MAN 626: Entrepreneurship and Innovation – Navigating Uncertainty with Entrepreneurial Mastery

Contents
In an era of rapid technological advancements, shifting customer preferences, evolving market dynamics, and geopolitical uncertainties, maintaining competitive advantage and fostering growth is increasingly challenging. Navigating this complex global business landscape requires an entrepreneurial mindset— defined by proactivity, uncertainty tolerance, and innovation. This mindset is not just essential for startup founders but also for leaders striving to drive success within established organizations during turbulent times. Entrepreneurial behavior, primarily guided by effectuation principles to navigate uncertainty, fundamentally differs from the causation-based approach commonly found in traditional corporate settings designed to manage risk. This course equips students with both theoretical foundations and practical tools essential for entrepreneurial success. Participants will learn to identify opportunities, generate innovative ideas, and navigate the process of launching and financing new ventures. By working in teams to develop and present their own business ideas, students will gain hands-on experience and valuable skills. Additionally, the course offers insights into recent global and local trends shaping entrepreneurship today, ensuring participants are well-prepared to adapt and thrive in the evolving business environment.

Learning outcomes
This course offers a comprehensive exploration of entrepreneurship, combining theoretical foundations with practical skills and tools. Students will gain valuable insights into the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Germany and examine contemporary global trends shaping the field. Through hands-on activities, they will identify opportunities, develop viable business models, and refine their pitching skills to attract various forms of investment. By the end of this course, students will be equipped to launch their own ventures or drive innovation within existing organizations as intrapreneurs. The course is designed for those eager to innovate, whether by establishing their own venture or enhancing the competitive edge of established firms. Students who attend this course will:
• Grasp the fundamental concepts and frameworks of entrepreneurship
• Gain a deep understanding of Germany's entrepreneurial environment, including key players, opportunities, and challenges
• Engage in discussions about recent global developments and emerging topics in entrepreneurship
• Use proven methods and tools to generate, evaluate, and refine innovative business ideas
• Design and iterate robust business models that identify and exploit lucrative market niches
• Understand the key criteria for an effective pitch and develop the skills to present compelling business proposals in competitive environments
• Prepare and deliver a pitch for their own business model, receiving constructive feedback to refine their approach
The course will be a markedly international in nature with participants joining from the international partner universities as it is part of the MBS Summer School. The course is scheduled as a one-week block course in mid-July.

Necessary prerequisites
not taken MAN 634

Recommended prerequisites
A basic understanding of business foundations is helpful.

Examiner Performing lecturer

Dr. Baris Istipliler Dr. Andrew Isaak, Dr. Baris Istipliler