Course Title: Entrepreneurship Course Number: Management 306

Term: Spring, 2000 Level: Junior Credit: 3 hours

Course Description: Application of principles to assessing new and existing business ventures. Development of business plans, evaluation of opportunities, organization of activities, and problems associated with operating entrepreneurial businesses, i.e. causes of business failures, merchandising and financial problems, and employer-employee relations.

Course Prerequisites: Junior Standing

Course Text and Required Materials: New Venture Experience by Karl H. Vesper

Ronstadt's Financials

Course Objectives:

1. To understand entrepreneurship and the role of the entrepreneur in the economy.

2. To understand the alternative types of small business.

3. To understand the business plan and to develop a business plan.

4. To understand small business marketing and financing.

5. To understand ethics and law as they relate to small business.

6. To develop team building skills and leadership.

Instructor: Dr. Tommy Cates

Office Location: 213 Business Administration Building

Office phone: 587-7307

E-mail: tcates@utm.edu

Office Hours: 9:15-11:00, 12:15-1:00 and 2:15-4:45 TTh, or by appointment.

URL: http://fmc.utm.edu/~tcates

Specific Class Requirements:

Attendance Policy Regular attendance is required for a learning atmosphere to occur. Students are responsible for keeping abreast of class assignments. Cases will be assigned for classroom discussion. Participation is expected. Students who are no prepared for any assignment will be asked to leave the classroom.

I expect you to come to class prepared each day. This means you should have read and outlined the assigned materials from the text every class day. I expect you to think of applications of this material. I expect your undivided attention in class and any deviation from this will result in your being asked to leave class for that day.

Class Participation. Class participation, both in general class discussions as well as through business plan assignments, is an important part of the class and are required.

All assignments (except examinations) will be in teams referred to as E-Teams. "E" is short for Excellence in Entrepreneurship. These teams will produce business plans cooperatively. Each student will be expected to visualize products or services that could become business opportunities. The students will be assigned to the teams such that only one non-business majors was allowed on a team. Otherwise students will be recruited or assigned to teams based according to their interests in a particular project. Once in their E-Teams, the students will develop these business opportunities and write business plans based on their ideas. Each E-Team's assignment is to complete a business plan for their respective product or service

Examinations. Two one hour exams will be given during the semester. Makeup tests (for excused absences) will be given by appointment. Each of these tests will count 25%. There will be three required written business plan on approved business startup which in total will count for 50% of the grade in this class.

Grading Policy Approximate weights used in calculating final grades are: Examinations = 50 percent; Business Plan (written report and oral presentation) = 30 percent; Class Participation = 20 percent.

The grading scale is: A = 90%-100%; B = 80%-89.94%; C = 70%-79.94%; D = 60%-69.94%; F = less than 60%.

One of the business plans will be a Global Virtual Team Exercise. Please check this out at:

http://www.bus.utexas.edu/~jarvenpaa/gvt/gvt99/index.html

Tentative Class Schedule

Week of

Jan 10 Introduction, Chapter 1 and description and makeup of E-Teams

Jan 17 Chapter 1

Jan 24 Chapter 2

Jan 31 Chapter 3 (Draft of First Business Plan)

Feb 7 Ronstadt's Financials

Feb 14 Chapter 4 (First Business Plan Due 2/15/99)

Feb 21 Chapter 5

Feb 28 First Exam (Chapters 1-5 plus Ronstadt's)

Mar 6 Business Plan Preparation (Draft of Second Business Plan)

Mar 13 Spring Break

Mar 20 Chapter 6 (Second Business Plan Due 3/24/99)

Mar 27 Chapter 7

Apr 3 Chapter 8

Apr 10 Chapter 9 (Draft of Third Business Plan)

Apr 17 Chapter 10

Apr 24 Second Exam (Chapters 6-10)

May 1 (Third Business Plan due)