Entrepreneurship 12 - Teamwork and Networking

PRESCRIBED LEARNING OUTCOMES

It is expected that students will:

• identify the roles of leadership and teamwork in entrepreneurial activity
• apply teamwork skills to solve a business problem
• demonstrate a commitment to high standards of legal and ethical behaviour when operating a venture
• assess how personal attributes influence the success of a venture
• establish and use criteria to evaluate group processes and their own roles and contributions to the group process
• develop and maintain a personal network of business contacts

SUGGESTED INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES

• Discuss the role individuals play in groups. Form student teams, present a task (e.g., environmental scan), and have students analyse it and divide the responsibilities among themselves. Ask them to observe and report on the teamwork skills they used.
• Have the class brainstorm ways in which personal attributes can influence the success or failure of a venture. Work with students to categorize their ideas. Then provide students with case studies describing individuals working in various ventures. Ask them to identify in each case how personal attributes may have influenced the outcome of the venture.
• Ask the class to develop a matrix showing the knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to perform various business functions in teams. Develop self- and group evaluation forms and ask students to evaluate how well they and their groups work together. Discuss the evaluations with each individual.
• Provide the class with case studies of business situations in which unethical or questionable practices have been used. Ask students to identify the questionable practices, the ethical issues they raise, and ways they might respond to them.
• As a class, brainstorm a list of current and potential contacts in the business community who could assist students with their ventures. Using this information, have students increase their personal networks by:
  • inviting guest speakers
  • visiting local businesses
  • joining community organizations
  • volunteering at community events
• Encourage students to demonstrate respect for individuals within their personal networks by writing thank-you notes, keeping appointments, and using discretion and good judgment.

SUGGESTED ASSESSMENT STRATEGIES

• As students work in teams to solve a business problem, note evidence that they:
  • acknowledge resulting challenges and opportunities
  • listen actively and act responsibly and respectfully toward others
  • take responsibility for the group process
  • contribute ideas, experiences, and information
  • provide constructive feedback and assistance
  • complete individual tasks necessary for their group's success
• Have students research negotiation and problem-solving models. Work with them to develop class criteria they can use to evaluate their work on team problem-solving projects. Criteria might include:
  • communication skills (listening actively, encouraging the contributions of others, appreciating different viewpoints)
  • problem-solving strategies (describing the problem, identifying a desired end and obstacles to that end, generating possible solutions)
  • conflict resolution strategies (distinguishing interests from positions, generating options for mutual gain, using objective criteria)
• When students plan entrepreneurial ventures, ask them to keep logs describing their teams' progress in terms of leadership functions, interpersonal skills, and team synergy. Review their logs for evidence that students:
  • recognize personal contributions to the success of their ventures
  • identify leaders and their assets to the team
  • recognize the contributions of other team members
  • refer to specific strategies or incidents and analyse how they worked
• Review students' case-study analyses of unethical or questionable business practices. Note evidence that students:
  • recognize standards of right and wrong in business practice
  • distinguish between ethical and legal issues and the processes available to resolve each

• Canadian Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management, Third Edition
• Co-operative Entrepreneurship
• Creativity In Business: An Entrepreneurial Approach
• Student Venture
• Towards Success: The Entrepreneurial Process
• Working in Teams: Interaction and Communication

• The Advantage: Service Quality
• The Edge: Creating a Winning Business Plan
• Ergonomics
• Evaluating
• Financing
• Inspiration and Motivation
• Managing
• Manufacturing & Distribution
• Marketing
• Marketing Products and Services
• Performance Management
• Planning
• Promoting Social Responsibility and Ethical Behavior
• Promotional Strategy for Small Business
• The Service Business
• Team Working
• Venture: Service, Ha!
• Venture: Shred It

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