Business Start-ups

Subject description Subject title: Business start-ups Content: On a global scale entrepreneurship has become a subject of much interest - on a national level as well as on a personal level. Politicians around the world recognize that new companies and new ventures are essential to secure growth and wealth for future generations and individuals pursue happiness and fortune for their own benefit. This subject will investigate the nature of entrepreneurship - what are the driving forces behind true entrepreneurs and how do they get about creating new business. Entrepreneurship is very much a discipline for “doers” more than “thinkers” and thus a controversial subject in the world of academia. However, during the past decade the academic world is faced with the challenge of bridging the gap between the true entrepreneur as a “doer” and the eclectic world of social sciences. The many aspects of entrepreneurship will be covered and focus will be on start-up companies: what initiates new businesses and what are the success factors, what are the necessary skills and can they be learned in an academic setting? Learning objectives: The students should obtain knowledge about: • • • •

Theories about entrepreneurship and the historical background The entrepreneuriel skills - are entrepreneurs born “naturals” or can the skills be learned and if so how? How and where opportunities arise - out of invention or are they market driven? The content - as well as the pros and cons - of a business plan.

Working methods: Literature research and research of other sources; discussions within the student group; during their presentation they should use practical examples and exercises involving the audience. Video cases and workshop techniques will be used extensively. Literature/Other Sources:

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T. Bager et al.: “Entrepreneurship in theory and practice – paradoxes in play”, ISBN 9788776743802, can be downloaded and paid at: www.idea-textbook.dk Saraswathy, Saras: Effectuation, 2001. Article hand-out.

Contact information of supervisor: Assc. professor Keld Harbo University of Southern Denmark [email protected] Expected outcomes: • •

Group report = 10-15 pages (one page approx. 2600 characters incl. spacing) Presentation = 5 minutes/student for each presentation (all group member ought to present)