ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND STRATEGY-1

Over recent years there has been a growing focus on how new firms are created. A person becomes an entrepreneur when he/she identifies a new market opportunity and transforms it into reality by defining a project and by involving all necessary resources (capital, competences, human resources, suppliers, complementors, distribution players, customers, territory, etc.). This process hence implies both the capability (of creative type) to identify new business combinations, and the capability (of relational nature) to convince various actors, and finally the capability (of organizational ? management nature) to define a coherent and sustainable business model in order to ensure the operation and growth of the firm.
This course aims at providing conceptual and operational tools as well as an appropriate language in order to better understand and develop the capabilities to act in entrepreneurial and strategic processes.

With respect to entrepreneurial processes, students will increase the degree of awareness over: the relationship between capabilities to analyze the competitive environment and cognitive aspects (capability to see new combinations) and the critical elements to develop a business model. On a more strictly strategic standpoint the students will acquire a deeper comprehension of the nature of strategy, its multi-dimensional nature and the dynamics of strategy innovation that characterize the creation and development of new firms. Students will also be able to define and evaluate the degree of consistency in a business model.

Knowledge of the main characteristics of the firm, its main economic and financial aspects (e.g. costs, revenues, in-out financial flows).

1. Understanding Entrepreneurship and Business Models
2. Business Models Canvas
3. Selecting Markets
4. Value Proposition and Competitive Positions
5. Designing Profitable Business Models

FOR ALL STUDENTS:
Aulet B. (2013), Disciplined Entrepreneurship, John Wiley & Sons, Hoboken, N.J. - ONLY Chapters 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 11, 15, 16, 17, 19, 22
Osterwalder A., Pigneur Y. (2010), Business model generation, John Wiley & Sons, Hoboken, N.J, ONLY Chapter 1

ADDITIONAL FOR NON ATTENDING STUDENTS:
Shane S., Venkatraman S. (2000), The Promise of Entrepreneurship as a Field of Research, Academy of Management Review, Vol. 25, No. 1, Jan., pp. 217-226
Aulet B. (2013), Disciplined Entrepreneurship, John Wiley & Sons, Hoboken, N.J. - All other chapters non shown above, meaning whole book

The exam will be in written form consisting in a mix of multiple-choice and open questions, based on mandatory reading materials, that determines the final grade. ATTENDING students will officialy become such by VOLUNTARY participation to class work that will be presented at the beginning of the course. This work will include group/class work and case discussion in class. For those attending students: mandatory reading materials will be reduced as indicated in the section related to studying materials and the final grade will be determined for 60% by written test and for 40% by the evaluation of class work.

Lectures.
Guest speakers.
Group project work optional

English

written