INNOVENT 307 Ecosystems for Innovation and Entrepreneurship - Course Outlines

Course Prescription

Introduces the eco-system concept to examine ways that innovating firms interact with various actors to build and sustain viable global enterprises. Actors include: suppliers, competitors, investors, users/customers, governments and universities. Develops the analytical skills needed to identify different actors for potential partnerships and strategies to engage with them.

Course Overview

A 2014 report concluded that our University is one of the world’s five best university-based entrepreneurial ecosystems operating outside the technology-driven innovation hubs of MIT, Stanford, and Cambridge. Yet, what does it mean to have an entrepreneurial ecosystem? Do they exist in universities or cities, or countries? When and how can ecosystems support firms pursuing rapid growth in market penetration, revenue, and scaling their operations?

We explore the multi-level nature of ecosystems to explore these types of questions: how countries or cities create the conditions for innovation and entrepreneurship (macro-level); what actions firms take to pursue high growth (meso-level), and; what capabilities underpin those actions (micro-level). Where INNOVENT 203 and INNOVENT 204 focus on individual-level entrepreneurial mindset and processes, INNOVENT 307 addresses the interplay across the “system”.

Developing critical thinking skills to question the assumptions and evidence that underpin the models and initiatives that firms, universities, governments, and academics put forward to promote innovation and entrepreneurship are emphasised. Practising your critical thinking is critical, so classes and assessments are dedicated to presenting arguments to show your critical thinking and gaining feedback about how to advance them. Industry perspectives feature the course, with speakers, panel discussions, live cases, and hands-on exercises.

Course Requirements

Prerequisite: 15 points from ENGGEN 302, 303, INNOVENT 201, 203, 204, MGMT 202, 211, SCIGEN 201

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

Recognise the key characteristics of innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystems in different national contexts, including Aotearoa-New Zealand (Capability 1.1 and 3.2)
Articulate and critique the activities of central support actors in Aotearoa-NZ entrepreneurial ecosystem aimed at supporting growth-oriented firms (Capability 4.1, 4.2, 6.1, 7.1, 8.1 and 8.2)
Analyse the actors and factors of entrepreneurial ecosystems, including the role of high-growth firms (Capability 1.1, 4.1 and 4.2)

Assessments

Assessment Type	Percentage	Classification
Final Exam	50%	Individual Examination
Quizzes	20%	Individual Coursework
Presentation 1	10%	Group & Individual Coursework
Presentation 2	20%	Group & Individual Coursework
4 types	100%

Assessment Type	Learning Outcome Addressed
	1	2	3
Final Exam
Quizzes
Presentation 1
Presentation 2

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.

For this course, you can expect 3 hours of classes each week that are used for discussion, preparing and presenting team assignments, and workshops. Expect 2-3 hours of reading and thinking about the content and 2-3 hours of work on assignments and/or test preparation.

Delivery Mode

Campus Experience

Attendance is expected so you can participate in scheduled activities, including; industry speaker sessions, class-level discussions, group activities to prepare for and deliver group presentations, and assignment workshops where you gain feedback on your work-in-progress.
Lectures will be available as recordings. Other learning activities, such as the one listed above, will be available when external speakers consent to be recorded and the sound quality of the audience participation can be captured to a reasonable standard.
Attendance on campus is required for the group presentations.
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.

Readings are available via the library databases and are listed in Canvas. There is no textbook. Links to media resources are listed in Canvas. Assessment instructions and all course policies are available in Canvas. There is no coursebook.

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.

Students tell us that the 40% individual written assignment was challenging in the middle of the semester. In 2023, we will adjust the assessment structure by moving presentations earlier in the semester and replacing the written assignment with a final exam.

Features that students tell us that help their learning - industry speakers, virtual drop-in sessions, a mix of readings and videos as pre-work - are maintained.

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 for potential plagiarism or other forms of academic misconduct, using computerised detection mechanisms.

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

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.

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.

Capability 1:	People and Place
Capability 3:	Knowledge and Practice
Capability 4:	Critical Thinking
Capability 6:	Communication
Capability 7:	Collaboration
Capability 8:	Ethics and Professionalism

INNOVENT 307 : Ecosystems for Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Business and Economics

2024 Semester One (1243) (15 POINTS)