ELE 3733 Starting a venture

ELE 3733 Starting a venture

Course code: 
ELE 3733
Department: 
Strategy and Entrepreneurship
Credits: 
7.5
Course coordinator: 
Tor Haugnes
Course name in Norwegian: 
Oppstart av bedrift
Product category: 
Bachelor
Portfolio: 
Bachelor - Electives
Semester: 
2018 Spring
Active status: 
Active
Teaching language: 
Norwegian
Course type: 
One semester
Introduction

The course covers how to start up a new business in practice. Students receive training in developing ideas, commercialization and setting up a business. The students will during the course initiate, operate and eventually close down their business, either as "Student" or as an ordinary company. The course follows the framework of Young Entrepreneurs and it is expected high participation in lectures and working outward. It's earnings requirements for student companies is undertaken in consultation with the class.

Learning outcomes - Knowledge

During the course, the student should acquire general knowledge about:

  • From a business idea to registration, start up and ordinary business operation
  • A company's operative functions and control systems
  • Challenges related to start up, resources and time
  • Possibilities and challenges regarding marketing and sales to corporate and retail markets
  • Use of networking in practise
Learning outcomes - Skills
  • Ability to operate/implement a business plan
  • Experience with collaboration to reach a company's goals
  • Design, manage and reflect on the process of organizing a company
  • Reflect on achievements (sales requirements)
Learning Outcome - Reflection

The student shall through participation achieve experience with real choices related to idea, commercialization, registration and operation of a business. And capacity for critical reflection on ethical and economic consequences related to how the process from idea to operation is functioning.

Course content
  • The idea of the start-up and the entrepreneur's resource base
  • Entrepreneurship theory
  • Company organization and governance
  • Networks and alliances
  • Product/services
  • Marketing, sales and distribution
  • Finance and budget
  • Business plan and pitching
  • Exit or further growth?
Learning process and requirements to students

The course is based on classroom lectures. Activ class participation and sharing is expected. Attendance will be registered in each class. The students must participate in a business start-up, either through a Student company-format of Ungt Entreprenørskap, UE, (Junior Achievement - Young Enterprise Norway) or a company in which the student has active ownership. 

The students shall in groups present the business ideas and exercise presentation techniques and sales in class. It is recommended participation in the national student enterprise on county level qualifying for the national competition arranged by UE. 

The evaluation form of the course is through an individual portfolio, which is part of the evaluation, except for the business plan and a theory assignment to be done in the business group. 

The portfolio will consist of the following submissions:

  • Business plan (12 pages)  
  • Documentation on achievements or interview and reflection (2 pages) 
  • Essay on reflection on learning of own business (2 pages) 
  • Written confirmation from the establishment of student company, or self-establshed business 
  • Written confirmation of termination, or continuation on its own. 

In addition to the portfolio students will be evaluated on oral presentation(pitcher)/exam (individually or in groups of max 5 students) about one week after submission of the portfolio.

This is a course with continuous assessment (several exam components) and one final exam code. Each exam component is graded by using points on a scale from 0-100. The components will be weighted together according to the information in the course description in order to calculate the final letter grade for the examination code (course). Students who fail to participate in one/some/all exam elements will get a lower grade or may fail the course. You will find detailed information about the point system and the cut off points with reference to the letter grades when the course start.

At re-sit all exam components must, as a main rule, be retaken during next scheduled course.

Software tools
No specified computer-based tools are required.
Qualifications

Higher Education Entrance Qualification.

Required prerequisite knowledge

Knowledge of business plans is an advantage, but is not required

Assessments
Assessments
Exam category: 
Submission
Form of assessment: 
Written submission
Weight: 
70
Grouping: 
Individual
Duration: 
1 Semester(s)
Comment: 
The written submission is based on work from the electronic folder. The items to be included are explained under the section Learning process and requirements.
Exam code: 
ELE37331
Grading scale: 
Point scale leading to ECTS letter grade
Resit: 
All components must, as a main rule, be retaken during next scheduled course
Exam category: 
Activity
Form of assessment: 
Presentation
Weight: 
30
Grouping: 
Group/Individual (1 - 5)
Duration: 
30 Minute(s)
Exam code: 
ELE37331
Grading scale: 
Point scale leading to ECTS letter grade
Resit: 
All components must, as a main rule, be retaken during next scheduled course
Exam organisation: 
Continuous assessment
Grading scale: 
ECTS
Total weight: 
100
Student workload
ActivityDurationComment
Teaching
36 Hour(s)
Lectures and seminars
Student's own work with learning resources
82 Hour(s)
Work on course literature/written assignments
Group work / Assignments
82 Hour(s)
Work on own enterprise
Sum workload: 
200

A course of 1 ECTS credit corresponds to a workload of 26-30 hours. Therefore a course of 7,5 ECTS credit corresponds to a workload of at least 200 hours.