Taking People With You: Entrepreneurial Leadership and Innovation

Catalog description

(same as LEAD 7246 ; cross-leveled with JOURN 4246 ). In this course, students explore the current landscape of entrepreneurship and practice a human-centered approach to solving problems. Students gain valuable leadership skills and develop the knowledge and mindset needed to pursue their own entrepreneurial ventures or to become innovators within existing organizations. The course introduces students to insight-driven approaches to innovation including David Novak's Taking People with You philosophy of leadership and design thinking, and offers ample opportunities to put these methods into practice. To simulate the entrepreneurial process, students identify an unmet need or market opportunity and develop an innovative product or service to solve a real-world problem. "Startup teams" of four students engage in research, ideation, rapid prototyping, and iterative design to develop insights and a solution to meet the needs of real customers. Teams also conduct a market analysis and develop a business model and go-to-market strategy for launching their start-up and enlisting key partners to support their venture. The course culminates in a pitch competition in which teams present their ideas and strategies to a panel of industry experts. In the process, students gain valuable leadership skills, develop an entrepreneurial mindset, and learn how to work with diverse teams and audiences to collaborate and solve problems. Graded on A-F basis only. Credit Hour s : 3