Technology-based Entrepreneurship - Reaction Paper Series

Last week, I posted a series of reaction papers on various articles related to technology-based entrepreneurship. The reaction papers were a requirement on a technology management class I took a couple of semesters ago. Like the reaction papers on management of R&D, 90% of the grade on these papers is based on the summary.

Here's the syllabus of the course (as written by our professor):

TM251: TECHNOLOGY-BASED ENTREPRENEURSHIP

(June 2010)

1. COURSE DESCRIPTION

The Course highlights the role of technology innovation in entrepreneurship. It delves into the issues associated with the transfer of technology to new business ventures. In addition, it provides insights into the psychology of the entrepreneur, the social and legal dimensions of entrepreneurship, the models and methodologies of creating new ventures, and the internal corporate entrepreneurship.  (Credit 3 units)

2. COURSE OBJECTIVES

The main purpose of this course is to make students understand and appreciate the process of entrepreneurship and the role that it plays in fostering innovation. Specifically, the course aims:

1. To provide students with the necessary concepts and tools that will enable them to examine the critical dimensions affecting technology ventures;
2. To acquaint students with the major issues concerning entrepreneurial management in the Philippine setting;
3. To provide a venue for students to interact with real-life entrepreneurs, and to gain insights into their venture strategies and experiences; and,
4. To prepare students in developing business plans for technology-based enterprises.

3. COURSE REQUIREMENTS

1. Class Participation – Class attendance is compulsory, and students are expected to actively participate in class discussions.

2. Reaction Papers – Each student must submit before the start of each session a 1- to 2-page typewritten (single-space) reaction paper on the assigned reading(s).

3. Term Project – The class will be divided into groups of 3 students each, and each group will be required to submit before the end of the semester either one of the following: (1) a Case Study of an actual/existing local Entrepreneurial Technology-Based Venture, or; (2) a Business Plan for a local Technology-Based Venture.

4. Group Presentation – Each group will be required to make a formal presentation of its Term Project. Every member of the presenting group must actively participate in the presentation to test his/her overall comprehension of the course lectures and readings.

5. Final Examination – At the end of the semester, students must take a final examination covering all topics discussed in the class.

4. COURSE GRADING

A student’s final weighted average in the course will be computed on the basis of the following weight distribution:

• Reaction Papers …………………….………. 25%
• Project Presentation …..……………………. 25%
• Project Report………..……………….…….. 25%
• Final Exam …………………………………. 25%

The students’ final numerical grades for the course will be determined on the basis of the following grade equivalences:

• 95 – 100 …………………………………… 1.0
• 90 – 94   …………………………………… 1.25
• 85 – 89   …………………………………… 1.5
• 80 – 84   …………………………………… 1.75
• 75 – 79   …………………………………… 2.0
• 70 – 74   …………………………………… 2.25
• 65 –69    …………………………………… 2.5
• 60 – 64   …………………………………… 2.75
• 55 – 59   …………………………………… 3.0
• 0   - 54   ……………………………………  5.0

5. COURSE OUTLINE

1. Briefing on Course Content and Class Policies (Session 1)

2. Typical Business Ventures in the Philippines (Session 2)

3. Entrepreneurial Behavior and Perspective (Session 3)

• Defining and Measuring Entrepreneurship
• Entrepreneurs – Agents of Change
• Youth Entrepreneurship in the Philippines and the Experience of PYBF (Suggested Reading Material: NO REACTION PAPER REQUIRED)

4. Creativity, Innovation and Entrepreneurship (Session 4)

• Deborah V. Brazeal, “The Genesis of Entrepreneurship: Change, Innovaiton, and Creativity”, California State Polytechnic University, California, USA.
• Judith Matthews, “Creativity and Entrepreneurship: Potential Partners or Distant Cousins?”, Proceedings Managing Our Intellectual and Social Capital: 21st ANZAM 2007 Conference, Sydney, Australia.
• Anders W. Johansson, “Mediating Creativity and Imitation in Entrepreneurship Theory”, 14th Nordic Conferenceon Small Business Research, Stockholm, May 2006. . (Suggested Reading Material: NO REACTION PAPER REQUIRED)
• Timothy R. Wojan, Dayton Lambert and David, A. McGranahan, “Does Place Contribute to Creativity, Entrepreneurship and Innovation?”, Research Conference on Creativity, Entrepreneurship, and Organizations of the Future, Harvard Business School Centennial Colloquium, December 7, 2007. (Suggested Reading Material: NO REACTION PAPER REQUIRED)
• What Are Innovation, Creativity and Design (Suggested Reading Material: NO REACTION PAPER REQUIRED)
• The Sources of Innovation and Creativity (Suggested Reading Material: NO REACTION PAPER REQUIRED)

5. Strategic Planning for Technology-Based Ventures (Session 5)

• Small-Sized Firms Managerial Practices and Entrepreneurship Competencies
• Falih M. Alsaaty, “Entrepreneurs: Strategic Thinkers In Search of Opportunities”, Journal of Business & Economics Research, February 2007.
• Kobus Lazenby, “Entrepreneurial Strategic Management: An Approach for Small Business Growth”, University of the Orange Free State, South Africa. (Suggested Reading Material: NO REACTION PAPER REQUIRED)
• Popular Strategy Matrix Models Used by Small Business Entrepreneurs (BCG, ESM, etc.) (Suggested Reading Material: NO REACTION PAPER REQUIRED)

6. Management of Family Business Ventures (Session 6)

• Pramodita Sharma, James J. Chrisman and Jess H. Chua, “Strategic Management of the FamilyBusiess: Past Research and Future Challenges”, FamilyBusiness review, vo. 10, no. 1, Spring 1997.
• Nancy Bowman-Upton, “Transferring Management in the Family-Owned Business”, U.S. Small Business Adminstration, May 2009.
• Goals and Characteristics of Family-Owned Small Businesses. (Suggested Reading Material: NO REACTION PAPER REQUIRED)

7. Sources of Financing For Entrepreneurs (Session 7)

• Jeffrey Shuman and Janice Twomby, “Financing New Ventues”, No Longer Just Abut Money”, 2002.
• “Entrepreneurial Financing”, Venture Associates Consulting.
• “Financing Your Business”. (Suggested Reading Material: NO REACTION PAPER REQUIRED)
• 6 Sources of Bootstrap Financing. (Suggested Reading Material: NO REACTION PAPER REQUIRED)

8. Franchising, Angel Financing and Venture Capital (Session 8)

• Lee Ann Obringer, How Franchising Works
• Jason B. Brinlee, Geralyn McClure Franklin, Joseph R. Bell and Charles A. Bullock, “Educating Entrepreneurs on Angel and Venture Capital Financing Options”.
• William D. Bygarve, “Financing Entrepreneurs and Their Businesses”, The Entepreneurial Advantage of Nations: The First Annual Global Entrepreneurshi Symosium, U.N. Headquarters, April 2003. (Suggested Reading Material: NO REACTION PAPER REQUIRED)
• “Entrepreneurial Finance and Venture Capital”, Downloaded from www.thomsonedu.com/finance/smartfinance, Chapter 26.  (Suggested Reading Material: NO REACTION PAPER REQUIRED)
• John Freear, Jeffrey E. Sohl and William Wetzel, “Angels on Angels: Financina Technology-Based Ventures – A Historical Perspective”, Venture Capital, 2002, Vol. 4, No. 4, pp. 275-287. (Suggested Reading Material: NO REACTION PAPER REQUIRED)

9. Initial Public Offering (Session 9)

• “Strategies for Going Public”, Deloitte & Touche LLC, 2004.

10. Corporate Entrepreneurship (Session 9)

• Gareth R. Jones, “Managing Internal Corporate Entrepreneurship: An Agency Theory Perspective”, Journal of Management, Dec. 1992.
• Matthew Kenney, “Understanding Corporate Entrepreneurship and Development: A Practitioner View of  Organizational Intrapreneurship”, Journal of Applied Management and Entrepreneurship, July 2007. (Suggested Reading Material: NO REACTION PAPER REQUIRED)

11. International, Legal and Social Aspects of Entrepreneurship (Session 10)

• Peter Menell, “Intellectual Property and the Property Rights Movement”, Regulation, Fall 2007.
• Patricia McDougall and Benjamin Oviatt, “Some Fundamental Issues in International Entrepreneurships”, July 2003.
• Shaker Zahra and Gerard George, “International Entrepreneurship: The Current Status of the Field and Future Research Agenda” (Suggested Reading Material: NO REACTION PAPER REQUIRED)
• Scaling Capacities: Supports for Growing Impact Rights (Suggested Reading Material: NO REACTION PAPER REQUIRED)
• The DOHA Agenda and Intellectual Property Rights (Suggested Reading Material: NO REACTION PAPER REQUIRED)

12. Business Planning (Session 12)

• Deloitte & Touch: Writing an Effective Business Plan

13. Developing a Business Plan (Sessions 13)

• ACOA: How to Prepare a Business Plan
• Business Plan for a Start Up Business
• TACC: Business Planning Template
• South Australia: Business Planning
• Ernst & Young: Outline for a Business Plan
• Victoria: Plan to Succeed

14. Group Presentations (Sessions 14, 15 & 16)