Entrepreneurship Without Borders

Course overview

This course aims to help students develop a broader and global perspective towards entrepreneurship and apply best practices in their local markets, by comparing startup cases from different countries around the world including the US, Europe, China, Japan, India, Southeast Asia, and Africa. The course analyzes how different social norms, government regulations, economic environment, corporate cultures, and personal behaviors affect entrepreneurship. It also discusses not only the rewards and “what-to-do’s” for entrepreneurs, but also the ”pains” and “what-not-to-do’s”.

From this course, students will:

• be able to understand the fundamental motivations of entrepreneurs in different cultures so as to uncover their own inner drive towards entrepreneurship
• have a comprehensive overview of a startup’s growth path and be prepared to manage potential risks effectively
• identify venture investment sources and processes in different regions and be well-prepared when interacting with investors
• depict the key areas for a startup, including market opportunity evaluation, Sales and Marketing planning and execution, product and/or service development, human resource management, etc. in an effort to help them develop practical capabilities to grow a startup
• examine the meaning of “leadership” through real-life startup scenarios in different countries and build a firm foundation toward becoming a strong entrepreneurial leader with global perspectives
• be required to form teams and develop business plans by leveraging cross-border knowledge and local market understanding

This course is intended for any student who is interested in entrepreneurship with a global perspective. Some basic knowledge in writing a business plan is helpful but not required.