INFO-I 459 Media and Technology Entrepreneurship
3 credits
- Prerequisite(s): None
- Delivery: Online
Description
This course covers legal and business aspects of starting a media or technology company, including selecting the business structure, financing and credit, drafting business plans, articles of incorporation, and bylaws, tax implications, marketing and public relations, shareholders and governance, bankruptcy, insurance, contracts, property, and working with attorneys, accountants, and insurance agents.
This course is intended for students who are interested in starting their own company or who anticipate joining a startup company. It will provide students with a solid foundation on a variety of legal and business matters that need to be considered when starting a new company, such as selecting a business structure (sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation, etc.), financing and credit, drafting business plans, preparing appropriate paperwork such as articles of incorporation and bylaws, tax implications, marketing and public relations, bankruptcy and other pitfalls, insurance, planning for growth, resources for entrepreneurs, contracts, real and personal property, shareholder and governance issues and working with professionals such as attorneys, accountants and insurance agents.
Learning Outcomes
- Articulate the reasons why entrepreneurship is a viable career choice for informatics, computer science and new media professionals.
- Assess his or her personal and situational characteristics to determine if entrepreneurship would be an appropriate career choice.
- Produce a comprehensive business plan for a new for-profit company or non-profit organization, with complete financial statements.
- Select the most appropriate business structure (sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation, etc.) for a new company.
- Select a name for the new company and design a logo.
- Articulate the sources for financing and credit for a new company.
- Anticipate and mitigate any issues with leaving a current employer to start a new company.
- Prepare appropriate paperwork for starting a corporation in Indiana, such as articles of incorporation and bylaws.
- Assess the tax implications of a new company.
- Develop a marketing and public relations plan for a new company.
- Understand the law related to bankruptcy and other risks in starting a new company.
- Compare various types of insurance in order to select what is most appropriate for a company.
- Plan how to expand the new company and for an exit strategy if appropriate.
- Identify resources for entrepreneurs.
- Describe microfinance as a viable option for entrepreneurs, especially in developing countries, and a successful form of economic development.
- Evaluate contracts and other types of legal agreements.
- Compare types of intellectual property law to determine the best ways to protect the intellectual capital of the new company.
- Articulate shareholder and governance issues and select a board of directors for a new company.
- Evaluate and select the appropriate support professionals for the new company, such as attorneys, accountants and insurance agents.
Policies and Procedures
Please be aware of the following linked policies and procedures. Note that in individual courses instructors will have stipulations specific to their course.