Syllabus

Course Structure

Course Description

This course offers an introductory level overview of the major elements of entrepreneurship and small business management. This course is especially good for students who plan to launch a business while going to school or plan to have their own business in the future.

A number of assignments will be completed throughout the semester, all of which will focus on successful implementation of Entrepreneurship.Several readings, videos, writing assignments, andprojects will facilitate the development of Entrepreneurship skills.

The course is split up into 6 units. Each unit will focus on a different area of entrepreneurship. Each unit will contain 2-3 lessons. Each lesson represents ONE week in the course. For example the first unit in the course is titled "What is an Entrepreneur." Within that unit you will find the Introduction Lesson: Dream Big, and Lesson 1: Entrepreneur Resources. Each of these Lessons represent 1 week in the course.

You will have multiple dues dates each week. In general reading assignments and initial discussion board posts will be due on Tuesdays, quizzes will be due on Fridays, and the majority of other assignments will be due on Mondays. Make sure that you are familiar with the course schedule found in I-Learn and that you keep up with your work.

Course Objectives

With the successful completion of course requirements, the student will be able to do the following:

  1. Identify and describe personality traits and practices of entrepreneurs.

  2. Identify and evaluate personal attributes and skills associated with entrepreneurs and compare them to typical entrepreneurial traits.

  3. Discuss and analyze the process used to establish and operate a new business venture that originated from a business idea, franchise, or family-owned business.
  4. Discuss and analyze the process used to select an existing business to purchase and successfully operate.
  5. Develop practical skills by applying information, principles, and practices to small business situations through case studies and outreach projects.
  6. Demonstrate influential presentation skills and effective teamwork skills useful in the business environment through team presentations and competitions.
  7. Demonstrate a passionate spirit of entrepreneurship by examining business possibilities, writing business plans, and executing fundamental entrepreneurial practices.
  8. Identify the basic elements of a business plan and write a unique business plan for a new business venture.
  9. Discover entrepreneurs in the community, perform interviews with one, and write about their experiences.
  10. Discuss how you can become a job creator as an entrepreneur rather than a job taker.
  11. Create a plan in which you can create wealth and be a social entrepreneur.

Course Requirements

Supplemental Text

There is no "Textbook" for this course; however, in each lesson there are readings and videos as well as a Harvard Manage Mentor assignment. The Harvard Manage Mentor assignments and the readings and videos serve as the textbook for this course. These readings will give you thebackground an d knowledge in order to complete your other assignments, complete your $100 Challenge project, and become a successful entrepreneur.

You will also need to purchase and read the following book before Lesson 08 of the semester.

The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It

3rd Edition, by Michael E. Gerber, Published by Harper Collins ISBN-10:0887307280 ISBN-13:978-0887307287

You will also need to purchase and read one other book before Lesson 02 of the semester. A list of possible books can be found in I-Learn by going to the "Course" folder, and then clicking on the"Projects" folder. In the projects folder you will find a list of Best Entrepreneur Books that you can select from. You must select at least one of these books to read. Many of these books can be acquired through the Library.

Compare prices for your textbooks through the University Store Price Comparison site. They will show you all of the options from the University Store plus several online options to help you find the best price.

Materials

Policies

Projects and Grading

Throughout the semester there will be several projects and assignments that you will be working on. A list of your major projects and assignments ar e listed below. There will also be other smaller assignments throughout the semester that you will be required to complete. Full descriptions and instructions for each are i n the course project folder.

$100.00 Entrepreneur Challenge

Innovation, idea generation, opportunity recognition, and product/market match are all important components of entrepreneurship. You will have 1 week to identify an opportunity, 1 week to create a business plan, and then 8 weeks to create a product or service, raise capital, sell the product or service, and liquidate the company. After the challenge is over you will have 1 week to create a presentation to share with the class, and one week to write a report about your experience. Your goal is to earn at least $100.00 at the end of the challenge from the sale of your product or service. Then you donate the profit from your business to an aspiring Entrepreneur (see Kiva.org). You are limited to a beginning capital of $20.00. The three students that bring in the most profit at the end of the semester will receive extra credit. The student with the most profits will receive 15 points of extra credit, the second place student will receive 10 points, and the third place student will receive 5 points of extra credit. This Entrepreneur Research Project is separated into 6 parts. Please look at the due dates listed below:

Part 1 Due Monday Intro Lesson, see Calendar for times

Part 2 Due Monday Lesson 02, see Calendar for times

Part 3 Due Monday Lesson 03, see Calendar for times

Part 4 Due Monday Lesson 10, see Calendar for times

Part 5 Due Monday Lesson 12, see Calendar for times

Part 6 Due Friday Conclusion Lesson, see Calendar for times

Interview

During the semester, you will select an Entrepreneur and interview them. A report will be written on the things that you have discussed and learned. Find someone that interests you. No relatives or BYU-I employees will be allowed. There will also be an assignment where you interview a Franchisee.

Entrepreneur Journal

The Entrepreneur Journal is a place where reflection and personal experiences can be recorded for future use. Write what you want, record lessons learned, and make plans for the future. You will need to submit a copy of your entries to your instructor each week.

Acton Hero

The Acton Hero is a brief story of a successful entrepreneur that was put together by the people at the Acton MBA program. Each week you will watch and read about an Acton Hero and write one paragraph (150 or more words) about the most important insight that you have learned.

Case Studies

There will be a series of case study assignments throughout the semester. Your instructor will post a few questions on a discussion board that you need to answer. Then a discussion will take place where you can share the decisions you would make it you were the person in the case.

Harvard Manage Mentor

Many of the lessons will contain readings and exercises from a great Harvard business resource called Harvard Manage Mentor. After studying the material each week, you will take a quiz that will ask you questions based on a given scenario. These quizzes will help you to apply the principles learned while studying the HMM. The HMM and other readings serve as the textbook for the course.

Other Readings and Videos

Each week there will be several readings with corresponding assignments that you will need to complete. These readings will provide a background and foundation that will be needed for the materials covered each week. It is important that you carefully read and complete the associated activities, as they will help you to be successful in your other assignments and projects.

Book Reports

Throughout the semester you will read two books and write a book report for each. You will be required to read E-Myth Revisited, and one other book of your choice. You will choose your book from a list of "Best Entrepreneur Books" found in Content/Resources in I-Learn. Some of the books are available in electronic format from the BYU-Idaho library. See the Library Reference page in the Resources folder in I-Learn to see the list of books available in electronic format.

Your first book (student choice book) must be read by the end of Lesson 02, and the book report is due the following Tuesday of Lesson 03. It is recommended that you choose which book that you want to read and locate a copy of it as soon as possible.

You will also read the book E-Myth Revisited and write a book report by the end of Lesson 08. You will begin reading this book in Lesson 02. Each week you will find a list of recommended chapters that you should read to help you keep up with the reading. It is recommended that you locate a copy of E-Myth as soon as possible so you don't get behind in your reading.

Note

All papers submitted as a Word document need to be double-spaced, 12 point, Times New Roman Font, with the margins set to 1 inch on all sides.

Grading

The grading categories and points for the course are as follows:

$100 Entrepreneur Challenge 230
Entrepreneur Journal 140
Book Reports 100
Quizzes 100
Teach One Another Discussions 100
Case Studies 80
Harvard Manage Mentor 80
Interview with an Entrepreneur 70
Acton Hero 60
Learning Preparation 50
Total 1010

All grades are calculated according to the BYU-Idaho grading scale as shown below.

93-100% = A 80-82% = B 67-69% = D+

90-92% = A- 77-79% = C+ 63-66% = D

87-89% = B+ 73-76% = C 60-62% = D-

83-86% = B 70-72% = C- <59% = F

Late Work

This is not a move at your own pace course. There are weekly deadlines and due dates that you will be expected to keep up on. As a general policy NO late work will be accepted.

Attendance/Participation

Stay involved in all group work and class activities. Not being involved directly affects your classmates and will cause deductions to your grade.

Time Commitment

The online class policy is that for every credit hour, you should expect to spend 3 hours of work per week. For example, in a 3-credit course, there would be 9 hours of work each week. For this class, you should plan on spending about 9 hours per week.

Resources

Online Support Center

The Online Support Center (OSC) is designed to help any students taking online courses at BYU-Idaho. If you have questions about any online course or any feedback concerning online courses, instructors, or your online learning experience please contact the OSC.

OSC Contact Information

Phone: 208-496-1800

Toll Free Phone: 866-672-2984

Text Messaging: 208-557-4142

Email: onlinelearning@byui.edu

Live Chat: Click Here

Website: https://www.byui.edu/online/online-support-center

Hours: Monday-Friday, 7 AM - 7 PM, MST