CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, SACRAMENTO
College Of Business Administration
ENTR 187 – 06 (35854), Entrepreneurship
Spring 2013
SYLLABUS
PROFESSOR:
Barbara Read
COURSE:
Entrepreneurship 187-06; 3 units
Monday/Wednesday 3:00 p.m. – 4:15 p.m., Eureka Hall 104
OFFICE:
Tahoe 2115
OFFICE HRS:
MW 1:45-2:45, M 5:45-6pm and by appointment
COURSE MATERIALS:
Students must access syllabus and various other course materials through SacCT.
Communications from SacCT are frequent and you must check them daily. You are responsible
for information and deadlines provided there.
EMAIL: [email protected]
When communicating by email, key your last name and ENTR in the subject line. Example:
Subject: SmithENTR
OFFICE PHONE: 916-278-7076 (There is no voicemail so you can only reach me via phone if
I am in my office. Email is a more reliable way to reach me.
PREREQUISITES:
See the current catalog for prerequisites at:
http://catalog.csus.edu/current/programs/bus.html
COURSE DESCRIPTION/OBJECTIVES (from catalogue):
Objective is to lead students through all steps necessary in starting a business: analyzing personal
and business goals, researching the market, developing a marketing plan, determining land,
building, equipment, supplies, inventory, people needed, determining cash flow and pro forma
financial statements, and money needed. The output of all this will be a professional business
plan and financial package ready to submit to prospective investors
REQUIRED TEXT:
Entrepreneurship: Successfully Launching New Ventures, Authors: Bruce R. Barringer; R.
Duane Ireland, Pearson Education; Edition: 4th. ISBN: 9780132555524. This is also available as
an eBook.
The third edition is also acceptable. It is no longer available from the publisher, but you may be
able to find copies elsewhere. The difference is mostly in case studies and I will try to point out
when/if there is a discrepancy between the editions.
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COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
Instruction will consist of a combination of lectures, class exercises, examples from the business
press, cases, guest speakers, and videos. The expectation is that you will come to class prepared,
having read the assigned text. This is an interactive class, and participation is expected. Please
contact the professor at any time if you have suggestions for material to be covered in the class.
Due to the nature of the course and the need to accommodate guest speakers’ schedules, the
professor may change the calendar and assignments as needed. Students are responsible for
verifying assignments and due dates.
ADD/DROP POLICY
There is typically more demand for this class than space. Students who miss two classes within
the first two weeks may be dropped to make room for those waiting to add the class. Note the
university policy:
“Instructors have the authority to administratively remove any student who, during the
first two weeks of instruction, fails to attend any two class meetings (for courses that meet
two or more times a week) or one class meeting (for courses that meet once a week).”
(http://aaweb.csus.edu/catalog/current/First%20100%20Pages/registration.html#Drop)
ATTENDANCE AND PARTICIPATION
As stated above, in order to succeed in this course, you must read the assigned text prior to class,
attend the majority of classes and do your share of the group work. Class participation is
expected, and you cannot participate if you are not present.
COURSE ASSIGNMENTS:
Below outlines the key course assignments. Additional detailed information for all assignments
will be provided in class and posted on SacCT.
1. Business Plan: The Business Plan is the major term project. You will work in teams of 5 or
less on this project. Based on the work completed throughout the semester and in the three group
assignments, you will write and present a complete business plan for your business venture.
2. Group Assignments: There will be three assignments performed in groups that collectively
will establish the basis for the business plan. The first assignment will include a brief
presentation of your group’s business idea to the class.
2. Two-person Entrepreneur Interview: Each pair of students will conduct an informational
interview of a local entrepreneur and write a short report. Students may volunteer to present
their reports briefly for extra credit. Note that you MAY NOT resubmit your paper from Coms
103 for credit.
3. Exam. There will be one final exam covering marketing, feasibility analysis, financial
statements, financing a business, and forms of organization.
4. Critique Panel: Business Plan. Each business plan team will provide a written and verbal
critique of another team’s business plan presentation using a provided rubric. This exercise will
occur during class and is due at the end of class on the day of the presentation.
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5. Case Analyses. There will be one brief case write up and occasional, unannounced, in-class
“quizzes”.
6. Peer Assessments: Several measures are in place to ensure performance of your group
members.
a. Formal peer evaluation.
Peer evaluations are due one week after assignments 2 and 3 and after the business plan.
The evaluation form will be provided on SacCT under the assignments tab and should be
submitted via SacCT. Each member is to rate all other members’ performance on the
team project per the provided assessment, summarized with a scale of 0 – 100%, 0 being
“Fail, extremely unsatisfactory”, and 100% being “A+! Exceptional contributions”.
Individual project grades will be weighted by the average score of peer evaluations. If
your average peer evaluation is between 90%‐100% (A level work), you will receive
100% of group grade; if between 80% and 90% (B level work), you will receive 90% of
your group grade; if between below 70% and 80%, you will receive 80% of your group
grade; if you receive an average score lower than 70%, your grade will be weighted by
the actual average peer evaluation score.
If a rating below 70% is suggested, the evaluator must provide a written memorandum
(min. 1/2 page) explaining the low rating to the professor at the time of evaluation. If the
low rating is not reasonably justified, in the opinion of the instructor, OR not supported
by the majority of the team, the evaluation will not be counted in the rating of the student
in question.
Firing freeriding team members
i) Each team reserves the right to vote off any free rider/underperforming member at any
point during the semester contingent upon group consensus and my approval. The
member being voted off will have to do the entire plan and prepare a presentation on
his/her own and present it to me in my office.
The team must submit to me a one‐page memorandum stating your intention to vote off
a team member and explain the decision with supporting evidence. This memo must be
submitted within one week prior to the due date for any of the group projects.
ii) To avoid unfortunate events, please communicate with your group and contribute
diligently to team projects. Please also keep me posted on any concern you may have as
issues emerge so that I can facilitate necessary communication in a timely manner.
7. Class participation. Class participation is a vital part of the learning in this class. You are
expected to participate in class discussions. In addition, unannounced in-class exercises, quizzes
or attendance checks may count as part of your participation grade. If you are not present you
will not receive credit for these.
In-class participation is tracked during discussions and graded on a curve at the end of the term.
Other means of participating beyond contributing to class discussion include posting comments
on SacCT regarding you classmates’ business ideas and plans and adding to discussion threads
throughout the semester on SacCT. Volunteer Entrepreneur Interview presentations are the only
extra credit opportunity and are worth 5 points.
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Class participation grades are based more on quality than quantity. Some of the best
contributors may only participate extensively in two or three sessions, but add significant value
to the discussion on those days. In a class of this size, there are likely to be times when you
experience frustration at not being called upon. If you feel that you are regularly having a
problem either being passed over or getting your hand up, please see me.
LATE ASSIGNMENTS:
Late assignments are generally not accepted and missed exams or quizzes may not be made-up.
Exceptions may include documented emergency (illness, death of family member) and still will
be accepted only at the professor’s discretion. Any late assignment that the professor agrees to
accept must be turned in within 7 days from first due date and automatically will be reduced by
one letter grade, ex. (A to B; 95% reduces to 85%).
POSSIBLE POINTS:
Pitches: Assignment #1 (2 brief presentations and write-ups per group)
Assignments: 2 and 3 @100 points each
2 person Assignment: Entrepreneur Interview
Business Plan
Business Plan Presentation
Final Exam
Critique Panel: Business Plan Review
Peer Assessments (following assignment #2, assignment #3, and BP)
In-class Participation, quizzes
Case Analysis
Total Points Possible
100
200
100
200
100
150
20
15
50
65
1000
GRADE CALCULATION:
Grades will be calculated as follows: Total points earned/Total points possible.
GRADES
935 – 1000
895 – 934
855 – 894
815 – 854
795 – 814
755 – 794
715 – 754
695 – 714
655 – 694
615 – 654
600 – 614
Below 600
A
AB+
B
BC+
C
CD+
D
DF
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INCOMPLETE GRADES:
University policy concerning incomplete grades can be found at
http://www.csus.edu/admbus/umanual/UMG05150.htm. Students should familiarize themselves
with the policy.
CLASS POLICIES:
 Cell phones and pagers must be put away before coming to class. No text messaging is
allowed during class. If you feel that an impending notification is urgent, please let me
know prior to class and gain approval for leaving your phone on. Then, If you must take a
call during class, please leave the room.
 Arrive on time for class.
 If you need to leave early from a lecture, please sit near an exit and leave quietly.
 When you are participating in class discussion, please do not talk over other students or
the professor.
 Laptops are allowed only for use on class work. If laptops are used for socializing,
games, etc. during class, laptops will be banned for the violating user. Laptops and cell
phones must be stored during guest lectures. (NO EXCEPTIONS AND 10 POINTS
WILL BE DUDUCTED FOR ANY LAPTOP OR CELL PHONE IN USE DURING A
GUEST LECTURE.)
ETHICAL BEHAVIOR
Plagiarizing:
Students should review the student tutorial on how not to plagiarize found at
http://library.csus.edu/content2.asp?pageID=353.
Cheating and Unethical Conduct. At CSUS, cheating is the act of obtaining or attempting to
obtain credit for academic work through the use of any dishonest, deceptive, or fraudulent
means. Cheating at CSUS includes but is not limited to:
1. Copying, in part or in whole, from another's test or other evaluation instrument;
2. Using crib notes, "cheat sheets," or any other device, including electronic devices, in aid of
writing the exam not permitted by the instructor;
3. Submitting work previously graded in another course unless doing so has been approved by
the course instructor or by department policy.
4. Submitting work simultaneously presented in more than one course, unless doing so has been
approved by the respective course instructors or by the department policies of the respective
departments;
5. Altering or interfering with grading or grading instructions;
6. Sitting for an examination by a surrogate, or as a surrogate;
7. Any other act committed by a student in the course of his or her academic work that defrauds
or misrepresents, including aiding or abetting in any of the actions defined above.
Please also refer to the University's policy on academic
honesty (http://www.csus.edu/umanual/AcademicHonestyPolicyandProcedures.htm).
Note especially that, in order to prevent the integrity of learning from being compromised
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by acts of academic dishonesty, Sacramento State has assigned the following
responsibilities to students:

Understand what cheating and plagiarism are and take steps to avoid them. Students are
expected to do this whether working individually or as part of a group.

Do not taking credit for academic work that is not your own.

Do not knowingly encourage or make possible cheating by others.

Know the policies and procedures regarding academic honesty as specified in the
above-referenced document

Exercise your option, if so inclined, to inform the faculty member or the Student
Conduct Officer of alleged cheating.
Penalties for Cheating or Unethical Conduct
The penalty for cheating or unethical conduct will be at the instructor’s discretion and will likely
result in expulsion from and a failing grade in the class. The student’s conduct will also be
reported to college administration.
Disruptive Behavior
Refer to the University's policy on student disruptive behavior
(http://www.csus.edu/umanual/student/UMD03250.htm). Note that a disruptive student
is defined as a student who engages in classroom behavior that interferes with the process
of teaching and learning.
A student exhibiting disruptive behavior will be asked to cease that behavior. If the behavior
continues, the student will be asked to leave or will be removed from the classroom, the behavior
will be reported to the student conduct officer (CSU/CBA administration), and any credit that
would have been due for a related assignment will be denied. If the behavior is repeated in a
subsequent class, even once, the student will be disenrolled from the class and will receive a
failing semester grade.
ACCOMMODATIONS FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES:
If you have a disability and require accommodations, you need to provide disability
documentation to SSWE, Lassen Hall 1008, (916) 278-6955. Please discuss your
accommodation needs with me after class or during my office hours early in the semester.
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CLASS SCHEDULE NOTE: The professor may change the calendar and assignments as needed.
Students are responsible for verifying assignments and due dates.
Date
Topic
Assignment
1/28
Orientation. Meet classmates.
1/30
Chapter 1: Introduction to Entrepreneurship.
Chapter 1
Discuss class interests as input for group formation.
Explain Assignment #1.
2/4
Chapter 2: Recognizing opportunities.
Chapters 2 and 3
Generating Ideas.
Ch. 3: Feasibility analysis. Form groups. Class
discussion/brainstorming business ideas.
2/6
(Groups 1-9 have rough ideas for businesses ready - just for class
Chapter 3
feedback – no credit)
Rearrange groups according to project interest
Feasibility analysis continued.
2/11
Continue discussion on ideas for businesses as needed.
Explain Entrepreneur Interview Assignment
Begin Ch 4: Writing a Business Plan and/or address concerns
about business ideas.
2/13
Group Pitches Assignment #1 (1-4: Final presentations):
Due: Assignment #1
2/18
Group Pitches Assignment #1 (5-9: Final presentations):
2/20
Complete Group pitches as necessary
Chapter 4
Ch 4: Writing a Business Plan
2/25
Industry & Competitive Analysis
Chapter 5
Discuss any Questions on Entrepreneur Interview
Instructions for Assignment 2
2/27
Business Models (Ch. 6: Key learning – Mission Statements,
Chapter 6
Differentiation, Sustainable Competitive advantage, Target
Due: Entrepreneur
Markets.
Interview
Volunteer Entrepreneur Interview Presentations
3/4
Volunteer Entrepreneur Interview Presentations
Chapter 7
Chapter 7: Preparing a Proper Ethical and Legal Foundation
3/6
Chapter 10: Getting Funding or Financing
Chapter 10
Volunteer Entrepreneur Interview Presentations
In-class group time and questions re Assignment 2
3/11
Ch. 11 Marketing
Chapter 11
Due: Assignment #2
3/13
Ch. 11 Marketing
Chapter 11
3/18
Chapter 8: Assessing a New Venture’s Financial Strength
Peer Assessment on A2 Due
Instructions for Assignment #3 and case study.
3/20
Forecasting Methods
See lecture notes
3/25;
Spring Break
No Class
3/27
4/1
No Class. Cesar Chavez Birthday.
4/3
Strategies for Growth: New Product Development Marketing 3.0
Chapter 14
Chapter 9
4/8
Ask questions on Assignment #3 – In class working session.
4/10
Building a Team and catch up on lectures.
Due: Assignment #3
4/9
Challenges of Growth
Chapter 12
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4/15
4/17
4/22
4/24
4/29
5/1
5/6
5/8
5/13
5/15
5/??
Chapter 12: Intellectual Property.
Possible Guest Speaker
Strategies for Firm Growth
Review of Key Business Plan Elements. Instructions for
presentations. Discuss Case.
In-class meetings with professor as needed (Groups 1-4)
In-class meetings with professor as needed (Groups 5-9)
Group Business Plan Presentations & Critiques
Group Business Plan Presentations& Critiques
Group Business Plan Presentations& Critiques
Group Business Plan Presentations& Critiques
Group Business Plan Presentations& Critiques
Review for Test
FINAL EXAM Date, time and place TBD (tentatively Mon.,
May 20, 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm)
Peer Assessment on A3 Due
Case Write up due
Chapter 14
Due: Written plans
Due: Written plans
Due: Written plans
Due: Written plans
Due: Written plans
All Peer Assessment on BP
Due.
FINAL EXAM
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