Classroom Exercises for Entrepreneurship

Hardback

Classroom Exercises for Entrepreneurship

A Cross-Disciplinary Approach: Second Edition

2nd edition

9781035317530 Edward Elgar Publishing
James D. Hart, Director of Arts Entrepreneurship, Southern Methodist University, USA
Publication Date: January 2025 ISBN: 978 1 03531 753 0 Extent: 316 pp
This thoroughly revised second edition provides insightful learning exercises to help students develop their imaginative and creative abilities, increasing the likelihood of devising novel solutions to real-world problems. Illustrating the creative and practical dimensions of entrepreneurship, it presents effective techniques that contribute towards problem-solving and entrepreneurial mindset.

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Contents
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This thoroughly revised second edition provides insightful learning exercises to help students develop their imaginative and creative abilities. It Illustrates the creative and practical dimensions of entrepreneurship, presenting ideas and time-tested techniques that contribute towards problem-solving and value creation while increasing the likelihood of novel solutions emerging.

With 80 original and effective exercises applicable to an entire entrepreneurial process, James Hart outlines the pedagogical method of Creative Entrepreneurship. Hart introduces an assessment tool for learning as well as a reflection tool for student use, alongside useful tips for teaching. Featuring games, simulations, demonstrations and projects, each exercise can be easily adapted for specific teaching needs and incorporates clear learning objectives to ensure a dynamic classroom experience.

This is an invaluable read for educators and students of entrepreneurship and business and management. It offers experiential learning insights to gain the most out of teaching and learning this complex topic. The tools and exercises also benefit governmental and private sector trainers when leading/teaching professional development enhancement courses.

Critical Acclaim
‘This book provides a wealth of in-class exercises to engage students in all aspects of the entrepreneurial process. I found great comfort in using a resource that has such a broad repertoire of activities that can challenge students to master new ways of entrepreneurial thinking and acting. If you need an exercise on a particular topic in entrepreneurship, you will find it in this book. This is a wonderful resource for involving students in entrepreneurial experiences where they can learn by doing and reflecting.’
– William B. Gartner, Babson College, USA

‘Just when I didn’t think it could get any better, the second edition blew my mind! This is a must-have book in every educator’s toolbox. If you are feeling uncomfortable or overly comfortable teaching, pick up this book! This edition will give you both courage and energy in the classroom.’
– Heidi Neck, Babson College, USA

‘Jim Hart has proven to be a thought leader in entrepreneurship education, especially in the area of creative arts. Entrepreneurship is not a spectator sport and teaching it requires an action-based curriculum. This book guides you beautifully in how to do this. Invaluable.’
– Bill Aulet, Ethernet Inventors Professor of Entrepreneurship, MIT and Managing Director of the Martin Trust Center for MIT Entrepreneurship, USA and author, Disciplined Entrepreneurship

‘Having been an entrepreneur for most of my life and transitioning into academia, I was looking for real world exercises for my Intro to Entrepreneurship class at DePaul. After attending a conference session that James conducted, I found his exercises to be very relevant for my students. I embraced much of the work in his book and received tremendous feedback from my students in helping them develop their entrepreneurial skills to be successful. This has been a fantastic resource for me which I highly recommend!’
– Bruce R. Leech, DePaul University, USA
Contents
Contents
Foreword x
Julie Shields
Author’s notes xiv
Structure of exercises xx
PART I IDEATION
Being different and necessary 2
Community tour and problem perception 5
Daydream for inspiration 8
Empathy or compassion 10
Ideation via image and persona- building 15
Looking for inspiration 16
Synthesizing talents, interests, passions and skills (TIPS) 18
Outside/in approach to niche identification 20
Persona ideation and three ideas 22
Three ideas/three strategies 27
What if? 29
Brain, solve this problem 32
PART II ACTION
1 Communication 37
Can you excite us? 37
Networking practice 40
Find your voice 45
Culture assimilation: The language of entrepreneurship 48
Self-sufficiency, or trial by fire 50
The power of stillness 54
Leveraging AI to teach entrepreneurship methods 56
Developing new entrepreneurship methods 61
2 Competition 67
Visualizing the status quo 67
Competitive matrix-building 71
Competitive lemonade stands 74
3 Capital 77
Creating an animatic 77
Event to fund 80
Four pitches: 10, 2, 30 and 1 84
Mock crowdfunding campaign 88
4 Marketing 94
Content of value for free 94
Have a classmate tell your story 97
Eyes and ears 101
Playing with SEO 108
Website creation for digital representation 111
5 Networking 116
Reaching the president 116
The networking game 119
Social elevator pitch 122
Networking practice 125
6 Pitching 129
Peer-reviewed pitching 129
Tiered structure of giving 131
Video elevator pitch 133
7 Plans and strategy 138
Scale up, scale down 138
Are business plans necessary? 142
Brochure collaboration 145
Budget-building, budget research 147
Choose an imaginary board 151
Reverse-engineering content (AI-based) 153
Mutual need fulfillment 155
Collective brainstorming 159
Creating one’s path visually through infographics: startup to exit 163
Crowdfunding and outsourcing: a strategy aimed at reducing risks 166
Defense of plans 169
Designing multiple revenue drivers 171
Role-playing with AI (AI-based) 173
If this, then that 176
AI-driven social media content strategies (AI-based) 178
Mapping the future 180
The marble game 183
Pricing one’s work 187
Putting out fires 190
Scavenger-hunting assets 192
Speed-dating market feedback 195
Testing assumptions 197
Visualizing through storyboards 200
8 Teams 202
Archetypes and team-building for entrepreneurship 202
Superhero powers and kryptonite 206
Team self-management 209
PART III INTROSPECTION AND REFLECTION
A sense of balance 214
Collective problem articulation 216
Say “yes” for a week 219
Consciousness and the imagination 222
Dump truck full of grapes 226
Finding meaning 229
In my mind’s eye, Horatio 232
Pain point alleviation 236
Stories of burnout 238
Taking stock 240
The game of perseverance 243
The road less traveled by 246
Watchers from the gates of the mind 249
What would you risk? 254
Why do you create? 257
PART IV TEACHING AND EFFICACY
Assessing experiential entrepreneurship exercises 261
EE reflection tool 268
Tips for teaching with experiential exercises 269
PART V TYING THINGS TOGETHER: SUGGESTED RECIPES
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