Global Entrepreneurship Institute

Entrepreneurship is the cornerstone of the free enterprise system. In fact, research has found that nearly 500 million adults around the globe were engaged in some form of entrepreneurial activity. Entrepreneurs are therefore vitally important to the economic health not only of America, but also to the rest of the world.

Because of its importance, entrepreneurship should be thoroughly understood, but this is easier said than done. The field is relatively complex, and it is undergoing constant change in response to shifts in economic conditions. In addition, there is a substantial body of knowledge, concepts, and tools that entrepreneurs need to know in order to launch and grow a company successfully.

All of this makes studying entrepreneurship stimulating and exciting but also challenging.

To provide a better understanding of this exciting subject matter, our Website has been revised and updated with many articles to incorporate the most current information.

Each year in the United States more 12 million individuals were involved in some form of entrepreneurial activity like thinking about a new business venture or writing a business plan. On the average about 2,700 new small businesses are started every day in the U. S. The total number of small businesses (less than 500 employees) has soared to 26.8 million, generating 60 to 80 percent of net new jobs annually over the last decade. And small business means big business in the U.S. In fact, if the 20 million sole proprietors were a nation of their own, that nation would have a larger gross domestic product than India, South Korea, or Australia.

Starting and managing a new business venture is never easy. But people can take advantage of exciting new programs at universities and colleges to learn more about entrepreneurship. According to the Kauffman Foundation, more than 5,000 entrepreneurship courses are now offered in two-year and four-year institutions in the U.S. And today nearly every major school has a business-planning contest for their campus entrepreneurs.

People are motivated to study entrepreneurship for a variety of reasons. Our Website is aimed at preparing you to initiate your own new business venture, work in an emerging venture, or be employed in a company that provides goods and services to entrepreneurs. Our Website is the product of more than 30 years of entrepreneurial experience. Intended to be a practical tool that accompanies other texts, handouts, guest speakers, and in-class business planning projects, our Website will provide you with a view of the complete entrepreneurial life cycle from idea to exit. Our Website designed to provide you with the most complete and current selection of readings available on entrepreneurship.

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Our research is divided into five major topics:

Understanding Entrepreneurship

– What is entrepreneurship?
– What exactly do entrepreneurs do?
– Why is studying entrepreneurship important?
– What is your definition of a typical entrepreneur?
– What impact does entrepreneurship have on the economy?
– What is the typical path of a new business venture?
– Who starts a business and becomes an entrepreneur?
– What are the different types of entrepreneurs?
– Who are some of the most successful entrepreneurs? Why?
– What characteristics will separate the winners from the losers?
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Creating and Launching A New Business Venture

– What economic forces are shaping entrepreneurship? Why?
– What is the most exciting aspect of entrepreneurship? What is the most worrisome?
– How can entrepreneurs measure the dimensions of the “window of opportunity”?
– How can entrepreneurs be more successful in planning their startup?
– Which resources are most difficult for entrepreneurs to obtain?
– What marketing research should entrepreneurs use to analyze new opportunities?
– What information should a good business plan contain?
– Why do investors need to see a well-prepared business plan before they invest?
– In what other ways can writing a business plan benefit an entrepreneur?
– Why do some business plans fail?
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Financing A New Business Venture

– Why do entrepreneurs need to raise money to grow?
– How does a startup venture determine how much capital is required to get going?
– What is the difference between debt and equity financing?
– Why is an executive summary important to in the potential investor?
– What are some of the problems with personal and family loans to entrepreneurs?
– What is an angel investor? How do they decide and consider their investments?
– What is venture capital? What impact does venture capital have on the economy?
– How does angel investing differ from venture capital?
– What do venture capitalists provide entrepreneurs, other than money?
– What are some important “deal-points” to an entrepreneur? To an investor?
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Managing and Growing A New Business Venture

– Why is having a competitive advantage so important?
– What are the different legal forms an entrepreneur can use for organizing a startup?
– What are the key entrepreneurial management functions?
– What is the difference between entrepreneurial management and professional management?
– Why do so many small companies fail to escape their initial entrepreneurial phase?
– How can a business plan aid in the transition from entrepreneurial doers to entrepreneurial leaders and coaches?
– What motivates entrepreneurs? How do entrepreneurs motivate their employees?
– What are the characteristics of a successful entrepreneurial management team?
– How should companies approach the process for tailoring a board of directors to fit their needs?
– Why do startups fail? How can the entrepreneur use strategic planning to reduce risks?
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Special Issues For The Entrepreneur

– What is a social entrepreneur?
– How does a social entrepreneur differ from a “regular” entrepreneur?
– How does microfinance work? Where in the world would it be most successful?
– What is the difference between a non-profit and a for-profit organization?
– How can entrepreneurs minimize the impact of their businesses on the environment?
– What are the benefits of “going global” for entrepreneurs?
– What products/services have the best potential for global sales?
– What are some of the problems and barriers to entrepreneurs “going global”?
– What exit strategies are available to entrepreneurs?
– How do the exit strategies differ among the various investors?
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