間眅埶AV

President's Dream Colloquium on Entrepreneurship

Colloquium Course Syllabus

Fall 2016

Meeting Time:
Fridays, 1:30-4:30pm
Burnaby campus

Course Description

The translation of knowledge, experience and opportunity into the discovery, evaluation and implementation of novel business or social enterprises is at the core of entrepreneurship.

It is the means by which people in diverse social settings empower themselves creatively, socially and economically to improve their own circumstances as well as those of their families and communities. Entrepreneurship turns ideas and vision into ventures that thrive and survive given the right conditions, motivation and knowledge.

This seminar will explore the various facets and incarnations of entrepreneurship in manner that cuts across disciplinary boundaries and engages with communities within and beyond the University.

It will create a forum for dialogue between diverse groups and promote the identification of opportunities for the creation of social and economic wealth through the joint efforts of multiple communities.

To do so, the seminar will bring together academics and thought leaders from multiple domains, some traditionally associated with entrepreneurial activities and others where pioneers are beginning to explore new and innovative solutions to traditional concerns.

How to Apply

We are no longer accepting applications for the Spring 2014 colloquium.


Course Modules

The seminar will be comprised of six modules:

  • Entrepreneurial Thinking Within and Across Contexts
  • Financing Entrepreneurship
  • Technological Entrepreneurship
  • Social Entrepreneurship
  • Cultural Entrepreneurship
  • Entrepreneurship in Aboriginal Communities

Course Format

Each of these modules will be comprised of two sessions.

  • The first session of each module is an in-class seminar for registered students (graduate and senior undergraduate) which is led by 間眅埶AV members who are widely published and passionate about the topic area covered. In these sessions, the academics will introduce the topic area, explain its theoretical and practical significance and explore the primary research questions which drive that area of inquiry. Academic articles will be assigned to seminar participants to facilitate and add depth and rigour to these discussions.
  • The second session of each module will be a free public lecture which features a guest speaker of international renown who is a leading academic and / or thought leader in the subject area. These speakers will engage the audience in an interactive session that will be open to members of the university community and the general public.

As a final assignment, seminar registrants will be required to work in teams of 34 students to identify and describe the challenges and opportunities associated with entrepreneurship in one or more of the entrepreneurial domains covered in the seminar (i.e. technological, social, cultural, and aboriginal). These projects will be presented to the University and invited guests in a session at the end of the term.

Grading

Assignment Percentage
Reading Reflection Papers 30%
Speaker Reflection Papers 30%
Final Project 25%
Final Presentation 15%

Course Requirements

The requirements for this course will comprise two sets of assignments:

  1. Reading reflection papers (6 papers, 5% each, total=30%). For each of the topics (e.g., Financing for entrepreneurs; Cultural entrepreneurship), write a 600-900 word reflection on the assigned readings. In the reflection paper, you will explore what you think are some of the most interesting and powerful ideas from the assigned readings, discuss why you think they are interesting or powerful, and identify questions they lead you to ask with respect to the week's topic.
  2. Speaker reflection papers (6 papers, 5% each, total=30%). Prior to each guest speaker, write a 200-300 word reflection on how their ideas or accomplishments intersect with your own interests. In reading about the guest speaker, what have they achieved or written about that makes them interesting to you? How do those ideas or accomplishments relate to your own ideas, accomplishments, aims, beliefs and values?

Students may select between two different final projects.  

Final Project Option 1: Opportunity Development Project (25%)

Individually, or in teams of 2 or 3, students will research the feasibility of an entrepreneurial opportunity they have discovered. The opportunity may correspond to one or more of the domains covered in the course (e.g. Commercial, Technological, Cultural, Social, Indigenous).

Each student/team will produce a research report on their opportunity. These reports should answer the following questions regarding the opportunity ( These answers should be based both upon desk research and interviews with at least 2 experts and 2 potential clients).

  • What is your product or service?  Briefly describe what it is you sell / provide.
  • Who is the market? Discuss who your clients will be, how you will add value to them, and how large of a market they represent. 
  • Will you make money? For what will you charge? How will you collect the money?
  • What are the estimated (rough) costs of producing / delivering and marketing the product or service?
  • How will you secure the needed financial resources?
  • Who are your (direct / indirect, current / potential) competitors? Briefly discuss who they are and what they have accomplished?

Along with the report, each individual / team should prepare as appropriate; 1) a 3D prototype of your product OR a short video illustrating your service and, a 2) Graphical display board to provide relevant information about the product/service.

These projects will be jointly graded by 2 of the instructors from the course.

At the end of the semester, students will present their project to members of the public (See Week 13, Below).

Final Project Option 2: Analytic or Creative Expression (25%)

Each student will produce a 1500-word manuscript or equivalent in other media, including but not limited to painting, video, audio, multimedia, dance, or other modes that focus on a topic associated with entrepreneurship. A faculty member with expertise in their topic area or mode of media will be assigned to supervise each project. Students submit a proposal for their idea to their assigned faculty member midway through the semester. Students can work individually or in groups, with the specific project scope being negotiated with faculty members depending on the size and composition of the group. At the end of the semester, students will present, display or screen their project to members of the public (See Week 13, Below).

Week 13 Final Presentation (15%)

Individuals/teams will present their final projects to the general public, the instructors and invited guests. The default format for this presentation is a trade show/fair type exhibit with display boards. Other formats may be permitted upon approval from the course co-ordinator (Eric Gedajlovic) and supervising instructor (in the case of "Option 2").

Documents

* Colloquium-Entrepreneurship-course.docx

Click to download Course Outline.

Seminar Schedule

Click each session date for more details.

January 10, 2014

Seminar: Eric Gedaljlovic
BLU 10031

January 17, 2014

  1. What constitutes an "entrepreneurial opportunity" ?
  2. What factors determine who is likely to become an entrepreneur and what sorts of opportunities are discovered?
  3. What factors determine whether discovered opportunities are favourably evaluated and acted upon?
  4. What factors determine how favourably evaluated opportunities are acted upon.

January 10, 2014

Seminar: Eric Gedaljlovic
BLU 10031

January 24, 2014

Seminar: Elicia Maine
  1. What opportunities and barriers exist for scientist entrepreneurs?
  2. How does science & technology entrepreneurship differ from software & IT to biotech to nanotech to cleantech?
  3. How do science & technology entrepreneurs select markets for commercializing their inventions?
  4. When and why do scientist entrepreneurs choose to license their technology rather than manufacture their own product or process?

February 7, 2014

Seminar: Jan Simon

February 20, 2014

Speaker: Saul Estrin

February 21, 2014

  1. What makes an idea an investment opportunity? (Contrast this to the first question in Topic 1: Entrepreneurial Thinking Across Individuals and Contexts)
  2. How do valuation methodologies differ in early stage financing compared to traditional valuation methodologies?
  3. How do venture capitalists take advantage of financial engineering?
  4. Do venture capitalists really make a difference?

February 28, 2014

Seminar: Tom Lawrence, David Dunne, Shawn Smith

March 7, 2014

  1. How can the public, private and not-for-profit sectors work together to effect social change? What are their different frames and languages, and how can they be bridged?
  2. What is the difference between social entrepreneurship and commercial entrepreneurship?
  3. What is the ROI on social entrepreneurship? How should performance be measured?
  4. How are social entrepreneurs financed?
  5. What methods of innovation are most effective in dealing with social problems and developing approaches for social entrepreneurs?
  6. What are the major opportunity spaces for social entrepreneurs?
  7. What organizational forms best facilitate social innovation and entrepreneurship?

March 14, 2014

Seminar:  and Michael Boucher, Director, Cultural Development & Programming
間眅埶AV Woodward's

March 21, 2014

  1. Why is there a focus on the creative (bohemian)class in the cultural economy today?
  2. How does an artist/creator differ from a cultural entrepreneur?
  3. What are the success factors for starting a creative enterprise? (Three cases: selected among Carly Rae Jepson, Cirque du Soleil, Silicon Sisters, Cowichan Valley Knitters, nKmip band)
  4. How, if at all, is cultural entrepreneurship distinct from other economic sectors?
  5. Given its known high risk, can cultural entrepreneurship be sustainable? Why is it often associated with gentrification and hyper consumption in the urban economy? How does cultural entrepreneurship intersect with social justice, identity and class today?
  6. Will digital technologies help leverage ideas and creative expression in a networked environment, or prove difficult to monetize? How are they changing the practice of cultural entrepreneurship?
  7. How may those usually excluded from theories of cultural entrepreneurship in the economy  be empowered to unlock job creation and sustainable growth? What are the emerging narratives of entrepreneurial practices in Canadian culture in a world of globalizing opportunity?
  1. What distinguishes indigenous entrepreneurship from other entrepreneurial ventures?
  2. Can entrepreneurship be a vehicle for avoiding or breaking down colonial practices or does it necessarily play into individualist tendencies that are contrary to the community orientation of traditional cultures?
  3. Does the interaction of entrepreneurship and indigenous knowledge and values have the potential to encourage new kinds of entrepreneurial models?
  4. Is entrepreneurship an important part of economic renewal of indigenous communities?

April 11, 2014

Student Presentations