Service-based Entrepreneurship and Idea Development – Project course

Aim

The course aims to provide participants with knowledge and skills in the areas of entrepreneurship and innovation in the early stages of development. In focus is the formulation and development of service-based entrepreneurial and innovative ideas, which also includes the ability to make assessments of commercialization potential. An overall goal is that the student should be able to produce a business plan based on which he/she can start a business after completing the programme.

After completing the course, the student should be able to:

• describe what can be included in a business planning process and what is usually included in a business plan for a service-based business,
• collect, compile and analyse the information required to build an intended business case within his/her professional area,
• apply the theories and tools discussed during the course and, based on them, analyse and evaluate collected information and develop a business model for an intended entrepreneurial activity within his/her professional area,
• discuss ethical and sustainability-related aspects linked to business development and apply them to his/her own business case,
• communicate and present a proposal for a business idea within his/her own professional area in writing, through a business plan, and orally through so-called idea pitches and be able to critically and constructively discuss and evaluate his/her own work as well as the work of others.
• discuss and reflect upon the relation between theory and practice, his/her own learning process, and the individual development in the course.

Content

The course contains three themes:

• Idea development – The development process from an idea to a service-based business model. In focus is how to formulate and develop a service-based idea upon which you can build a new business or further develop an existing one. Included is also how to protect the idea and how to gain entry into a market, financing and what is required for a business to be able to stand on its own feet.
• Business planning and communication - To communicate an idea both orally and in writing as well as in different formats and based on relevant analysis models.
• Structured reflection – continuous group work on reflections on learning and development.