ECON 158 COURSE SYLLABUS

SPRING 2014
Economics 158 Economics of
Entrepreneurship (24638)
San Jos State University
T/TR Noon to 1:15 pm
Class room: DMH 358

John (Jack) Estill

With co-instructor Dr. Lydia Ortega
Office: DMH 214
Email: John.Estill@sjsu.edu
Website: www.sjsu.edu/people/john.estill/
Phone: 408-924-5411

My Office Hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays 1:30 2:30 p.m. and by appointment.
Email is the fastest way to contact me. Voicemail is the slowest. I guarantee a 48-hour electronic response. If my
door is open, I am available. If it is not, please knock.
Course Description:
Examines how economists have approached the phenomenon of entrepreneurship, from its behavioral foundations to its
effects on economic growth and progress. Explores the cultural, legal, and political determinants of entrepreneurship, and its
role in economic theory. This is not a how to, but rather a what is analysis.
Course Goals:
This course touches on the full range of our BA/BS PLOs, but emphasizes the following:
PLO 4. Specialist areas within economics: policy economics. CLO1: Students will understand the ways in which
various public policies affect entrepreneurship.
PLO 5. Communication through spoken and written outlets. CLO2: How to apply economic reasoning as it relates
to various aspects of entrepreneurship.
Two particular assignments will be evaluated to measure how successfully students accomplish these learning objectives.
Among other assignments, students will complete one oral presentation and one written assignment. Both assignments
involve identifying and describing three policy elements within the readings that have been said to encourage or discourage
entrepreneurial activity. To do well on these assignments, students will have to comprehend the channels by which various
government and institutional arrangements affect entrepreneurship and innovation (for PLO 4 and CLO1) and
communicating these effectively in oral and written presentation (for PLO 5 and CLO2).
Course Materials:
Required Textbook: Foundations of Entrepreneurship and Economic Development by David A Harper, Routledge Press,
2007. ISBN 13: 978-0-415-45920-4 (The paperback edition sells on most websites for around $40.00 and the Kindle edition
is around $10.00) . There is also a copy on two hour reserve and Martin Luther King Library.
Additional Readings (Available on my website):
The Law (excerpts) Frederic Bastiat
The Austrian School - Boettke
Outliers, the Story of Success Chapter 2 The 10,000 Hour Rule - M. Gladwell (King Library Reserve)
The Use of Knowledge in Society - F.A. Hayek
Competition as a Discovery Procedure F.A. Hayek
Law, Legislation and Liberty Chapter 2 Cosmos and Taxis F.A. Hayek
Entrepreneurship and Economic Growth Randall Holcombe
Competition and Entrepreneurship Chapters 1 and 2 I. M. Kirzner (my website and King Library Reserve)
The Tacit Dimension Pages 3-25 M. Polanyi

Capitalism, Socialism and Democracy Chapters 6 and 7 J.A. Schumpeter (my website and King Library Reserve)
A Conflict of Visions - Chapter 2 - Constrained and Unconstrained Visions Thomas Sowell
Guest Lecturers:
This course combines the theoretical understanding of entrepreneurship with a real world perspective of entrepreneurship in
practice. Five entrepreneurs have been invited to speak about their experiences. Participation in these guest lectures is
important and you will be graded on the quality of your questions as well as your ability to relate the lectures to the readings.
With permission from the instructor, you may bring a guest to these guest lectures.
Attendance Policy:
On time attendance is required and your grade depends on verbal and written analysis of articles and guest lecturers. There
will be a short quiz at the beginning of each new reading. Plan your schedule accordingly.
Grading:
Your numerical grade will be based on the following categories and weights:
Written Analysis(1 or 2 assignments per semester)
Exam 1
Exam 2
Final Exam (optional & Exam 1 and 2 count 30%)
Class presentation
Quizzes

20%
20%
20%
20%
10%
10%

Exams and quizzes may consist of multiple choice, short answer, graphical, and essay questions. Quizzes will be at the
beginning of each new reading and will cover material in the readings assigned for that day. The Final Exam will be
comprehensive. The writing assignments will consist of a 3-4 page analysis of a reading that includes a summary of the
critical points, emphasis on the three most important ideas and an analysis of the implication of these ideas for
entrepreneurship.
I do not use a grading curve. Your final numerical grade will be the weighted average of your scores in the above categories,
and your corresponding letter grade will be assigned as follows:
Percent
Grade
98-100%A+
88-89%B+
78-79%C+
68-69%D+
0-59%F

Percent
Grade
93-97%A
83-87%B
73-77%C
63-67%D

Percent Grade
90-92%A80-82%B70-72%C60-62%D-

Academic Integrity:
Students need to know the SJSU Policy on Academic Dishonesty (http://www.sjsu.edu/senate/S04-12.pdf), which includes
the following statement:
Your own commitment to learning, as evidenced by your enrollment at San Jose State University and the
University's Academic Integrity Policy requires you to be honest in all your academic course work. Faculty are
required to report all infractions to the Office of Judicial Affairs.
Furthermore, the Department of Economics Academic Fairness Standards states:
An individual instructor who discovers, or is presented with, conclusive evidence of cheating shall assign a course
grade of F and inform the Chairperson of the Department of the reasons for the grade and for further disciplinary
action.
I will fail anyone caught cheating or plagiarizing without regret.
Please bear in mind that cheating and plagiarism can occur without the students knowledge or intent. Please be careful. Read
the policies. If you think you are at risk by the actions of another student, please bring the matter to me privately.

Disabilities:
Presidential Directive 97-03 requires that students with disabilities register with DRC. A student requiring accommodation
should make this need known to the instructor during the first two weeks of class. Every reasonable effort will be made to
accommodate the students particular needs.
Ground Rules for Class:
1.
2.

3.

Classes will feature group discourse. Please maintain proper decorum: no interruptions, disruptive talking, offensive
language, and/or other improper conduct.
No beeping please. Turn off cell phones, pagers, and other electronic devices. Laptop computers and audio recorders are
okay. Headphones are not. Please do not browse the web, TM, IM, or otherwise communicate to the outside world
during class. Your use of a laptop in this course gives me permission to randomly call on you to answer a question from
your seat or from the front of the class
If you must leave early, please do so from the back of the class with as little disruption as possible.

Treat the classroom as an environment for group learning and respect.

COURSE SCHEDULE

Week
1

We will use this as a guideline, so it is subject to change with sufficient notice.

Supplemental readings will be added during the semester.
Be prepared to discuss the readings on the assigned dates. Note the reading assignments line up with the date due.
Dates
Topic
Reading Assignments (notes)

01-28

02-04

02-11

01-23

Introduction
Austrian Economics

Harper - Ch. 1
The Austrian School

01-30

The Theory of Entrepreneurial Discovery

The Theory of Entrepreneurial Discovery (cont.)

Harper - Ch. 2
The Use of Knowledge in Society &
Competition as a Discovery Procedure
The Tacit Dimension
Cosmos and Taxis
Capitalism, Socialism and Democracy - Chapter 6
&7
Competition and Entrepreneurship Chapter 1 & 2

02-06
The Theory of Entrepreneurial Discovery (cont)
02-13
5

02-18

02-25

The Theory of Entrepreneurial Discovery (cont)

02-20
02-27

03-04

03-11

Exam 1 Review
Exam 1
Constrained and Unconstrained Visions
The Law
Harper Ch. 4

The Entrepreneurial Experience #1

Institutions II: Money, Political and Legal
Decentralization and Economic Freedom

Guest Lecturer
Harper Ch. 5

SPRING BREAK

No School

The Entrepreneurial Experience #2

Guest Lecturer

04-03

Culture and Alertness

The Entrepreneurial Experience #3

Harper Ch. 6
Guest Lecturer

04-10

The Market Process Approach to Public Policy I

Harper - Ch. 7, pgs 171 - 194

Call of the Entrepreneur

04-17

The Entrepreneurial Experience #4

The Market Process Approach to Public Policy II

Guest Lecturer
Harper Ch. 7, pgs 195 - 211

04-24

The Entrepreneurial Experience #5

Empirical Testing and Conceptual Development

Guest Lecturer
Harper Ch. 8

05-01

Review
EXAM 2

Exam 2 Review
Exam 2

05-08

The 10,000 Hour Rule

Essential Features of Entrepreneurship

Outliers, the Story of Success- Ch. 2

Class Discussion

FINAL EXAM

Tuesday, 9:45 a.m.-Noon, DMH 358

03-13
03-18
03-20
10

Entrepreneurship and Economic Growth

Harper Ch. 3

Institutions
Institutions (cont)
Institutions I: Rule of Law, Property and Contract

03-06

The Psychological Determinants of

Entrepreneurial Alertness
Review
EXAM 1

03-25
03-27

11

04-01

12

04-08

13

04-15

14

04-22

15

04-29

16

05-06

17

05-13

18

05-20