23716 - Business Plans

Learning outcomes

The course focuses on the fundamentals of effective business planning. Topics covered include organizing a business plan, choosing a business name, developing a mission statement and executive summary, analyzing the environmental factors that can affect a business, marketing the business, and managing people and the competition.

Course contents

This course focuses on new venture development by exploring several key business planning aspects that have an impact on company success, with particular regard to early stage dynamics. This includes market validation, business modelling, unit economics as well as assumption-driven financial projections and company valuation. The course topics are addressed both in theoretical terms and with a strong practical perspective, by leveraging case studies, simulations and interaction with entrepreneurs facing business challenges relevant to the course curriculum.

The most crucial pedagogical objective is to empower students with a critical thinking approach toward analysing and deploying common business frameworks and knowledge. When relevant, each topic will be presented taking into account the several nuances available in literature as well as in business practice, in order to enhance the student’s ability to develop a holistic perspective rather than a rigid understanding of notions.

Readings/Bibliography

Attending students

Slides, Reading package, Case study package

Non attending students

 Above material plus text book: "New Venture Creation", by Timmons & Spinelli, McGraw-Hill - Any edition from the 8th on.

Teaching methods

The course is built around thorough interaction. Participation is essential and is a focal part of the learning process as well as the final assessment. The course encompasses the following elements:

- Lectures

- Readings and videos

- Case study analysis and discussion

- Business simulations

- Presentation by guest entrepreneurs

The most crucial pedagogical objective is to empower students with a critical thinking approach toward analysing and deploying common business frameworks and knowledge. When relevant, each topic will be presented taking into account the several nuances available in literature as well as in business practice, in order to enhance the student’s ability to develop a holistic perspective rather than a rigid understanding of notions.

Assessment methods

Your final grade will be calculated taking into account the frequency and quality of individual class participation as well as the assessment of group assignments. The latter will take the form of written reports plus class presentations.

Detailed instructions, including breakdown of grading system, will be provided in class and on Virtuale, the latter being in particular aimed at non attending students.

Office hours

See the website of Massimo Aliberti