophical assumptions of the class are that we have the option as individuals to create a different and better future, and the act of entrepreneurship is one mechanism to do so.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

BA 260 students will learn to:

· Generate and present new business concepts

· Identify entrepreneurial opportunities

· Assess the feasibility of an entrepreneurial opportunity

· Devise a business model that exploits this opportunity

· Write and present a formal business plan as a team

GRADING:

I will give plus and minus grades as follows: 94 and above = A, 90-93 = A-, 87-89 = B+, 84-86 = B, 80-83 = B-, 77-79 = C+, 74-76 = C, 70-73 = C-, 67-69 = D+, 64-66 = D, 60-63 = D-, 59 and below= F. Your grade is determined by both individual and group work:

Individual Grading

1. Class Participation and Engagement in Learning (10%)

Quality class participation is reflected in your insight and contribution to the class discussion. In my eyes, the most important time to speak up is when we are hosting a guest speaker (who could obviously be talking to a customer or an investor, but took the time to speak with our class for your benefit).

2. Your Elevator Pitch (10%)

On the third day of class each one of you will take the stage and make what is called an “Elevator Pitch.” In one minute or less you will need to describe a business concept, and explain who will buy it and why. You will also submit a hard copy of your elevator pitch which explains your idea in words and images. This is called a "one sheet", and you will hand it in when you are finished talking to the class.

3. Personal Entrepreneurship Journal (10%)

Entrepreneurship is an intensely personal experience. The decision to pursue an entrepreneurial venture is bound within your upbringing, life experiences, societal position, current employment, potential opportunities, and psychological factors. To capture your own thoughts around this journey you will keep a personal weekly journal. The purpose of the journal is to clarify your goals and expectations around entrepreneurship and to track your participation in the class. What you write should concern the concepts we cover in class, the progress of your teams’ efforts, and your own journey in defining your entrepreneurial ambitions. Type-written, hard-copy, one-page-minimum journal entries will be due every Thursday at the start of class.

4. Business Planning Peer Evaluation (10%)

Towards the end of the semester you will evaluate yourself and your team-mates. Your grade will be based on a ranking of each of the following factors:

· Great Attendance, Timeliness, Courtesy

· Delivered their Fair Share of the workload

· Delivered Quality Work that didn’t need a lot of edits

· Contributed Important Work that Shaped the project

· Would Team up with this person Again

Group Grades

WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS: As I mentioned above, everyone in the class will make an Elevator Pitch early on. Four person teams (with limited exceptions made at my discretion) will then be formed around the business concepts that you choose. Therefore, every person in the class will be on a business plan team. All group grades will be based on the four team deliverables delineated below.

PRESENTATIONS: Every group will also present to the class three times this term. Presentations should be professional with powerpoint slides on a memory stick transferred to the classroom computer before the beginning of class. Presentations should be no longer than 10 minutes. You should come prepared to answer questions from the audience. Note: For both the presenters and the audience this Q&A period is a font of valuable, low-cost information.

Marketing Plan (10%) – June 30th

Operations Plan (10%) – July 7th

Financial Plan (10%) – July 14th

Business Plan (30%) – Final exam slot TBD

The business plan is the cumulative effort of the class and takes the place of the final exam. Written business plans are generally between 15 and 25 pages in length. Yours are to be turned in at the beginning of the final exam period (which will be assigned by the university about half way through the term). Every team must submit a written business plan to complete this course.

MATERIALS

Entrepreneurship, Successfully Launching New Ventures by Bruce Barringer and Duane Ireland (referred to as B&I)

LATE ASSIGNMENTS
Unexcused late assignments will lose one point for every day that they are late.

CHEATING

Please refer to the University’s policy on cheating http://oregonstate.edu/admin/stucon/achon.htm

Statement Regarding Students with Disabilities
Accommodations are collaborative efforts between students, faculty and Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD). Students with accommodations approved through SSD are responsible for contacting the faculty member in charge of the course prior to or during the first week of the term to discuss accommodations. Students who believe they are eligible for accommodations but who have not yet obtained approval through SSD should contact SSD immediately at 737-4098.

BA 260 ENTREPRENEURSHIP

COURSE SCHEDULE

SUMMER, 2008

Class	Day / Date	Class Topic
1	06/23/08	INTRODUCTION and THE NATURE OF ENTREPRENEURIAL OPPORTUNITY
2	06/24/08	SOURCES OF OPPORTUNITY and ELEVATOR PITCHES EXPLAINED
3	06/25/08	ELEVATOR PITCHES and MARKETING Part 1
4	06/26/08	MARKETING Part 2 & INDUSTRY/COMPETITOR ANALYSIS
5	06/30/08	MARKETING PLAN PRESENTATIONS
6	07/01/08	THE BUSINESS PLAN & BUSINESS FORMS
7	07/02/08	*OPERATIONS PLAN Part 1 and* FRANCHISING**
8	07/03/08	OPERATIONS PLAN Part 2
9	07/07/08	OPERATIONS PLAN PRESENTATIONS
10	07/08/08	FINANCE PART 1
11	07/09//08	FINANCE PART 2
12	07/10/08	*BRINING IT ALL TOGETHER and* CASE DISCUSSION – Case TBA**
13	07/14/08	FINANCE PLAN PRESENTATIONS
14	07/15/08	BUSINESS PLAN WORKSHOP
15	07/16/08	CASE DISCUSSION – Case TBA
16	07/17/08	LAST DAY OF CLASS

BA 260 ENTREPRENEURSHIP Daily Assignments

06/23/08

1A. INTRODUCTION and

1B. THE NATURE OF ENTREPRENEURIAL OPPORTUNITY

Readings:

“Chapter 1: Entrepreneurship, Successfully Launching New Ventures,” (B&I)

One Red Paperclip

http://oneredpaperclip.blogspot.com/

Sustainable Skateboards

www.cometskateboards.com

Flocks Sweater

http://www.springwise.com/fashion_beauty/full_provenance_sweaters/index.php

Flying Lawn Chair

http://www.newsvine.com/_news/2007/07/10/828456-lawn-chair-pilot-flies-with-105-balloons

Treasure Dough

http://www.treasuredough.com/treasure.html

iPod Walking Tours of Buenos Aires

http://mptours.com/

Facebook Apps

http://www.smsmallbiz.com/technology/Stanfords_Facebook_Apps_Class_Proves_a_Quick_Hit.html

Row your Bike

http://inventorspot.com/row_your_bike

Dean Kamen

http://www.notablebiographies.com/news/Ge-La/Kamen-Dean.html

Assignment:

Be prepared to introduce yourself including your name, major, inspiration for taking this course, and a suggestion of one thing you are hoping to learn here.