Program Composition & Course Descriptions
The intensive field study course called Venture Creation is the crux of the Zell Program in which self-selected teams of students formulate and develop business ideas, and in some cases, actually start their own businesses. Another core aspect of the program is a clinical workshop called Entrepreneurship Workshop in which entrepreneurs, business leaders, investors, venture capitalists and professionals introduce the students to different aspects of establishing a business through highly informative weekly lectures.
These courses are complemented by additional advanced entrepreneurial courses and workshops divided into marketing, management and finance clusters, and include numerous supplementary non-credit workshops. The program is specially designed to assist students in developing a new startup venture, and through its curriculum aims to enrich students by adding needed skills to their entrepreneurial toolbox, and by instilling an entrepreneurial mindset.
Core course:
Venture Creation Field Study (Yearlong, 4 Credits)
Adv. Liat Aaronson
This yearlong course is designed to provide students with a practical platform for launching an enterprise. Students work in teams with the guidance of business advisors and faculty to develop a venture from the inception of an idea to the launch of a viable business. This is a practical course designed to give students the opportunity to utilize the tools and knowledge they acquire from other courses in the program on their own business ventures
Clinical Workshop:
Entrepreneurship Workshop and US Study Trip (Yearlong, 4 Credits)
Adv. Liat Aaronson
This yearlong workshop exposes students to the entrepreneurial eco-system through guest lectures by entrepreneurs and professionals from the business community, as well as case studies. The workshop includes a 10-day study trip to the US. During the trip, students learn from the experience of world-renowned entrepreneurs, visit leading companies and participate in a specially designed workshop at the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business.
Marketing Cluster:
Marketing Strategy for New Products (Workshop, 2 Credits, Final Paper)
Dr. Eyal Maoz
This course is designed to present a comprehensive framework for analysis, strategy formulation and tactical marketing decision-making for new ventures and products. The course takes a "value" approach to marketing; that is, it considers the creation of value for customers, strategic partners and for the company itself to be the ultimate goal of the marketing process.
Managing New Products and Services (Semester, 2 Credits, Final Paper)
Dr. Eyal Maoz
The main focus of this course is to explore various issues and problems that are faced by marketing managers in making decisions on the design and marketing of new products and services. The course is intended to acquaint students with opportunity identification, product design, test marketing, launch and product management.
Business Positioning Strategy (Semester, 2 Credits)
Mr. Michael Emery
This course builds upon the marketing strategy course. It raises the question of how to articulate a company’s positioning in its name, brand promise, visual images, marketing communications, advertising and strategies of market awareness and penetration.
New Media Entrepreneurship (Semester, 2 Credits, Final Presentation)
Mr. Liad Agmon
The revolution brought about by the Internet has led to the creation of new business and marketing models with immense opportunities. This course deals with various issues including: market sizing, go-to-market and business model innovation in the context of new media ventures.
Management cluter:
Legal and Tax Aspects of Entrepreneurial Ventures (Semester, 2 Credits, Final Exam)
Dr. Ayal Shenhav, Adv. and Adv. Liat Aaronson
This course introduces students to the major legal issues that confront an entrepreneur when starting a new business. The course focuses on analysis of the legal constraints and risks associated with entrepreneurial activity, such as the proper form of incorporation, legal structuring of entrepreneurial transactions and the governmental regulatory environment.
Psychological Aspects of Entrepreneurship (Semester, 2 Credits, Final Exam)
Dr. Amir Kfir
The entrepreneurial eco-system requires an entrepreneur to manage relations and interpersonal dynamics with investors, partners and employees. This course surveys psychological relations at various stages of managing a venture, and provides students with tools to understand and manage these processes.
Strategic Thinking (Semester, 2 Credits, Final Exam)
Prof. Yair Tuman
Strategic thinking is a Game Theory-based course where students learn how to analyze decision-making in situations where several decision-makers interact and their decisions impact all other decision-makers. The course includes theory and simulation to enhance the learning process.
Finance cluster:
Financing Entrepreneurial Ventures (Semester, 2 Credits, Final Paper)
Dr. Yoram Friedman
This course focuses on both business and project valuation, and on methods of financing new ventures. The course addresses dilemmas such as: funding sources; motivating employees in uncertain conditions; investment contracts between venture capital funds and entrepreneurs; and more.