Formation and Implementation of Entrepreneurial Ventures |
This course is an advanced course in entrepreneurship, which focuses on creation and implementation of
business start-ups. The work load is high: you will be required to complete a major assignment virtually every
week and the final project is a comprehensive business plan and PowerPoint presentation.
The course includes lectures, case studies, guest lecturers and time to discuss your projects in class. You
are expected to participate and should expect to be cold-called. If you have not already used the optional
textbook, The Entrepreneurial Mindset, you need to become conversant with the use of Consumption Chain
Analysis, Attribute Mapping and Discovery Driven Planning, since you will be required to use these tools for
your project. There are a limited number of readings and case assignments scheduled in the course outline
below since the major learning will take place through application exercises and through researching and
writing your business plans. |
Readings:
1. Copeland & Malik, “How to Build a Bulletproof Startup”, Business 2.0
2. Sull, “Disciplined Entrepreneurship”, Sloan Management Review Fall 2004
3. Case: Dr. John’s Products, Ltd [HBS 9-803-063]
4. Discovering New Points of Differentiation” by R. Gunther McGrath and Ian C. MacMillan. Harvard Business
Review, Vol. 75, no. 3, July-August 1997. pp 133-145
5. “Discover Your Products’ Hidden Potential” by R. Gunther McGrath and Ian C. MacMillan. Harvard Business
Review, Vol. 74, no. 3, May-June 1996. pp. 58-73.
6. "Discovery-Driven Planning," by R. Gunther McGrath and Ian C. MacMillan. Harvard Business Review,
Volume 73, No. 4, July-August 1995. pp. 44-54.
7. Case: Keurig [HBS 9-899-180]
8. “Making Real Options Really Work” by A.B. Van Putten and Ian C. MacMillan. Harvard Business Review
December 2004. pp 134-141.
9. “How to Write a Great Business Plan” by W.A. Sahlman, Harvard Business Review, July-August 1997
10. “MarketBusting: Strategies for Exceptional Business Growth” by R. Gunther McGrath and Ian C. MacMillan.
Harvard Business Review March 2005. pp80-92.
11. Case: Ockham Technologies: Living on the Razor’s Edge [HBS 9-804-129]
12. Case: Founder-CEO Succession at Wily Technology [HBS 9-805-150]
13. "The Politics of New Venture Management," by Ian C. MacMillan, Harvard Business Review, Nov./Dec., 1983.
14. Elsbach, “How to Pitch a Brilliant Idea”, HBR reprint R0309
15. Katzenberg (Editor), “The Entrepreneurial Guidebook”
OPTIONAL Textbook: McGrath and MacMillan: “The Entrepreneurial Mindset” |
Date Course Contents Readings
1/26
Session 1
Introduction: Framing your business proposition and idea generation
Presentation of venture concepts and formation of project teams
Copeland (1), Sull (2), Dr. John’s
Products (3)
Assignment: Be prepared with at least
one business idea to discuss in class
2/2
Session 2
Consumption Chain and Attribute Mapping (Professor MacMillan)
Selecting the RIGHT business plan (Jeff Becker)
Fine tuning of ideas and groups
McGrath and MacMillan (4, 5, 6)
Handbook: Section B
Assignment Group leads to present more
granularity around their ideas
2/9
Session 3
Discovery Driven Planning and Business Model Formulation
Case Study: Keurig
Keurig (7), van Putten (8)
Application Exercise 1: Specify key
behavioral segments and complete the
Consumption Chain using Webcourse.
2/16
Session 4
Individual Seminar sessions: Discovery Driven Plans and Consumption
Chains
Application Exercise 2: Complete DDP
2/23
Session 5
Business plans and financial plans
Speaker: Protecting your Intellectual Property
Sahlman (9), McGrath & MacMillan (10)
Handbook: Section D
3/2
Session 6
Stakeholders’ agreements
Case Study: Ockham Technologies: Living on Razor’s Edge
Speaker: Legal Structuring of Startups
Ochkam (11)
Handbook: Section E
Application exercise 3: Draft Market
Analysis and Go to Market Strategy
3/16
Session 8
Finding capital, critical negotiations, and negotiation strategy with
potential investors.
Speaker: Serial Entrepreneurship
Handbook: Section F
3/23
Session 7
Class Seminar session: Milestone/assumption maps
Class Presentations: Present milestones and assumption maps to class
Application Exercise 4: Draft
Marketing and Operations Plan
3/30
Session 9
Venture Politics Analysis & Management Transitions
Case Study: Founder-CEO Succession at Wily Technology
Speaker: Being a Mercenary CEO
Wily (12), MacMillan (13),
Handbook: Section I
4/6
Session 10
Exit strategies: going public, trade sales, recaps and bankruptcy
Speaker: Working with Founders
Application Exercise 5: The Offering to
Investors
4/13
Session 12
Topic 1: Day One: Getting started, setting up shop, going to market,
marketing on a shoestring (Jeff Becker)
Topic 2: The Art of Pitching
Elsbach (14)
Handbook: Section D
4/20
Session 11
Individual seminar sessions: Marketing and operations issues, financial
strategy sanity check.
Applications Exercise 6: Draft
Financial Strategy
4/27
Session 13
Course wrap up: Pitch your plans to practitioners Application Exercise 7: Investor Pitches
presented in class
Business plans due by May 4th |
Grading of Business Plan
The plan should be no more than 20-24 pages, 1 ½ space, 10 point.
Appendices can be an additional 10 pages, for a maximum of 30 pages
The following criteria will be used in grading your final written plan:
Section Points Description
Investor Pitch 30 Power Point presentation that would take no more than 8 minutes to pitch to
potential investors that describes the concept, plan, and desirability of the venture.
Executive Summary 20 Clear, exciting & effective as a stand-alone overview of the venture. Think about a
2-3 pager that you would distribute as a marketing document when out raising
money or attracting partners.
Market Opportunity 15 Description of your offerings in terms of customer functions, segments, technologies
and distribution channels. State the features, & benefits of your product/service,
your perceived value proposition; the current stage of development, proprietary
position, etc.
Company, Products &
Services
15 Description of market opportunities; customer & competitor analyses, industry &
competitive analysis. State and justify your overall business strategy, your
competitive advantage; detailed descriptions of your business and revenue models,
explain how and why you will “make it happen”. Use data & apply analytical
techniques. Include business model and unit economics analysis.
Strategy, Marketing &
Operations
10 Plans for production/delivery of product or services, details on distribution plans,
product costs, required resources, detailed marketing & sales plans.
Financial Section 15 Presented in summary form, include P&L and cash flow statements). Complete
analyses of financial plan, financing plan & evaluation (quarterly for year 1, annually
for years 2 to 5). Apply analytical techniques.
Management &
Organization
5 Backgrounds of key individuals, ability to execute strategy, personnel needs, type of
business, summaries of staffing requirements, organizational charts.
Offering 5 Proposal/terms to investors. Indicate how much equity you wish to raise, for what
use, & when it is needed. Elaborate on ROI, the proposed structure of the deal, &
possible exit strategies.
Appendices (maximum
10 pages)
15 Discovery Driven Plan with tornado chart and CheckPoint/Assumption table, Real
options valuation, Consumption Chain with Attribute Map for major links, Venture
politics analysis |
ZhishiABC
托福/雅思/SAT/ACT
大学英语、实用英语
大学英语、实用英语
