Main Content
Syllabus
ENTR 300
ENTR 300 Principles of Entrepreneurship (3) Overview of the fundamental principles and processes of entrepreneurship, including idea generation and opportunity analysis.
Overview | Objectives | Materials | Library Resources | Technical Requirements | Course Requirements and Grading | Course Schedule | Academic Integrity | Accommodating Disabilities | Additional Policies
Overview
The study of entrepreneurship has relevance today. It helps entrepreneurs fulfill their personal needs and provides economic contributions to society. Entrepreneurship creates new jobs and acts as a positive force in economic growth by serving as the bridge between innovation and the marketplace.
Entrepreneurship is more than something one does at a point in time. It is a philosophy of life. The challenge to each student is to discover their own entrepreneurial potential and find ways to capitalize on that potential. The challenge is to build an entrepreneurial career that might include starting ventures, working for high-growth ventures, taking over a family business, participating in entrepreneurship in a large company, and/or pursuing social and nonprofit entrepreneurship. The amazing entrepreneurs you will "meet" in the coming weeks can help you in defining your path.
This class is learning by doing. It provides you with the knowledge of leadership, teamwork, and interpersonal skills to become a successful leader/entrepreneur. The hands-on projects will provide you with real-world examples of the frustration and joys of owning your own business.
Course Objectives
- Identify the various forms of entrepreneurship (i.e., social entrepreneurship, intrapreneurship, and entrepreneurship).
- Evaluate success and failure through local entrepreneurs, guest speakers, and interviews.
- Increase your creative thinking through classroom activities and presentations.
- Recognize entrepreneurship trends and events.
- Evaluate the entrepreneurial approaches to implementation and management of a venture from conventional management approaches.
- Identify the underlying characteristics, skills, and behaviors of successful entrepreneurs.
- Recognize the many dilemmas and choices that entrepreneurial individuals confront as they pursue and implement their concepts, and the fact that the "right" course of action is rarely apparent.
Required Course Materials
Most World Campus courses require that students purchase materials (e.g., textbooks, specific software, etc.). To learn about how to order materials, please see the Course Materials page. You should check LionPATH approximately 3–4 weeks before the course begins for a list of required materials.
To access HBR articles, go to the HBR website (HBR Case Studies are provided in the section below), and make sure to register so you can access your course readings. (You will need to register, but you do not need to subscribe.) You will need to purchase your HBR readings using your credit card. To read PDF articles, make sure you have Adobe Reader, which you can download for free at Adobe's website. For technical assistance, contact Harvard Business School Publishing at 1-800-810-8858. They are open from 8 a.m.–6 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.
Entrepreneurial Publications
Students are encouraged to read applied publications, such as the following:
- Inc. Magazine
- Fast Company
- Entrepreneur Magazine
Look for insights in those publications that relate to the various entrepreneurs and topics involved in the course. Subscriptions to any of the publications can be obtained at a student rate.
Other useful sources include the following:
- Entrepreneur.com
- Wall Street Journal: Entrepreneurship
- Bloomberg Business: Small Business
Students are strongly encouraged to regularly access these sites for ideas to bring into class discussion.
Library Resources
Many of the University Libraries resources can be utilized from a distance. Through the Libraries website, you can
- access magazine, journal, and newspaper articles online using library databases;
- borrow materials and have them delivered to your doorstep—or even your desktop;
- get research help via email, chat, or phone using the Ask a Librarian service; and
- much more.
You can view the Online Students' Library Guide for more information.
You must have an active Penn State Access Account to take full advantage of the Libraries' resources and services. Once you have a Penn State account, you will automatically be registered with the library within 24–48 hours. If you would like to determine whether your registration has been completed, visit the Libraries home page and select My Account.
Technical Requirements
| Operating System | Canvas, Penn State's Learning Management System (LMS), supports most recent versions of Microsoft Windows and Apple Mac operating systems. To determine if your operating system is supported, please review Canvas' computer specifications. |
|---|---|
| Browser | Canvas supports the last two versions of every major browser release. It is highly recommended that you update to the newest version of whatever browser you are using. Note: Cookies must be enabled, and pop-up blockers should be configured to permit new windows from Penn State websites. |
| Additional Canvas Requirements | For a list of software, hardware, and computer settings specifically required by the Canvas LMS, please review Canvas' computer specifications. |
| Additional Software | All Penn State students have access to Microsoft Office 365, including Microsoft Office applications such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. |
| Hardware | Monitor: Monitor capable of at least 1024 x 768 resolution |
| Mobile Device (optional) | The Canvas mobile app is available for versions of iOS and Android. To determine if your device is capable of using the Canvas Mobile App, please review the Canvas Mobile App Requirements. |
Student Education Experience Questionnaire (SEEQ)
During the semester you will receive information for completing the Student Education Experience Questionnaire (SEEQ). Your participation is an opportunity to provide anonymous feedback on your learning experience. Your feedback is important because it allows us to understand your experience in this course and make changes to improve the learning experiences of future students. Please monitor email and course communications for links and availability dates.
If you need technical assistance at any point during the course, please contact the Service Desk.
For registration, advising, disability services, help with materials, exams, general problem solving, visit World Campus Student Services!
Course Requirements and Grading
Your grade will be based on the following:
| Assignments |
Points per assignment
| Total Points |
|---|---|---|
| Case Studies (2) |
50
| 100 |
| General Course Assignments |
varies
| 225 |
| Entrepreneur Interview |
100
| 100 |
| Discussion Forums |
30
| 180 |
| Course Reflection Essay |
100
| 100 |
| Journal Entries | 5 | 55 |
| TOTAL |
| 760 |
The letter grade equivalent to the points earned is as follows:
| A | 100–93 | A- | 92.99–90 | ||
| B+ | 89.99–87 | B | 86.99–83 | B- | 82.99–80 |
| C+ | 79.99–77 | C | 76.99–70 | ||
| D | 69.99–60 | ||||
| F | 59.99–0 |
Discussions
Discussions in this course, whether lesson specific or part of the Born or Made debate, will generally span two weeks. In the first week, you will be required to submit an initial post related to the given prompt by the end of the week. The entire second week will involve deep discussion with your classmates. In an effort to drive discussion, during the week of discussion you should do the following:
- Between Monday and Wednesday: The minimum requirement is to reply to 2–3 students' initial posts. You may also respond to replies made to your initial post.
- Between Thursday and Friday: The minimum requirement is to reply to 2–3 students' replies, either under your initial post, in a thread you've already been active in, or in a new thread.
- Between Saturday and Sunday: The minimum requirement is to reply to 2–3 students' replies, either under your initial post, in a thread you've already been active in, or in a new thread.
The quality of your replies and overall participation will be evaluated. An exemplary reply demonstrates at least one of the following attributes:
- Resourcefulness: It shares or creates resources that contribute to the discussion.
- Critical Inquiry: It offers feedback, asks questions, and/or provides reflection on commentary.
- Community Expansion: It leads a section of the community to a new and deeper discourse.
General rule of participation: Be active in your initial thread, in threads in which you've made comments, and new threads as discussions expand.
Please use the following rubric to guide your participation.
| 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Complete and expressive initial post | It is complete, detailed, descriptive, concise and informative. The reader can immediately grasp its relevancy. | It expresses opinions and ideas in a clear and concise manner with obvious connection to the stated topic(s). | Opinions and ideas are stated clearly with occasional lack of connection to the stated topic(s). | The post has an unclear connection to the stated topic(s), evidenced in minimal expression of opinions or ideas | The post does not express opinions or ideas clearly. There is no connection to the stated topic(s). | No initial post was made. |
| Support and reasoning within initial post | The post uses evidence from external resources and concepts discussed in the lesson appropriately and effectively throughout, providing sufficient evidence and explanation to convince of relevancy. | The post uses evidence discussed in the lesson appropriately and effectively throughout, providing sufficient evidence and explanation to convince of relevancy. | The post uses occasional evidence discussed in the lesson appropriately and effectively, providing some sufficient evidence and explanation to convince of relevancy. | The post uses little evidence discussed in the lesson. Often depends on unsupported opinion or personal experience, or assumes that evidence speaks for itself and needs no application to the point being discussed. |
The post uses irrelevant details or lacks supporting evidence entirely. It may be unduly brief. | No initial post was made. |
| Quality of discussion and follow-up | Majority of the replies display elements of resourcefulness, critical inquiry, or community expansion. | Replies validate the contributions of others and explain why their contributions resonate. Some replies display elements of resourcefulness, critical inquiry, and community expansion. | Replies generally only validate the contributions of others with brief explanation as to why. Few to no replies display elements of resourcefulness, critical inquiry, or community expansion. | Majority of posts repeat what has already been contributed by other students. Some replies show original thought. No replies display elements of resourcefulness, critical inquiry, or community expansion. | Only generic, simplistic replies are given, resembling simple "agree" or "disagree" statements with no explanation. | No replies were made. |
| Participation in discussion and follow-up | Replies are given to classmates, and the student engages in further discussion. The student is extremely active in multiple threads of discussion. | Replies are given to classmates, and the student engages in further discussion. There are several instances where discussion threads move past initial post, reply, and response. | Replies are given to classmates, and the student engages in further discussion. Typically discussions display initial post, reply, and response. | Replies are given to classmates with little evidence of further discussion. | An initial reply is given to select students with no follow-up conversation. | No replies were made. |
| Quality and demonstrated level of knowledge | The student demonstrates a high level of applied knowledge that connects personal experience and lesson concepts. | The student demonstrates a proficient level of applied knowledge that connects personal experience and lesson concepts. | The student demonstrates a basic level of applied knowledge that connects personal experience and lesson concepts. | The student demonstrates little understanding of lesson content and how it applies to the assignment or experience. | The student demonstrates no understanding of lesson content and how it applies to the assignment or experience. | No posts were made. |
| Delivery of posts | The writer demonstrates a clear grasp of standard writing conventions. Posts are almost entirely free of spelling, punctuation, and grammatical errors. | Posts may contain a few errors, which may distract the reader but do not impede understanding. | Posts contain several mechanical errors, which may temporarily confuse the reader but do not impede the overall understanding. | Posts contain either many mechanical errors or a few important errors that block the reader's understanding and ability to see connections between thoughts. | Little to no attempt is observed at using standard writing conventions within posts; posts are unreadable. | No posts were made. |
Essay Writing
A quick note about submitted essays for this course:
Unless a specified length is given, the expected length of the essay is determined by how much you have to say, but in a thoughtful, well-planned response. Essays will be graded based on your ability to communicate your understanding of the lesson content and its real-world application in an effective manner.
| 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assignment requirements | Addresses all questions and topics associated with the assignment | Addresses all but one question or topic associated with the assignment | Addresses all but two questions or topics associated with the assignment | Barely addresses the questions or topics | No essay submitted |
| Quality and demonstrated level of knowledge | Demonstrates a high level of applied knowledge that connects personal experience and lesson concepts | Demonstrates a proficient level of applied knowledge that connects personal experience and lesson concepts | Demonstrates a basic level of applied knowledge that connects personal experience and lesson concepts |
Demonstrates little understanding of lesson content and how it applies to the assignment or experience | No essay submitted |
| Organization and coherence | The order, structure, or presentation of information is compelling and moves the reader through the text. The organization enhances and showcases the central idea or theme. | The organizational structure is strong enough to move the reader through the text without too much confusion. Some logical links between ideas may be faulty, but all ideas clearly relate to the essay’s central idea. | May list ideas or arrange them randomly rather than using any evident logical structure. While all paragraphs may relate to the central idea, logic is not always clear. | The writing lacks a clear sense of direction. Ideas, details, or events seem strung together in a loose or random fashion. There is no identifiable central idea. | No essay submitted |
| Support and reasoning | Uses evidence discussed in the lesson appropriately and effectively throughout, providing sufficient evidence and explanation to convince of relevancy | Uses occasional evidence discussed in the lesson appropriately and effectively, providing some sufficient evidence and explanation to convince of relevancy. | Uses little evidence discussed in the lesson. Often depends on unsupported opinion or personal experience, or assumes that evidence speaks for itself and needs no application to the point being discussed. | Uses irrelevant details or lacks supporting evidence entirely. May be unduly brief. | No essay submitted |
| Mechanics | The writer demonstrates a clear grasp of standard writing conventions. The essay is almost entirely free of spelling, punctuation, and grammatical errors. | May contain a few errors, which may distract the reader but do not impede understanding | Contains several mechanical errors, which may temporarily confuse the reader but do not impede the overall understanding | Contains either many mechanical errors or a few important errors that block the reader’s understanding and ability to see connections between thoughts. | No essay submitted |
Case Studies
Each week there will be a case study reflecting an aspect of the material presented and discussed. Following each case, there will be a specific question or path of action to be taken and an analysis and recommendations from four different experts.
The assignment is to write your own “expert” opinion. It would be appropriate to draw on material from the assigned readings, as well as your own experience.
- If you agree with one of the expert opinions given, state why and explain how you have reached the same or similar opinion.
- Alternatively, you may choose to add a fresh or different perspective—but you must explain why.
The student responsibility concerning case study selection and completion is as follows:
- All students will complete the case study found in Lesson 4.
- You are required to choose one of the remaining cases available. The options for case studies are listed below.
- For the optional case study, it is recommended that you submit it by the end of the instructional week of the following lesson. For example, the case study for Lesson 5 is not due until the end of Lesson 6’s instructional week, so a student has time to engage with Lesson 5 content and determine deeper interest before having to apply their knowledge to the case study.
This following is the format for your case study response:
Writing mechanics, including spelling and grammar, and formatting, such as page numbers and headings/subheadings, will also be assessed (10 points).
Case Study Options
To access HBR articles, go to the HBR website, and make sure to register so you can access your course readings. (You will need to register, but you do not need to subscribe.) You will need to purchase your HBR readings using your credit card. To read PDF articles, make sure you have the Adobe Reader, which you can download for free at Adobe's website. For technical assistance, contact Harvard Business School Publishing at 1-800-810-8858. They are open from 8 a.m.–6 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.
Case Studies are as follows:
| Business Case (The titles are also links to purchase the case) | Topic | Pertaining to | Due during |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best Buy Co. Inc.: An Innovator’s Journey (Optional) | Fostering innovation | Lesson 3 | Lesson 5 |
| Innovation at Timberland: Thinking Outside the Shoe Box (Optional) | Idea generation and integration | Lesson 3 | Lesson 5 |
| DigitalThink: Start-Up (REQUIRED) | Starting a business and innovation | Lesson 4 | Lesson 4 |
| How Low Will You Go (Optional) | Leadership and management | Lesson 5 | Lesson 6 |
| The CEO Who Couldn't Keep His Foot out of His Mouth (Optional) | Communication and managing people | Lesson 6 | Lesson 7 |
| The Very Model of a Modern Senior Manager (Optional) | Emotional intelligence and leadership | Lesson 7 | Lesson 8 |
| We Googled You (Optional) | Hiring in the digital age | Lesson 8 | Lesson 9 |
| The Reign of Zero Tolerance (Optional) | Human resource management | Lesson 8 | Lesson 9 |
| The Micromanager (Optional) | Management styles | Lesson 9 | Lesson 10 |
| Vitalia Franchise (Optional) | Franchising and innovation | Lesson 10 | Lesson 11 |
Entrepreneur Interview Project
Each student will be required to interview an entrepreneur. This interview will explore the background, influences, challenges, and/or a major crisis of the entrepreneur as well as describe what you learned and how can you apply what you learned from that entrepreneur.
You will be responsible for developing a recorded presentation that highlights aspects of the interview and discusses major takeaways from the experience. This presentation should be developed in a creative, “outside of the box” way.
The final video presentation should not exceed 12 minutes.
More information about this assignment, including more detailed instructions and associated due dates, can be found in Lesson 1 on the page entitled "Entrepreneur Interview Project".
Weekly Reflection
Each week, you will be given the opportunity to reflect on the lesson in a journal entry and contribution to a Born or Made interactive continuum. The continuum will show how both your mindset and that of the entire class develops around this ongoing discussion. A successful journal entry should:
- show evidence of reading/viewing course materials;
- offer insights, applications, critical analysis, and/or extension of thinking;
- self-reflect and relate concepts to own professional experience;
- demonstrate attention to grammar, spelling, syntax, and organization of expression; and
- be submitted by the end of the instructional week based on stated deadline.
These journal entries will culminate in a Course Reflection Essay due by the end of Lesson 13.
Course Schedule
Note: All due dates reflect North American eastern time (ET).
The schedule below outlines the topics we will be covering in this course, along with the associated time frames and assignments.
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Please note: This is a two-week lesson. The second instructional week is not a full week as it is only five days. |
Note: If you are planning to graduate this semester, please communicate your intent to graduate to your instructor. This will alert your instructor to the need to submit your final grade in time to meet the published graduation deadlines. For more information about graduation policies and deadlines, please go to the Graduation Information on the My Penn State Online Student Portal.
Formal instruction will end on the last day of class. Provided that you have an active Penn State Access Account user ID and password, you will continue to be able to access the course materials for one year, starting from the end date of the academic semester in which the course was offered (with the exception of library reserves and other external resources that may have a shorter archival period). After one year, you might be able to access the course based on the policies of the program or department offering the course material, up to a maximum of three years from the end date of the academic semester in which the course was offered. For more information, please review the University Course Archival Policy.
Academic Integrity
According to Penn State policy G-9: Academic Integrity , an academic integrity violation is “an intentional, unintentional, or attempted violation of course or assessment policies to gain an academic advantage or to advantage or disadvantage another student academically.” Unless your instructor tells you otherwise, you must complete all course work entirely on your own, using only sources that have been permitted by your instructor, and you may not assist other students with papers, quizzes, exams, or other assessments. If your instructor allows you to use ideas, images, or word phrases created by another person (e.g., from Course Hero or Chegg) or by generative technology, such as ChatGPT, you must identify their source. You may not submit false or fabricated information, use the same academic work for credit in multiple courses, or share instructional content. Students with questions about academic integrity should ask their instructor before submitting work.
Students facing allegations of academic misconduct may not drop/withdraw from the affected course unless they are cleared of wrongdoing (see G-9: Academic Integrity ). Attempted drops will be prevented or reversed, and students will be expected to complete course work and meet course deadlines. Students who are found responsible for academic integrity violations face academic outcomes, which can be severe, and put themselves at jeopardy for other outcomes which may include ineligibility for Dean’s List, pass/fail elections, and grade forgiveness. Students may also face consequences from their home/major program and/or The Schreyer Honors College.
How Academic Integrity Violations Are Handled
World Campus students are expected to act with civility and
personal integrity; respect other students' dignity, rights, and
property; and help create and maintain an environment in which all
can succeed through the fruits of their own efforts. An environment
of academic integrity is requisite to respect for oneself and
others, as well as a civil community.
In cases where academic integrity is questioned, the Policy on Academic Integrity indicates that procedure requires an instructor to inform the student of the allegation. Procedures allow a student to accept or contest a charge. If a student chooses to contest a charge, the case will then be managed by the respective college or campus Academic Integrity Committee. If that committee recommends an administrative sanction (Formal Warning, Conduct Probation, Suspension, Expulsion), the claim will be referred to the Office of Student Accountability and Conflict Response.
All Penn State colleges abide by this Penn State policy, but review procedures may vary by college when academic dishonesty is suspected. Information about Penn State's academic integrity policy and college review procedures is included in the information that students receive upon enrolling in a course. To obtain that information in advance of enrolling in a course, please contact us by going to the Contacts & Help page .
Accommodating Disabilities
Penn State welcomes students with disabilities into the University's educational programs. Every Penn State campus has resources for students with disabilities. The Student Disability Resources (SDR) website provides contacts for disability services at every Penn State campus. For further information, please visit the SDR website.
In order to apply for reasonable accommodations, you must contact the appropriate disability resources office at the campus where you are officially enrolled, participate in an intake interview, and provide documentation based on the documentation guidelines. If the documentation supports your request for reasonable accommodations, your campus's disability resources office will provide you with an accommodation letter. Please share this letter with your instructors and discuss the accommodations with them as early in your courses as possible. You must follow this process for every semester that you request accommodations.
Additional Policies
For information about additional policies regarding Penn State Access Accounts; credit by examination; course tuition, fees, and refund schedules; and drops and withdrawals, please see the World Campus Student Center website.
Penn State takes great pride to foster a diverse and inclusive environment for students, faculty, and staff. Acts of intolerance, discrimination, or harassment due to age, ancestry, color, disability, gender, gender identity, national origin, race, religious belief, sexual orientation, or veteran status are not tolerated and can be reported through Educational Equity via the Report Bias webpage.
If you have a crisis or safety concern, mental health services are available to you as a Penn State student. Crisis and emergency contacts are available, no matter where you are located:
- Anywhere in the United States: Call the Penn State Crisis Line at 1-877-229-6400 or text LIONS to 741741. You can also contact your local crisis services or hospital for emergencies.
- Outside the United States: Please contact emergency services in your current location. You can also use the International Crisis and Emergency Services listings.
- At University Park: Assistance is available at Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) locations on campus.
- At a Penn State branch campus: You can search for counseling information at your campus.
Veterans and currently serving military personnel and/or dependents with unique circumstances (e.g., upcoming deployments, drill/duty requirements, VA appointments, etc.) are welcome and encouraged to communicate these, in advance if possible, to the instructor in the case that special arrangements need to be made.