Course
Information
Entrepreneurship in Creative Enterprises
Course Number: 93-711 Semester Credit Hours: 6
Mini 3, Spring, 2016
Thursday 6:00 – 8:50pm, Room 1004 Hamburg Hall
Instructor: Len Caric
Instructor
Information
Cell Phone:
Home Phone:
E-mail:
Course
Description
This course is an introduction to the characteristics of an entrepreneur. The course will include discovery of
the characteristics of a successful venture and discussion on the aspects of failure. By reviewing the for-profit
model, it will become apparent how this model can be successfully applied to the non-profit world. The proper
identification of opportunity and avoidance of threats will allow the enterprise to win.
724-309-3094
412-856-6237
len@lencaric.com
The class will focus on what are the qualities and characteristics of an Entrepreneur and what it takes to be
successful in an entrepreneurial venture. Class exercises, lectures and guest speakers will focus the students
on preparing a case for a launch of a business or project. The class will study the start-up of businesses in
technology, entertainment, traditional and franchising industries.
Learning/
Course
Objectives*
The class will cover the basics needed for innovation and building a new venture or initiative from scratch
either inside an existing organization or as a new start-up. The course assumes no prior knowledge of
business or entrepreneurship. By the end of the course, students should be expected to:
Learning Objective
Understand and develop the
entrepreneurial frame of mind
How Assessed
In-Class Exercises/ Entrepreneur Interview
Understand the elements needed to create
an enterprise or successful project
Entrepreneur Interview, Team Pitch
Plan, raise money and successfully grow a
venture
Team Final Presentation & Written Business
Plan
1.
2.
3.
The entrepreneurial frame of mind: Entrepreneurs are people who create something from nothing.
It is all about creativity and drive. Entrepreneurs are not necessarily the inventor of something
unique, so much as they are the exploiter of an opportunity. This course explores the ability to
think creatively within a business frame of mind. The course focuses on bringing new ideas to
market. It will instill an appreciation of the characteristics and motivations of entrepreneurs and
intrapreneurs. The course also addresses the importance of acting responsible and ethical while
pursuing a business opportunity.
The needs of a new business or project: Starting something new is no easy task. This course
outlines the basic guidelines of how to distinguish between an idea and an opportunity, how to
understand the market, how to analyze the competition, how to enter the market, how to build a
team, how to create financial projections and how to establish metrics.
Successfully launch: Students will learn how to write a business plan, seek and ask for funding
and launch a new business or project
Course
Requirements
Evaluation will be based on your ability to understand the theoretical aspects of entrepreneurship through
textbook reading, classroom lecture, discussion, in-class exercises and team projects. The evaluation will
take place in the form of papers and presentations. The practical aspect of the course will be developed
through your interaction with someone successful in the business world and guest speakers. This evaluation
will take place in the form of a written paper. The final assessment of the class will be a presentation by teams
on a new venture or project.
Attendance
The interactive and accelerated nature of the mini curriculum makes your presence in class an essential
prerequisite of the learning process. Because it is a basic requirement, no credit is given for attendance. Points
will be deducted for each full absence. No absences are excused and no explanation to me is necessary, if
you are not here you cannot participate. Even if absent, all work must still be submitted on time to avoid
penalty. At my discretion, partial deduction may be made for those who are significantly late in arriving or
who leave early.
Assignments
There is one assignment that is done individually: Entrepreneur Interview (35 points). There are two
assignments done as a member of a team: Initial Pitch (10 points), and Final Presentation (40 points).
Assignments submitted after the due dates will be marked down a letter grade.
The focus of the grading will be divided in the following areas:
Entrepreneur Interview
Team Initial Pitch
Team Final Presentation & Business Plan
Class Participation
Class
Participation
Rubric
35 points
10 points
40 points
15 points
Keep in mind that missing class or being late or leaving early does not allow you to participate and therefore
will adversely affect your grade for class participation. On the other hand, just showing up does not fulfill
class participation. This means active participation in class discussions, questions for class or outside
presenters and being a part of group presentations. Effective communication is paramount in your career.
Class participation can include your General Attitude, Communication Skills, Organizational Skills and
Creativity and Innovativeness. The industry is a collaborative medium and in order to be successful you will
need to have the ability to think on your feet, present your ideas articulately and succinctly and contribute to
group brainstorming sessions. You will also need to give and receive critiques with diplomacy and grace.
My assessment of you will be a reflection of all of these aspects of participation in addition to professional
presentation, enthusiasm, improvement throughout the course and punctuality.
Frequency
and
Quality
A Grade
B Grade
C Grade
D/R Grade
Attends class regularly
and always contributes to
the discussion by raising
thoughtful questions,
analyzing relevant issues,
building on others’ ideas,
synthesizing across
readings and discussions,
expanding the class’
perspective, and
appropriately challenging
assumptions and
perspectives
Attends class
regularly and
sometimes
contributes to the
discussion in the
aforementioned
ways.
Attends class
regularly but
rarely
contributes to the
discussion in the
aforementioned
ways.
Attends class
regularly but
never
contributes to
the discussion
in the
aforementioned
ways.
Grading Scale*
Course
Materials
(Required
Text)
Recommended
Books
A+
99.0-100%
Exceptional
A
94.0-98.9%
Excellent
A-
91.0-93.9%
Very Good
B+
88.0-90.9%
Good
B
84.0-87.9%
Acceptable
B-
81.0-83.9%
Fair
C+
78.0-80.9%
Poor
C
74.0-77.9%
Very Poor
C-
71.0-73.9%
Minimum Passing
R
below 71 pts (< 71%)
Failing
Art of the Start Guy Kawasaki ISBN 1-59184-056-2
Shaking the Money Tree by Morrie Warshawski ISBN 978-1-932907-66-7
Documentary Story Telling for Video and Filmmakers by Sheila Curran Bernard
A Killer Life by Christine Vachon
Think & Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill
How To Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
Class Schedule
Course
Outline:*
Date
01-14-16
Topics / Assignments (in bold)
Class Overview
Entrepreneurial Characteristics
The Pitch
Read Art of the Start for next class
01-21-16
Planning
Guest Speaker
Pitch Presentations Due
01-28-16
Creating a Business Plan
Read Shaking the Money Tree for next class
02-04-16
Creating a Media Project Plan
Sales 101
Watch Film “Living in Oblivion” for next class
02-11-16
Employees
Entrepreneurial Characteristics
Guest Speaker
Entrepreneur Interview Paper Due
02-18-16
The “Ask”
Starting the venture
Sustaining the venture
02-25-16
Plagiarism and
cheating
notice*
Final: New Venture Team Presentations
Plagiarism and other forms of academic misrepresentation are viewed as extremely serious matters. Misrepr
esentation of another’s work as one’s own is widely recognized as among the most serious violation.
The violation is clearly flagrant when it occurs as plagiarism on a required paper or as cheating on an exami
nation, including take‐home as well as in class examinations.
The punishment for such offenses can involve expulsion from the MEIM Program and Heinz School.
Cheating includes, but is not limited to:
1. Plagiarism (explained below);
2. Submission of work that is not the student’s own;
3. Submission or use of falsified data;
4. Unauthorized access to an exam or assignment;
5. Use of a stand‐in for an exam;
6.Use of unauthorized material in the preparation of an assignment or during an examination;
7.Supplying or communicating unauthorized information to another student for use in an assignment or exa
m
8.Unauthorized collaboration on an assignment. Collaboration must be explicitly permitted by an instructor
for it to be considered authorized.
9. Submission of the same work for credit in more than one course.
Plagiarism is the failure to indicate the source of work either with quotation marks or footnotes. The source
can be a phrase, a graphic element, a proof, specific language, or an idea derived from the work of another p
erson. Note that material on the web is another person’s work and is therefore equally subject to the rules o
n plagiarism and cheating as any other source material.
Cheating and/or plagiarism on an essay assignment will result in a failing grade (0 points) for that
assignment. The essay in which the cheating occurs will not be excluded from the offending
student’s assignments included in grade calculations; the points for that essay zero (0) will be factored
into the grade. Furthermore, the cheating student’s final grade will be reduced one full letter grade.
A cheating student’s final grade will be impacted significantly. In addition, cases of cheating and plagiaris
m will be submitted to and reviewed by the Dean’s Office; more severe penalties may be imposed, up to an
d including expulsion from the Heinz School.
Academic Dishonesty: Students are expected to maintain the highest ethical standards inside and outside the
classroom. Cheating on exams and term papers (i.e. plagiarism and unauthorized collaboration) is obviously
discouraged and will be treated appropriately. The usual penalty for violations is a failing grade for the
particular assignment in question; however, in some instances, such actions may result in a failing grade for
the course.
Course Policies
& Expectations
•
If you have a disability, which may require consideration by the instructor, you should contact the
Disability Resource Services at access@andrew.cmu.edu or call 412-268-2013. This should be
accomplished no later than the second class meeting. If you need accommodations for successful
participation in class activities prior to assistance, you should offer information in writing, which includes
suggestions for assistance in participating in and completing class assignments. It is not necessary to
disclose the nature of your disability.
•
Please turn off all cellular phones at the beginning of class. Texting, e-mailing, checking social media or
calls during class will not be tolerated. If you take calls, e-mail, deal with social media or text during
class or use your phone in any way, you will be asked to leave the class. Laptop computers and tablets
are only to be used for purposes of this class and nothing else. Again, no e-mailing, checking social
media or web browsing. There will be a very limited time that computers or tablets will be necessary for
class. Again, if you do not follow this rule, you will be asked to leave the class. No exceptions. Under
no circumstances should you have a lap top computer or tablet open during a guest speaker’s presentation.
•
Come to class on time. There will be a break during class, so please do not come and go during class.
This will not be tolerated.
•
Individual projects are individual work. Shared originality or plagiarism is not the idea. Team projects
require all to participate. Peer evaluations will be used for all team projects.
•
All assignments and materials will be posted on BlackBoard.
•
All written assignments should be e-mailed to me with a title page and saved under a file using your last
name and assignment title, for example caric.interview.docx.
•
Presentations should be professional and rehearsed. How to organize your presentation is up to you
however; make sure the flow is sensible. No notes should be necessary, it is your material and you should
know it. Use professional presentation conventions such as eye contact, no hands in pocket, engaging
the audience, having a beginning and a close. PowerPoint is recommended for team presentations but
not required. Content is most important.
•
The last day to drop a class without any record on your transcript is February 10, 2016.