ENT10001 Entrepreneurship and Opportunity

The person you choose to interview could be:

-An entrepreneur that has been reported on from a variety of secondary data sources (articles, books, interviews, documentaries)
-An entrepreneur or small business owner you know in Australia or from your home country.
-A friend or family member who runs their own business.

-Someone you know who runs a for-profit or not-for profit corporation/organisation.

Your report should have five sections:

1.A brief explanation of the entrepreneur you interview, the business they run and its history.

2.How the characteristics of the entrepreneur so far as you were able to observe them relate to the theories and concepts covered in the learning materials

You MUST include the 10 Ds (see Bygrave and Zacharakis, Entrepreneurship – copies in library or look online for the 10Ds – find a reliable source though). Higher marks will be given for each additional relevant theory referred to and properly explored.

3.How the characteristics of the entrepreneur’s business relate to the theories and concepts covered in the learning materials, including whether the business remains entrepreneurial now. How do they fit theory? How do they differ?

You MUST include a reflection of the entrepreneurial activity in the context of the business model canvas (see Week 6 – a completed BMC by you – NOT the Interviewer is required). Higher marks will be given for each additional relevant theory referred to and properly explored.

4.Reflection on what you have learned from the interview: entrepreneur’s tips about entrepreneurship or running a business? What they did right and what they would do differently? Does this sort of business appeal to you? Why (not)? How have your ideas about entrepreneurship changed after talking to this entrepreneur? How this shapes your behaviour going forward with respect to entrepreneurship?

5.Thoughts and evidence on opportunities on where they could take their entrepreneurial endeavour in the future (Again, your view, not the interviewers opinions).
Guidelines on content for each section

1. Brief explanation of the entrepreneur, their business and its history This is where you set the scene for your report. Provide enough information on the entrepreneur and their business for the rest of the report to make sense. Information you might include is the entrepreneur’s background before they started the business, what led them to start the business, what previous work experience or entrepreneurial experience they had, when they started the business and a brief history of its launch and growth.

2. Analysis of characteristics of the entrepreneur

Review your observations of the entrepreneur and the answers they gave to your questions. Compare them with the theories and models presented in the Learning materials for this topic (Week 5). Look at both the lecture powerpoints and the learning materials. Examples of frameworks would be:

10 Ds of entrepreneurs (Bygrave & Zacharakis) [mandatory]

Learned optimism – do they seem to have an optimistic outlook?

MBTI profile – do any characteristics stand out?

Dark side of entrepreneurship – were any of these characteristics present?

Explain how the entrepreneur you interviewed demonstrates (or does not demonstrate) these characteristics.

3. Analysis of characteristics of the entrepreneur’s business

Review what the entrepreneur told you about their business and their approach to identifying the opportunity and launching the business (or developing it if they bought the business as a going concern). Has the business remained entrepreneurial? Compare this with theories and models from Weeks 2, 3 and 4 in particular. Examples of relevant frameworks would be:

Application of the business model canvas – understand how the business functions [mandatory]

The business idea pitch questions, particularly what problem they were solving

Opportunity checklist – what strengths and weaknesses did their business idea have?

Specific theories and models for the field(s) of entrepreneurship your entrepreneur’s business represents – corporate, social, technology, environmental.

How trends have or are impacting the business and opportunity.

Explain how the business model and strategy demonstrates (or does not demonstrate) your chosen theories.

Note: If the business failed or was sold, comment on what was done well and what could have been done better.

4. Reflection on what you have learned from the interview

This section must be in first person because it is about what you have learned from this assignment. Include what the entrepreneur has learned and any tips they offered, but also explain what you learned from listening to their experience and their advice. Good reflection is specific. Follow the same approach as taken in the reflective journal entries you have written for participation points (see the relevant PPs instructions)

5. Opportunity assessment

Where could the entrepreneur take or build on their business in the future