BUU22570 Creative Thinking, Innovation and Entrepreneurial Action

(5 ECTS)

Lecturer(s):

Gorkem Aksaray 

Email: aksarayg@tcd.ie 
Office Hours: Online/by appointment

Module Description:

This module offers students a critical perspective on the prevailing trends, dynamics, and opportunities within the field of entrepreneurship. Over the last decade, entrepreneurship has emerged as a pivotal discipline in the business world, garnering attention from scholars, policymakers, and practitioners worldwide. Entrepreneurship serves as a primary catalyst for innovation, economic growth, regional and urban competitiveness, and a vital source of employment. However, it has also faced scrutiny for exacerbating wealth and income disparities, particularly in sectors characterized by winner-takes-all dynamics. As entrepreneurship continues to evolve, expand globally, and provoke both opportunities and controversies, it necessitates a multidisciplinary and international approach. Recognizing the intricate nature of contemporary entrepreneurship, this module will draw from diverse theoretical and practical resources.

Learning Outcomes:

By the conclusion of this module, students will be able to:

• Comprehend the fundamental dynamics governing the formation, expansion, and sustainability
  of entrepreneurial ventures.
• Develop and proficiently articulate a business model.
  Practice creative thinking and effective communication skills through presentations.
  Apply lean startup principles and utilize associated tools to optimize entrepreneurial processes.
  Conduct a primary research to acquire valuable customer insight.
  Analyze marketing and financial strategies of entrepreneurial firms.

Textbooks and Required Resources:

The module draws on academic articles, cases, practical examples, newspaper articles, and exercises. In addition, podcasts and video clips will be used in class, and guest speakers will also be invited to share their experiences. A full reading list as provided below will be made available in course intranet. Required readings must be read before attending the class. You are asked to supplement these with your own literature reviews as relevant to your coursework and assessment requirements.

Required core course textbook:

• Blank, Steve, and Bob Dorf. The Startup Owner’s Manual: The Step-By-Step Guide for Building a Great Company. K&S Ranch, 2012. (ISBN-13: 9780984999309)

Recommended books:

• Bygrave, William, and Andrew Zacharakis. Entrepreneurship (4th edition). Wiley, 2016. (ISBN- 13: 9781119298809
• Reis, Eric. The Lean Startup: How Today’s Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses. The Crown Publishing Group, 2011. (ISBN-13: 9780307887894)
• Osterwald, Alexander, and Yves Pigneur. Business Model Generation. John Wiley & Sons, 2010. (ISBN-13: 9780470876411)
• HBR’s 10 Must Reads on Entrepreneurship and Startups. Harvard Business Review Press, 2018. (ISBN-13: 9781633694385)

Module Communication:

Relevant module material (module outline, supplementary materials etc.) as well as administrative information and any module announcements will be posted on the module intranet site (Blackboard). Please ensure that you have access to the module site on Blackboard and please check this regularly along with your college email. If needed, the lecturer and others involved in delivering the module will contact you directly via your college email. If you experience difficulties with this module or have special needs, please make contact as soon as possible to arrange a meeting and discuss any supports that may be required.

Assessment:

Group assignment (60%) The assessment for the module will consist of the development of a business concept. Following deliverables are expected:

1. A recording of an elevator pitch
2. An MVP (Minimum Viable Product) demo
3. Primary customer research report
4. A complete business model canvas

Submission deadlines: TBD
Additionally, tutorial attendance and participation is expected.  

Final exam (online) (40%)
The written final exam will be held online on Blackboard and will consist of questions based
on topics covered during the lectures as well as assigned readings. While most questions will
be multiple choice, other types of questions such as true/false, fill-in-the-blanks, calculation,
and matching can also be asked.