ENTREPRENEURSHIP & INNOVATION A FUTURE IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP & INNOVATION

Transcription

1 ENTREPRENEURSHIP & INNOVATION A FUTURE IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP & INNOVATION

2 WHAT IS ENTREPRENEURSHIP & INNOVATION? Entrepreneurship and innovation (E&I) involves creating and developing new ideas into products, services, technologies, and businesses. It is seen as a vital component in ensuring strong social and economic development. Governments around the world advocate entrepreneurship as essential for prosperity because it creates new business models, industries, and most importantly jobs. At the heart of entrepreneurship is innovation; the advancement of novel technologies, products and services. Together entrepreneurship and innovation (E&I) form the lifeblood of an economy, offering boundless opportunities for social change and the creation of economic wealth. E&I has played a crucial role creating jobs and expanding economies. However, its application is far broader than this, as it has become a process whereby individuals and organisations address social problems and environmental issues such as poverty and climate change. This makes E&I graduates attractive to corporates, as well as employers in social ventures, non-government organisations and the not-for-profit sector. Are you an out-of-the-box thinker and creative innovator? Can you see big picture visions beyond obstacles and complexity? Do you want to positively influence people and businesses? Then a career in entrepreneurship and innovation could be for you.

3 ENTREPRENEURSHIP & INNOVATION KEY CONCEPTS AND TRENDS USEFUL WEBSITES Social entrepreneurship draws upon business techniques to find solutions to social problems, Ministry and is of seen Business as key Innovation in solving and social and ecological Employment problems such as poverty and climate change. An example is Muhammad Yunus, who in 1976 NZ founded Trade and the Enterprise Grameen Bank, a microfinance movement that aims to help millions of people in rural communities to access small loans. Entrepreneurs Organisation New ventures provide up to 70% of new jobs in OECD economies, and are a major source of Inc.com 50 best entrepreneurs websites economic growth and transformation when given appropriate policy and education support. Incubator The Global network Entrepreneur NZ Indicator (GEI) is a twiceyearly gauge of the near-term global economic outlook that delivers data on job creation, profit The Lean Start Up outlook and access to capital. The latest survey indicated that 82% of entrepreneurs predicted an Callaghan increase Innovation in revenue in the coming six months. The Lean Startup is a recently popularised Startup approach tools by to starting Steve Blank a business. It provides a systematic approach to thinking about and managing key issues for start-ups and creating Startup customers Digest- faster. Personalised It also helps startup entrepreneurs newsletter engage customers and users throughout start-up. A business model is the plan for what an For entrepreneur the most up to is date going information to do, and how about he the or she is Entrepreneurship going to pay for and it. Innovation major and the Bachelor of Business, please visit our website Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment provides assistance for entrepreneurs and innovators through several programmes, including You the can Flying also contact Start Business the AUT plan, Student Prime Hub Minister s team business for help scholarships, and advice: and the Maori innovation fund. These normally include funding, but can also 0800 involve AUT study UNI assistance, ( mentoring 864) and access to networks studentcentre@aut.ac.nz and overseas capital. CITY CAMPUS 55 Wellesley Street East, Auckland Central NORTH CAMPUS 90 Akoranga Drive, Northcote, Auckland SOUTH CAMPUS 640 Great South Road, Manukau, Auckland AUT MILLENNIUM 17 Antares Place, Mairangi Bay, Auckland Connect with us now: WORK SETTINGS The potential places of work for entrepreneurs and innovators is vast, encompassing as many markets and opportunities as they can imagine. Technological advances and ease of movement enable entrepreneurs to work from anywhere, so it is unusual for them to be solely officebased. Working hours for these professionals will vary with the needs of the businesses they are establishing. There are a number of new co-working spaces such as the Biz Dojo for those starting up a business. CAREER ROLE EXAMPLES Corporate innovation manager initiates new business opportunities, arranges strategic relationships, develops new products and/or enhances existing ones, pioneers innovation and creativity, such as crowdsourcing. Organisational change specialist - spearheads business change activities associated with projects, designs change management strategy for organisational transformation, implements and orchestrates organisational learning programs that facilitate change. Management consultant - works as a specialist advisor to many organisations, often as part of a team, helping to solve problems, enhance efficiency, or develop and implement strategy. Environmental or social entrepreneur solves social or environmental problems by designing and implementing new products, services, and enterprises. Social entrepreneurs think beyond profit, typically creating value through poverty reduction and/or environmental preservation. SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE Uses multiple methods to develop innovative new products, services and ventures Evaluates potential entrepreneurial ideas for corporations as well as commercial and social venture capitalists Is able to successfully set up new ventures in multiple sectors of the economy (profit, non-profit) Comprehends challenges in venture creation and understands the importance of learning from entrepreneurial failure Can implement different approaches to entrepreneurship and is cognisant of which approach best fits his/her capabilities and the value created (economic, social, environmental) The information contained in this career sheet was correct at time of print, Feb 2016.

4 Recognises models from other sectors that can be applied to the problems at hand Communicates concepts for new businesses effectively in oral presentations and writing, and collaborates with stakeholders to commercialise innovative ideas Demonstrates leadership skills and ability to influence stakeholders Demonstrates effective project management skills Responds and adapts quickly to changing business needs Understands customers as important stakeholders in the value creation PERSONAL QUALITIES Confidence in own ability A collaborative attitude Strong creative mindset Keen sense of curiosity Highly capable problem solver and lateral thinker Comfortable with complexity and uncertainty Interested in technology, and how it can be implemented in creative ways Interested in applying ideas to new situations SALARY GUIDE Entrepreneurs often struggle with finances in the first three to five years as they normally require significant investment for minimal returns while the business is being established. Therefore it is rare to see start-up entrepreneurs making significant incomes. However, once established, new ventures can be lucrative. Salary (per year) Management consultants Graduates - $40,000 ave 3 years experience - $55,000 ave 6 years experience - $85,000+ Organisational development consultants $80,000 - $115,000 Sources: Robert Walters salary guide 2015, Hays Salary Guide 2014 Salary range is indicative of the New Zealand job market at the time of publication (early 2016) and should only be used as a guideline. THE AUT APPROACH The major begins with a paper taken jointly with design students, that includes a business plan competition with seed funding for the winning idea. This also gives business students a rare opportunity to co-create products/ services with design students (similar to the D-school curriculum at Stanford University). The major finishes with co-operative education (co-op), a one semester placement, to enable practical application of learning in an industry environment. Students have the opportunity to apply their knowledge to the real world in a business, not-for profit organisation, entrepreneurial venture or an applied project. Placements can be done either in New Zealand or overseas. AUT also offers Co.Starters, a 9 week extra-curricular programme facilitated by a local entrepreneur. Co.Starters provides tools, relationships and insights for aspiring entrepreneurs and innovators looking to turn business ideas into action and a passion into a sustainable and thriving endeavour. FURTHER STUDY OPTIONS The entrepreneurship and innovation major works well as a double major in conjunction with management, design, sustainable business, international business, tourism, and finance. It will also integrate well with the conjoint degrees that can be done with the Bachelor of Business; Sport and Recreation, Science, Arts, Communications, Computer and Information Science and International Hospitality Management. Postgraduate options in E&I include Postgraduate Certificate and Diploma, Masters in Business (MBus), and PhD programmes. The MBus offers the opportunity to research an area of interest in entrepreneurship or innovation. Current research projects include social media and innovation and how entrepreneurship happens in large companies and how entrepreneurs think about the financial implications of starting a venture. Staff research specialisations include: Social entrepreneurship and strategy Entrepreneurial failure Corporate social responsibilities

5 ENTREPRENEUR Andrew MacDonald Director, Absolute Wilderness CEO, Wetkiwi Limited Persistence is most important attribute for aspiring entrepreneurs. It takes a great deal of confidence in your own ability and in that of the value of your product or service to survive the difficult early years, which are a real roller coaster. You also need to be very self-analytical and honest in assessing your own ability to do certain things. Being able to adapt and problem solve on the go is a great skill too. For example we were having real trouble sticking our labels to the food packets. I went from knowing nothing about labels to being a minor expert in label adhesives - but for other areas I ve found experts and trusted their judgement. Another important realisation is that you need to create value for your customers rather than get fixated on dollar amounts. If you make something decent then people will pay for it, so you should focus on quality and the value proposition for the customer. People often think that when they begin a start-up that they ll be their own boss. The reality is that you re everyone s employee, for the first little while at least. So although you may self-dependent in a business sense, the value of collaboration with everyone you come into contact with is huge. If I was to single out industries with real potential for entrepreneurship and innovation, I would say food, farming and tourism. All of these areas are fundamental to New Zealand s economy and identity, and if I was graduating now with a qualification in this field I d be looking here and reading widely to ensure that I was on top of developments and opportunities. SOCIAL ENTREPRENEUR Pete Russell Founder & CEO, Ooooby Ltd Entrepreneurship represents the cutting edge of human progress. Entrepreneurs dare to lean into untested ideas in pursuit of a compelling vision. The risk of failure is high and success depends on a combination of courage, leadership, pattern recognition, adaptation, persistence and luck. We see every venture, whether a success or failure, as a phase in a lifelong journey of honing our intuition and mastering the skills that increase the probability of success for future ventures. We disrupt the comfortable assumptions of the status quo and live on the edge of safety, always imagineering the way to a better existence.

6 ENTREPRENEURSHIP & INNOVATION USEFUL WEBSITES Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment NZ Trade and Enterprise Entrepreneurs Organisation Inc.com 50 best entrepreneurs websites Incubator network NZ The Lean Start Up Callaghan Innovation Startup tools by Steve Blank Startup Digest- Personalised startup newsletter For the most up to date information about the Entrepreneurship and Innovation major and the Bachelor of Business, please visit our website You can also contact the AUT Student Hub team for help and advice: 0800 AUT UNI ( ) CITY CAMPUS 55 Wellesley Street East, Auckland Central NORTH CAMPUS 90 Akoranga Drive, Northcote, Auckland SOUTH CAMPUS 640 Great South Road, Manukau, Auckland AUT MILLENNIUM 17 Antares Place, Mairangi Bay, Auckland Connect with us now: The information contained in this career sheet was correct at time of print, Feb 2016.