The Entrepreneurial Experience

Class Purpose:

The purpose of this course is to introduce you to entrepreneurship as a process of creating something new that has economic value to others. We will examine entrepreneurship from the vantage point of history, society, and the individual. Most importantly, I hope to expand your awareness of entrepreneurship as a career option.

This course has a substantial communications component. Entrepreneurial ideas are useless without the ability to communicate them clearly and concisely. Our focus will be on written communication. At the end of this course, you will have been exposed to the fundamentals of business writing and learned to edit your own writing for conciseness, logical flow, and clarity.

Textbook:

Kuratko & Hodgetts. Entrepreneurship: A Contemporary Approach. 6^th Edition. Fort Worth: The Dryden Press.

The textbook is available in the WSU bookstore.

The Syllabus:

This syllabus is designed to be a rough guideline for the course. As we go along, I will be updating the web site to reflect changes in scheduling, readings, etc. PowerPoint slides used for class will usually be available on line two or so days before class. It is your responsibility to get notes from a classmate in those rare events when you are not in attendance yourself. Please do not ask me what we covered until you have secured notes from said classmate. I am happy to help you with any questions you have when you have to miss, but it becomes unreasonably burdensome when I have to repeat class content.

My preferred mode of communication is e-mail. Please attempt to contact me that way first. Since I usually check my e-mail multiple times a day during the week, this method seems to work much better than playing phone tag. However, should the need arise, feel free to call me at the office. Please reserve my home phone for emergencies only – it is listed in the phone book.

Supplemental Material

I will often distribute class materials on Bb. They may include PowerPoint slides, some Mind Maps^® of your textbook chapters, and pictures of your classmates. These materials are just as much a part of our class requirements as textbook readings or class discussions. Please stay current.

Grading:

The following table explains my interpretation of each letter grade:

A	90-100 % of possible points		You dazzled me. I wept. All my suggestions for completing this assignment were taken seriously and a genuine attempt was made to avoid mediocrity. I would be proud to show this work to others.
B	80-89 % of possible points		Solid job, but lacked sizzle. Assignment was completed on time. Some parts were not developed fully. The work is good, but not great.
C	70-79 % of possible points		I had to stifle a yawn while reading the assignment (or listening to the presentation). Significant portions of the assignment were missing or incomplete. Clearly, this could have used more effort and caring.
D	60-69 % of possible points		I became angry that you had wasted my valuable time. Big gaps in the assignment or exam made it extremely hard to follow and it was obvious that this class was an afterthought.
F	Below 59 % of possible points		I wept, but they were not tears of joy. You just plain did not try.

General Rules:

While I find that most students are eager to contribute to an atmosphere of learning, I do have a few guidelines upon which I insist:

1. Please do not be late for class. It is very disrupting to have students coming into class after we have started. If you have a schedule conflict that regularly prevents you from being punctual, please see me.

2. If you need to miss class for some legitimate reason, please do not contact me to find out what we did, or are going to do. You should contact a classmate to find out what we covered. Oh, and please do not call to find out if it is “OK” to miss class.

3. Attendance is your decision, but I am disinclined to extend extra help in cases where absenteeism is a problem. In my view, absenteeism starts to be a problem when you miss more than one or two classes per semester.

4. Late papers, assignments, projects, etc. will not be accepted at all except for pre-arranged medical, family emergency, and University-sanctioned reasons (sports, etc.) Since I only accept papers and assignments electronically, the time stamp in the Digital Drop Box is the final arbiter of your turn in time.

5. I recognize that you may not always agree with my assessment of your performance on an assignment or exam. If you can provide well-reasoned and articulate arguments that I have missed something, I will reconsider your grade. Keep in mind that I will do so “from scratch.” Your grade could go up or it could go down.

6. “I need this grade for my scholarship, GPA, parents, employer, etc.” are not valid reasons for me to reconsider my assessment of your work. In fact, this is one that sends me into a maniacal rage. Please come to me with reasons that you deserve a higher grade, not that you need it.

Academic Honesty:

“A standard of honesty, fairly applied to all students, is essential to a learning environment. Students abridging a standard of honesty must accept the consequences; penalties are assessed by appropriate classroom instructors or other designated people. Serious cases may result in discipline at the college or University level and may result in suspension or dismissal. Dismissal from a college for academic dishonesty constitutes dismissal from the University.” (WSU Student Handbook)

Special Needs:

ADA: If you have a physical, psychiatric/emotional, medical, or learning disability that may impact on your ability to carry out assigned course work, you are encouraged to contact the Office of Disability Services (DS). The office is located in Grace Wilkie Annex Room 173. (Voice phone # is 978-3309; tty phone # is 978-3067). DS will review your concerns and determine, with you, what accommodations are necessary and appropriate for you. All information and documentation of your disability is confidential and will not be released by DS without your written permission.

Point Values:

Item	Total Points Possible
Exam 1 (online)	15
Exam 2 (online)	15
Exam 3 (online)	15
Final Exam (cumulative)	25
Case Write Up	20
$25 Business documents and surveys	10
Total	100
Extra Credit Opportunity (To Be Announced)	2

MASTER CLASS SCHEDULE

(Note: This schedule may be revised as the semester progresses.)

Date	Subject	Readings	Assignments Due
Aug. 21	Course introduction	Blackboard Tutorial	Pictures taken in class.
Aug. 26	Economics, Society, and Entrepreneurship $25 Business Instructions	K&H Chapter 1	Profile information due (Bb). REQUIRED Read CommunityWeb.com Case
Aug. 28	The Internet E-ship in the Corporation	K&H Chapter 2-3
Sept. 2	How to write a case analysis		Start $25 Business
Sept. 4	The Individual Entrepreneur	K&H Chapter 4
Sept. 9	Your entrepreneurial goals		1ST $25 SURVEY DUE WEEK 1 SURVEYS DUE October Sky: In Class Movie
Sept. 11	Creativity and Innovation	K&H Chapter 5	October Sky (cont.)
Sept. 16	Creativity Exercises		WEEK 2 SURVEYS DUE
Sept. 18			Exam 1 (online)
Sept. 23	How to give a presentation		WEEK 3 SURVEYS DUE
Sept. 25	Environmental Assessment	K&H Chapter 7	Read Sportin’ Life Case
Sept. 30	Marketing Research	K&H Chapter 8	WEEK 4 SURVEYS DUE
Oct. 2	NO CLASS
Oct. 7	Financial Preparation	K&H Chapter 9	WEEK 5 SURVEYS DUE
Oct. 9
Oct. 14			WEEK 6 SURVEYS DUE
Oct. 16
Oct. 23	The Business Plan	K&H Chapter 10	WEEK 7 SURVEYS DUE
Oct. 28			Exam 2 (online)
Oct. 30			WEEK 8 SURVEYS DUE
Nov. 4	Entrepreneurial Opportunities	K&H Chapter 11
Nov. 6	Legal Forms of Organization	K&H Chapter 12	LAST $25 SURVEY DUE
Nov. 11
Nov. 13	Other Legal Issues	K&H Chapter 13	Read Playboy Emblem Case
Nov. 18
Nov. 20	Acquiring Capital	K&H Chapter 14