Entrepreneurship & Business Ventures

Department

Bachelor's program Management & Law

Course unit code

M&R-B-5-B_31-EBV-SE

Number of ECTS credits allocated

4.0

Name of lecturer(s)

Mawson Suzanne, PhD

Mode of delivery

face-to-face

Recommended optional program components

none

Recommended or required reading

Core textbook:

Mawson, S. and Casulli, L. (2024) Entrepreneurial Thinking: Mindset in Action (Sage).

Level of course unit

Bachelor

Year of study

Fall 2025

Semester when the course unit is delivered

5

Language of instruction

English

Learning outcomes of the course unit

Despite popular narratives, entrepreneurship is not just about the development of a new (technological) offering commercialised through a start-up. Rather, there is now recognition that entrepreneurship can be thought of as a set of skills, competences and linked behaviours in pursuit of new ideas and the creation of value that goes beyond simply starting a business. This course aims to provide students with the opportunity to engage in, and reflect on, their own entrepreneurial skills and how these will support value creation initiatives personally and professionally across a range of entrepreneurial contexts.

Upon completion of this course you will be able to:

Learning Outcome 1: Articulate the role that mindsets play in shaping entrepreneurial thinking and behaviour
Learning Outcome 2: Consider ambiguity and uncertainty in the entrepreneurial journey and examine your personal responses to these conditions
Learning Outcome 3: Apply creativity and ideation tools to explore problems and opportunities
Learning Outcome 4: Articulate forms of value creation and how they align to your own entrepreneurial thinking and behaviour

Course contents

1. Thinking and mindset: We consider entrepreneurial thinking and mindset as the outcome of sustained practice rather than inherent ability and explore the concept of mindset, starting with open/closed and growth/fixed mindset, linked to self-awareness and reflexivity.
2. Ambiguity and uncertainty: We consider the fundamental link between entrepreneurial activity and uncertainty and explore personal responses to uncertainty linked to persistence and resilience.
3. Creativity and value creation: We consider the role of creative thought and action in value creation and explore how play and experimentation can alter personal frames of reference and facilitate new ideas.
4. Collaboration and communication: We consider the importance of working with others in value creation activity and how to navigate different worldviews and assumptions.

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

The course comprises an interactive mix of lectures, discussions and individual and group work.

Work placement(s)

none