All programmes > Technology Entrepreneurship and New Business Development

Technology Entrepreneurship and New Business Development (B-KUL-D0S18A)

6 ECTSEnglish54 Both termsCannot be taken as part of an examination contract
Debrulle Jonas
OC Handelsingenieur en Handelsingenieur in de beleidsinformatica FEB Campus Leuven

Aims

This course offers a bird's-eye view of the entrepreneurial process, exploring how technological opportunities are transformed into value-creating economic activities. It aims to enhance understanding of the how, where, when, who, and why behind entrepreneurial initiatives.

Upon completion of this course, the student is able to:

  • Explain and illustrate the unique qualities of the entrepreneurial process;
  • Understand the role that business planning may have on the entrepreneurial process;
  • Understand the significance and dangers of business plan writing;
  • Appreciate the different purposes and audiences for business plans;
  • Evaluate the attractiveness of product and service ideas;
  • Evaluate the feasibility of business models within high-tech industries;
  • Retrieve (sufficiently reliable) primary data as input to a business planning process;
  • Apprehend the essential components of effective business plans;
  • Develop and evaluate a sophisticated business plan for an identified or given opportunity situated within a high-tech industry;
  • Adequately present a business idea.

 

 

Previous knowledge

This course does not assume that you have taken prior classes on entrepreneurship or business administration. However, it would help if you have a rudimentary understanding of how organizations operate. Actually, students who have already taken management or business courses may come to realize that the entrepreneurial building of new business is quite distinct from more generic business management.

Is included in these courses of study

Activities

2 ects. Entrepreneurship: Models and Ingredients (B-KUL-D0O39a)

2 ECTSEnglishFormat: Lecture36 Both terms
Debrulle Jonas
OC Handelsingenieur en Handelsingenieur in de beleidsinformatica FEB Campus Leuven

Content

This component is designed to immerse students in the theory of entrepreneurship and new venture creation and address the trepidations of students who may consider becoming entrepreneurs at some point in their career.

Topics Covered in this Course:

  • Entrepreneurship intro, idea generation;
  • Feasibility study, business plan guidelines;
  • Industry analysis, market analysis;
  • Industry segmentation, target market selection;
  • Marketing plan, business positioning;
  • Team development;
  • Operations, product development plan;
  • Getting funding, financial statements.

Course material

Used Course Material:

  • Barringer, B.R. & Ireland, R.D. (2012). Entrepreneurship: Successfully launching new ventures (4th edition). Harlow: Pearson Education Limited;
  • Barringer, B.R. (2008). Preparing effective business plans: An entrepreneurial approach. Upper Saddle River (NJ): Prentice Hall;
  • Jones-Evans, D. & Carter, S. (2012). Enterprise and small business: Principles, practice and policy (3rd edition). Harlow: Pearson Education Limited.

Recommended Reading:

Toledo:

  • Toledo is being used to share all necessary readings and lecture slides.

Language of instruction: more information

This course is taught in English. 

Format: more information

Students interactively acquire in-depth and advanced insights into the entrepreneurial process in a course that combines traditional lectures (Models and Ingredients) with a demanding field project (Development of a Business Plan).

Is also included in other courses

4 ects. Entrepreneurship: Development of a Business Plan for High Tech Industries (B-KUL-D0S18a)

4 ECTSEnglishFormat: Assignment18 Both terms
Debrulle Jonas
OC Handelsingenieur en Handelsingenieur in de beleidsinformatica FEB Campus Leuven

Content

For this component, students participate in a group-based business plan writing exercise, accompanied by presentations on their group's progress.

Topics Covered in this Course:

  • Idea generation and feasibility study;
  • Industry analysis, market analysis;
  • Industry segmentation, target market selection;
  • Marketing plan, business positioning;
  • Team development;
  • Operations, product development plan;
  • Getting funding, financial statements.

 

Course material

Used Course Material:

  • Barringer, B.R. & Ireland, R.D. (2012). Entrepreneurship: Successfully launching new ventures (4th edition). Harlow: Pearson Education Limited;
  • Barringer, B.R. (2008). Preparing effective business plans: An entrepreneurial approach. Upper Saddle River (NJ): Prentice Hall;
  • Jones-Evans, D. & Carter, S. (2012). Enterprise and small business: Principles, practice and policy (3rd edition). Harlow: Pearson Education Limited.

Toledo:

  • Toledo is being used to share all necessary readings, lecture slides, presentation guidelines, submit work, etc.

Language of instruction: more information

This course is taught in English. All presentations are delivered in English. 

Format: more information

Presentation - Project work

This course provides you with a profound understanding of the role, analytics, and process of business plan writing. Following the lectures ("Models and Ingredients"), students will engage in a group-based business-planning project and accompanying presentations. You will learn how to rigorously prepare for starting up a new business. As part of a small (approximately 6 students) and diverse team, you will develop an operational business plan aimed at either the creation of a new venture (NVC-track) or the development of new business for an established small to medium-sized firm (NBD-track). In both tracks, projects should pertain to a technology-intensive industry. You will engage in all steps of the entrepreneurial decision-making process (e.g., idea generation, feasibility analysis, industry study, market analysis, marketing plan, production plan, product development, and financial statements). Participants are expected to accumulate entrepreneurial knowledge and behaviors that support creative solutions and new value development.

The business plan is the most demanding course component. It is in the business plan that you can show what you have learned from the course. It requires extensive field research, creativity, and critical thinking.

Evaluation

Evaluation: Technology Entrepreneurship and New Business Development (B-KUL-D2S18a)

Type : Partial or continuous assessment with (final) exam during the examination period
Description of evaluation : Written, Paper/Project, Presentation, Self assessment/Peer assessment
Type of questions : Multiple choice
Learning material : None

Explanation


Features of the Evaluation:

  • A written exam assesses the extent to which the student has internalized the key insights from the course material that were studied to prepare for the lectures and that will be applied in the business plan. Questions will be in the format of single-answer, multiple-choice, with correction for guessing. Further details about the grading of the multiple-choice questions will be explained during the lectures and can be found on the Toledo page;
  • The course involves the full development of an operational business plan as well as multiple intermediate presentations throughout the year;
  • The business plan and presentations should reflect that you can adequately apply the different entrepreneurial concepts presented in class;
  • Upon completion of the business plan, students have to indicate the extent to which their team members (peers) have contributed to the final result of the manuscript and its presentations (= peer assessment);
  • For the business plan exercise, the terms of delivery and deadlines will be determined by the lecturer (titularis) and communicated via the Toledo page;
  • The date of the (final) business plan presentation(s) will be determined by the lecturer (titularis) and communicated via the Toledo page. The presentations will take place before the examination period.

Determination of the Final Grades:

  • The grades are determined by the lecturer (titularis) as communicated via the Toledo page and stated in the examination schedule. The final grade is calculated and communicated as an integer on a scale of 20;
  • The final grade is a weighted score and consists of the following components:
    • 30% on a written closed-book exam in the form of multiple-choice questions, organized in the January examination period (with correction for guessing);
    • 50% on the final business plan;
    • 20% on the business plan presentations.
  • Peer evaluation may trigger a correction up to 20% of the grade of the business plan;
  • If the set deadlines for the business plan exercise were not respected, the final grade will be “NA” (not taken) for the whole course;
  • If the student does not participate in the development of the business plan, the final grade will be “NA” (not taken) for the whole course;
  • If the student does not participate in the exam, the final grade will be “NA” (not taken) for the whole course;
  • Student attendance and participation in the business plan presentations are required for successful completion of the whole course.

Second Examination Opportunity:

  • At the second exam opportunity, the final grade is based on:
    • 30% on a written closed-book exam in the form of multiple-choice questions (with correction for guessing);
    • 50% on an individual assignment (for students who failed the business plan component);
    • 20% on the business plan presentations.
  • Students who passed the exam do not have to retake the exam. The grade obtained at the first exam opportunity will therefore be transferred to the second exam opportunity;
  • Students who have passed the business plan cannot retake that component. For them, the results already obtained at the first exam opportunity will be transferred to the second exam opportunity;
  • Students who failed the business plan, cannot retake the business plan exercise but are required to complete an individual, written assignment;
  • Due to the nature of the business plan presentations, this part of the evaluation cannot be retaken. The grade obtained at the first exam opportunity for this part will therefore be transferred to the second exam opportunity.

Information about retaking exams

See ‘Explanation’ for further information regarding the second examination opportunity.