Course coordinator
Dr Jonathan Staggs
Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 2, 2024 (22/07/2024 - 18/11/2024)
- Study level
- Undergraduate
- Location
- St Lucia
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Business School
This course is designed to introduce students to foundational principles of entrepreneurship and the different contexts in which these principles can be applied. The course covers the core principles of entrepreneurship, including value propositions, business models, effectuation, decision making under uncertainty and business planning as well as different applications of these principles. Course assessment focuses on explaining core principles and applying these principles to cases. The core set of knowledge and skills that are the focus of this course form the necessary foundation for excelling in the applied nature of subsequent courses.
Foundations of Entrepreneurship is an introductory course intended to give students a solid understanding of the process of new venture creation. The course draws on current insights in the field of entrepreneurship to provide a framework for understanding how to identify, create, evaluate and execute entrepreneurial opportunities. The course focuses on identifying actionable business opportunities and their underlying business models. Topics include entrepreneurial teams, design thinking and ideation, business models and pitching. The course aims to provide theoretical insight and practical knowledge about the new venture creation process and foster an entrepreneurial mindset in students. The teaching approach is based on the principles of experiential learning.ﾠStudents are expected to read and prepare materials in advance so they can actively participate in lectures and tutorials.
Course requirements
Assumed background
This is an introductory course. There are no prerequisiteﾠcourses.
Course contact
Course staff
Lecturer
Dr Jonathan Staggs
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Additional timetable information
Timetables are available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Please note: Teaching staff doﾠnotﾠhave access to the timetabling system to help with class allocation. Therefore, should you need help with your timetable and/or allocation of classes, please ensure you emailﾠbusiness.mytimetable@uq.edu.auﾠfrom your UQ student email account with the following details:
- Full name,
- Student ID, and
- the Course Code
Aims and outcomes
This course aims to develop an entrepreneurial mindset in students and to equip them with the knowledge and skills to act on their entrepreneurial aspirations. In doing so, this course provides students with an understanding of the foundational principles of entrepreneurship with a focus on understanding how to develop ideas that have the potential to succeed in the market.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Develop foundational knowledge in the area of entrepreneurship.
LO2.
Understand how to develop and evaluate actionable business opportunities, including how to identify, create, evaluate and bring to market such opportunities as an effective contributor to a startup team.
LO3.
Create viable and innovative Business Models to action entrepreneurial opportunities.
LO4.
Critically reflect how knowledge is created in the startup process.
LO5.
Recognise the inherent risks and uncertainties in the process of new venture creation.
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project |
Entrepreneurship as a collective endeavour
|
10% Team |
12/08/2024 1:00 pm |
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation, Practical/ Demonstration |
Understanding the customer problem
|
35% Individual |
20/09/2024 1:00 pm |
| Presentation, Poster |
Developing a Business Opportunity Pitch & Journey
|
35% Team |
19/10/2024 8:00 am |
| Reflection | Reflecting upon the principles of entrepreneurship | 20% Individual |
8/11/2024 5:00 pm |
Assessment details
Entrepreneurship as a collective endeavour
- Team or group-based
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Project
- Weight
- 10% Team
- Due date
12/08/2024 1:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02
Task description
This assessment task involves you finding a team of six (6) students who will embark on a collective endeavour to solve a customer problem and engage in inclusive entrepreneurship. Teamwork is a mandatory learning outcome of the course so it is imperative you make a team and decide on a problem domain that is well-suited to your skills, manageable resources, and/or networks. Once you have formed a team, you are expected to complete a team charter that provides a summary of a broad goal e.g. a problem domain your team plans to focus on, a work breakdown structure to help organise/coordinate efforts, and individual photos of each team member. A template will be provided in Blackboard.
AI policy
Students may use AI in completing this assessment task by comparing what is generally understood about the customer problem (obtained by AI and industry research) and how this knowledge is expected to be nuanced, challenged, or extended by the customer discovery process in Assessment 2. Students must clearly reference any use of AI in each instance. A failure to reference AI use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
More details about the assignment can be found on Blackboard.
Submission guidelines
Please submit your team charter in the available Blackboard link
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 7 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Understanding the customer problem
- Mode
- Product/ Artefact/ Multimedia, Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation, Practical/ Demonstration
- Weight
- 35% Individual
- Due date
20/09/2024 1:00 pm
- Other conditions
- Student specific, Peer assessed.
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02
Task description
Assignment: Understanding the customer problem
Understanding the customer problem is crucial in entrepreneurship as it helps to ensure that the entrepreneurial venture:
- is solving a pressing problem where customers are willing to pay for a solution. Understanding the customer problem helps startups validate if their product is solving a real problem and if there is a market for it. If a startup has a deep understanding of the customer problem, it can create a product or service that truly addresses their needs, which will result in better customer satisfaction and ultimately drive revenue.
- has a deep understanding of the problem they are trying to solve. Understanding the customer problem provides valuable insights into the customer's pain points and how they view the problem. This information can be used as a starting point for creating a unique value proposition and a proposed solution.
This assignment requires you to gain a deep understanding of a customer problem of your choosing but should be connected with a problem domain discussed in the course and demonstrate inclusive entrepreneurship. These interviews should aim to unearth unique information about the customer/ client/ stakeholder that the team is aiming to serve.
The assignment requires individual students to collect primary data through a minimum of three (3) customer discovery in-depth interviews, developed and supported by two (2) secondary sources. Interviews should be approximately 15 minutes long and recorded and transcribed. These three audio recordings should be uploaded as well as a written submission (with transcripts in the Appendix) which provides a summary of insights obtained in the interviews. A template will be provided in Blackboard.
Use of Artificial Intelligence
Students are not allowed to to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the preparation or delivery of this assessment task.
Criteria & Marking:
The grading Rubric for this assignment can be found on Blackboard
Submission: Via Blackboard
Submission guidelines
Via Blackboard
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 7 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
Developing a Business Opportunity Pitch & Journey
- Team or group-based
- Mode
- Activity/ Performance, Oral
- Category
- Presentation, Poster
- Weight
- 35% Team
- Due date
19/10/2024 8:00 am
- Learning outcomes
- L02, L03
Task description
Developing a business opportunity in the form of a Business Opportunity Pitch- TIMS1301 Pitch Day.
In teams of six (6), students are required to work towards developing and investigating a business opportunity that solves a customer problem and demonstrates inclusive entrepreneurship. The assessment takes the form of a pitch presentation e.g. Powerpoint to be delivered on campus (Terrace Room, Sir Llew Edwards building) on the Saturday at the end of Week 12.
The team should present a Powerpoint presentation and a fully-completed Business Model Canvas as a poster/handout to explain to an investor the journey taken to develop this business opportunity.
Students' teams are expected to enrol into and present at one (1) of three (3) 2-hour sessions held on Saturday, Oct 19. A Padlet will be provided in the Assessment folder to facilitate sign-up. The presentation sequence will be decided on the day. Each member of the team is expected to be in attendance as each individual student will be assessed on their verbal and non-verbal communication during the pitch and in the Q&A.
Full details of the assignment, including pitch duration, will be provided on Blackboard. Course workshops will actively support the development of this assignment so students are strongly encouraged to make workshop attendance a top priority.
Submission guidelines
Student teams will be expected to upload their presentation slides by 8am on the Pitch Day. A link will be made available via Blackboard.
Deferral or extension
You cannot defer or apply for an extension for this assessment.
Reflecting upon the principles of entrepreneurship
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Reflection
- Weight
- 20% Individual
- Due date
8/11/2024 5:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L04, L05
Task description
Over the course of the semester, students will be expected to engage in entrepreneurial processes, to use tools that support ideation, and to develop an entrepreneurial mindset that can respond to setbacks and challenges.
At the end of the semester, students will be asked to reflect upon a scholarly article from the TIMS1301 course and reflect upon their own entrepreneurial journey. The reflection should be in the form of a 'LinkedIn-style' post and include a picture of themselves from the TIMS1301 Pitch Day (Assessment 3) as well as an attractive title, followed by a 1000-word (4-5 minute read). More details will be provided in class.
This assessment task evaluates students' abilities, skills and knowledge without the aid of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Students are advised that the use of AI technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
Via Blackboard
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 7 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Cut off Percent | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) | 0 - 29 |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 2 (Fail) | 30 - 46 |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) | 47 - 49 |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes |
| 4 (Pass) | 50 - 64 |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 5 (Credit) | 65 - 74 |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 6 (Distinction) | 75 - 84 |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 7 (High Distinction) | 85 - 100 |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. |
Additional course grading information
Grades will be allocated according to University-wide standards of criterion-based assessment.
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Learning resources
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources
Find the required and recommended resources for this course on the UQ Library website.
Additional learning resources information
Learn (Blackboard)
All courses are supported by the UQ Learning Management System, Blackboard Learn, which provides an interactive environment for the students and teachers. This is accessible via PC or Mac or Mobile (Apps) environment.
To log on to Blackboard, go to https://learn.uq.edu.au.
- As Blackboard is a web‐based application, you will need a recently‐released browser for your computer. For the latest Release Notes for Bb Student, see http://en-gb.help.blackboard.com/Bb_Student/z_Release_Notes_Bb_Student.
- For help with Learn.UQ (Blackboard), see https://web.library.uq.edu.au/library-services/it/learnuq-blackboard-help/learnuq-blackboard-contacts or contact AskUs https://web.library.uq.edu.au/contact-us or telephone 334 64312.
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Week 1 |
Lecture |
What is Entrepreneurship? - How entrepreneurs are different from managers How start-ups are different to other organisations Learning outcomes: L01 |
Week 2 |
Lecture |
Building high performing entrepreneurial teams - Advantages of being a team Learning outcomes: L01 |
Workshop |
Introduction to entrepreneurship Learning outcomes: L01 |
|
Week 3 |
Lecture |
Developing an entrepreneurial mindset - Characteristics of entrepreneurs Learning outcomes: L01, L04, L05 |
Workshop |
Building high performing entrepreneurial teams This week students are expected to finalise their teams for Assessment 1 Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
|
Week 4 |
Lecture |
Ideation and Design Thinking Due to the Ekka public holiday, this will be a pre-recorded lecture made available to students at the beginning of Week 4. Learning outcomes: L01 |
Workshop |
Developing an entrepreneurial mindset Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L04 |
|
Week 5 |
Lecture |
Customer Discovery - Sources of customer value Learning outcomes: L02, L04 |
Workshop |
Ideation and Design Thinking Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L04 |
|
Week 6 |
Lecture |
Creating ideas with potential - Ideas and opportunities Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
Workshop |
Customer Discovery - Introduction to the 9 sources of customer value |
|
Week 7 |
Lecture |
Business Models Exploring the different ways to deliver value Learning outcomes: L02, L03, L04 |
Workshop |
Creating Ideas with potential - Ideas and opportunities - Defining the entrepreneurial opportunity - Market and technology trends |
|
Week 8 |
Lecture |
Lean Startup Approach Minimal Viable Products & Product market fit Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05 |
Workshop |
Business models- taking the delivery of value seriously Learning outcomes: L02, L03 |
|
Week 9 |
Fieldwork |
Customer Discovery Interviews and Emerging Insights Students are encouraged to complete their in-depth customer discovery interviews and collate key emerging insights. There will be no lecture or workshops this week. Learning outcomes: L01, L03 |
Mid Sem break |
No student involvement (Breaks, information) |
In-Semester Break |
Week 10 |
Lecture |
Organisational Support & Financing Focus on capturing value Different forms of financing Bootstrapping Learning outcomes: L01, L03, L05 |
Workshop |
Minimal Viable Products and multi-sided platforms Re-visiting lean start-up (MVP), ideas with potential, and the intermediary role of a new venture |
|
Week 11 |
Lecture |
Building Legitimacy & Pitching - Creating the narrative Learning outcomes: L01 |
Workshop |
Organizational support and financing Focus on capturing value and bootstrapping Due to the King's Birthday public holiday, Monday students are encouraged to attend a workshop on Tuesday or Thursday. Learning outcomes: L02, L03 |
|
Week 12 |
Lecture |
Entrepreneurship and ethics Exploring ethical dilemmas in entrepreneurship Entrepreneurial failure Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L05 |
Workshop |
Pitch finalisation The workshops are aimed to finalise their pitch presentations and select who in their team will deliver their elevation pitch according to pitching concepts Learning outcomes: L02 |
|
Week 13 |
Lecture |
Course overview Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05 |
Workshop |
Entrepreneurship and ethics and course overview Come to the workshop for guidance on the final assessment piece and an overview of the course Learning outcomes: L01, L05 |
Policies and procedures
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
- Student Code of Conduct Policy
- Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Examinations Procedure
- Reasonable Adjustments - Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.