entrepreneurship assignment

Introduction to Entrepreneurship

(3 reviews)

Katherine Carpenter, University of Victoria

Copyright Year: 2021

ISBN 13: 9781989864500

Publisher: Kwantlen Polytechnic University

Language: English

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Reviewed by Larry Clay, Assistant Professor, Marymount University on 2/12/24

This book is a sufficient option for my 201: Principles of Entrepreneurship course. It is aligned with my course objectives, and includes the basic of business venturing and modeling, but also offers the fundamental terms and definitions for... read more

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

This book is a sufficient option for my 201: Principles of Entrepreneurship course. It is aligned with my course objectives, and includes the basic of business venturing and modeling, but also offers the fundamental terms and definitions for learners outside of business can connect and understand how to start and maintain a viable business venture.

Content Accuracy rating: 4

This book details an accurate account of what is entrepreneurship, what are some of the qualities, attributes, and traits needed to be an entrepreneur, and practical suggestions to how to approach an entrepreneurship endeavor. The statistics of failure and success in this sector is key for students to understand that they are going against the grain starting a business, and it takes commitment, self motivation, and smart hustling to move towards a trajectory of profit.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 4

This book has the basic information that is relevant to understanding the fundamental processes of designing products and services, and build capacity of an organizational system.

Clarity rating: 4

The book is consistent with clarity of information and injects case scenarios that help students understand entrepreneurship.

Consistency rating: 4

This book is consistent with other textbooks as it relates to content around entrepreneurship. Some of the basic constructs, structures, and processes in entrepreneurship have not change much, but there are new strategic and analytical tools available to entrepreneurs now that students can employ in experiential learning exercises that will also be complementaries to this book.

Modularity rating: 5

This book is easily digestible and separated in a logical flow.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 4

The content is in a logical and clear flow that I believe students can read and absorb the information.

Interface rating: 4

The different formats offerings make this book a good fit as a learning interface for students. I noticed students in this generation prefer digital interfaces, so the PDF and digital version of the OER textbook with interactive tools embedded is a positive, and I foresee no interface issues between the content and students.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

I did not recognize any grammatical errors in my review.

Cultural Relevance rating: 4

This book was not found to have any offensive or derogatory content that might be viewed as insensitive to a particular group or culture.

When teaching entrepreneurship, I find the biggest cognitive struggle students have is approaching the business and financial modeling. I usually look for books that include an excel or spreadsheet template so students can practice dash boarding and managing their financials and non financial resources.

Reviewed by Mary Hill, Lecturer II, University of New Mexico on 5/12/23

no index or glossary found. as indicated by the title - this is an early introduction to the subject. read more

no index or glossary found. as indicated by the title - this is an early introduction to the subject.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

very accurate from my perspective as a person who has taught entrepreneurship for health care professions students for 10 years.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

very relevant. Able to be updated without difficulty.

Clarity rating: 5

very clear.

Consistency rating: 5

very consistant .

easily broken into small pieces.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

well organized. It is 67 pages and gives a very early introduction to the subject.

Modules 1 and 2 are masterfully designed and easy to navigate with clear paths. Likely, course instructors would wish to have other specific course assignments as the assignments within the book do not relate to concrete/crystalized knowledge, but on reflection (which may be less productive for some learners). If the book is downloaded as a .pdf, then the phrase "One or more interactive elements has been excluded..." appear 2-3 times per page on the .pdf. Effectively, the .pdf is not a full text of the course. When the course is viewed through the pressbooks interface, then interactive questions, well shot video transcripts and attractive visuals improve the material. Some aspects of the pressbooks interface are less intuitive to navigate. For example, the interactive business design in unit 3 focuses on sustainable development goals (SDGs). I like the connection of SDGs to entrepreneurship, but the entry level questions are difficult to navigate and are not geared to a novice learner (as the name "introduction to entrepreneurship" would indicate. The entrepreneurship plan in chapter 4 has many components bout entrepreneurship philosophy that will help learners consider what they need in order to create their endeavor. Absent, however, are the government permits / supports / business license logistics that sometimes are the reasons that businesses fail.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

No cultural offense observed (from my perspective of a person of priveledge). Authors made effort to not to highlight any gender or any cultural accomplishments over others.

I will incorporate components in the chapter 4 entrepreneurial plan into my course on health care private practice entrepreneurship.

Reviewed by Christina Wooten, Business Technology Faculty, Rogue Community College on 3/30/23

The text is a good introduction and covers several high-level topics that pertain to entrepreneurship. There are many more topics that could be added to this text. It may not be sufficient to support an entire course. There is not a glossary... read more

Comprehensiveness rating: 3 see less

The text is a good introduction and covers several high-level topics that pertain to entrepreneurship. There are many more topics that could be added to this text. It may not be sufficient to support an entire course.

There is not a glossary or index available.

The text appears accurate and unbiased. I did note a few writing errors in the text (missing period, additional period, etc.)

There are some references in the transcripts, text, and videos that could make the text obsolete. These references could also be confusing or non-inclusive to some students. "...someone who goes on Dragon's Den" These type references are limited to the introductory section of the text.

Overall, the text/transcripts/videos are clear. The final sections (3 and 4) do have sections that are not as clear. In 3.1 and 3.2 (The Entrepreneurial Process) there are some areas that could benefit from careful revision. These sections (3.1 and 3.2) also lack substantial videos that could help the learner connect the ideas.

The book is consistent in terms of framework and terminology.

The text/transcripts/videos are easily divisible into sections. The creator did a nice job segmenting the material. The material is organized in a way that engages the reader visually. There are quizzes embedded in the material that do not cause disruption to the reader/viewer. The overall work is segmented into clearly defined and numbered sections. There is a particularly helpful activity throughout the text called: "Read/Watch/Listen – Reflect" where the learner has an opportunity to read articles, watch videos, listen to podcasts and then reflect (journal) their thoughts in a writing activity. The resources linked in this activity throughout the text are splendid!

The topics are presented in a logical, clear fashion . The final project is also clearly defined and well-presented.

Interface rating: 5

This material appears free of interface issues on a PC. There are no distortions of images or text.

Grammatical Errors rating: 4

Text/transcripts free of grammatical errors. There are, as previously referenced, a few writing errors that could be addressed in a revision.

I found no evidence of insensitive or offensive information in my review.

While I do not feel that this book would be enough material to support a quarter-long class, I do feel it has ample information in it to be a part of a class. The layout and delivery of the material is user-friendly. There are multiple modes of delivery used (video, written lecture, and transcript of videos) available to the learner. This text is one I will use to supplement the Entrepreneurship course I teach.

Table of Contents

• 1. Defining Entrepreneurship
• 2. The Role Entrepreneurs have in Today’s Society
• 3. Different types of Entrepreneurship
• 4. Entrepreneurial Traits, Skills and Abilities
• 5. The Entrepreneurial Mindset
• 6. Creativity and Innovation in Entrepreneurship
• 7. Entrepreneurial Process
• 8. Unit 4 Assignment Preparation
• 9. Unit 4 Assignment Delivery: Entrepreneurial Plan
• 10. Course Wrap up and Reflection

Ancillary Material

About the book.

Learn about entrepreneurship and what makes entrepreneurs successful, all while developing your entrepreneurial skills.

About the Contributors

Katherine Carpenter (Cochrane) has an MBA from the University of Victoria and has been a full-time Faculty Member with Kwantlen Polytechnic University since 2020. Katherine has over 12 years of experience teaching in-person and online and delivering advisory projects to various entrepreneurial organizations. In addition to entrepreneurship, her areas of expertise include student engagement, online learning, program development and renewal, and instructional design.

Katherine is currently a developer in the Open Education for a Better World mentoring program and is a 2021 OER Grant Recipient through the KPU Open Education Working Group. When she’s not instructing with KPU, Katherine also teaches at other public and PVI organizations across the country, and advocates for UDL, open education, online delivery, and continuously improving programs to meet the needs of those learners worldwide.

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1.3 The Entrepreneurial Mindset

Learning objectives.

By the end of this section, you will be able to:

• Explain what it means to have an entrepreneurial mindset
• Describe what is meant by entrepreneurial spirit or passion

Entrepreneurship takes many forms (see Table 1.1 ), but entrepreneurs share a major trait in common: An entrepreneur is someone who identifies an opportunity and chooses to act on that opportunity. Most business ventures are innovative variations of an existing idea that has spread across communities, regions, and countries, such as starting a restaurant or opening a retail store. These business ventures are, in some ways, a lower-risk approach but nonetheless are entrepreneurial in some way. For example, Warby Parker , a profitable startup founded by four graduate students at Wharton, disrupted a major incumbent ( Luxottica ) by providing a more convenient (online initially), affordable, and stylish product line for a large segment of consumers. In this sense, their innovation is about creating something new, unique, or different from the mainstream. Yet they attracted an existing, and in some ways mature, sector of an established industry. In a different way, McDonalds , which is 90 percent owned by franchisees, introduced an “all day breakfast” menu in 2017 that was hugely successful; it also targeted a larger segment (in part younger consumers) and brought back consumers who had chosen other options. In summary, many entrepreneurs start a new venture by solving a problem that is significant, offering some value that other people would appreciate if the product or service were available to them. Other entrepreneurs, in contrast, start a venture by offering a “better mousetrap” in terms of a product, service, or both. In any case, it is vital that the entrepreneur understand the market and target segment well, articulate a key unmet need (“pain point”), and develop and deliver a solution that is both viable and feasible. In that aspect, many entrepreneurs mitigate risks before they launch the venture.

Being aware of your surroundings and the encounters in your life can reveal multiple opportunities for entrepreneurship. In our daily lives, we constantly find areas where improvements could be made. For example, you might ask, “What if we didn’t have to commute to work?” “What if we didn’t have to own a vehicle but still had access to one?” “What if we could relax while driving to work instead of being stressed out by traffic?” These types of questions inspired entrepreneurial ventures such as ride-sharing services like Uber , the self-driving vehicle industry, 21 and short-term bicycle access in the free bike-sharing program in Pella, Iowa ( Figure 1.10 ). 22

These ideas resulted from having an entrepreneurial mindset , an awareness and focus on identifying an opportunity through solving a problem, and a willingness to move forward to advance that idea. The entrepreneurial mindset is the lens through which the entrepreneur views the world, where everything is considered in light of the entrepreneurial business. The business is always a consideration when the entrepreneur makes a decision. In most cases, the action that the entrepreneur takes is for the benefit of the business, but sometimes, it helps the entrepreneur get ready to adopt the appropriate mindset. The mindset becomes a way of life for the entrepreneur. Entrepreneurs often are predisposed to action to achieve their goals and objectives. They are forward thinking, always planning ahead, and they are engaged in “what if” analyses. They frequently ask themselves, “What if we did this?” “What if a competitor did that?”—and consider what the business implications would be.

Most people follow habits and traditions without being aware of their surroundings or noticing the opportunities to become entrepreneurs. Because anyone can change their perspective from following established patterns to noticing the opportunities around them, anyone can become an entrepreneur. There is no restriction on age, gender, race, country of origin, or personal income. To become an entrepreneur, you need to recognize that an opportunity exists and be willing to act on it. Note, however, that the execution of the entrepreneurial mindset varies in different parts of the world. For example, in many Asian cultures, group decision-making is more common and valued as a character trait. In these regions, an entrepreneur would likely ask the advice of family members or other business associates before taking action. In contrast, individualism is highly valued in the United States and so many US entrepreneurs will decide to implement a plan for the business without consulting others.

Entrepreneurial Spirit and Passion

An entrepreneurial spirit allows entrepreneurs to carry a manner of thinking with them each day that allows them to overcome obstacles and to meet challenges with a can-do attitude. What does it mean to have an entrepreneurial spirit? For the purposes of this discussion, it could mean being passionate, purposeful, positive, bold, curious, or persistent.

The founders of Airbnb have a passion for supporting individual rights to rent out unused space. Why should the established model of hotels prevail? Why shouldn’t an individual homeowner have the freedom to rent out unused space and leverage that space into an income? Airbnb has succeeded in creating more flexible and affordable options in the space of the rapidly growing "sharing" economy. At the same time, some states and municipalities have raised issues about the regulations monitoring ventures like this. While entrepreneurial spirit is partly about fighting for individual rights and freedoms, there should be a balance between economic freedom and consumer protection. The entrepreneurial spirit involves a passion for presenting an idea that is worthwhile and valuable, and a willingness to think beyond established patterns and processes, while still keeping in mind local laws and regulations, in the quest to change those established patterns, or at least to offer alternatives to those established patterns.

Passion is a critical component of the entrepreneurial process. Without it, an entrepreneur can lose the drive to run the business. Passion can keep an entrepreneur going when the outside world sends negative messages or less-than-positive feedback. For example, if you are truly passionate about starting an animal shelter because of your love of animals, you will find a way to make it happen. Your internal drive to help animals in need will spur you on to do whatever it takes to make the shelter become a reality. The same is true of other types of startups and owners with similar passions. However, passion needs to be informed by the entrepreneur’s vision and mission—passion of the sake of passion is not enough. A clear mission statement —which details why the business exists and the entrepreneur’s objectives for achieving that mission—will guide an entrepreneur’s passion and keep the business on track. Passion, vision, and mission can reinforce each other and keep the entrepreneur on the right track with next steps for the business.

Some ideas might seem small or insignificant, but in the field of entrepreneurship, it’s important to recognize that for every new startup, someone else may recognize a spin-off idea that expands upon the original idea. The opportunities for identifying new possibilities are endless. Review your work in creating spinoff ideas for Angad Darvani’s projects, or Kevin F. Adler’s Miracle Messages venture. Or consider possible spin-off ideas around the technology used in agriculture. Creating spin-off ideas fits well with our discussion of divergent thinking and brainstorming. Through these processes, we can discover new uses for existing technology, just as Ring did by using video technology to add security by allowing customers to see who is at the door without opening it.

An Entrepreneurial Mindset in Your Discipline or Field

Within your industry of interest or area of study, what are the challenges that create frustration? How can these be turned into opportunities? Earlier in this chapter, we discussed Evernote , a company that focuses on expanding our memories by storing and organizing information. Let’s look at some other examples of entrepreneurial endeavors in specific industries to help you plan your own venture in your own industry.

In the agriculture industry, insects, weeds, weather conditions, and the challenges of harvesting crops are all ripe for entrepreneurial activities. The move toward organic produce has also affected this industry. From an entrepreneurial perspective, what products could you invent to support both organic farming and the problems of insects that damage or destroy crops? The old method was to use chemical sprays to kill the insects, but today, the growing demand for organic foods and increased awareness of the impact of chemical sprays on our environment are changing this scenario. One new idea to solve this problem combines a vacuum cleaner with an agriculture product.

Link to Learning

Watch this video on the creation of a crop vacuum that sucks up insects and bugs to learn more.

A bug vacuum is an example of how using divergent thinking contributed to the solution of removing bugs from crops without using chemicals. In the group activity of creating divergent ideas, this idea may not have been received well. However, in the incubation stage, the idea must have come forward as a viable solution. Entrepreneurs frequently face the challenge of pressure to conform to established habits and patterns within industries.

Often, the entrepreneurial mindset includes futuristic ideas that shake up the normal, conventional processes that are grounded in experience over time. Tried-and-tested processes and products that have a proven history of success can be a formidable obstacle to new ideas. A new idea may even appear as impossible or outlandish, perhaps even an embarrassment to the steady and predictable practices established within an industry. This can create a dilemma: Do we try something new and unproven that lacks documented research? Sometimes, we must disregard our past successes and research to be open to new possibilities for success and failure. An entrepreneurial mindset includes creativity, problem-solving skills, and a propensity to innovation. 23 Open-mindedness is one characteristic that supports creativity, problem solving, and innovation. Taking the time to explore new ideas, dream, reflect, and view situations from a new perspective contribute to the entrepreneurial mindset. Some innovations can lead to disruptions within the industry, or even create a new industry.

The innovator’s dilemma was presented by Clayton Christensen to explain disruptive technology , which are technologies that, once introduced, displace established patterns, processes, and systems previously accepted as normal or accepted. One example of a disruptive technology is Airbnb , a company that threatens the established hotel industry by connecting personal resources to people who desire those resources. If you have a spare bedroom that you aren’t using, why not sell that space to someone who wants and needs the space?

Airbnb has become a significant threat to the established hotel industry’s business model of building large hotels and renting rooms within those hotels to their customers. Airbnb has reconfigured that model, and since its 2008 launch, 150 million travelers have taken advantage of 3 million Airbnb listings in more than 191 countries. Airbnb has raised more than $3 billion (plus a $1 billion credit line) and is considering selling stocks to support significant expansion. The value of Airbnb is approximately $30 billion. Compare this market value to Hilton ’s market capitalization of $19 billion and Marriott ’s of $35 billion. If you were the CEO of Hilton or Marriott, would you be worried? The hotel industry recognized Airbnb as a threat, and in 2016, began a campaign to create legislation to rein in Airbnb’s growth and popularity. From the hotel industry’s perspective, Airbnb is not playing by the same rules. This is the definition of disruptive technology, the focus on creating a new idea or process that negates or challenges established process or products. 24

Sometimes disruptive technologies result from not listening to customers. Customers don’t always know what they want. Customer groups might need to be redefined by the entrepreneurial team on the basis of better models, knowing when to invest in developing lower-performance products that promise lower margins while still satisfying the need, and knowing when to pursue small markets at the expense of larger or established markets. Basically, disruptive technologies occur through identifying new and valuable processes and products.

The founders of Airbnb recognized that some people have unused resources, bedrooms, that other people need. We can apply this idea to other unused resources such as vehicles and motor homes. We see this model reproduced in short-term car rental and bike-sharing programs.

• 21 Matthew DeBord. “Waymo Could Be Worth as Much as $75 Billion—Here’s a Brief History of the Google Car Project.” Business Insider . September 9, 2018. https://www.businessinsider.com/google-car-project-history-2018-8
• 22 Ethan Goetz. “Bike Share Program Launched Monday.” The Chronicle . July 2, 2018. https://www.pellachronicle.com/gallery/bike-share-program-launched-monday/article_950cebac-7e49-11e8-97a0-8fd615410188.html
• 23 Emma Fleck. “Needed: Entrepreneurial Mindset.”  Central Penn Business Journal ,  34 (12), 10. http://pageturnpro2.com.s3-website-us-east-1.amazonaws.com/Publications/201803/15/83956/PDF/131668002208352000_CPBJ033018WEB.pdf
• 24 Katie Benner. “Inside the Hotel Industry’s Plan to Combat Airbnb.” New York Times . April 16, 2017. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/16/technology/inside-the-hotel-industrys-plan-to-combat-airbnb.html

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• Authors: Michael Laverty, Chris Littel
• Publisher/website: OpenStax
• Book title: Entrepreneurship
• Publication date: Jan 16, 2020
• Location: Houston, Texas
• Book URL: https://openstax.org/books/entrepreneurship/pages/1-introduction
• Section URL: https://openstax.org/books/entrepreneurship/pages/1-3-the-entrepreneurial-mindset

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