UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN - MILWAUKEE

SHELDON B. LUBAR SCHOOL OF BUSINESS

Bus Adm 292: Introduction to Entrepreneurship and Small Business Formation

COURSE SYLLABUS
Craig J. Davidson, CEBS Office: Lubar S312, W 8:10 – 8:40 pm and by
appointment
email address: [email protected]
Wednesdays: 5:30 – 8:10 pm
Classroom: Lubar S171
Course Description:
The course provides a general introduction to entrepreneurship and how it engages and creates the
world of business as we move further into the 21st century. This course will explore and review the
elements necessary for entrepreneurship to flourish. The larger perspectives of the character and
mental set of the entrepreneur and how this affects the success of the business will be discussed.
Successful entrepreneurship requires risk taking, industry skills, intelligence, leadership, effective
planning, and proper capitalization.
Through highly active class participation students will be exposed to learning styles, motivation, and
non-cognitive skills associated with entrepreneurial orientation. The course will utilize a textbook,
business cases and guest lectures.

Text:
Entrepreneurship: Successfully Launching New Ventures
Bruce R. Barringer and R. Duane Ireland

© 2016 Pearson Education, Inc.

Course Objectives:
1. To expose the student to the world of entrepreneurship;
2. To help develop students’ skills, talents and potential as entrepreneurs, with the goal of
stimulating a desire to further their understanding and knowledge beyond this course.

Learning Outcomes:
1. Discuss the major components involved in deciding to become an entrepreneur and identify the
traits of successful entrepreneurs.
2. Demonstrate the ability to assess the potential success of a business idea through opportunity
recognition, feasibility analysis, and industry and competitive analysis
3. Develop an effective concept statement and business model for an entrepreneurial venture.
4. Apply the concepts and techniques from your major and from this course in evaluating an
entrepreneur and what were the key elements of their success.
5. Apply the concepts from developing a successful ideas into developing a business plan, raising
capital and building and growing an entrepreneurial firm.

Assessment Methodology:
Introduction to Entrepreneurship and Small Business Formation 2
The project deliverables/reports will require students to make extensive use of the various concepts
(e.g., idea generation, market assessment/response, sales/marketing, manufacturing/distribution
feasibility), and techniques (e.g., financial analysis). Refer to the Final Group Project Assessment Rubric
on page three for further assessment information.

Learning outcome #1 will be assessed through class discussion/participation. Learning outcomes #2 – 5

will be assessed through case write-ups and the three exams.

Role of the Student

1. Fun and enthusiasm.
2. Participation is key. Dialogue is strongly, emphatically encouraged. Questions and comments
during lectures are welcomed, invited and encouraged. Each class we will explore certain
aspects of entrepreneurship. Most importantly, the student will prepare for class by
participating in group case study analyses. Each group will hand in a one-paged typed summary
of their analysis. Important: To be accepted for credit, please include all names, class, and date,
along with the title of the case. Although the Class Syllabus provides for basic reading
assignments, additional reading assignments or changes in assignments, and exercises for the
next class (including videos of cases for group analysis) may be given during the prior class to
facilitate greater discussion of the topic/concept. Therefore, attendance is very important.

3. Grading: The grading in the course will be based on the following:

• Attendance and participation: 10%. One class absence is a “freebie.” Based on group case
work plus attitude, preparation and comments during class.
• Exams: 60%
• Final group project presentation: 30% Depending on the class size, groups of 4 to 6 will
prepare a team project to be completed during the course of the semester. A concise, well-
organized, 30-minute presentation is to be given in the last couple weeks of the semester. It
is strongly suggested that PowerPoint slides be used for the presentation. The project will
be:
An analysis of an entrepreneur and his/her business. The analysis will explore the key
elements, which led to the success or failure of the business. You will be expected to
communicate: 1) a description of the business, profile of the entrepreneur, and history of
the company, and 2) your team’s analysis. The paper should include a concept statement of
the original business idea. Please remember you are not only to provide information on the
business and entrepreneur selected but also must advocate a position as to why the
business has succeeded or failed in terms of the principles learned in this class. Be prepared
to answer questions regarding your conclusions.
Grade Scale:
A B C D F
A: 93-100% B+: 87-89% C+: 77-79% D+: 67-69% F: 0-59%
A-:90-92% B : 83-86% C : 73-76% D : 63-66%
B-: 80-82% C-: 70-72% D-: 60-62%
Introduction to Entrepreneurship and Small Business Formation 3

Bus Adm 292: Introduction to Entrepreneurship and Small Business Formation

FINAL GROUP PROJECT ASSESSMENT RUBRIC

Group Name: Date:

=====================================================================
Points
Time Start: ____:_____

Introduction: (5 points) _________

- Title, Speakers, Outline
Comments:

Professionalism: (15 points) _________

- Transparencies, handouts, speaking style
Comments:

Appearance: (10) _________

Content for Presentation (50):

Description of Business (5) _________
Profile of Entrepreneur (10) _________
History of Company (5) _________
Analysis of Company’s Performance (20) _________
Perspective Why Company Succeeded or Failed (10) _________

Conclusion (5 points)
- Summary, Major Points _________

Time Allocation and Involvement of Audience (5 points) _________

Extra Content: (10) _________

Time End: ____:____

Total Points _________

Speakers:

1st__________________________________ 2nd _________________________________

3rd __________________________________ 4th _________________________________

5th__________________________________ 6th _________________________________

Introduction to Entrepreneurship and Small Business Formation 4
Schedule and Assignments
1/25 Discussion of Course Objectives & Introductions
Chapter 1: Introduction to Entrepreneurship
Chapter 2: Recognizing Opportunities and Generating Ideas
Extra Credit 2.1 -- Dropbox

2/1 Chapter 3: Feasibility Analysis

Industry and Competitor Analysis

2/8 Chapter 5: Developing an Effective Business Model

Exam I Chapters’ 1-5

2/15 Chapter 6: Writing a Business Plan

2/22 Chapter 7: Preparing a Proper Ethical and Legal Foundation

Chapter 8: Assessing a New Venture’s Financial Strength and Viability

3/1 Chapter 9: Building a New Venture Team

Extra Credit 9.2 -- Zappos
Chapter 10: Getting Funding and Financing

3/8 Chapter 11: Unique Marketing Issues

Chapter 12: Importance of Intellectual Property

3/15 Exam II Chapters’ 6-11

3/29 Chapter 13: Preparing For and Evaluating Challenges of Growth

Chapter 14: Strategies for Firm Growth

4/5 Chapter 15: Franchising

4/12 Successful Entrepreneur Tips

4/19 Successful Entrepreneur Tips

4/26 Group Project Presentations

5/3 Group Project Presentations

5/10 Group Project Presentations

5/17 Final Exam

Introduction to Entrepreneurship and Small Business Formation 5
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Sheldon B. Lubar School of Business Course Addendum

Statement of Academic Misconduct

Chapter UWS 14, entitled “Student Academic Disciplinary Procedures,” of the Wisconsin Administrative
Code contains rules enacted by the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents that apply to all University
of Wisconsin–Milwaukee students. Section 14.01 states, “The Board of Regents administrators, faculty,
academic staff and students of the University of Wisconsin System believe that academic honesty and
integrity are fundamental to the mission of higher education and of the University of Wisconsin System.
The University has a responsibility to promote academic honesty and integrity and to develop
procedures to deal effectively with instances of academic dishonesty. … Student who violate these
standards must be confronted and must accept the consequences of their actions.”

Statement of Sexual Harassment

Sexual harassment is reprehensible and will not be tolerated by the University. It subverts the mission of
the University and threatens the careers, educational experience, and well being of students, faculty,
and staff. The University will not tolerate behavior between or among members of the University
community which creates an unacceptable working environment.

Discriminatory Conduct
The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee remains steadfastly committed to the principles of academic
freedom. This commitment requires an equally strong obligation to foster respect for the dignity and
worth of each individual. Without this respect, the principles of academic freedom become meaningless.
Moreover, relationships such as student-faculty and employee-supervisor have inherent power
differences that compromise some persons’ ability to protect their own rights. Therefore, this University
must provide an environment that respects the value of each individual and which does not tolerate
discriminatory conduct of any kind.

University Policies on Change of Registration/Adding and Dropping or Withdrawal from Classes

After initial registration, students have the opportunity to modify their class schedule by adding,
dropping or withdrawing from classes during specific periods prior to the start of the semester. Such
changes can be made without financial penalty until shortly before the start of the term (or before the
start of a particular summer session). However, significant financial penalties can apply for changes
made beyond the appropriate deadline, and some departments have unique deadlines and approval
requirements governing how and when students may add and drop particular courses. Some academic
programs also require their students to obtain specific approval for adding or dropping courses. Consult
the most recent Schedule of Classes for dates, deadlines and procedures or contact the Business School
Undergraduate Student Services office.

University Policies Regarding Repeating Courses

Unless a restriction is stated in the Schedule of Classes, undergraduates may repeat any course only
once. Under exceptional circumstances, one more repeat may be allowed following approval of a
written appeal to the advising office of the student's school or college. Except in the case of courses with
variable content (which may be repeated for credit as often as permitted for that particular course, as
specified in UWM Bulletins), both grades earned for repeated courses will appear on the student's
academic record, but only the higher grade will be calculated into the grade point average. Students
illegally repeating courses will be dropped, and "WR" will be assigned to the course on the student's
academic record.
Introduction to Entrepreneurship and Small Business Formation 6
Students who took a course as a repeat prior to Fall 1988 are entitled to one additional enrollment.
Transfer students who did not previously take a course at UWM are entitled to one repeat at UWM of a
course taken at a previous institution.

In courses of limited enrollment, qualified students who have not taken the course previously have
priority. It is generally advisable for any student to consult an advisor before registering to repeat a
course.

University Policy Regarding Incompletes

An Incomplete may be given to a student who has carried a subject successfully until near the end of the
semester but, because of illness or other unusual and substantiated cause beyond that student's
control, has been unable to take or complete the final examination or to complete some limited amount
of term work. An Incomplete is not given unless the student proves to the instructor that s/he was
prevented from completing course requirements for just cause as indicated above.

A course marked Incomplete must be completed during the next succeeding semester, excluding
summer sessions and UWinteriM. If the student does not remove the Incomplete during this period, the
report of "I" will lapse to "F".

University Change of Grade Policy and Procedures

The following is from UWM Faculty Document No. 1927, May 12, 1994, entitled “Policies on Grading and
Grade Records”. Grade or Record Changes. Instructors may not change a semester grade after the grade
sheet has been submitted to the Registrar except for an inadvertent error in determining or recording
the grade. Any change in a student’s grade or record, including retroactive change to drop, withdrawal,
or incomplete, must receive the approval of the Dean of the School or College in which the student was
enrolled at the time the course was taken.

Special Accommodations
If special accommodations are needed in order to meet any of the requirements of the course, please
contact the professor as soon as possible. Students will be allowed to complete examinations or other
requirements that are missed because of a religious observance.