Title of Course: Product and Service Creation                                                                                   Class Hours: 3

Course Number: SBE 100 Section # 0140W                                                                                                 Credits: 3

Writing Intensive Course (WI)

 

Instructor Information:  Mahatapa Palit Office: Room F730A Class: Tuesdays: 2 pm – 2:50 pm (F 303) Thursdays: 2 pm – 3:40 pm (F 807)

Phone: 212-346-8394; Email: [email protected] Office Hours:  Thu – 4 – 5 pm To set up an appointment outside office hours please email me

Course Description – This course examines the fundamentals of entrepreneurship, including an analysis of the entrepreneur and exploration of business opportunities, and an investigation of the technical/conceptual creation of products and services. The emphasis will be on the acquisition of knowledge and the analysis of small business creation for the present and future entrepreneur. This is a foundation course for Small Business/Entrepreneurship (SBE) majors and a survey course for all others.

Basic Skills – Students must have passed ENG 088, ESL 094, ACR 095 and MAT 010/011. Co-requisite BUS 104 for Business Majors.

Course Student Learning Outcomes	Measurements
1. Analyze and assess trends in the external environment that can support business opportunities.	Industry research
2. Explain the unique decisions and challenges of growing an entrepreneurial business.	Lessons learned from entrepreneur’s stories of failure
3. Create a financial model outlining the revenue streams and cost structure for a new business.	Financial Model
4. Student will be able to complete (a) formal writing assignment(s) of at least 10-12 pages in length that has/have gone through the revision process (e.g. research paper, content-related report, essay.)	Pitch Presentation Deck
5. Student will be able to generate pieces of informal writing in response to a variety of prompts, concepts, situations or reading assignments.	Discussion Questions

The general education goals that will be covered and assessed in this course are included below.

General Education Goals	Measurements
Communication Skills- Students will write, read, listen and speak critically and effectively.	Presentation of business plan
Quantitative Reasoning- Students will use quantitative skills and the concepts and methods of mathematics to solve problems.	Financial model; Industry research
Information & Technology Literacy- Students will collect, evaluate and interpret information and effectively use information technologies.	Online Industry Research

Required Text (No Cost Textbook)

Startup Smart: A Handbook for Entrepreneurs—Handbook Series

Full Text: https://publications.america.gov/publication/startup-smart-handbook-entrepreneurs-handbook-series/

Many people believe that entrepreneurs are born, not made. It’s not true. Anyone can acquire the knowledge and skills to transform a business idea or insight into a successful business. This handbook helps aspiring entrepreneurs develop a mindset and the skills to honestly evaluate their business idea. It also helps them become comfortable with the idea of business risk and how to minimize those risks where possible. Being a successful entrepreneur takes knowledge, skills, business planning resources and mentoring relationships. It also takes time, planning, patience and flexibility. This handbook provides these tools and guidance for adventurous individuals who are “ready to ride the rocket ship” of being an entrepreneur.

Other Resources:

Newspapers:  The New York, Wall Street Journal (As BMCC students you have free access to both newspapers)

Magazines:      Black Enterprise, Business Week, Forbes, Hispanic Business, Inc., Entrepreneur

 

EVALUATION AND REQUIREMENTS OF STUDENTS:

 

Assignments	Points
Individual Assignments  (IA)               30%	490
IA 1: Idea for new product or service	50
IA2: Industry trends and Target Mkt	70
IA3: Business Model (mid-term)	60
IA4: Customer Insights	50
IA5: Revenue Models	50
IA6: Customer Acquisition & Growth	50
IA7: Presentation deck (Final)	80
IA8: Lessons Learned	40
IA9: Portfolio	40
5 Online surveys@ 15 points (5%)	75
15 Discussion Questions (DQs) @ 30 (30%)	450
5 Review Assignments: RA @ 30 points (15%)	225
Total	1500

 ASSIGNMENTS

All assignments should include the title of the assignment and typed using Font size 10 – 12 points (Arial or Times Roman); 1.5 spaced and will be submitted as a hard copy unless otherwise specified.

Details of the scope of each assignment are provided under the Assignment tab.  Every week you will have to complete either an individual assignment or a review assignment. A review assignment (RA) is one where you comment on at least two of your peers’ individual assignments (IAs). Based on their feedback, as well as mine, you will revise your individual assignments and submit a final version that will be included in your final Portfolio.  Students will be graded on providing feedback to their peers on a set of guidelines that I will suggest.

Assignment Submission Guidelines

The deadlines for submission of assignments will be strict.  This means that you must hand in the assignment on the specified date.  If you are late in submitting an assignment, then late penalties will be imposed.

Class Participation

We have deadlines for posting DQs or commenting on others DQs on Saturday and Sunday respectively. Strongly recommend that you do not wait until the deadline, but start sooner.

BMCC Policies & Resources

BMCC is committed to the health and well‐being of all students. It is common for everyone to seek assistance at some point in their life, and there are free and confidential services on campus that can help.

Single Stop www.bmcc.cuny.edu/singlestop, room S230, 212‐220‐8195. If you are having problems with food or housing insecurity, finances, health insurance or anything else that might get in the way of your studies at BMCC, come by the Single Stop Office for advice and assistance. Assistance is also available through the Office of Student Affairs, S350, 212‐220‐ 8130.

Counseling Center www.bmcc.cuny.edu/counseling, room S343, 212‐220‐8140. Counselors assist

students in addressing psychological and adjustment issues (i.e., depression, anxiety, and relationships)

and can help with stress, time management and more. Counselors are available for walk‐in visits.

Office of Compliance and Diversity:  www.bmcc cuny.edu/aac, room S701, 212-220-1236. BMCC is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive learning environment free of unlawful discrimination/harassment, including sexual harassment, where all students are treated fairly. For information about BMCC’s policies and resources, or to request additional assistance in this area, please visit or call the office, or email [email protected], or [email protected]. If you need immediate assistance, please contact BMCC Public safety at 212-220-8080.

Office of Accessibility –  www.bmcc.cuny.edu/accessibility, room N360 (accessible entrance: 77 Harrison Street), 212-220-8180. This office collaborates with students who have documented disabilities, to coordinate support services, reasonable accommodations, and programs that enable equal access to education and college life. To request an accommodation due to a documented disability, please visit or call the office.

College Attendance Policy

At BMCC, the maximum number of absences is limited to one more hour than the number of hours a class meets in one week. For example, you may be enrolled in a three-hour class. In that class, you would be allowed 4 hours of absence (not 4 days). In the case of excessive absences, the instructor has the option to lower the grade or assign an F or WU grade.

BMCC Policy on Plagiarism and Academic Integrity Statement

Plagiarism is the presentation of someone else’s ideas, words or artistic, scientific, or technical work as one’s own creation. Using the idea or work of another is permissible only when the original author is identified. Paraphrasing and summarizing, as well as direct quotations, require citations to the original source. Plagiarism may be intentional or unintentional. Lack of dishonest intent does not necessarily absolve a student of responsibility for plagiarism. Students who are unsure how and when to provide documentation are advised to consult with their instructors. The library has guides designed to help students to appropriately identify a cited work. The full policy can be found on BMCC’s Web site, www.bmcc.cuny.edu. For further information on integrity and behavior, please consult the college bulletin (also available online).