82172 - BUSINESS PLAN LABORATORY

Conoscenze e abilità da conseguire

The business plan lab aims at creating a setting for students to experience the entrepreneurial process. Students will be provided with tools and technique to develop a business plan and will be exposed to stimuli and inspirational moments coming from real entrepreneurs who will be asked to coach students all along a work project that will be assigned by the instructor. By the end of the course students will develop awareness of what an entrepreneurial process is and will acquire knowledge, tools and enthusiasm for getting involved in a new venture.

Contenuti

The course introduces students to basic concepts and topics in entrepreneurship through classroom discussion, real-life case studies and exercise. It focuses on key elements and processes in conceptualizing, developing, organizing and financing successful new ventures in their early stages. In particular, the course approaches the topics from the different and distinct perspectives of both the entrepreneur and the venture capital investor. The entrepreneur’s perspective addresses the challenges in organizing and financing the venture, while the venture capitalist’s perspective explores issues of concern to investors in evaluating, structuring and pricing venture capital investments.

The course is designed to achieve three main learning objectives:

1. Familiarize you with the key elements and processes of entrepreneurship and new venture development.
2. Expose you to different issues in organizing and financing a start-up company.

Expose you to methods and perspectives on evaluating, structuring and pricing venture capital Investments.

Testi/Bibliografia

Lecture notes along with other materials will be handed out in class.

Metodi didattici

The course is designed as an experiential learning journey that includes readings, lectures, case discussions and exercises. To make this course a valuable learning experience, you are encouraged to provide feedbacks and suggestions at any time. For any course related issues you would like to discuss, please feel free to contact the instructor via emails (hanx@tcnj.edu ), come to the office hours or set up an appointment.

Modalità di verifica e valutazione dell'apprendimento

Your final course grade will be computed as follows:

Class Participation (30%): Class participation is especially important in an area like entrepreneurship as new ideas and learning often occur through interaction. Your class participation will be evaluated based on the quality of your contribution to the classroom discussion. To make quality contribution, here are some general tips:

• Be well prepared to discuss the case studies and reading materials when you come to class

• Be engaged and active in class discussion. Any use of tablets and laptops is not permitted in the classroom; and

• Be respectful of comments from your classmates. Always to try to build on the views of others or voice your disagreement in a kind and considerate manner.

• Display your name tent in each class to facilitate teacher/student interaction.

Participation grade of each session will be recorded on a 0-1.5 scale after every session. The grades will be summed up at the end of the semester and standardized to 25. The specific grading principle is as below:

• Absence = 0

• Presence but being silent = 1

• Making sensible comments or asking sensible questions = 1.2

• Make insightful comments or asking insightful questions = 1.5

Absence with an in-advance notice and justification(s) is treated the same as “presence but being silent”.

Business Plan Workshop (35%): The purpose of the Pitch Deck Workshop is to help you apply the knowledge and insights gained from this course to develop a simple pitch deck for an entrepreneurship idea you are pursuing or may would like to pursue in the future. In particular, students will be asked to form teams. Each team needs to select an entrepreneurial idea and develop a mini business plan during the course. The business plan should outline the basic elements of the business and address potential concerns of investors. More information about the exercise will be available during the course.

Negotiation Exercise (35%): A critical component of the course is the negotiation exercise which enables students to apply and integrate their learning. The detailed instruction of the exercise will be handed out during the course. Each negotiation team is required to upload the deliverables of the negotiation exercise to Canvas before the deadline specified in the instruction (to be handed out in class) and all team members are required to participate in the assigned presentation. More information about the exercise will be available during the course.

Peer Evaluation: You will be evaluated (on a 0-100 scale) by each of your team members based on your contribution to each category of group assignments, namely Business Plan Workshop and Negotiation Exercise, at the end of the class. The average of the evaluation from all your team members will be used to adjust your grade in each group assignment category

Orario di ricevimento

Consulta il sito web di Xu Han