INNOVENT 204 : Understanding Entrepreneurial Opportunities

Business and Economics

2023 Semester Two (1235) (15 POINTS)

Course Prescription

Applies processes for creating, evaluating and realising entrepreneurial opportunities. Presents creative and analytical approaches to engage with different stakeholders and make decisions under conditions of uncertainty in a variety of entrepreneurial contexts. Skills to assess opportunities and associated business models and communicate a credible and compelling business case are introduced.

Course Overview

This course is designed for students interested in the early stages of venture creation – generating and evaluating ideas and creating a potential entrepreneurial opportunity, including social ventures, new approaches to societal challenges, and new products or service offerings.  The course combines students from a range of disciplines in Arts, Sciences and Business it is not required to an in-depth knowledge of business to enrol in the course. Essential concepts around creating economic, social and customer value will be covered, along with business models, product and service economics, and pitching for funding.  Students should have completed BUSINESS 101 and 102, SCIGEN 201 or INNOVATE 100/100G

This course aims to introduce students to the theory of entrepreneurial opportunity and how opportunities are realised in practice. Specifically, the course will encourage students to search for and evaluate an idea based upon a user need, societal challenge, a scientific or technological discovery or a new approach to offering services or products to a group of people. Teamwork, problem-solving, and communication skills are developed by working in a team to build an attractive project case with funding potential. These skills will prepare students for their stage three courses in the INNOVENT major or as part of the Innovation and Entrepreneurship module.

Course Requirements

Prerequisite: BUSINESS 102 or 103 or 112 or 113, or INNOVATE 100 or SCIGEN 201 Restriction: INNOVENT 202

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: Disciplinary Knowledge and Practice
Capability 2: Critical Thinking
Capability 3: Solution Seeking
Capability 4: Communication and Engagement
Capability 5: Independence and Integrity
Graduate Profile: Bachelor of Commerce

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Generate and evaluate ideas with a view to developing a potential entrepreneurial opportunity. (Capability 1, 2 and 3)
  2. Develop a viable business case for an entrepreneurial opportunity taking into account the key stakeholders and possible sources of finance. (Capability 1, 2, 3 and 5.1)
  3. Present entrepreneurial opportunities to ‘potential funders’ through the pitch presentation. (Capability 1 and 4.1)
  4. Explain the components of a viable business model to support the existence of value creation and value capture in your project case. (Capability 1 and 4.2)
  5. Work in a team to develop and present the background and case for the entrepreneurial opportunity. (Capability 4.3)
  6. Apply theoretical knowledge and common frameworks to develop a practical understanding of innovation and entrepreneurship. (Capability 1)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
One-Pager Opportunity Pitch 25% Individual Coursework
Opportunity Case Presentation 30% Group & Individual Coursework
Readiness Quizzes 20% Individual Coursework
Mid-Semester Test 25% Individual Test
Assessment Type Learning Outcome Addressed
1 2 3 4 5 6
One-Pager Opportunity Pitch
Opportunity Case Presentation
Readiness Quizzes
Mid-Semester Test

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 15 point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 15 point course that they are enrolled in.

Delivery Mode

Campus Experience

On-campus session will mainly involved group discussions and experimental exercises. 
Recordings will be made available but personal attendance is highly encouraged because learnings from group discussions and experimental exercises require face-to-face interactions. 
The course may include live online events including group discussions/tutorials.
The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable.

Learning Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Student Feedback

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.

Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.

Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

  

Other Information

Learning and teaching
This course engages participants through a variety of learning modes. During the course you will:
1) Attend presentations by lecturers or guest speakers.
2) Work as part of a team to plan and present an attractive business case.
3) Conduct independent research and reading.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against online source material using computerised detection mechanisms.

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student’s own work, reflecting his or her learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the worldwide web. A student’s assessed work may be reviewed against electronic source material using computerised detection to provide an electronic version of their work for computerised review.

Class Representatives

Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Students are urged to discuss privately any impairment-related requirements face-to-face and/or in written form with the courses convenor/lecturer and/or tutor.

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Course policies
Joining late
There are tight schedules associated with INNOVENT 204. One important event that happens in the first week of the semester is that students are formed into teams that work together for the whole semester. Our goal is to have balanced teams comprising 4 - 5 students. That way, the intellectual resources of the team are maximised, while maintaining a team size that students find manageable.

Late (written) assignments
Late submissions / missed assignments: no late submissions. If you have a legitimate reason please apply for an Aegrotat: https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html
Requests for extensions: If needed, please apply for an Aegrotat (see above). We grant only grant an Aegrotat for medical reasons in serious circumstances and you need to provide a medical or counseling certificate.

Learning Continuity

In the event of an unexpected disruption, we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and course assessment continues to meet the principles of the University’s assessment policy. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator/director, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the university website for information about how to proceed.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course students may be asked to submit coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. In exceptional circumstances changes to elements of this course may be necessary at short notice. Students enrolled in this course will be informed of any such changes and the reasons for them, as soon as possible, through Canvas.

Published on 13/07/2023 11:01 a.m.