Main Content
Syllabus
ENTR 430: Entrepreneurship and New Product Development
ENTR 430 (3) examines the process of designing, testing, and launching new products, and developing a strategy for commercialization of the product.
Overview | Objectives | Materials | Library Resources | Technical Requirements | Course Requirements and Grading | Course Schedule | Academic Integrity | Accommodating Disabilities | Additional Policies
Overview
This course is focused on the skills required to create and introduce new products as well as manage the new product development process. This includes themes related to organizing and leading a product development team, developing techniques related to idea generation and screening, assessing market needs and customer expectations, constructing a two-dimensional design and three-dimensional prototype based on determined requirements, conducting a thorough business analysis, branding the product with consideration of marketing and advertising strategies, and crafting plans for distribution and commercialization. The course also provides experiences related to user testing and focus groups, key components in the development of a new product.
Students are expected and strongly encouraged to approach coursework from the perspective of their current entrepreneurial experience. Some are looking for inspiration and validation, while others are in development, production, or distribution of a product. Our goal for this course is to provide an experience that will help you further develop your product regardless of its current status. During the first week, students will be introduced to all expectations of the course.
From an educational perspective, this course emphasizes problem-based learning so that students can be actively engaged in the learning process. The most significant challenge for students beyond completing the course assignments is doing so while working in teams that must collaborate on a real project that involves the design of a new product.
Course Objectives
Upon successful completion of this course, you should be able to do the following:
- Experience the totality of the work involved in successfully creating and introducing a new product.
- Understand and experience what is required to be a member or manager of a successful new product development team.
- Establish and manage a creative and innovative environment.
- Understand failure and its role in refining new ideas and entrepreneurship.
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.Library Resources
This course requires that you access Penn State library materials specifically reserved for this course. You can access these materials by selecting Library Resources in your course navigation, or by accessing the Library E-Reserves Search and search for your instructor's last name.
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 must have an active Penn State Access Account to take full advantage of the Libraries' resources and service. The Off-Campus Users page has additional information about these free services.
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
| Assignment | Points |
|---|---|
| Individual assignments | 220 |
| Team assignments | 400 |
| Weekly Progress Reports (12) and Peer Evaluations (2) | 80 |
| Total possible points | 700 |
Letter grades will be based on the following scale:
| Letter grade | Percentage |
|---|---|
| A | 93.0–100% |
| A- | 90.0–92.99% |
| B+ | 87.0–89.99% |
| B | 83.0–86.99% |
| B- | 80.0–82.99% |
| C+ | 77.0–79.99% |
| C | 70.0–76.99% |
| D | 60.0–69.99% |
| F | 0.0–59.99% |
The numeric course grades are the actual grades required to earn the accompanying letter grades. Students should not expect any rounding of the numeric course grades.
Assignments
This course is comprised of several individual assignments and a team assignment that spans most of the class.
Individual Assignments
While the majority of work done in this course will be focused on the team project and development of a new product, individual assignments include journal writing, contributions to module commentary, weekly progress reports, and peer evaluations. Additional detail about the individual assignments will be given during Module 0, the First Week Module. A project reflection and analysis paper will also be done individually at the end of the course.
Journal Entries
Journal entries will be graded in the following manner:
- 2 points will be awarded based on responses to each of the four prompts (8 points total).
- 2 points will be awarded for using direct references to module commentary.
Project Reflection and Analysis
This assignment is found at the end of the course. In this paper, you will be asked to discuss the significance of lessons learned throughout the team project and identify how each lesson learned can be applied to current or future entrepreneurial pursuits. A rubric for this assignment can be found in the Project Reflection and Analysis assignment found in Module 9, the Last Week Module.
Team Assignments
Additional detail about team assignments, particularly the team project, will be given during Module 0, the First Week Module. The course modules follow the new product development process and align with a set of requirements for the team project. As the team progresses through the modules, the documentation requirements will accompany the text and video commentary introduced. The documentation is not a business plan; however, much of what is included in this documentation can be transferred to a business plan.
Documentation
Refer to the gradebook for point values of each module documentation requirement. Entrepreneurs are rarely given a rubric of expectations when completing business and marketing plans. Therefore, documentation submissions will be graded without a formal rubric but with the following points of emphasis:
- All prompts are addressed appropriately; all submissions are completed with thorough, clear, and cohesive ideas.
- All primary and secondary research conducted is thorough and meaningful.
- Primary and secondary research are clearly illustrated in strategies proposed.
- Written work flows among sections of the documentation, which may require the team to revisit or rewrite previous submissions.
- Written submissions demonstrate reasonable assumptions or recommended strategies for implementation.
- Written submission demonstrates a clear grasp of standard writing conventions. Errors are minimal to nonexistent, with nothing impeding understanding by distracting the reader.
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.
| Readings |
None |
|---|---|
| Assignments |
Individual activities:
|
| Readings |
|
|---|---|
| Assignments |
Individual activities:
Team activities:
|
| Assignments |
Individual activities:
|
|---|
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 .
The instructor reserves the right to have work submitted, either by students or by the instructor, through Turnitin for review prior to grading.
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.
Please refer to the University Grading Policy for Undergraduate Courses for additional information about University grading policies.
If, for reasons beyond the student's control, a student is prevented from completing a course within the prescribed time, the grade in that course may be deferred with the concurrence of the instructor. The symbol DF appears on the student's transcript until the course has been completed. Non-emergency permission for filing a deferred grade must be requested by the student before the beginning of the final examination period. In an emergency situation, an instructor can approve a deferred grade after the final exam period has started. Under emergency conditions during which the instructor is unavailable, authorization is required from one of the following: the dean of the college in which the candidate is enrolled; the executive director of the Division of Undergraduate Studies if the student is enrolled in that division or is a provisional student; or the campus chancellor of the student's associated Penn State campus.
For additional information please refer to the Deferring a Grade page.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Disclaimer: Please note that the specifics of this Course Syllabus are subject to change, and you will be responsible for abiding by any such changes. Your instructor will notify you of any changes.