In person

Class Participation:     20%

Pitch (presentation):   30%

Business Plan:            50%
*Self  and group assessment

• Class participation (20% of final grade): Evaluates your preparation for in-class discussions as a critical part of the learning experience, not your class attendance record. This is an extremely important part of the learning experience in this course as the richness of the learning experience will be largely dependent upon the degree of preparation by all students prior to each class session.
  
  Missing classes or coming unprepared to classes lowers your grade for this evaluation element. A missed class, weather justified or unjustified, counts as an unprepared class. If your attendance falls below 80%, this grade will fall to zero. A student can have a perfect attendance record and still score zero in participation grade.
  A failure to actively participate in group and class activities during the discussions of cases and articles will be considered as an indication that a student has not prepared for the class. Do not think of this grade as an entitlement or a gift – it has to be EARNED. 

This course incorporates the use of case analyses to illustrate the practical application of concepts and practices requires the student to diligently and thoroughly prepare cases and actively offer the results of the analyses and conclusions derived as well as recommendations during each class session. My expectation and that of your classmates are that you are prepared for all classes and will actively participate in and meaningfully contribute to class discussions.
If you have not previously participated in case discussions in class, please find one or more of the excellent guides to student preparation for case discussions online, such as: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tauV48IEcgc  (very short, very basic).

Cold calling may take place to encourage active participation and to gain multiple perspectives and points of view, thus lending itself to the richness of the learning experience. In-class participation grading will be based on students’ demonstrated willingness to participate and the quality of the comments expressed, rather than quantity. While some students are far more comfortable than others with class participation, all students should make an effort to contribute meaningfully.

Students will offer their opinions in group settings many times in their careers; thus, class participation serves to prepare students for this business experience. The evaluating of in-class participation is based on the following:

• Relevance – Does the comment or question meaningfully bear on the subject at hand? Irrelevant or inappropriate comments can detract from the learning experience.
• Responsiveness – Does the comment or question connect to what someone else has said?
• Analysis – Is the reasoning employed consistent and logical? Has data from course materials, personal experience, or general knowledge been employed to support the assertions/findings?
• Value – Does the contribution further the understanding of the issues at hand?
• Clarity – Is the comment concise and understandable?

During class sessions, the role of a facilitator could be assumed by a student to encourage a discussion that includes perspectives from a variety of viewpoints and, secondly, to help pull together prevailing analyses and recommendations. The direction and quality of a discussion is the collective responsibility of the class.

To provide clarity on the expectations for class participation, the following behavioral rating scale is provided as follows:

Excellent Performance

•  Initiates information relative to topics discussed

•  Accurately exhibits knowledge of assignment content

•  Clarifies points that others may not understand

•  Shares personal experiences or opinions related to topic

•  Offers relevant / succinct input to class

•  Actively participates in class exercises

•  Demonstrates ability to apply, analyze, evaluate & synthesize course material.

•  Demonstrates willingness to attempt to answer unpopular questions

•  Builds on other students’ contributions

Average Performance

•  Participates in group discussions when asked

•  Demonstrates knowledge of course material

•  Offers clear, concise, “good” information on class assignments

•  Offers input, but tends to reiterate the intuitive

•  Attends class regularly

Unacceptable Performance

•  Fails to participate even when directly asked

•  Gives no input to discussions

•  Does not demonstrate knowledge of the readings

•  Shows up to class: does nothing

•  Distracts group / class

•  Irrelevant discussion

• Pitch (30% of final grade): Individual oral presentation of your business plan with the most relevant aspects. Each student will have 15 minutes long presentation, followed by a Questions and Answers round (Q&A) of 5 minutes where the rest of students are encouraged to ask. Students will grade other’s participants using the same grade only once. Their grade will account for 50% of this part, the other 50% will be graded by the Professor. The sum of both will be the grade of the Pitch.
  Aspects to grade: business idea, order structure and content of the slides, consistency, elaboration/work done, communicating skills and overall presentation quality.

• Business Plan (50% of the final grade): Minimum of 5 out of 10.
  To obtain a passing course grade, you must obtain a final project grade equal or greater than 5.0 AND the total course grade that is equal to or greater than 5.0.
  In case of failure in the first chance, there will be a second chance to pass where the student will be able to pass, but with a penalty. The minimum grade to pass will still be 5 but out of 7. Hence, students in the second chance can get a maximum grade of 7 instead of 10 in this part.
• Self and Group work assessment: Additionally, students will run a self-assessment at the end of the course where they will grade their own perceived grade in key variables of the group work (contribution to the group, deliverables, effort, etc) as well as an assessment of their group peers. These grades will be ranked freely and anonymously in a rank from 0 to 10 (0 being no contribution and 10 outstanding contribution/work). These grades will have an important impact on the final grade.

There is no exam scheduled.

Plagiarism, copying or any other action that may be considered cheating will be zero in that evaluation section.

Important considerations:

1. Plagiarism, copying or any other action that may be considered cheating will be zero in that evaluation section. Besides, plagiarism during exams will mean the immediate failing of the whole subject.
2. In the second-sitting exams, the maximum grade students will be able to obtain is "Excellent" (grade with honors distinction will not be possible).
3. Changes of the calendar, exam dates or the evaluation system will not be accepted.
4. Exchange students (Erasmus and others) or repeaters will be subjected to the same conditions as the rest of the students.