Lab – Students practice and apply what they are learning in group activities and individual work on exercises, scenarios, and assignments. Course Content Developing a Business Plan for a start-up business is the primary focus of this course. You will spend a significant amount of time researching and writing the Business Plan. With this goal in mind, the course covers the following key areas: Identifying entrepreneurship – What does it take to be a successful entrepreneur? How can you develop the skills, knowledge, and abilities to be a successful entrepreneur? What are your goals – lifestyle, professional, and financial – for starting a business? Recognizing opportunities – Where do ideas for successful ventures come from? What business opportunities match your own personal vision? Defining a business concept – What research and information is needed to write a business concept statement? How can you identify and avoid flaws in the business concept? How can you create a sustainable competitive advantage? Testing for feasibility – What factors determine the feasibility of a business? What research, information, and analysis are required to determine whether you should proceed with the business concept or evaluate the feasibility of another idea? Developing a Business Plan – What are the key components of the start-up Business Plan and what information is needed in each component of the plan? What decisions about management, product/service, marketing, and finances will create the greatest potential for success? How should the Business Plan be written and presented? Student Evaluation Evaluation of student mastery of course competencies will be based on the following: Participation 25 points Assignments
Course Methodology and Structure To meet objectives, this class will use a combination of methods and activities including: Exercises – Activities allow you to apply entrepreneurial practices to your business concept or a sample business. Scenarios – Group activities provide experience in applying entrepreneurial concepts to a given business followed throughout the course. Assignments – Practical applications of entrepreneurial concepts guide you through the planning process. You can use a business idea you are considering for a start-up business. Progress checks – Multiple-choice questions at the end of each chapter let you check your understanding of various entrepreneurial concepts. Guest speakers – Entrepreneurs and professionals bring additional perspectives to your classroom experience. Facilitated lectures, presentations, and discussions reinforce and enhance the online content. Video clips inspire and motivate you. Video Resources and More Info links provide you with additional entrepreneurial resources. Primary and secondary research supply information you can use to define your business concept. This course offers the advantages of blended learning using three primary components: Toolkit – Students explore aspects of the Business Plan by accessing the toolkit located on . Classroom – Students learn from facilitated lectures, presentations, and discussions that reinforce the online content and provide additional information. Guest speakers, including local entrepreneurs, share the lessons they have learned for starting and operating a business. Lab - Students practice and apply what they are learning in group activities and individual work on exercises, scenarios, and assignments. Course Content Learning about entrepreneurship and whether it’s a good fit for you is the focus of the Introduction to Entrepreneurship course. Components include: Developing an awareness of entrepreneurship – What does it take to be a successful entrepreneur? How can you develop the skills, knowledge, and abilities to be a successful