Entrepreneurship

Overview

Course description

This course provides students with analytical frameworks for entrepreneurship self-assessment and developing a business strategy. Special attention is given to the practices followed and problems encountered in the challenging process of establishing a business from two mainstream perspectives - store-front and home-based business operations. Topics include: entrepreneurship self-assessment and career preparation, product-market strategies, the evaluation of business opportunities that are relevant to start-up and growth, franchising, and acquisitions.

Course content

Assessing Entrepreneurship Potential
- characteristics and roles of successful entrepreneurs
- self-assessment of entrepreneurial aptitude and skills
- preparation factors
Entrepreneurial Product-Market Strategies
- identifying new idea sources
- evaluation of ideas
- differentiation strategies
- cost-leadership strategies
- market segment focusing
- sales planning and forecasting
Assessing Business Entry Strategies
- organizing a business from start-up
- acquisition of an existing business
- franchising
Assessing Home-based and Store-front Business Operations
- product-market considerations
- regulations and legal requirements
- advantages and disadvantages
Conducting a Feasibility Study
- technical and market assessment
- cost and profitability assessment
- evaluating attainment of financing
Business Planning - the "Big Picture"

Learning activities

Lectures, seminar discussions, feedback instruments, case study analysis, role playing, guest lectures on specific topics relevant to entrepreneurship.

Means of assessment

Midterm Examination	20%
Case Studies	20%
Group Project	20%
Final Examination	30%
Participation	10%
	100%

Learning outcomes

Entrepreneurship

The student will be able to:

describe the importance of entrepreneurship, including its advantages and disadvantages;
describe the different roles performed by entrepreneurs;
evaluate his/her level of interest in, and aptitude for, becoming involved in business ownership;
identify the preparatory factors that are critical for an entrepreneurial career.

Business Opportunities

The student will be able to:

outline various product-market strategies that are important to market entry and the creation of profit margins;
evaluate a start-up and growth business opportunity;
evaluate a franchising opportunity;
evaluate a small business opportunity as a possible acquisition;
identify the opportunities that are best suited to home-based and store-front business operations;
evaluate situational factors vital to a home-based business operation.

Textbook materials

Textbooks and Materials to be Purchased by Students

Good, Walter S. Building a Dream, Latest Ed. McGraw-Hill Ryerson Limited 1997

Province of British Columbia, Ministry of Small Business, Tourism and Culture.

Exploring Business Opportunities Latest Ed.

Province of British Columbia, Ministry of Small Business, Tourism and Culture.

Home-Based Business, Latest Ed.

Requisites

Prerequisites

No prerequisite courses.

Corequisites

No corequisite courses.

Equivalencies

No equivalent courses.

Course Guidelines

Course Guidelines for previous years are viewable by selecting the version desired. If you took this course and do not see a listing for the starting semester / year of the course, consider the previous version as the applicable version.

January 2009 (Current)