ABS 103 Fundamentals Of Entrepreneurship Assignment

LEARNING OUTCOMES

On completion of this subject, students will be able to:

1. Explain the concept of entrepreneurship and how it has evolved.
2. Identify and define entrepreneurial opportunities.

BRIEF

Prepare a report (850 words) describing your insights from an interview with an entrepreneur.

ASSIGNMENT INSTRUCTIONS

For this assignment, you will interview an entrepreneur and evaluate the insights you learned through the interview process. You should select someone who is currently (in the past three years) starting a business, who owns at least 51% of the business and has paid wages to someone other than themselves.

Ensure you allow at least 45 minutes and have the selected entrepreneur commit to this timeframe. Record the date, place of interview, person’s name, the position held, and your relationship to the entrepreneur. For your written report, you should describe the entrepreneur’s journey and explain several key things you have learned from the entrepreneur. You should not just reproduce your entrepreneur’s interview answers. Rather you should explain what you have learned from the entrepreneur.

You should use the following sections as a guide for your report:

1. Introduction

For your introduction paragraph, you should including the following:

1. A hook is the first sentence that sets the tone for your report. The hook should give the reader a sense of the topic you are writing about and why it is interesting.
2. Background information – Depending on your entrepreneur, you might include a brief description of the type of entrepreneurship they are involved with and a summary of key learnings and recommendations.
3. Thesis statement – A sentence or two that sums up your overall argument.

2. Entrepreneur Background and Views

1. Describe the entrepreneur’s background, such as their educational background, family history, relationships with others, etc.
2. Describe what type(s) of entrepreneurship and culture have they experienced.
3. Identify some characteristics they believe make successful entrepreneurs
4. Consider asking them provoking questions on their thoughts on entrepreneurship, such as
   1. How would you define entrepreneurship?
   2. Do you think entrepreneurs are made or born?

3. Entrepreneurship Evolution

1. An entrepreneur evolution. What are their motives, what decisions have they made, what failure or mistakes have they made, what decisions have they made, etc.?
2. Challenges and opportunities of being an entrepreneur
3. How has technology driven their innovation

4. Key Lessons

Identify two or three key lessons you have learnt through your entrepreneur interview. Consider how theory or concepts you have read differ from the reality of the entrepreneur’s experience.

5. Conclusion

1. Draw upon the lessons from the entrepreneur and explain how you could become more entrepreneurial as a result of your interview. You should address how the findings of the interview apply or are meaningful to you. What did you learn or discover that has meaning for your own future plans?

6. Appendix

You will need to include an appendix section. You should attach a list of your interview questions.

INTERVIEW CONSIDERATIONS

• As you go through Chapters 1 to 3, you should begin creating a list of questions from the content that you would like to draw lessons from the entrepreneur. For instance, in Chapter 1, you may want to ask them their views on whether entrepreneurs are made or born.
• Develop an efficient way of taking notice or capturing the key points of the entrepreneur. Keep the right balance between professionalism and a friendly attitude. Your tone should be amicable, but your speech needs to be elegant and courteous. Establish a personal rapport, go the extra mile (a token gift of appreciation is a touch).
• The success of your learning at the interview is to probe, ask why, and delve beneath the surface. This will allow you to produce an insightful evaluation of what you learnt and how theory may be different to the reality of the entrepreneur’s experiences.

SUGGESTED STRUCTURE

Your essay may be structured in any what that best presents your reflective thinking. However, the following suggested structure can be used as a guide for your essay and subheads.

1. Cover or Title Page
2. Introduction Paragraph
3. Entrepreneur Background and Views
4. Evolution of the Entrepreneur
5. Key Lessons Gained from Interview
   1. Lesson One
   2. Lesson Two
   3. Lesson Three
6. Conclusion
   1. Meaning for future plans
7. Reference Page (list in alphabetical order)
8. Appendix
   1. List of interview questions

   CONSIDERATIONS

   • If you have any questions or having difficulty with your assignment, the academic/instructor should be your first source for assistance.
   • Have you identified and defined appropriate academic concepts or theories from a wide variety of sources? Consider using both academic and industry sources.
   • Have you demonstrated the ability to integrate and apply relevant findings, concepts, or theories to support your explanations, reasoning, and recommendations?
   • Have you provided sufficient examples and evidence to support your reasoning?
   • Did you meet all specific formatting requirements?
   • Does your assignment meet minimum length and reference requirements?