THP315 Introduction to innovation and entrepreneurship in sport sciences (10 ECTS) 

Course facts

Introduction

In today’s dynamic job market, possessing skills in innovation and entrepreneurship has become increasingly crucial. According to the World Economic Forum, employers seek candidates with critical thinking and problem-solving abilities, and self-management skills such as active learning, resilience, stress tolerance, and flexibility. Furthermore, future-oriented businesses that are willing to experiment with new ideas and take risks are more likely to succeed, as noted by Abelia. This course in innovation and entrepreneurship will equip you with the knowledge and skills necessary to apply these principles in your future work environment, by providing an understanding of innovation and entrepreneurship in the context of sport sciences. 

Students will learn about central theoretical frameworks and concepts, such as design thinking, lean start-up, and business model canvas. They will gain an understanding of how to identify real problems in the society and come up with ideas to potentially solve these problems and validate their value creation potential in contact with real stakeholders. Furthermore, students will learn teamwork and how to communicate their ideas and solutions.

The ultimate goal of this course is to help students develop an entrepreneurial mindset, by enabling them to recognize opportunity, take initiative, overcome and learn from setbacks, and succeed in various settings, whether as an entrepreneur, or an intrapreneur. 

Learning outcomes

After completing the course, students should be able to

• demonstrate a sound understanding of the principles of innovation and entrepreneurship, particularly within the context of sport sciences.
• analyze real-world problems and identify opportunities for innovation and entrepreneurship
• apply theoretical frameworks such as design thinking, lean start-up, and business model canvas to develop solutions to real-world problems
• conduct market research and feasibility studies to evaluate the viability of new business ideas.
• present ideas and solutions effectively in both written and oral formats, demonstrating a clear and persuasive communication skills.
• demonstrate an understanding of the ethical, sustainable and social implications of entrepreneurship, particularly in the context of sport sciences. 

Learning styles and activities

The pedagogy of the course is built on Kolb’s experiential learning cycle and adopts an interactive and student-centered learning approach to create an engaging learning experience. This approach encourages students to think critically and reflectively and helps them develop skills that will be valuable in their future careers.

The students will work in groups where they will work on identifying a problem and a need of their own choosing, conduct market research by talking to relevant stakeholders, develop a paper prototype for their solution to the problem and pitch the solution to a jury and their peers. 

The course consists of five modules. The study of entrepreneurship requires an interactive learning approach, and these competencies cannot be acquired solely from reading the syllabus and/or taking the exam. It is essential that students actively contribute and participate in class discussions and exercises and support the learning processes. 

Mandatory assignment

• Participation in modules and presentations are compulsory.
• The teaching sessions in the course are mandatory, and there is a minimum attendance requirement of 70 percent.

The assignments must be approved before the final assessment.

Assessment

• Written group assignment. Grading A-F (70 %).
• Presentation of group assignment. Grading A-F (30 %).

Core material

1 BOOK:
Aulet, B. (2013). Disciplined entrepreneurship: 24 steps to help entrepreneurs launch successful new ventures. John Wiley & Sons.
* You may borrow the book from the library: ORIA
** The book is also available online: Click here to download.
*** NB! To open the electronic book off campus, you must use the following VPN connection: Click here to download.

PARTS OF 2 BOOKs:
Neck, H. M., Neck, C. P., & Murray, E. L. (2017). Entrepreneurship: The practice & mindset (2nd ed.). Sage.
Please read pages 51-53:
*Available online: Click here to download.

Osterwalder, A., & Pigneur, Y. (2009 or newer). Business model generation: A handbook for visionaries, game changers, and challengers. J Wiley and Sons.
Please read pages 14-72:
* You may borrow the book from the library: ORIA
** The book is also available online: Click here to download.
*** NB! To open the electronic book off campus, you must use the following VPN connection: Click here to download.

1 BOOK CHAPTER - available as PDFs through Canvas:
von Thienen, J. P. A., Clancey, W. J., Corazza, G. E., & Meinel, C. (2018). Theoretical foundations of design thinking: Part 1: John E. Arnold’s creative thinking theories. In H. Plattner, C. Meinel & L. Leifer L. (Eds.), Design thinking research: Making distinctions: Collaboration versus cooperation (Understanding innovation) (pp. 13-40). Springer.
* The PDF is available through Canvas.
(Cleared through BOLK 05.06.23./Bibl. - AGG)

ARTICLES IN ELECTRONIC JOURNALS:
Ardichivili, A., Cardozo, R., & Ray, S. (2003). A theory of entrepreneurial opportunity identification and development. Journal of Business Venturing, 18(1), 105-123. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0883-9026(01)00068-4
* The article is available online: Click here to download.

Blank, S. (2013). Why the lean start-up changes everything: A faster, smarter methodology for launching companies may make business plans obsolete. Harvard Business Review, https://hbr.org/2013/05/why-the-lean-start-up-changes-everything
* The article is available online: Click here to download.

De Clercq, D., et al. (2006). An entrepreneur's guide to the venture capital galaxy. Academy of Management Perspectives, 20(3), 90-112. https://doi.org/10.5465/amp.2006.21903483
* This PDF is available through Canvas.
(OK based on §15 of the Copyright Law)

Huang, T. T. K., Ciari, A., Costa, S. A., & Chahine, T. (2022). Advancing public health entrepreneurship to foster innovation and impact. Frontiers in Public Health, 10, 923764. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2022.923764
* The article is available online: Click here to download.

Jones, P., Ratten. V., & Hayduk, T. (2020). Sport, fitness, and lifestyle entrepreneurship. International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, 16, 783-793. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11365-020-00666-x
* The article is available online: Click here to download.

Kolko, J. (2015). Design thinking comes of age: The approach, once used primarily in product design, is now infusing corporate culture. Harvard Business Review, 93(9), 66-69. https://hbr.org/2015/09/design-thinking-comes-of-age
* The article is available online: Click here to download.

Kramer, M. R., & Porter, M. (2011). Creating shared value: How to reinvent capitalism—and unleash a wave of innovation and growth. Harvard Business Review, 89(1/2), 62–77. https://hbr.org/2011/01/the-big-idea-creating-shared-value
* The article is available online: Click here to download.

Mills, K. G., & Dang, A. (2020). Intrapreneurship: Leading innovation efforts in established organizations. Harvard Business School Technical Note 820-096. https://store.hbr.org/product/intrapreneurship-leading-innovation-efforts-in-established-organizations/820096
* This PDF is available through Canvas.
(OK based on §15 of the Copyright Law)

Sarasvathy, S. D. (2008). What makes entrepreneurs entrepreneurial? Darden Case No. UVA-ENT-0065. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.909038
* This PDF is available through Canvas.
(OK based on §15 of the Copyright Law)

Teece, D. J. (2010). Business models, business strategy and innovation. Long Range Planning, 43(2/3), 172-194. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lrp.2009.07.003
* The article is available online: Click here to download.