ENT4400 Entrepreneurship 3: Entrepreneurial theory  Course description

Entrepreneurship is a relatively young field of research, where much of the theory development is inspired by research in sociology, psychology, economics and strategy. This course takes students through theoretical perspectives and research that have shaped the current understanding of innovation and entrepreneurial processes, with a particular focus on how such processes can contribute to value creation and societal change. Traditional models regarded innovation as a linear process that started with basic research and that over time contributed to new products that could be commercialised in a market.

Today, innovation processes are characterised as complex processes of co-creation, where interaction between actors with different approaches and framework conditions create new solutions through collaboration. In addition, research on entrepreneurship and innovation in the public sector is growing, broadening the scope from product to service. At the level of individuals and teams, entrepreneurial capacity is linked to an entrepreneurial mindset, while at the system level, entrepreneurial capacity is linked to the broader innovation ecosystem and the institutional framework of which the entrepreneur is a part. Students gain insight into theories of social change and into how individuals and institutions can work systematically to build and adapt to the innovation-driven ecosystems. This interaction between individual and system is important in understanding how innovation and entrepreneurial capacity are interlinked with the external environment.

The aim of the course is to provide a theoretical foundation that enables students to better understand innovation and entrepreneurial processes, accumulate knowledge, critically reflect, and to link their own entrepreneurial experiences to recent research. The course will help students to strengthen and better understand the theoretical foundation of their own own projects and of their master's thesis in semester 4.

None 

After completing the course, the student should have the following overall learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence: 

Knowledge 

The student has 

• advanced knowledge of central research issues related to innovation and entrepreneurship, across disciplines, sectors and time 

• specialised knowledge about key driving forces of entrepreneurial activities and innovation

• specialised knowledge about prerequisites for innovative and entrepreneurial behaviour at individual, organisational and systemic levels

• advanced knowledge of perspectives, frameworks and concepts within strategic thinking, leadership and management central to entrepreneurship and innovation 

• specialised knowledge about necessary resources to develop and manage entrepreneurial teams and how to exploit the entrepreneurial ecosystem

Skills 

The student has 

• broad skills to identify, gather, and analyse relevant information, understand how this information is relevant for various aspects of entrepreneurial processes 

• specialised skills to identify and analyse information relevant for strategic management decisions 

• the ability to critically assess and evaluate research and generate insight from key findings 

• advanced skills to apply relevant scientific theories when studying an academic issue, and to independently analyse empirical data 

General competence

The student has 

• specialised competence to communicate scholarly issues through written text and oral presentation 

• in-depth competence to accumulate knowledge of a research topic 

• advanced competence to identify and gather relevant information for a scientific project 

• comprehensive insight into the significance of sustainable and ethical dilemmas in innovation and entrepreneurial processes

• the ability to critically reflect on the role of innovation in societal development

After completing the course, the student should have the following overall learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence: 

Knowledge 

The student has 

• advanced knowledge of central research issues related to innovation and entrepreneurship, across disciplines, sectors and time 

• specialised knowledge about key driving forces of entrepreneurial activities and innovation

• specialised knowledge about prerequisites for innovative and entrepreneurial behaviour at individual, organisational and systemic levels

• advanced knowledge of perspectives, frameworks and concepts within strategic thinking, leadership and management central to entrepreneurship and innovation 

• specialised knowledge about necessary resources to develop and manage entrepreneurial teams and how to exploit the entrepreneurial ecosystem

Skills 

The student has 

• broad skills to identify, gather, and analyse relevant information, understand how this information is relevant for various aspects of entrepreneurial processes 

• specialised skills to identify and analyse information relevant for strategic management decisions 

• the ability to critically assess and evaluate research and generate insight from key findings 

• advanced skills to apply relevant scientific theories when studying an academic issue, and to independently analyse empirical data 

General competence

The student has 

• specialised competence to communicate scholarly issues through written text and oral presentation 

• in-depth competence to accumulate knowledge of a research topic 

• advanced competence to identify and gather relevant information for a scientific project 

• comprehensive insight into the significance of sustainable and ethical dilemmas in innovation and entrepreneurial processes

• the ability to critically reflect on the role of innovation in societal development

The course will include lectures and seminars. Students will be exposed to conceptual theories and tools that they will bridge to their previous entrepreneurial experiences. Students are expected to actively participate in discussions and to link theory and research to their own practice. The seminars are led by students and are based on teamwork. Through participation in lectures and seminars, the students will enhance their ability to present and argue for their own ideas and practices as well as to reflect and give feedback to fellow students.

The following coursework requirements must have been approved before the student may take the exam: 

Attendance in seminars is compulsory, and the student must participate in at least five out of seven seminars. The student must take part in preparing a collective seminar presentation based on readings on the syllabus. The presentation is followed by a discussion with the whole seminar group, led by the presenters. Students who are unable to attend the required number of seminars or who are prevented from taking part in a collective seminar presentation may be offered a postponement of the required course activities.

The exam is an individual essay. The exam paper must have a scope of 10–12 pages. Font and font size: Arial or Calibri, 12 points. Line spacing: 1.5. In the essay, students are expected to perform a literature review of selected readings. They should also demonstrate the ability to discuss and reflect upon the relevance of current research for their upcoming master’s thesis. 

Students awarded a fail grade are given one opportunity to submit an improved version of the essay.

All aids are permitted, as long as the rules for source referencing are complied with.

Grade scale A–F. 

The exam papers are assessed by one internal and one external examiner.

At least 25 per cent of the exam papers are assessed by two examiners. The grades awarded for the papers assessed by two examiners form the basis for determining the level for all the exam papers.