Week 1 learning activities
Learning Activity #1
Discuss how
creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship are related?
And, do you think creativity can be taught?
Post your response and give a minimum of 2 feedback to your
classmates’ postings
Learning Activity #2
Tips for Avoiding Common Startup Mistakes
Watch the video below and summarize in one paragraph 2 of
the common start up mistakes and how to avoid them.
Week 2 learning activities
Learning Activity #1
Legal form (i.e sole proprietorship, partnership etc.) is an
important aspect to organizational structure. Present a legal form for a
venture type and explain your choice. Give example(s) to support your choice
and why it is appropriate choice.
Comment on 2 of your classmates’ postings
Learning Activity #2
a. Explain how personal conflict can affect partnership and
how conflict can be managed effectively?
b. Watch this video on “Business Structures: How To
Choose The Right Legal Structure For Your Business”
Week 3 learning activities
Learning Activity #1
All businesses have to face the uncertainty of market
forces. Find a current news story about how a market force is affecting a
business and discuss the potential impact, how the business can/is responding
and your thoughts on the situation, especially how organizations can
effectively manage the risks of market forces and uncertainty. Provide minimum of 2 comments/feedback to your
classmates posts.
Learning Activity #2
Please watch the video below and provide your comment.
Using Porter’s 5 Forces to Analyze Your Small Business
Week 4 learning activities
Learning Activity #1
Discuss your understanding of a business plan and why every
entrepreneur should create one?
For your chosen/hypothetical venture, name and explain two
essential elements (i.e Marketing Strategy, Management Team, Products and
Services description etc) that will be presented in your business plan?
Post your response and comment on two of your classmates.
Learning Activity #2
Watch the videos below and provide your comments
1. SBA Business Plan Webinar – Parts 1 through 8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tEL_l7klIY8
2. The Simple Truths of Service – Differentiation
http://www.stservicemovie.com/
Week 5 learning activities
Startup Financing:
Small business financing is a critical issue in the market
today; do some research and help us understand why it is so difficult for
entrepreneurs to access the funding they need to start a business.
Share at least one source (current/recent article) that
addresses this issue.
Learning Activity #2
VIDEO: 10 Ways to Finance and Start a Business – Brian Tracy
One of the key
questions that first-time business owners ask is how to finance a business.
Watch this video to learn the 10 best and most common ways to help finance your
business, whether it is for a small business or a big company. Provide a 1-2
paragraph summary of the video.
Web link to video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmyrCLJGTtE
Week 6 learning activities
Learning Activity #1
a. Franchising
continues to be a popular choice for individuals to become small business
owners. After reviewing the information in this week’s reading and doing some
online research, provide a list of at least three pros and three cons to going
the franchise route versus starting the same business on your own. Be sure to
list any sources you use.
b. Discuss why some Franchisees are successful and other do
not?
Learning Activity #2
Advantages and Disadvantages of Buying a Business by Bill
Bartmann
Summarize what you learn from the video in a short
paragraph?
Week 7 learning activities
Learning Activity #1
The world economy is
continuing to transform itself into a mosaic of humanity. New business ventures
must consider diversity in all aspects of formation, development and growth.
The research on the impact of being deliberate in creating and sustaining a
diverse company is pointing to increased impact and performances. Search for a
story or research on the diversity and how it relates to entrepreneurship and
new venture development. Comment on at least two other classmates’ postings
Learning Activity #2
Discuss what factors an entrepreneur should consider when
evaluating a region in which to locate a business? Where are such data
available? Post a response and comment on at least one of your classmates post
Week 8 learning activities
Learning Activity #1
Share your thoughts on this course and what you’ve learned,
specifically how it might help you in developing your start-up business/growing
your existing business. Failure to post this week will result in a zero for
participation.
Assignment 1:
Informational Interview (Informational Interview
The informational interview involves meeting and
interviewing an entrepreneur, business owner, or financial professional to
gather information. You should not wait until the due date to prepare, asmeetings
may be difficult to arrange at short notice. If your work schedule inhibits
such preparation, you may conduct the interview by telephone or via
online/e-mail format.
Required Elements to include in the Informational Interview
Write Up:
Students are responsible for developing questions that will
garner the
responses necessary to address the key elements of the
assignment.
Include all of the following elements in your interview
report:
Provide a brief description of the business which includes the
business form the nature of the business, how many years in
business,
and whether the business is local in nature, national, or
international in scope;
Why did the person decide to go into business, and what was
the
biggest obstacle they had to overcome in the early stages of
the
business;
Did the owner develop a Business Plan before starting the
business,
why or why not;
Discuss what makes the business unique and different from
its
competition and what is its value proposition;
Does the company have a clearly defined strategy, what do
you believe it is;
Discuss the owners marketing and sales strategy for gaining
and
maintaining new business opportunities;
What core business functions if any did the business decide
to
outsource and why;
Discuss the hiring process and the core values that have
been
established for the organization;
Discuss the financial management tools and metrics that the
business
owner depends on too manage growth and profitability;
Discuss keys to success, from the owner’s perspective;
What the person would do differently if he/she had it to do
all over again.
Critically assess the current status of the business based
on concepts
presented in class.
What would you say is the future for this
business? Would you invest in this business? Why or why not?
Interview questions must be included as an addendum to the
assignment;
however, these should not be counted toward the length
requirement of
the paper.
Required Formatting of Informational Interview Report:
This report should be double spaced, 12-point font, and
three to five
pages in length excluding the title page and reference page;
Title page;
· · Introductory paragraph and a summary
paragraph;
· · Use headings;
· ·
Write in the third person;
· · Use APA formatting for in-text citations and
a reference
page. You are
expected to paraphrase and not use quotes. Deductions
will be taken when quotes are used and found to be
unnecessary;
· · Submit the paper in the Assignment Folder.
Assignment 2: Case
Study
SarasSarasvathy’s Full Case Study & Questions
Part 1 of this assignment involves identifying the market
for this product. Utilizing the five questions that are provided under Problem
1: Identifying the market as a guide, prepare a 1 page assessment of how you
will determine the market for this product and the factors that must be
considered in identifying the ideal customer for this product. Based upon the information that you have
gathered from this case, discuss what makes this product unique and different.
Part 2 of the assignment involves evaluating the results of
the survey for the 3 focus groups that were presented under Problem 2: Defining
the market. Prepare a 2 page assessment of the results of the survey. Discuss
the key factors that must be considered in determining which customer base the
business should target. Discuss the pros and cons of focusing specifically on
each of the focus groups as potential customers. Discuss the critical decisions the business
must make in the process of determining the focus group that is the best fit
for the company in its initial roll-out.
Part 3 of this assignment involves evaluating the
competition and making a decision on the business model that the company should
choose to bring this product to market. Utilizing the 3 questions that were
provided in the Competition section as a guide, prepare a 2 page recommendation
on how this productshould be brought to the market. Discuss the factors that
were considered in making the final decision.
Required Formatting of Case Study Report:
This report should be double spaced, 12-point font, and
three to five pages in length excluding the title page and reference page;
Title page;
Introductory paragraph and a summary paragraph;
Use headings;
Write in the third person;
Use APA formatting for in-text citations and a reference
page. You are expected to paraphrase and
not use quotes. Deductions will be taken when quotes are used and found to be
unnecessary;
ASSIGNMENT 3: PART ONE – BUSINESS PLAN REVIEW
INSTRUCTIONS
Business Plan
The final project requires you to develop a comprehensive
business plan. This plan should be a working document on how to establish or
acquire and operate a business venture.
Required Elements to include in the Business Plan:
Cover all basic matters, including a description of the
business and products/services to be offered, identification of target markets,
and analysis of competition. The project will consist of a completed business
plan for your real or imaginary business venture. Although there are different
types of enterprises, there are commonalities among all. These should be
reflected in the following sections:
For Assignment 3 Part One of the Business Plan complete the
following items. These items will be included in Assignment 3 Part Two of the
complete Business Plan.
Ø introductory letter
Ø executive summary
Ø statement of objectives
Ø background
Ø technical description of product/service
Ø marketing strategy
Ø market data
Ø selling tactics
Grading will be based on content, comprehensiveness,
organization, packaging, grammar, mechanics, and timely submission.
You may consult with fellow students, use outside sources,
or discuss portions of the project in detail with instructor
The final paper, however, must be your original work.
Required Formatting of Paper:
Must be typewritten and neatly packaged in a form
presentable to a financial institution or investor.
As some businesses are more complex, no specified number of
pages is required. The key is to ensure that all critical portions of the plan
are covered in sufficient detail to portray in-depth thought and effort. Some
areas may not apply to all businesses.
Financial statements are important, and you are expected to
provide pro forma balance sheets, income statements, break-even analyses, and
cash flow projections.
You should decide early in the course what type of business
the plan will involve, as high-quality plans cannot be developed in a short
time.
You should get an early start to perform the research and to
prepare a paper that covers all aspects of a business plan.
Your business plans must be submitted on the date indicated
in the course schedule to be eligible for full credit. Plans received after the
due date will only be eligible for full credit if the reason for lateness is
based on an emergency or otherwise approved by instructor before the due date.
part 2
Business Plan
The final project requires you to develop a comprehensive
business plan. This plan should be a working document on how to establish or
acquire and operate a business venture.
Required Elements to include in the Business Plan:
Cover all basic matters, including a description of the
business and products/services to be offered, identification of target markets,
and analysis of competition. The project will consist of a completed business
plan for your real or imaginary business venture. Although there are different
types of enterprises, there are commonalities among all. These should be
reflected in the following sections:
Ø introductory letter
Ø executive summary
Ø statement of objectives
Ø background
Ø technical description of product/service
Ø marketing strategy
Ø market data
Ø selling tactics
Ø operations plan
Ø financial data
Ø management plan
Ø human resources plan
Ø conclusions
Grading will be based on content, comprehensiveness,
organization, packaging, grammar, mechanics, and timely submission.
You may consult with fellow students, use outside sources,
or discuss portions of the project in detail with instructor
The final paper, however, must be your original work.
Required Formatting of Paper:
Must be typewritten and neatly packaged in a form
presentable to a financial institution or investor.
As some businesses are more complex, no specified number of
pages is required. The key is to ensure that all critical portions of the plan
are covered in sufficient detail to portray in-depth thought and effort. Some
areas may not apply to all businesses.
Financial statements are important, and you are expected to
provide pro forma balance sheets, income statements, break-even analyses, and
cash flow projections.
sYou should decide early in the course what type of business
the plan will involve, as high-quality plans cannot be developed in a short
time.
You should get an early start to perform the research and to
prepare a paper that covers all aspects of a business plan.
Your business plans must be submitted on the date indicated
in the course schedule to be eligible for full credit. Plans received after the
due date will only be eligible for full credit if the reason for lateness is
based on an emergency or otherwise approved by instructor before the due date.
