SYLLABUS
Illinois State University
IDS 113: The Entrepreneurial Mindset
Centennial West, Room 308 - 2-3:15 TR – Fall, 2014
Instructor(s) of Record: Pete Guither, CVA 116A, (309) 438-5134
& Dan Holland, Moulton Hall 313C, (309) 438-3243
Course: IDS 113: The Entrepreneurial Mindset
Hours: 3 credit hours
Category of the General Education Program: Middle Core – Individuals and Society
Prerequisites: none
Catalog Description: The course explores concepts of entrepreneurship from an interdisciplinary
perspective and a diverse range of disciplines through experiential learning.
Course Overview:
IDS 113 is an introductory course designed to provide students with an overview to the concepts of
entrepreneurship and a firm understanding of entrepreneurial thinking. It will address the critical role
entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship plays in the local, national and global economy. Entrepreneurship
will be analyzed, debated, assessed, and explored throughout the semester in an experiential
environment. Entrepreneurship will be viewed as a manageable process and as a way of thinking,
acting, and behaving that leads to innovation in virtually any setting including corporate, social or new
venture dimensions. IDS 113 will be taught from an interdisciplinary perspective drawing from a diverse
range of disciplines while incorporating business concepts related to entrepreneurship. Students will be
challenged to apply entrepreneurial theories, principles, and practices to everyday situations and
decisions in an effort to transform how these students view the world. The course includes guests who
have successfully started their own businesses and who speak with students about their experiences.
The course concludes with students assessing their own potential and developing an idea for a new
business.
Specific Student Outcomes:
As a result of this course, students will:
a. Establish an entrepreneurial perspective that will assist in life-long learning;
b. Understand and appreciate the role of entrepreneurship in society, the economy, their specific
disciplines, and from a global perspective;
c. Develop into curious, confident, competent, and creative entrepreneurial thinkers;
d. Understand the risks, rewards, satisfaction, and power inherent in an entrepreneurial career;
e. Engage personally, intellectually, and creatively in the study and analysis of entrepreneurship as a
discipline, skill, behavior, and way of life;
f. Recognize and appreciate how innate creativity, intellect, training and experience can be channeled to
a career;
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g. Demonstrate the skills to identify, operate within, and build new markets based on individual talents
and temperaments;
h. Understand the basic business and professional skills critical to developing career success;
i. Understand a variety of for - and non –profit business models and self-employment models;
j. Recognize the characteristics of successful business concepts and models.
Texts: Selected case studies and readings will be provided or made available on the course website.
Course Format:
This course will utilize case study analysis, role play, idea diaries, and new venture simulation. Students
will analyze approximately two case studies per week. Class discussions will focus on issues raised in
case studies, including: analysis, diagnosis, brainstorming and recommendations. Through the course of
the semester students will gain exposure to a wide variety of entrepreneurial opportunities,
technologies, business models and personalities through guest entrepreneurs in the classroom,
interviews with entrepreneurs, social entrepreneurial projects, creativity field experiences, and elevator
pitch competitions.
Grading:
Class participation:
30 points
(Students will be graded on the quality and quantity of their contributions in class. Must
be present to earn your weekly participation points – no exceptions – of a maximum of
2 points per week with the possibility of earning a maximum of 2 extra credit points by
the end of the semester. Active participation goes beyond attendance.)
Mid-Term Examination:
15 points
Social Entrepreneurial Small Group Project:
15 points
(In class presentation with media component, e.g. Prezi, etc.)
Interview Assignment:
10 points
(Students will find a local entrepreneur in their chosen field or passion.)
Finding Your Idea – three with narrative
5 points
Final Project – Elevator Pitch Competition:
25 points
(Students will present to a panel of adjudicators selected from guest entrepreneurs
throughout the semester.)
Total = 100 points
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Course Schedule:
DATE/CLASS
ACTIVITY
HOMEWORK
To be completed
for next class
period.
Tuesday, August 19th
Thursday, August 21st
Introduction to course
What is an entrepreneur and what does it take to
be entrepreneur, e.g. the Mindset of the
Entrepreneur?
Tuesday, August 26th
Case Studies – Recognizing an Opportunity
Cowgirl Chocolates (Case Research Journal, 2001)
(Product or service; customer base; marketing
strategy; resources needed; innovation; etc.)
Thursday, August 28th
Case Studies – Recognizing an Opportunity
United Breaks Guitars (Harvard Business School,
rev. 2010)
(Product or service; customer base; marketing
strategy; resources needed; innovation; etc.)
TBA
Read Case Study,
Cowgirl
Chocolates and
Complete
Preparation
Worksheet for
Tuesday
Read Case Study,
United Breaks
Guitars and
Complete
Preparation
Worksheet for
Wednesday
Come to class on
Wednesday with
a list of 5
potential
entrepreneurs in
your field or
passion to share.
Tuesday, September 2nd
Thursday, September 4th
NO CLASS
Introduce Interview Assignment and ultimate
paper to be written; and share list with class and
seek instructor input.
Tuesday, September 9th
Brainstorm in class good examples of questions to
consider in your interview.
Contact and
make interview
appointment
with selected
entrepreneur.
[INTERVIEWS
MAY NOT TAKE
PLACE UNTIL
AFTER 9/10/13]
Read Case Study,
Dining at elBulli –
The Taste of
Innovation and
Complete
Preparation
Worksheet for
3
Thursday, September 11
th
Tuesday, September 16th
Introduce Social Entrepreneurship Project and
discuss criterion - (Act as the change agents for
society, seizing opportunities others miss in order
to improve systems, invent and disseminate new
approaches and advance sustainable solutions
that create social value.
PBS "New Heroes" Program); Brainstorming
discussion looking at local, national, and
worldwide problems. Break into small groups (34) and brainstorm.
Guest Entrepreneurs in the Classroom –
Perspective #1
Wednesday, September 18th
Guest Entrepreneurs in the Classroom –
Perspective #2
Tuesday, September 23rd
Guest Entrepreneurs in the Classroom –
Perspective #3
Thursday, September 25th
Case Studies – Failures and Other Learning
Opportunities
Dining at elBulli – The Taste of Innovation
(Science creates Gastronomic Storm,” CNN.com,
June 27, 2005)
(Product or service; customer base; marketing
strategy; resources needed; innovation; etc.)
Social Entrepreneurship Project – working in small
groups. Discuss Mid-Term Examination process.
Tuesday, September 30th
Thursday, October 2nd
Tuesday, October 7th
Thursday, October 9th
Tuesday, October 14th
Social Entrepreneurship Project - Presentation
Social Entrepreneurship Project - Presentation
Social Entrepreneurship Project - Presentation
Mid-Term Examination-Case Study Analysis
Wednesday
Research and
prepare
questions for
Guest
Entrepreneur on
Tuesday;
Research and
prepare
questions for
Guest
Entrepreneur on
Wednesday
Research and
prepare
questions for
Guest
Entrepreneur on
Tuesday
INTERVIEW
ASSIGNMENT
DUE ON
WEDNESDAY!
TBA
Prepare for
presentation of
Group Social
Entrepreneurship
Project.
TBA
TBA
TBA
Read Case Study
documents
Innovative
Business
Strategies from
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Thursday, October 16th
Finding YOUR Idea – new vs need; innovative or
fad; needed and available resources; who are your
customers; who are your competitors; who are
you and what do you bring to the “table”?
Discussion of Passion to Profit documents.
Tuesday, October 21st
Assessing an Idea (potential and impact); SelfAssessment and Ranking of ideas (in class) – due
at end of class period.
DEVELOPING YOUR IDEA: Turning Passions Into
Opportunity – Components of an Elevator Pitch (perceived need; who are your customers; what is
special about the idea; perceived impact)
DEVELOPING YOUR IDEA: Why businesses fail?
Value Propositions & Customer Segments (what
do you bring and who do you serve?)
DEVELOPING YOUR IDEA: Key resources needed –
Channels of distribution – key partners
DEVELOPING YOUR IDEA: Revenue Streams – Cost
Structure – Break Even Analysis
Final Project – Elevator Pitch Competition
Final Project – Elevator Pitch Competition
Final Project – Elevator Pitch Competition
Final Project – Elevator Pitch Competition
Final Project – Elevator Pitch Competition
NO CLASS – THANKSGIVING BREAK
NO CLASS – THANKSGIVING BREAK
Final Project – Elevator Pitch Competition
Wrap Up
Thursday, October 23rd
Tuesday, October 28th
Thursday, October 30th
Tuesday, November 4th
Thursday, November 6th
Tuesday, November 11th
Thursday, November 13th
Tuesday, November 18th
Thursday, November 20th
Tuesday, November 25th
Thursday, November 27th
Tuesday, December 2nd
Thursday, December 4th
Passion to Profit
and Three
Starving Artists
(Passion to Profit
Examples)
Come to class on
Tuesday with a
list of 3 distinct,
doable, and
creative ideas
with a short
narrative arguing
the merits of
each - they will
be graded!
TBA
TBA
TBA
TBA
TBA
Accommodations for Students with Disabilities:
Illinois State University is an institution concerned with helping all of our students feel welcome, and with
helping all students learn and develop to their full potential. To help meet these goals, any student
needing to arrange a reasonable accommodation for a documented disability should contact Disability
Concerns at 350 Fell Hall, 438-5853 (voice), 438-8620 (TDD).
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