Universitat Internacional de Catalunya
Entrepreneurship
Other languages of instruction: Catalan, Spanish,
Teaching staff
By appointment and agreed upon between teacher and student during class sessions
Introduction
In a changing global environment such as the one in which we live, innovation and entrepreneurship are the main strategic option for the future, not forgetting that both go hand in hand: we can not create innovative companies because innovation is the main factor of competitiveness of companies New Creation.
This course aims not only to promote the entrepreneurial spirit among the students but also to give the tools so that they themselves can turn their ideas into real projects. The subject is based on the knowledge learned during the degree and serves as preparation for the Final Grade Work: the creation of a business plan.
Pre-course requirements
Basic knowledge of the essential funcional areas of a company is required (Finance, Sales, Marketing, Manufacturing, Logistics, Human Resources)
Objectives
After successfully completing the course, students will be able to:
• Understand what features are required as an entrepreneur.
- Avoid main entrepreneurial pitfalls.
- Understand the decision making process.
- Generate business ideas.
- Understand the game rules for innovation and entrepreneurship.
- Understand who are the "players" involved in the innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystem and how they relate to each other.
- Know how to use analytical tools to determine if an idea is also an opportunity, to understand its potential, and to support decision-making.
- Learn to design business models.
- Learn how to analyze the feasibility of a business project.
- Learn how to prepare a business plan.
- Access funding sources and know the main factors needed to negociate in order to obtain capital.
- Understand that entrepreneurship skills are not limited to start-ups, but they can also can be applied to established businesses as a means of detecting new growth opportunitie.
Competences/Learning outcomes of the degree programme
- 01 - To be familiar with, understand and apply the methods, techniques and instruments specific to accounting.
- 02 - To be familiar with and know how to interpret and apply current accounting standards.
- 04 - To understand and know how to use financial terms within a business framework.
- 05 - To understand the functions of corporate finance departments.
- 06 - To know how to apply the main policies for capital structure and asset management.
- 13 - To be familiar with and understand the terms and processes of company management.
- 14 - To be familiar with and understand the legal framework of trade law and be able to apply it in practical cases related to the business world.
- 24 - To be able to carry out a financial, social and historical analysis of the environment in which a company operates.
- 25 - To understand the commercial function of a company and its objectives.
- 26 - To comprehend and use the basic concepts of marketing and the main sectorial policies and understand the commercial environment in which these companies operate.
- 27 - To be able to read and understand literature on economic and business issues.
- 32 - To acquire problem solving skills based on quantitative and qualitative information.
- 33 - To be able to search for, interpret and convey information.
- 34 - To develop the ability to predict situations and anticipate events, as well as be able to recognise and interpret an economic situation within a specific context.
- 37 - To be able to apply managerial methods, tools and techniques.
- 38 - To be able to connect the main variables (both formal and informal) which influence human behaviour in an organisation.
- 39 - To acquire the ability to solve problems and make decisions based on relevant information, applying the appropriate methods and situating the problem within the organisation as a whole.
- 41 - To be able to descriptively summarise information.
- 48 - To be able to identify the information needs in order to manage the main departments within organisations.
- 50 - To acquire the ability to relate concepts, analyse and synthesise.
- 51 - To develop decision making skills.
- 52 - To develop interpersonal skills and the ability to work as part of a team.
- 53 - To acquire the skills necessary to learn autonomously.
- 56 - To be able to create arguments which are conducive to critical and self-critical thinking.
- 59 - To skilfully use software and ICTs.
- 63 - To be able to analyse business related behaviour and decisions and evaluate them from an economic, social and ethical point of view.
- 64 - To be able to plan and organise one's work.
- 65 - To acquire the ability to put knowledge into practice.
- 66 - To be able to retrieve and manage information.
Learning outcomes of the subject
After finishing the course the student will be able to:
1. Identify decision making biases
2. Identifiy main entrepreneurial skills.
3. Critical success an failure factors of new ventures.
4. Formulate a company purpose.
5. How to design a winner value proposition and top line growth elements.
6. Techniques to generate innovation funnels.
7. Check the feasibility of an entrepreneurial project.
8. Main financing tools available for entrepreneurs.
9. Develop a robust business plan
Syllabus
- The human being as an entrepreneur: decision making
- Business critical success and failure factors.
- Innovation: ideas, concept and value proposal
- Financing the business
- Go to market
- Communication plan
- Business model
Teaching and learning activities
In person
The course will combine theoretical and practical exercices.
The methodology of the sessions will be based on lectures and business case discussions.
Students will work in teams and should be able to present their exercices in front of the audience, simulating an investor environment. They should design a business model based on an idea, and conduct fieldwork in order to validate it. They should modify the model until it works, and defend it publicly at the end of the course. This exercise will be very useful to develop the Business Plan for the final degree project.
The course requires individual study, teamwork, presentations, reading, and an exam at the end of the course.
Evaluation systems and criteria
In person
Indispensable conditions for being evaluated are handing in all assigned work and attendance to at least 80% of classes (>5 absences = not evaluated).
10% Lecture engagement
30% Mini-cases
40% Business plan
20% Exam (multiple choice test)
2nd convocatory (July)
Exam - Maximum possible mark: 7/10
University rules regarding plagiary, IA misuse and ortography will be strictly enforced.
Bibliography and resources
- Book: Generación de modelos de negocio
- Book: Visionomics
- Book: Technology Ventures: From idea to enterprise
- Book: Los 7 hábitos de la gente altamente efectiva
- Book: El método Lean Start-up
- Book: Capitalismo 2.0 El poder del ciudadano para cambiar el mundo
- Book: Emprender es posible
- Book: Emprender con éxito
- Book: El Manual de las start-ups
- Book: Emails a un joven emprendedor