Small Business Creation Syllabus
Note: This course code changed from B 283 to BUS 210. You may occasionally see references to the old course code.
Course Description
Welcome to BUS 210: Small Business Creation! This course offers an introductory level overview of the major elements of entrepreneurship and small business management. Course materials, assignments, and projects will facilitate the development and implementation of entrepreneurship skills. 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.
Course Objectives
With the successful completion of course requirements, you should be able to do the following:
- Identify and describe personality traits and practices of entrepreneurs.
- Identify and evaluate personal attributes and skills associated with entrepreneurs and compare them to typical entrepreneurial traits.
- 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.
- Discuss and analyze the process used to select an existing business to purchase and successfully operate.
- Develop practical skills by applying information, principles, and practices to small business situations through case studies and outreach projects.
- Demonstrate influential presentation skills and effective teamwork skills useful in the business environment through team presentations and competitions.
- Demonstrate a passionate spirit of entrepreneurship by examining business possibilities, writing business plans, and executing fundamental entrepreneurial practices.
- Identify the basic elements of a business plan and write a unique business plan for a new business venture.
- Discover entrepreneurs in the community, perform interviews with one, and write about their experiences.
- Discuss how you can become a job creator as an entrepreneur rather than a job taker.
- Create a plan in which you can create wealth and be a social entrepreneur.
Materials
There is no "textbook" for this course; however, in each week there are readings and videos as well as a Harvard Manage Mentor assignment. The Harvard Manage Mentor assignments, readings, and videos serve as the textbook for this course to provide the background and knowledge needed to complete your other assignments, your $100 Challenge project, and become a successful entrepreneur.
Books
Purchase or obtain a copy of each of the following books as soon as possible.
- You will need to purchase/obtain a copy of an entrepreneur book of your choice by the end of Week 01 (from a list of approved books).
- A list of possible books can be found in the course > Student Resources module > Best Entrepreneur Books.
- You must select at least one of these books to read.
- Select one that is of interest to you.
- Many of these books can be acquired through the BYU-I McKay Library or your local library.
- A list of possible books can be found in the course > Student Resources module > Best Entrepreneur Books.
- You will need to purchase/obtain a copy of the book listed by the end of Week 03.
- 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
- This book might be available at your local library. There are a very limited number of copies available at the BYU-I McKay Library.
For books you wish to purchase (instead of checking them out from the library), compare prices for your books 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.
Other Materials
- Webcam and microphone
Projects
Full instructions for major and minor projects are found in the course. Below is an overview of each major project.
$100 Entrepreneur Challenge
Innovation, idea generation, opportunity recognition, and product/market match are all important components of entrepreneurship. In this project, you will identify an opportunity, create a business plan, create a product or service, raise capital, sell the product or service, and liquidate the company. At the conclusion of the challenge, you will create a presentation to share with the class and write a report about your experience.
- There are several parts of this project, each placed strategically in the course to help successfully start, run, and end your business.
- You are limited to a beginning capital of $20 US.
- Your goal is to earn at least $100 of profit from the sale of your product or service.
- Then you will donate the profit from your business to an aspiring entrepreneur (see Kiva.org).
- The three students that bring in the most profit at the end of the semester will receive extra credit.
Interviews
During the semester, you will select an entrepreneur and interview him or her. You will write a report on the things you discussed and learned. There will also be an assignment where you interview a Franchisee and write a report on the things you discussed and learned.
Book Reports
As noted above, you will read two books this semester. After reading each book, you will write a book report to highlight the important topics and ideas presented in the book plus your own insights.
Assignments
Full instructions for all assignments are found in the course. Below is an overview of each recurring assignment, most of which occur on a weekly basis.
Readings and Videos
The readings and videos will provide a conceptual background and foundation for each week. It is important that you study these materials, as they prepare you for successful completion of your assignments and projects.
Case Studies
There will be a series of case studies to read and discuss throughout the semester. For most case study discussions, you will assume the role of the person in the case and participate in a discussion regarding the decisions you would make if you were in that situation.
Harvard Manage Mentor
The readings and exercises from the Harvard Manage Mentor explore common management challenges and solutions for entrepreneurs and business professionals. After studying the material and completing the exercises, take a scenario-based quiz to apply the principles learned as you prepare for leadership roles in your business and entrepreneurial endeavors. These are important activities, because as you recall from above, the HMM exercises (combined with other course readings) serve as the textbook for the course.
Acton Hero
Who inspires you as an entrepreneur? The Acton Hero videos were created by the Acton School of Business to present brief depictions of successful entrepreneurs. Each week you will watch a video of an Acton Hero and write a very brief essay (150 or more words) describing the most important insight you gained from watching an entrepreneur's story. Use these opportunities to identify entrepreneurs who inspire you.
Entrepreneur Journal
Your Entrepreneur Journal is a place where reflection and personal experiences are recorded. This document will also be useful to you after the semester ends as you consider how your learning from this course applies to your situation at a future time. In your weekly entries you should write your thoughts, record lessons learned, and make plans for the future.
Formatting Note
All assignments submitted as a Word document should 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 | 190 |
| Interviews | 110 |
| Book Reports | 100 |
| Case Study Discussions | 60 |
| Harvard Manage Mentor | 70 |
| Acton Hero | 65 |
| Entrepreneur Journal | 130 |
| Other Discussions | 105 |
| Other Quizzes and Assignments | 150 |
| Total | 980 |
All grades are calculated according to the BYU-Idaho grading scale as shown below.
| Percentage Range | Letter Grade |
|---|---|
| 100% – 93% | A |
| 92% – 90% | A- |
| 89% – 87% | B+ |
| 86% – 83% | B |
| 82% – 80% | B- |
| 79% – 77% | C+ |
| 76% – 73% | C |
| 72% – 70% | C- |
| 69% – 67% | D+ |
| 66% – 63% | D |
| 62% – 60% | D- |
| <59% | F |
Due Dates
You will have multiple dues dates each week. In general, reading assignments and initial discussion board posts will be completed early in the week, with the other assignments due by the end of the week. Make sure you are familiar with the course schedule found in I-Learn and that you keep up with your work.
Late Work
As a general policy NO late work will be accepted.
- Start your weekly coursework early. This gives you the opportunity to ask questions before the assignment is due.
- Personal technology issues are not an excuse for late assignments. If there is a system issue, please call the support center (see below) and send an email to your instructor with details of the incident along with a copy of the support ticket.
- If you are unable to submit your work in I-Learn for any reason, please email your instructor with the assignment to avoid consequences of a late submission.
Participation
Stay involved in all group work and course activities. Since not being involved directly affects your learning and that of your classmates, it will result in deductions to your grade.
Time Commitment
The average student can expect to spend at least 3 hours of work per credit hour per week. For example, in this 3-credit course, the average student should expect to spend 9 hours each week to complete course work. If you demand more of yourself or generally take more time than the average student to complete your work, you should reserve additional time in your schedule to complete your assignments and course work.
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. Their contact information can be found on the Student Resources module> Online Support Center page in the course.