Learning outcomes

The expected learning outcomes of the course are the following ones:

  • Knowledge of the relevant literature trends concerning entrepreneurship
  • Understanding of the contribution of entrepreneurship to society
  • Understanding of the entrepreneurial process
  • Comprehensive vision of the different characteristics generally associated with entrepreneurship and entrepreneurs
  • Openness to alternative forms of entrepreneurship
  • Openess to the Belgian entrepreneurial sector
  • Research capabilities: Writing skills, content analysis, project management, critical thinking

Goals

The course aims at

- giving students the fundamental knowledge, from the angle of management science, economics and sociology, concerning entrepreneurship and entrepreneurs ;

- accompanying students in the building of a collective research project related to the theory and practices that are studied in the course.

Content

The course is made of three main parts.

The first one is dedicated to the study of the various perspectives that scientific literature has produced concerning this field:

- Literature on the persona of the entrepreneur, its traits, its behaviours, its skills and motivations;

- Literature on the entrepreneurial processes;

In the second part, we shall study the different entrepreneurship types, in order to better understand how persons and contexts meet in a given project, but also to open the field to alternative entrepreneurial actions, as social entrepreneurship, sustainable entrepreneurship, tech entrepreneurship and entrepreneurship in creative and cultural industries,

The third part will focus on the methods and tools for the development of a new venture.

Additional and mandatory activities will also be offered to students, as conferences, interventions of guest speakers, serious games, visit of TRAKK (Namur creative Hub), pitch session and reflexivity.

Table of contents

Table of contents

  1. Perspectives on Entrepreneurship
  • The Entrepreneur: Traits, Behaviours, Skills, Motivations
  • The Contexts
  • The Process(es)
  1. A Variety of Entrepreneurship Types
  • Necessity and Opportunity Entrepreneurship
  • Technological Entrepreneurship ; Academic Entrepreneurship
  • Social Entrepreneurship
  • Intrapreneurship
  1. Creating and Developing a New Venture: Tools & Methods
  • Recognizing and Evaluating an Opportunity
  • Creating a Business Model
  • Building a Business Plan
  • Financing a New Venture
  • Managing the Growth of a Business
  1. Additional Activities (Mandatory)

Teaching methods

The course will combine ex cathedra and "learning by doing" teaching, and homework. Readings will be asked to students for some sessions. Either the preparatory readings will give rise to an in-class discussion or they will be followed by a small report if the corresponding session is organised remotely. For some sessions, a portfolio of readings will be proposed to students and they will be asked to compile and analyse this portfolio in groups. Small group sessions (in-class or remotely) will be organised on this basis with the professor to discuss the analysis made by the group.

Assessment method

  1. Class attendance and participation: To benefit from the “learning by doing” method, class attendance is mandatory. //2 points//
  2. Participation to additional activities: As mentioned above, additional activities are mandatory. Students are expected to participate in at least one conference or workshop related to entrepreneurship during the semester. The goal of these activities is to open students' minds to perspectives other than those of the professor. Students will submit a short estonishment report on this activity. These reports will be graded. Failure to submit a report will result in a negative grade (penalty). // 2 points or, if applicable, up to -2 points//
  3. Group work: During this academic year, students are invited to work in small groups on the analysis of a classic work of literature or cinema through the lens of entrepreneurship. A standardized questionnaire will be used by all groups to analyze the chosen work. A list of interesting books or movies will be provided by the professor. Students may also suggest a work, which must then be approved by the professor. The book may belong to classic Anglo-Saxon or French literature. The objective of this project is to test the theory in light of a “reality” as developed in a literary or cinematographic work. The project must result in an article written according to a template provided by the professor and respecting the standards of scientific writing, especially concerning bibliography. This paper will be graded through a common grade for all group members. // 4 points //
  4. Oral pitch of group work: The group will give an oral presentation of the most important elements of the work in pitch and storytelling mode. // 4 points//
  5. Oral exam: All students will be required to take an individual oral exam, which will be held either in person or remotely, depending on the circumstances at the time. This oral exam will be based on a 3-minute pitch during which the student will present the key elements of the group work, and on a 10-minute interaction between the professor and the student, focusing on the theoretical sections of the course. // 8 points // ! Absorbing note: passing the oral exam is necessary to pass the course, even if the other parts are succeeded. 


Sources, references and any support material

Acs, Z.J & D.B. Audretsch (Eds.) “Handbook of Entrepreneurship Research: An Interdisciplinary Survey and Introduction.” Springer-Verlag, 2011.

Anderson, A.R. and L. Warren (2011). The entrepreneur as hero and jester: enacting the entrepreneurial discourse. Small Business Journal Vol. 29(6), pp. 589-609.

Baum, J.R. (Ed.) “The Psychology of Entrepreneurship.” Psychology Press, 2012.

Block, J. & M. Wagner (2006). Necessity and Opportunity Entrepreneurs in Germany: Characteristics and Earnings Differentials. Munich Personal RPEc Archive Paper No. 610.

Goss, D. (2005). Schumpeter’s Legacy? Interaction and Emotions in the Sociology of Entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, March 2005, pp. 205-218.

Hoang, H. & B. Antoncic (2003). Network-based research in entrepreneurship. A critical review. Journal of Business Venturing Vol. 18, pp. 165-187.

Ireland, R.D. & J.W. Webb (2007). A Cross-Disciplinary Exploration of Entrepreneurship Research. Journal of Management Vol. 33, pp. 891-927.

Janssen, F. (2016). Entreprendre: Une introduction à l'entrepreunariat. De Boeck Supérieur.

Lachapelle M. (2018). Business Model Design: Nespresso – Evolution of a $4 Billion Business Model for Coffee. Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada.

Laukkanen, M. (2003). Exploring academic entrepreneurship: drivers and

Mair, J., J. Robinson & K. Hockerts (Eds.) “Social Entrepreneurship.” Palgrave MacMillan, 2006.

Osterwalder, A. & Y. Pigneur. “Business Model Generation.” Wiley & Sons, 2014.

Perren, L. & P.L. Jennings (2005). Government Discourses on Entrepreneurship: Issues of Legitimization, Subjugation, and Power. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, March 2005, pp. 173-183.

Radu, M. & R. Redien-Collot (2008). The Social Representation of Entrepreneurs in the French Press: Desirable and Feasible Models? International Small Business Journal Vol. 26(3), pp. 259-298.

Reynolds, P.D. (1991). Sociology and Entrepreneurship: Concepts and Contributions. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, Winter 1991, pp. 47-70.

Sarasvathy, S. D. (2001). Causation and effectuation: Toward a theoretical shift from economic inevitability to entrepreneurial contingency. Academy of management Review, 26(2), 243-263.

Shane, S. & S. Venkataraman (2000). The Promise of Entrepreneurship as a Field of Research. The Academy of Management Review Vol. 25(1), pp. 217-226.

Shaw, E. & S. Carter (2007). Social entrepreneurship. Theoretical antecedents and empirical analysis of entrepreneurial processes and outcomes. Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development Vol. 14(3), pp. 418-434.

Thornton P.H. (1999). The Sociology of Entrepreneurship. Annual Review of Sociology Vol. 25, pp. 19-46.

Thornton P.H., D. Ribeiro-Soriano & D. Urbano (2011). Socio-cultural factors and entrepreneurial activity: An overview. International Small Business Journal Vol. 29(2), pp. 105-118.

Verstraete, T. & A. Fayolle (2005). Paradigmes et entrepreneuriat. Revue de l’Entrepreneuriat, Vol. 4, pp. 33-52.

Voorberg, W.H., V.J.J.M. Bekkers & L.G. Tummers (2015). A Systematic Review of Co-Creation and Co-Production: Embarking on the social innovation journey. Public Management Review, DOI: 10.1080/14719037.2014.930505.

Welter, F. (2011). Contextualizing Entrepreneurship – Conceptual Challenges and Ways Forward. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, January 2011, pp. 165-184.

Williams, N. & C.C. Williams (2014). Beyond necessity versus opportunity entrepreneurship: some lessons from English deprived urban neighbourhoods. International Entrepreneurship Management Journal Vol. 10, pp. 23-40.

Language of instruction

French