COURSE TITLE: Entrepreneurial Studies

COURSE CODE: BUSI4004

LEVEL: 3

Type of Course: Lecture/Discussion, Seminars,Workshops

CREDIT POINTS: Undergraduate Year 4

Parent Programme: Undergraduate

Date validated: Date modified:

TOTAL STUDENT WORKLOAD: (60hours)

Weekly hours committed to the unit will include 3 hours of formal delivery with students expected to
manage directed learning and independent study in support of the course.

The normal weekly workload will be:

Formal Teaching Sessions 3 hrs
Directed and independent Group Project 2hrs
Duration: 12 weeks

PREREQUISITES:

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This class addresses the unique entrepreneurial experience of conceiving, evaluating, creating, managing,
and potentially selling a business. The goal is to provide a solid background with practical application of
important concepts applicable to entrepreneurial environment. In addition to creative aspects, key
business areas of finance, accounting, marketing, and management will be addressed from an
entrepreneurial perspective. The course relies on classroom discussion, participation, guest speakers, case
analysis, the creation of a feasibility plan, and building a business plan to develop a comprehensive
strategy for launching and managing a business. Students will need to draw upon their business education
and experience, and apply it to the task of launching a new venture. Students are expected to interact with
the business community, advisors, be able to work effectively in teams, and be active participants in
classroom discussions and exercises.

COURSE GOALS

 To develop a well-grounded understanding of creativity surrounding the essential entrepreneurial

business principles, and the important business issues related to growing new and competitive
ventures.
 To identify, appreciate, and assess the knowledge, attitudes, and skills of an entrepreneur.
 To study and observe entrepreneurial settings and entrepreneurial role models through exposure
to actual business owners, settings and experiences.
  To have an awareness of the resources available for creating a business plan.
 To establish a level of confidence in creating a business plan as a tool to assess, create, and
communicate a business concept.

AREAS OF STUDY

TOP

1 Course Overview & Introduction

The Challenge of Entrepreneurship
Inside the Entrepreneurial Mind: From Ideas to Reality

2 Designing a Competitive Business Model and

Building a Solid Strategic Plan
3 Conducting a Feasibility Analysis and
Crafting a Winning Business Plan
4 Forms of Business Ownership
Franchising and the Entrepreneur
Buying an Existing Business
5 Building a Powerful Marketing Plan
E-Commerce and the Entrepreneur(Student responsibility)
Creating a Successful Financial Plan
6 Pricing Strategies
Managing Cash Flow
Sources of Financing: Debt and Equity

7 Choosing the Right Location and Layout

Global Opportunities
Creating a Successful Financial Plan

8 Building a Team and Management Succession

Course Conclusion

9 Business Plan Report

10 Business Plan Presentations

TEACHING AND LEARNING STRATEGY

ASSESSMENT
Class Participation
You will receive credit for active participation in class discussions. This must be evident in at least 50%
of the classes. Class participation provides the opportunity to practice speaking as well as developing
good listening skills. Comments that are disrespectful to others will be evaluated negatively. Non-
participation takes place when the student says little or nothing in class. Hence, he/she has no effect on
the quality of discussions carried out in the class.

Coursework Assignments
These assignments could include individual presentations, interviews with entrepreneurs and case study
assignments. Further details will be provided during the semester.
Group Project: Feasibility Study and Business Concept and Plan Development
One vehicle for acquiring an understanding of the entrepreneurial process is through the preparation of a
start-up business plan. The focus of this experience is to select a concept and create a complete and
persuasive business plan that, among other things, could effectively accomplish the goal of acquiring
financing. Writing a business plan requires you to ask tough questions about the nature of the business.
What are the benefits of your product or service?
What is the target market and how will you penetrate it?
How will you develop and produce the product or service?
What is required from the management team?
What are the risks of the venture and what can you do to reduce them?
What are the financial implications of the plan?
What resources, including funding, are required to successfully create the business plan?
To understand the related entrepreneurial process, students will take a hands-on approach. Working in
teams of three or four people, students will mutually decide upon a concept and develop a feasibility
study. Based on that work, your team then will develop a comprehensive business plan. The primary
objective of your team’s business plan will be to receive funding. Your plan will be prepared in three
phases and your team will present the plan as a written document and present it to the class.
Phase 1: Concept Approval – The initial task of your team is to select and propose a business idea to the
class for approval from the instructors.
Phase 2: The Feasibility Plan – This group experience begins with the creation of a feasibility plan. This
will evolve into a business plan that will be a tool to assist you to put the concepts we have addressed in
class in action. Resources to help you with the plan, including software that can assist you through the
process may be available online. After you propose and select the type of business and begin the process
of assessing its feasibility and potential, the objective is to make this a positive, obtainable, and valuable
experience. Both at the beginning and end of the course, you will conduct a pre- and post-evaluation of
yourself and your team members’ performance based on your experiences.
Phase 3: The Business Plan – The course is designed to provide resources to assist you throughout the
development of the plan. This includes the opportunity to review previous plans as well as viewing video
tapes of presentations. Your team will also be expected to “recruit” a mentor that will be an industry or
subject matter expert to assist your team with the planning process. At the conclusion of the course, you
will have the option of participating in a business ideas competition with the concept you create in this
course. Additional information regarding that opportunity will be provided in class.
The Written Plan: The body of the written business plan should be no more than 25 pages including the
executive summary and all financial statements. The business plan’s financial section will include a
complete set of financial statements (income, balance sheet, cash flow) for the initial three years of the
venture. An assumption list will accompany the statements. Detailed spreadsheets and appendices can
follow the text; however, the total plan should not exceed 40 pages. Plans must include an explanation of
the offering to investors that indicate the investment required, expected ROI, deal structure, marketing
plan, operations plan, and management team description. Potential exit or company sustainability
strategies also must be included. This plan may be created with Business Plan Pro and your team may use
other online resources as well.
Business Plan Presentation: Strong written and oral skills greatly facilitate success in the business world.
Those individuals that can effectively communicate their ideas will have an advantage over those that
cannot. Your team will present your business plan to the class and participate in a business ideas
competition. Additional information will be provided regarding this option.

This course comprises of a series of assignments with final evaluation comprising of an open day and
presentation of business plan.

GRADING
Percentage
Class Participation 10%
Ideas 5%
Entrepreneur Interview 15%

Phase I -
Weighting: 10%
Assessment Type: Concept Approval
Time/Duration:
Special Facilities: None

Phase II -
Weighting: 10%
Assessment Type: Feasibility Analysis
Time/Duration:
Special Facilities: None

Phase III -
Weighting: 25%
Assessment Type: - Complete Plan
Time/Duration:
Special Facilities: None

Final Exam
Assessment Type: - Business Plan Presentation
Time/Duration: 25%
Special Facilities: None
TOTAL 100%

NOTE:
 Class attendance and participation in class discussion is expected and absences will affect your
final grade.
 The due dates for assignments are non-negotiable and no late work will be accepted.
 All assignments are to be professional in appearance and typed.

Grading
90 – 100 A+ 77 – 79 B+ 67 – 69 C+ 55 – 59D+
85 – 89 A 73 – 76 B 63 – 66 C 50 – 54 D
80 – 84 A- 70 – 72 B- 60 – 62 C- 0 – 49 F

ASSESSMENT STRATEGY
Assignment Policy
1. Regular class attendance (at least 80%) is critical to the successful completion of this course.
2. Students are required to participate actively in class discussions and group interaction
3. Except in extreme circumstances (e.g. illness/hospitalization), students are required to take all
concept checks at scheduled times.

4. Plagiarism is NOT allowed. Students are required to credit the source of all materials used for
presentations.

5. Students are advised to refer to ‘Student Information & Regulations Handbook’, The University of
Trinidad and Tobago policy guidelines for more specific details.

REQUIRED READING
1. Essentials of Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management, 5th Edition, Scarborough,
Zimmerer & Wilson. ,Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall Publishing Co., 2008.

Optional Software
Business Plan Pro® by Palo Alto Software
(This software may be included with your text as an optional resource.)
Business Feasibility Analysis by Palo Alto Software
(This software may also be included with your text as an optional resource.)

2. New Venture Creation: Entrepreneurship for the 21st Century, 9/e , Stephen
Spinelli, Robert J. Adams, MC GRAW HILL Publishing , 2012

RECOMMENDED READINGS

Course Author Judith Morrain-Webb

Date 2015

Course Instructor Judith Morrain-Webb

Contact Information 868-642-8888 Ext. 2i440

Email: [email protected]

Availability times in office