The Entrepreneurial Society
ADM 2313 [X] | Spring-Summer 2024
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Course & Professor Information |
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Professor |
Ali Mahdi |
Class Location |
Virtual (Online) |
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Office |
Virtual (Online) |
Class Hours |
Monday at 11:30 AM - 2:20 PM |
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E-mail |
[email protected] |
Course Delivery |
Virtual (Online) |
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Office Hours |
By Appointment |
Course Exam |
Virtual (Online) |
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Program of Study
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Second-year Course |
Prerequisites |
18 Units of University-level Courses |
Course Description
The entrepreneurial process and characteristics of the entrepreneur; social entrepreneurship; intrapreneurship; women and minorities in entrepreneurship; entrepreneurial failure; entrepreneurship as an economic development strategy and resulting programs and policies; steps in moving entrepreneurial endeavors forward; introduction to ideation and business planning.
This course provides an overview of the fundamentals of entrepreneurship.
Entrepreneurship is a mindset that is opportunity-focused and creative. It is oriented towards value creation for different stakeholders, including yourself, your customer, investors, community, etc. It helps you gain independence in your career, take bold risks, and solve challenges with undefined solutions.
Whether you already have an idea and are eager to start your own business, or simply want to learn more about entrepreneurship, this course exposes you to the challenges of entrepreneurship from conceptualizing a new venture to developing and then managing it. Our modules with cover a variety of topics, including:
Idea generation, opportunity recognition, and early opportunity development; Determining when a business concept merits a feasibility assessment leading to opportunity pursuit; Different forms of entrepreneurship; Pathways to new ventures, venture financing, and entrepreneurial marketing; The future of entrepreneurship.
Course Learning Objectives
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
• Explain fundamental concepts, theories, and practices employed in the field of entrepreneurship and the role entrepreneurship plays in the global economy and society.
• Identify the varied patterns of entrepreneurship in different parts of society and the unique challenges faced in each.
• Recognize the role of entrepreneurs for firm growth.
• Understand sources and challenges of entrepreneurial finance and evaluate new venture opportunities to determine their strengths, weaknesses, and overall business potential.
• Analyze and present an entrepreneurial case study.
During the semester, you will also:
• Develop your leadership skills, particularly in the areas of team leadership and entrepreneurial leadership.
• Improve your oral and written communication skills.
Assessment Components
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Assessment
Components
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Responsibility |
Tasks & Deliverables |
Weight |
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Individual |
Group |
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Attendance & Participation |
✔ |
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Ongoing |
10% |
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Team Report:
Business Case
Study #1
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✔ |
June 3
Submitted to Brightspace
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10% |
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Midterm Exam |
✔ |
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June 17
11:30 AM - 2:20 PM
During Class (Virtual)
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25% |
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Team Report:
Business Case
Study #2
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✔ |
July 6
Submitted to Brightspace
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10% |
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Team Case
Presentation
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✔ |
July 8, 15, & 22
11:30 AM - 2:20 PM
During Class (Virtual)
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15% |
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Final Exam |
✔ |
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August 1
2:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Virtual
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30% |
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Total = 100% |
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Course Contribution to Program Learning Goals
The Telfer School of Management has implemented an ongoing Assurance of Learning Process in each of its core programs to ensure that upon graduation, candidates have successfully achieved key learning outcomes and skills from the Program. This course contributes to the achievement of BCom Learning Goals as indicated:
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PLG_1 |
Learning Goal 1: Understand, Apply and Integrate Core Management Disciplines. |
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PLG_2 |
Learning Goal 2: Demonstrate Critical Thinking and Decision-Making Skills
In studying entrepreneurship, you will be encouraged to think critically of the phenomenon and consider the factors that may affect the quality of entrepreneurship. You will be expected to manifest critical thinking in their assessed work.
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PLG_3 |
Learning Goal 3: Demonstrate Leadership, Interpersonal and Communications Skills
You are required to work in teams on the preparation and presentation of group entrepreneurship assignments.
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PLG_4 |
Learning Goal 4: Apply high standards of Integrity, Ethics and Social Responsibility
Issues relating to integrity and ethics arise in many entrepreneurship contexts, and thus will be addressed in your individual and group work.
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PLG_7 |
Learning Goal 7: Provide Value to the Business Community in a chosen Area of Specialization
Through your active participation in this course, you will be able to apply learnings in business case studies. This will contribute to honing your skills and will provide valuable opportunities to practice concepts learned in class, leading to better preparation for work in a business environment.
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Learning Resources
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Course Materials |
Where to Get It |
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ADM 2313 Course Notes
The course notes cover all our modules and need to be completed before class.
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Available on Brightspace |
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Business Case Study #1 & #2
Unless otherwise specified, business case studies need to be purchased from the publisher using a link to be provided by the professor.
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TBD |
Course Schedule
Date
Discussion Themes
Required Before Class
Monday
May 6
• Welcome to ADM 2313
• Module 1: Overview of Entrepreneurship
Monday
May 13
• Module 2A: Entrepreneurial Mindset
• Module 2B: Opportunity Recognition
• Module 2C: Ethics in Entrepreneurship
• Read & Prepare Module 2
No Class - Monday, May 20 - Victoria Day (Holiday)
Saturday
May 25
Replacement Class for May 20
• Module 3A: Corporate Entrepreneurship
• Module 3B: Social Entrepreneurship
• Module 3C: Family Entrepreneurship
• Read & Prepare Module 3
Monday
May 27
• Module 4A: Entrepreneurial Process
• Module 4B: Pathways to New Ventures
• Read & Prepare Module 4
Monday
June 3
• Module 5A: Financing a Venture
• Module 5B: Legal Challenges
• Read & Prepare Module 5
• Submit Business Case Study #1
(Team Report; worth 10%)
Monday
June 10
• Module 6: Entrepreneurial Marketing
• Read & Prepare Module 6
Monday
June 17
• Midterm Exam (worth 25%)
Monday
June 24
• Module 7: International Entrepreneurship
• Read & Prepare Module 7
No Class - Monday, July 1- Canada Day (Holiday)
Saturday
July 6
Replacement Class for July 1
• Module 8: Future of Entrepreneurship
• Read & Prepare Module 8
• Submit Business Case Study #2
(Team Report; worth 10%)
Monday
July 8
• Team Case Presentations (worth 15%)
Monday
July 15
• Team Case Presentations (worth 15%)
Monday
July 22
• Team Case Presentations (worth 15%)Methods Used to Evaluate Student Performance
Please note that you must achieve a passing grade on the individual components of this course as well as on your
overall course grade. It is not acceptable for you to use the group component of your grades to raise your final
overall grade to a passing level. Those of you who do not achieve a passing grade on your individual performance
in a class will be assigned a grade consistent with your individual grade achievement.
Please take note of the following important rules:
• It is not possible to submit extra coursework to improve your mark.
• Late and overdue assignments will not be accepted.
• If you have an excused absence from the Team Case Presentation, you should contact me before the session
so that I transfer the weight of the participation to your final exam. Supporting documents will be required,
including an official medical note.
• If you are absent from an exam, you will need to follow the procedure outlined in the paragraph “Absences from
Exams” below.
Group Work: part of the coursework will be conducted in groups. This will help you learn by discussing each
case/session’s material with others. Group work also prepares you for the business world where the ability to
work in a team is an invaluable asset. You are asked to enroll in one of the groups listed on Brightspace by May
25 at the latest. It is also your responsibility to communicate with your teammates in a timely fashion. If you did
not get a chance to exchange contact information in class, please contact me early on and I will provide you with
your teammates’ email addresses.
Attendance & Participation (10%)
This course is delivered online (virtual, via Zoom), supplemented by at-home reading of materials and execution
of group assignments. Class attendance is expected and is necessary to successfully complete this course as
10% of the course grade is based on attendance and participation. Success in the course relies on in-class
discussions and group interactions. A significant part of the value of an in-class experience lies in the interactions
between everyone in the room. Participating by highlighting current events connected to the course material,
asking and answering questions, and challenging opinions (demonstrating critical thinking) is highly valued.
This course contains both synchronous and asynchronous activities, purposefully designed to provide flexibility
in your learning process. Synchronous activities will be completed during our online sessions, where we will
briefly review the topic, followed by group work assignments, such as exercises and case studies. Asynchronous
activities include (1) reviewing and completing the assigned readings before each session, (2) preparing and
submitting the assignments by their due dates, (3) contributing regularly to our class discussions.
The course materials are posted on Brightspace for your convenience. You are expected to review these
materials and come to class ready to participate. Discussion questions will be discussed in class to prepare for
exams.
Contribution to discussions is a vital part of the development of your managerial skills. To participate
meaningfully in discussions and to optimize learning, you must come to each lecture prepared and with an open
attitude. When readings are assigned, you are expected to complete them prior to the lecture in which the
material is scheduled to be covered. Note that the quality of your contribution is more important than the quantity.
Your contributions will be evaluated based on the following Participation Levels:
• Very valuable contributions that see beyond the point at hand. Several times during the course, the student
makes contributions that lift the learning experience for all participants. The student adds energy and
demonstrates strong interest in the class.
• Comments add value to the discussion. Evidence of analysis rather than just expression of opinion (although
some expression of opinions is acceptable and even necessary at times). The student adds energy and
demonstrates interest in the class.
• Comments support the flow of discussion. The student responds to questions from the instructor.
Contributions are mostly relevant.
• Comments are rare and somewhat supportive of the discussion. The student is mostly silent.
Getting a high participation mark requires consistent and valuable participation throughout the semester.
ADM 2313 [X] – The Entrepreneurial Society – Spring-Summer 2024 – Course Outline – Page 4 of 10ADM 2313 [X] – The Entrepreneurial Society – Spring-Summer 2024 – Course Outline – Page 5 of 10
Recording of Sessions
Recording the sessions is not allowed. It is strictly against class policy for any student to record any aspect of
the lectures or to share any course material with anyone without the written permission of the instructor.
Midterm Exam (25%)
The midterm exam covers the material learned in Modules 1-6. The midterm exam is online (during class time),
closed-book, exam with both multiple-choice questions and open-ended questions. More details will be
announced throughout the course. The duration of the midterm exam is 2 hours (120 minutes). The exam will
take place on June 17 at 11:30 AM. The midterm exam is attempted individually and is designed to test your
knowledge of the assigned readings and course material.
Business Case Study #1 (10%) & Business Case Study #2 (10%)
Teams of about 5 students will be self-selected within the first two weeks of class and will be working on the
Business Case Study #1, Business Case Study #2, and Team Case Presentation. Everyone will have a team by
week 3. Solving a Business Case Study promotes experiential learning and demonstrates multiple levels of
learning: remembering, understanding, applying, analyzing, evaluating, and creating. Business Case Study #1 is
due on June 3 (midnight) and Business Case Study #2 is due on July 6 (midnight).
Each business case study features an entrepreneurial challenge. You are expected to put yourself in the shoes
of the business and decide on how to best-tackle the challenge via entrepreneurial decision-making. You will
need to first identify and analyze the issue then formulate a course of action after analyzing possible/alternative
strategies. Each case will have a different set of questions relating to the dynamics of the business and the
challenge it faces.
Grading rubric:
Section
Poor (50-69%)
Acceptable (70-79%)
Excellent (80%+)
Identify the Issues
(20%)
Issues identified overlap
with symptoms and/or are
not clearly stated. Issues
(too many) are vaguely
stated and not well
defined.
Issues are clearly
identified but
symptoms are not
clearly stated as
causing the identified
issues.
Identified issues are reduced
to a limited, manageable set,
are clearly stated, and are
differentiated from their
symptoms.
Analyze the Issues
(25%)
The analysis is missing key
components and/or the
logic and analytical
process (sequence) are
unclear. The analysis does
not clearly stem from case
facts and vaguely utilizes
course concepts.
The analysis links to but
misses some case facts
with fair but limited
integration and
utilization of course
concepts.
The analysis clearly identifies
and links to case facts and
course concepts, terms, tools,
models, frameworks, and
theories reflecting an
understanding of the case
dynamics.
Develop and
Evaluate the
Alternatives
(20%)
A limited overview of
alternative courses of
action is given. Key
alternatives are missing or
vaguely discussed.
Alternatives are stated
but their development
and/or evaluation is not
clear and/or linked to
case facts and course
concepts.
Several alternatives are
developed and clearly stated.
Alternatives align with and are
evidenced by, case facts and
course concepts.
Recommendations
(35%)
The recommendations
provided do not closely
tackle the identified issues.
The rationale behind the
Recommendations are
given but their
connection to the
identified issues needs
The recommended course of
action is skillfully crafted and
closely tackles the identified
issues. The rationale behind ADM 2313 [X] – The Entrepreneurial Society – Spring-Summer 2024 – Course Outline – Page 6 of 10
choice of
recommendations, and
their link to the analysis of
issues and developed
alternatives is inadequate.
further clarification or
evidencing via
discussing the issue
analysis and
alternatives developed.
the recommendations is clear
and well-supported by the
analysis of the issues and
developed alternatives.
Team Case Presentation (15%)
Similar to the two Business Case Studies outlined above, you will work with your existing team on a (third) business case study that presents a real entrepreneurial problem/dilemma. You will have to analyze the problem and propose a solution using appropriate course materials. The Team Case Presentation is a group presentation to be presented online during the last three sessions of our course July 8, 15, & 22. More details will be shared in class and detailed instructions and rubrics will be provided for each case study.
Grading rubric:
Section
Poor (50-69%)
Acceptable (70-79%)
Excellent (80%+)
Overall structure
of the
presentation
(10%)
The structure clearly does
not align well with the
typology provided above.
The structure aligns quite
well with the typology
provided.
The structure aligns very
well with the typology
provided above.
Content with
respect to all
sections 1-5
above
(60%)
Many key elements are
missing or unclear,
evaluation of the
marketing decisions does
not align with evidence,
lessons learned are
absent or do not follow
from evidence.
Many key elements are
present and clear,
evaluation of the
marketing decisions aligns
quite well with evidence,
lessons learned are
present and align quite
well with the evidence.
Most key elements are
present and clear,
evaluation of the
marketing decisions
aligns very well with
evidence, lessons
learned are present and
align very well with the
evidence.
Quality of AV Aids
(15%)
AV aids lack colour,
variety, relevance,
professionalism.
AV aids provide
satisfactory colour, variety,
relevance,
professionalism.
AV aids provide excellent
colour, variety, relevance,
professionalism.
Overall credibility
and “punch”
(15%)
Overall, the credibility and
impact of the
presentation were low, for
reasons cited above.
Overall, the credibility and
impact of the presentation
were satisfactory, for
reasons cited above.
Overall, the credibility and
impact of the
presentation were
excellent, for reasons
cited above.
Final Exam (30%)
The final exam covers the material learned in Modules 1-8. The final exam is a closed-book, online exam and includes multiple-choice questions. More details will be announced throughout the course. The duration of the final exam is 2 hours (total is 120 minutes), not three hours. The exam will take place on August 1 at 2:00 PM.
The final exam is attempted individually and is designed to test your knowledge of the assigned readings and course material and the knowledge learned throughout solving the business case studies and preparing your team case presentation. Expectations for Communication
Please use my email [email protected] for all communications related to our course. Please ensure that you have set up your Brightspace account to receive notifications of announcements to your uOttawa email address, and please check your uOttawa email in a timely manner. Likewise, I ask that you use your uOttawa.ca email address for sending messages. Please make sure you write the course code “ADM 2313” in the Subject and sign your name at the end of the email.
Technical Requirements and Support
This course requires that you have a laptop or desktop computer with a reliable, high-speed Internet connection that allows you to participate in video conference calls, watch videos, participate in discussion forums, upload images, and use your uOttawa OneDrive accounts.
If you experience difficulties with Brightspace or with logins to any uOttawa systems, please do not contact the instructor or the course TA until you have tried to solve the problem through the IT supports in place at the University.
• For all questions related to Brightspace, call the support line between 8 AM and 8 PM (Ottawa Time) at 1- 866-811-3201 OR submit an online request using this form 24 hours a day.
• For any other IT related issues, please contact IT services. They have a helpdesk that you can call, or you can submit a service ticket with a specific request 24 hours a day.
• For problems connecting to the library services, you can also contact the Library Help Desk through this online form.
Absences from Exams
Under no circumstances will there be a make-up or deferred midterm. A student who misses a midterm examination for reasons approved by the Appeal Committee would automatically have the weight of the midterm examination added to the weight of the final exam.
University regulations require all absences from exams/quizzes and all late submissions due to illness to be supported by a relevant documentation.
Absence for any reason must be justified in writing, to the Student Services Centre (SSC) ([email protected]) within five business days following the date of the exam. Please visit the following webpage to download the deferral request form and carefully read the directives. The Telfer School reserves the right to accept or refuse the reason.
Students will only be permitted to defer one deliverable per course. Should you miss the midterm for a reason approved by the SSC, the weight of the midterm will be transferred to your final exam, and you will not be allowed to defer another course deliverable. This also applies to any deliverable for which a weight transfer is possible.
Exceptions could be made, but it will be at the discretion of the SSC, and each request will be evaluated on its own merit.
Religious absences: If a religious holiday or a religious event will force you to be absent during an evaluation, it is your responsibility to inform your professor and the Student Services Centre as early as possible.
Academic Integrity
Academic Regulation A-4 defines academic fraud as “any act by a student that may result in a distorted academic evaluation for that student or another student. Academic fraud includes but is not limited to activities such as:
a) Plagiarism or cheating in any way;
b) Submitting work not partially or fully the student’s own, excluding properly cited quotations and references. Such work includes assignments, essays, tests, exams, research reports and theses, regardless of whether the work is written, oral or another form;
c) Presenting research data that are forged, falsified or fabricated;
d) Attributing a statement of fact or reference to a fabricated source;
e) Submitting the same work or a large part of the same piece of work in more than one course, or a thesis or any other piece of work submitted elsewhere without the prior approval of the appropriate professors or academic units;
f) Falsifying or misrepresenting an academic evaluation, using a forged or altered supporting document or facilitating the use of such a document;
g) Taking any action aimed at falsifying an academic evaluation.” (uOttawa Academic Regulation A-4)
For a quick reference on how to avoid plagiarism, please consult the following resources:
• https://www2.uottawa.ca/about-us/provost/academic-integrity
• https://www2.uottawa.ca/current-students/academic-integrity
• http://sass.uottawa.ca/sites/sass.uottawa.ca/files/plagiarism.pdf
The Telfer School of Management does not tolerate academic fraud. Anyone found guilty of academic fraud is liable to severe academic sanctions. For more information, please read Academic regulation A-4 on Academic fraud.
To underline the importance of academic integrity, all assignments, reports, projects, or other work submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements of this course must include a signed Statement of Academic Integrity (signed by each member of a team in the case of a group assignment or teamwork). The forms are included at the end of this document.
Authenticity Verification Tool: Ouriginal
We will be using the software Ouriginal for confirming the authenticity of your submissions. It uses text-matching technology to detect sections of your text that have not been properly referenced. The system will allow you to view the authenticity report before you submit your final report to help you adequately reference your sources.
Learn more about Ouriginal’s privacy policy.
Individual Assignment Checklist & Disclosure
Please read the disclosure below following the completion of your assignment. Once you have verified these
points, hand in this signed disclosure with your assignment.
1. I acknowledge to have read and understood my responsibility for maintaining academic integrity, as defined by the University of Ottawa’s policies and regulations. Furthermore, I understand that any violation of academic integrity may result in strict disciplinary action as outlined in the regulations.
2. If applicable, I have referenced and/or footnoted all ideas, words, or other intellectual property from other sources used in completing this assignment.
3. A proper bibliography is included, which includes acknowledgement of all sources used to complete this assignment.
4. This is the first time that I have submitted this assignment or essay (either partially or entirely) for academic evaluation.
5. I have not utilized unauthorized assistance or aids including but not limited to outsourcing assignment solutions, and unethical use of online services such as artificial intelligence tools and course-sharing websites.
Course Code:
Assignment No. / Title:
Use of Plagiarism
Detection Tools
(e.g., Ouriginal):
Yes (Required by Course / Professor) Yes (Self-Conducted)
No (Not Applicable for Type of Assignment) No (Not Conducted)
Date of Submission:
Name:
Signature:
Statement of Academic Integrity
Group Assignment Checklist & Disclosure
Please read the disclosure below following the completion of your group assignment. Once all team members have verified these points, hand in this signed disclosure with your group assignment.
1. All team members acknowledge to have read and understood their responsibilities for maintaining academic integrity, as defined by the University of Ottawa’s policies and regulations. Furthermore, all members understand that any violation of academic integrity may result in strict disciplinary action as outlined in the regulations.
2. If applicable, all team members have referenced and/or footnoted all ideas, words, or other intellectual property from other sources used in completing this assignment.
3. A proper bibliography is included, which includes acknowledgement of all sources used to complete this assignment.
4. This is the first time that any member of the group has submitted this assignment or essay (either partially or
entirely) for academic evaluation.
5. No member of the team has utilized unauthorized assistance or aids including but not limited to outsourcing assignment solutions, and unethical use of online services such as artificial intelligence tools and coursesharing websites.
6. Each member of the group has read the full content of the submission and is assured that the content is free of violations of academic integrity. Group discussions regarding the importance of academic integrity have taken place.
7. All team members have identified their individual contributions to the work submitted such that if violations of academic integrity are suspected, then the student(s) primarily responsible for the violations may be identified. Note that the remainder of the team will also be subject to disciplinary action.
Course Code:
Assignment No. / Title:
Use of Plagiarism
Detection Tools
(e.g., Ouriginal):
Yes (Required by Course / Professor) Yes (Self-Conducted)
No (Not Applicable for Type of Assignment) No (Not Conducted)
Date of Submission:
Name
Signature
Contributions