I&E 352 [Keystone]

Strategies for Innovation and Entrepreneurship

I. Course Background & Objectives

“Simply dedicate yourself to solving problems. It’s solving problems that matters.
Instead of saying ‘our goal is innovation’ … say ‘our goal is to solve THIS problem for THESE people.’”
Scott Berkun

"If we want to know what a business is we must start only with its purpose ... There is only one valid
definition of business purpose: to create a customer. What the customer thinks he is buying, what he
considers 'value' is decisive—it determines what a business is, what it produces, and whether it will
prosper."
Peter Drucker
The Practice of Management

“Customers don’t buy products and services; they hire various solutions at various times to get a wide
array of jobs done.”
Clayton Christensen
Harvard Business School

This course covers the component elements of developing the skills needed to launch a venture,
including both commercially-orientated startups as well as social entrepreneurship ventures. Starting at
the point of need identification (the “problem”), the course covers lean methodology; innovation and
entrepreneurship strategy; creating the needed financing and resource structures; effectively
marketing/communicating the innovation and its associated benefits; leading, managing, and working
effectively within teams; creating a positive and ethical work culture; and evaluating success. By the end
of the course, you will have learned the fundamentals that will enable you then go on to create a
business/project plan within the experiential aspects and/or the capstone course of the undergraduate
certificate in Innovation & Entrepreneurship.

This course is designed to help you develop the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to:
 Identify customer need(s), particularly one(s) tied to large, complex problems
 Assess the validity (under realistic constraints) of innovations generated to meet the customer
needs
 Develop a disciplined approach to the analysis of a potential entrepreneurial venture
 Expand your decision-making skills by requiring you to make and defend decisions
 Acquire necessary resources to initiate a project, program, or venture to pursue an innovation
  Create the needed financing and resource structure to successfully sustain a project, program, or
venture
 Lead, manage, and work effectively within a team
 Commercialize or otherwise derive value from an innovation
 Communicate effectively, particularly innovative and entrepreneurial ideas, verbally and in
writing
 Create a positive and ethical culture in which to pursue innovation and entrepreneurial ideas
 Develop courage and resilience, along with an understanding of the value/learning which comes
from failure
 Develop a cross-cultural understanding of approaches to innovation and entrepreneurship
 Evaluate success in creating a project, program, or venture

II. Course Format

Lectures: A portion of each class meeting will be in lecture format, introducing materials not otherwise
covered in the course readings along with reinforcing/further explaining topics included in the
coursepack readings.

Guest Lecturers: A number of guest lecturers participate in delivering the course content. They are
leading experts in their fields and their contributions are core elements of the course content. Their
lectures and the assignments linked to their lectures will be covered on the two in-class tests.

Cases: Many class sessions will include case discussions. Cases are synopses of actual
situations/problems that put you in the position of the innovators/entrepreneurs who faced these
actual opportunities and challenges. Note that some of the cases are “old” in that the setting involves
events that took place a number of years ago. However, the goal in using cases is not to provide you
with knowledge about a specific industry or current innovation/entrepreneurship issue, but to
emphasize a key learning point tied to an overall understanding of innovation and entrepreneurship
theory and practice. Thus, even though the specific facts may differ from the current situation for that
firm or industry, by reasoning through the cases with your team and then discussing them in class, you
will be better prepared to attack similar problems when you face them as an entrepreneur.

To benefit from the case method of instruction, you must first delineate the opportunities and problems
presented in the case. As in the real contexts that these cases depict, it is often not clear exactly what
these are and what decisions need to be made. Once the issues/opportunities have been identified, you
and your team must 1) isolate the relevant information that bears upon the decisions at hand and 2)
employ the appropriate theory and analytical tools to exploit this information and develop a solution or
plan of action. In the process, you will learn a general method for exploring opportunity and resolving
problems and will be better able to address similar situations should you face them in the future. After
preparing a case, you and your team should be ready to make a clear recommendation about what
course of action you would follow and be prepared to back up that recommendation with both
qualitative and quantitative analyses. Our case discussions will focus on the analyses and
recommendations brought forward by various members of the class. Be prepared for cold calls.

For the cases in the course, working in teams, you will prepare three PowerPoint slides outlining the
situation, your analysis (quantitative and qualitative) of the situation, and your recommendation and
rationale. You will prepare the three PowerPoint slides for each of the following cases: “Florida Air,”
“Rent the Runway,” “Envirofit International,” “Lit Motors/A New Power in Personal Transport,”
“Medicines Company,” and “Dr. John’s Products.” “

To emulate as closely as possible the situations innovators and entrepreneurs find themselves in at the
time of the case, it is important that everyone in the class works from a common frame of reference.
Basing your analysis or recommendations on material that is outside the case destroys this common
frame and can denigrate the case discussion for others. Accordingly, all of our discussions will be based
on the assumption that we are dealing with the situation at the time of the case. Therefore, you and
your team members should not do any Internet searches, library work, or bring in outside information
about the company or the industry. As noted earlier, doing any research beyond the information
included in the cases will be considered a violation of the Duke Community Standard.

Guidelines for Class Participation and Case Discussion: Case-based learning requires class participation
from every student. Participation and discussion are imperative to engender a collaborative learning
environment in class. Based on your individual and team preparation of the background readings and
the cases, you should come to class ready to contribute to class discussions. When considering how you
may best contribute to the class discussion, consider the following factors:

 Is the comment accurate, reflecting the background readings and case facts, but not merely
restating them?
 Does the comment add insight to our understanding?
 Is the comment timely and does it advance the comments recently made by others?
 Does the comment move the discussion along by yielding a new perspective?
 Does the comment reflect a concern for maintaining a constructive and comfortable classroom
atmosphere?
 Does the comment add to the overall class objective of arriving at a positive solution for the
situation/issue/opportunity outlined in the case?

Team Assignments: You will be assigned to several teams over the duration of the course. The goal of the
teamwork is twofold. First, entrepreneurship is heavily dependent on people working together in
collaborative teams. So, through the course, we are focused on developing the skills needed to lead,
manage, and work effectively within a team. Secondly, students enrolled in this course routinely express
a desire to get to know other students involved in the I&E ecosystem at the university. By working on a
number of teams throughout the course, you will leave the keystone with a much deeper network in the
I&E space at Duke. All team members are expected to participate fully with their team in the completion
of the team-based assignments.

In the interest of making sure all team members acquire a full suite of effective innovation and
entrepreneurship skills, as well as that the team arrives as the best strategy, please DO NOT divide up
and assign the work each week so that one team member is “specializing” in one area. For example, do
not have one member of your team be the individual who is responsible for the quantitative analysis
while another is responsible for the qualitative. Each team member should contribute equally to all
areas of the case and simulation analysis, so that the team is discussing the best approach for moving
forward and each team member has mastered the concepts and material being covered in the
assignment.
All team members are expected to participate fully with their team in the completion of the team-based
assignments. Failure to do so will result in a reduced grade on the assignment.

Use of Computers, Telephones, Personal Electronic Devices in Class: When one is working on one’s
computer, checking text messages, or viewing data on an electronic device, one cannot be attentive and
participating in class. With the exception of the very rare times when you will be instructed to use your
computer in class to complete an assignment, you are expected to keep these devices turned off, in
silent mode, and out of sight for the duration of class. Checking one’s phone/laptop/electronic device
during class will result in a reduced class attendance grade for the class session. We will take a break
during each class session. During that time, you are free to check messages, send texts, etc., with the
expectation that you will put your laptop and phone away before class resumes after the break. You will
want to print copies of the cases and other readings for reference during class.

III. Duke Community Standard

The Duke Community Standard is an integral part of this course. This means you cannot give or receive
any information on any graded assignment. This prohibition applies not only to conversations you might
have with members of your section in the course this semester, it also applies to individuals in other
sections or classes that have met previously, either this semester or in years past. Additionally, you may
not receive information on graded assignments from people in other Duke classes, from people outside
of Duke, or from any other source (this includes friends outside of Duke, as well as family members).

With regard to work designated as an “individual assignment” within this course, you cannot give or
receive any information on any assignment. Your work must be completely your own.

On work designated as a “team assignment,” the expectation is that you will actively participate with
the members of your team in the completion of the assignments. You cannot, however, give or receive
any information on any assignment outside of working with your team members. This includes
prohibitions on sharing information with or receiving information from other teams, as well as sharing
information with or receiving information from any individuals who are not members of your team.

As noted earlier, on the case assignments, neither you as an individual nor your team as a group may
conduct any Internet searches, library work, or bring in outside information about the case situations,
companies, or the industries featured in a case.

If there are any questions about how the Duke Community Standard applies, either in terms of the
course overall or with regard to a specific assignment, please contact the course instructor directly.
IV. Grading and Course Requirements

The following table summarizes how your grades will be determined. The subsequent sections elaborate
upon each of these requirements.

Grading Element Weight

Brief Biography: “My Story” (Individual Assignment) 3%
“Dropbox” One Page Summary (Individual Assignment) 3%
Marketing Analysis Questions (Individual Assignment) 5%
Case Slides (Team-based Assignments, 3% per each of six graded case assignments) 18%
Attendance (Individual Assignment) 5%
Better World Books Presentation (Individual Assignment) 10%
“Kale and Kombucha” Questions (Team-based Assignment) 3%
Valuation and Analysis Questions (Individual Assignment) 5%
Mentorship Meeting Form One (Team-based Assignment) 3%
Mentorship Meeting Form Two (Individual Assignment) 3%
Test One (Individual Assignment) 17%
Test Two (Individual Assignment) 17%
Completion of In-Class Simulation on April 17 (Team-based Assignment) 2%
Final Reflection (Individual Assignment) 6%

Grading Scale by Assignment: There are two categories of grading in this course, as outlined in the
following sections:

Scale of 0 to 100
The assignments noted below will be graded on a scale of 0 to 100, with every value in between those
two extremes a possible grade. 61% of the total course grade falls under this scale.

Valuation and Analysis Questions

Marketing Analysis Questions
“Better World Books” Presentation
Participation in Final Simulation
Test One
Test Two
Attendance

Five Category Scale (0, 50, 75, 85, 95)

The assignments noted below will be graded on a five-category scale—Did not submit (0), Minimal Effort
(50), Passing (75), Good Work (85) or Exceptional (95)—as explained below. 39% of the total course
grade falls under this grading scale.

Brief Biography: “My Story”

“Dropbox” One Page Summary
Case slides (all six case assignments—“Florida Air,” “Rent the Runway,” “Envirofit International,”
 “Medicines Company,” “Lit Motors/A New Power in Personal Transport,” and “Dr.
John’s Products”)
“Kale and Kombucha” Spreadsheet
Mentoring Assignments (Team-based and Individual)
Final Reflection

The five-category scale is based on the following:

Did not Submit Minimal Effort Passing Good Work Exceptional

0 points 50 points 75 points 85 points 95 points

You did not You met the You completed the You did You far exceeded
submit the minimum basic assignment as everything you the expectations
assignment. You requirements of prescribed and were supposed to with a truly
know you are not length and demonstrated an and you engaged exceptional
going to get a timeliness, but acceptable level of with the material effort and ability
good grade. otherwise showed engagement with at a high level. to analyze and
no serious the material. You displayed apply the
engagement with clear effort, theories and
the material. You interest, and the constructs we are
know you are not ability to analyze covering in class
going to get a and apply the and in the course
good grade. theories and readings. This
constructs we are grade will be
covering in class given in rare
and in the course instances.
readings. You
should be
pleased with this
grade.

Class Attendance: You are expected to attend every class and to be present for the entire class,
with class attendance graded each class meeting. Being absent from class will result in a grade of
“0” for the day. In the event of an absence linked to an emergency, illness, internship interview,
religious holiday observance, or varsity athletic participation, you are expected to advise the
instructor prior to any missed class or late arrival. Documentation/official Duke notification of an
emergency situation/illness/interview/religious observance/varsity athletic participation is required
in order to receive credit for missed classes, as well as to receive full credit when submitting
assignments late.
Class attendance will be tracked through sign-in sheets, with students expected to sign in as they
enter the classroom before the start of class. There will be an “on time” attendance sheet that will
be removed at the start of class and replaced with a “late” sign in sheet. Students who sign in late
will receive a reduced attendance grade for the day. It is the student’s responsibility to make sure
they sign in before the start of class. Please note that falsifying attendance is considered a violation
of the Duke Community Standard in this course, since attendance is a graded component of the
course.
Not only are you expected to attend each class meeting, you are expected to be fully prepared for
each class meeting and to participate fully in the class and case discussions. In the event students
demonstrate a pattern of not being prepared for class or of not participating in class/case
discussions, the instructor reserves the right to make the Class Attendance portion of the grade a
Class Participation grade, where students will receive grades based on participation in class and
case discussions.

Brief Biography: “My Story”: As the first assignment in the course, you will draft a biography that tells
your story as you choose to relay it. This biography will be included as a part of your e-portfolio, under
the “My Story” tab.

Case Slides: As outlined earlier, for each case your team will prepare and submit via Sakai, prior to the
start of class, three PowerPoint slides (plus a “cover sheet” slide, containing only your team member
names, the case name, and the assignment due date, for a total of four slides). The team case slides will
outline the case situation, your team analysis of it, and your team recommendation and rationale.

Presentation: Strong presentation skills are important to success as an entrepreneur. There is one
graded presentation on the “Better World Books” case, affording an opportunity for you to further build
your presentation skill set.

Homework Assignments: There are four homework assignments (Marketing Analysis Questions, “Kale
and Kombucha” Spreadsheet, Valuation and Analysis Questions, and a Write-up of the “Dropbox” Case)
that also count towards your final grade in this course.

Mentoring Assignments: Knowing how to establish and maintain a strong mentoring relationship is a
critical part of being a successful innovator and entrepreneur. Quality mentoring relationships have
powerful positive effects on both mentors and mentees. As a part of the course, you will be assigned a
designated mentor, to further discuss concepts presented in class. Your mentor will be someone who is
currently engaged in work as a practicing entrepreneur or someone who works for a highly innovative
and entrepreneurial firm. This mentoring relationship will provide an opportunity for you to further
translate classroom concepts into real world examples, supporting you with feedback and advice that
can better equip you for further exploration in the I&E space. Further, learning the concepts of
mentoring through the course will allow you to identify best practices for building mentoring
relationships in your future pursuits.

Over the course of the semester, you will have two assignments linked to conversations with your
designated mentor. The first will be a conversation you will participate in as a member of a team, while
the second will be an individual conversation with your mentor. In addition, in your Final Reflection you
will emphasize what you learned from these two mentoring conversations as well as from the course
overall.
In-class Simulation: During the last class meeting, we will complete an in-class simulation that counts as
2% of your final grade. In order to receive credit for the simulation, you must be present in class on that
day, participating with your team in the simulation.

Final Reflection: As the last assignment in the course, you will draft a reflection that incorporates your
learning from the two mentoring assignments in the course, as well as from the course overall. This
reflection will be included as a part of your e-portfolio.
Tests: We will have two tests (Test One and Test Two) that will be administered in class. They will
provide you with the opportunity to demonstrate your skills and knowledge relative to the material
covered in class lectures, course readings, and case discussions. All students are expected to complete
the tests at the time noted in the syllabus. Only in exceedingly rare instances will students be allowed
to schedule a make-up time for these assignments.

Late Assignments: Students are expected to submit all assignments by the stated deadline. Late
assignments (even if only by a few minutes) will receive reduced grades. The reduction in the grade
will increase as the lateness increases, up to the point where extremely late submissions will
receive grades of “0.”

V. Required Course Materials

The electronic course pack, “Strategies for Innovation and Entrepreneurship Spring 2019” contains the
background readings and cases for this course. You will obtain and pay for your course pack directly
from Harvard Business Publishing, as outlined below. To access this coursepack, please copy and paste
this link https://hbsp.harvard.edu/import/595628 into an internet browser that will bring you to a page
outlining the steps to register with Harvard Business Publishing and pay for the coursepack. Please make
sure you purchase the coursepack titled “Strategies for Innovation and Entrepreneurship Section Two
Spring 2019.”

All students are expected to purchase a course pack, in compliance with Harvard’s copyright provisions
clearly noted on the Harvard Business Publishing site as well as on each reading and/or case we are
using from Harvard.

In addition to the readings and cases included in the course pack at the beginning of the semester, the
instructor reserves the right to add readings and/or cases to the course pack throughout the semester,
as appropriate. Should this occur, you will be advised to purchase these additional materials directly
from Harvard Business Publishing.

Given the “no electronic devices” in class rule, you will want to print the cases and course readings and
bring the appropriate printed copies with you to class each week.

VI. Academic Resource Center

In addition to the support provided by the course instructor and the teaching assistants, students always
have access to Duke’s Academic Resource Center (ARC). The ARC offers free services to all students
during their undergraduate careers at Duke. Services include learning consultations, peer tutoring and
study groups, ADHD/LD coaching, outreach workshops, and more. Because learning is a process unique
to every individual, the ARC works with each student to discover and develop their own academic
strategy for success at Duke. Contact the ARC to schedule an appointment. Undergraduates in any year,
studying any discipline can benefit.

211 Academic Advising Center Building, East Campus – behind Marketplace

arc.duke.edu
theARC@duke.edu
919-684-5917