Case 1
Course on “Laboratory for start up company” at the Faculty
of Engineering of the University of Bologna
This course is not compulsory as part of the Engineering curricula Duration
of the course: 60 hours divided into 2 months. Subjects of teaching: management
of the clients; value chain; marketing; definition of the products; product
cycle; segmentation of the market; taxation; meetings with entrepreneurs of
spin-off companies. The final exam consists of the drawing up of a business
plan. A survey has been carried within the students ( 5 women and 19 men) who
attended the course in the year 2003 . The results are as follows.
RESULTS FROM A SURVEY CARRIED OUT ON 24 UNIVERSITY GRADUATES (19 MALE
AND 5 FEMALE), WHO ATTENDED THE UNIVERSITY OF BOLOGNA COURSE "LABORATORY
FOR START UP COMPANY"
1. Type of university curricula in which the students were enrolled
(percentage)
|
Curricula in Engineering
|
Male and Female |
Male |
Female |
|
Telecommunications |
33 |
32 |
40 |
|
Electronics |
29 |
26 |
40 |
|
IT |
38 |
42 |
20 |
|
TOTAL |
100 |
79 |
21 |
2. How do you evaluate the possibility of creating a business? (percentage)
|
Evaluation |
Male and Female |
Male |
Female |
|
Impossible |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Unlikely |
50 |
42 |
80 |
|
Likely |
46 |
58 |
0 |
|
Definite
|
4 |
0 |
20 |
|
TOTAL |
100 |
100 |
100 |
3. What are the main obstacles you encounter? (percentage)
|
Obstacles |
Male and Female |
Male |
Female |
|
Access to
initial financing |
46 |
41 |
60 |
|
Lack of
skills |
21 |
16 |
40 |
|
Still a
student |
13 |
16 |
- |
|
Strong
competition |
8 |
11 |
- |
|
Risk of
failure |
4 |
5 |
- |
|
No
response |
8 |
11 |
- |
4. Why did you enrol on this course? (percentage)
|
Reasons For Enrolling |
Male |
Female |
Total Responses |
|
Curiosity |
43 |
60 |
47 |
|
To
acquire entrepreneurial skills |
39 |
20 |
33 |
|
Evaluate
ones own abilities |
6 |
20 |
8 |
|
Insight
into the world of work |
6 |
- |
4 |
|
Through
somebody’s advice |
6 |
- |
4 |
5. In your opinion, what are the advantages and disadvantages of creating
your own business with regard to the possibility of employment? (percentage
%)
|
Advantages |
Male and Female |
Male |
Female |
|
Independence in decision making |
67 |
63 |
80 |
|
Financial
rewards |
25 |
32 |
- |
|
Flexibility of working hours |
8 |
5 |
20 |
|
Disadvantages |
Male and Female |
Male |
Female
|
|
High
risks, both financial and non-financial |
66 |
63 |
80 |
|
Longer
working hours |
21 |
21 |
20 |
|
Risk of
failure |
13 |
16 |
- |
6. In your opinion, what themes studied during the course, have been
the most useful in facilitating the creation of a business on your part? (percentage
%)
|
Most
Useful Themes |
Male and Female |
Male |
Female |
|
Meeting
with entrepreneurs |
39 |
32 |
60 |
|
Advertising and marketing |
29 |
32 |
20 |
|
All |
8 |
11 |
- |
|
Distribution channels |
4 |
5 |
- |
|
Market
Analysis |
4 |
- |
20 |
|
How to go
about creating a business |
4 |
5 |
- |
|
No
response |
4 |
5 |
- |
|
Cost
analysis |
4 |
5 |
- |
|
Drafting
of a business plan |
4 |
5 |
- |
7. What themes, that were not studied during the course, do you think
would have proved useful in facilitating the eventual creation of a business
on you part? (percentage %)
|
Themes
Not Discussed |
Male and Female |
Male |
Female |
|
Financial
Aspects |
29 |
27 |
40 |
|
None |
21 |
11 |
40 |
|
Don’t
know |
17 |
21 |
- |
|
Relations
with suppliers |
13 |
16 |
- |
|
Legal and
tax issues |
8 |
5 |
20 |
|
Risk
analysis |
4 |
5 |
- |
|
Advertising |
4 |
5 |
- |
|
Competition Analysis |
4 |
5 |
- |
|
No
response |
- |
5 |
- |
8. What importance do you give to the following aspects for your choice of working activity?
( 0 = no importance; 1 = not very important; 2 = quite important; 3 = very important)
|
Most important aspects in choice of career – Male and Female |
|
Description / Importance
|
0 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
Total |
|
A |
Content
of work coherence with studies |
0 |
2 |
14 |
8 |
54 |
|
B |
Opportunity for creativity |
1 |
4 |
7 |
12 |
54 |
|
C |
Work
atmosphere and relationships with co-workers |
0 |
1 |
11 |
11 |
56 |
|
D |
Recognition of your abilities |
0 |
1 |
4 |
19 |
66 |
|
E |
Compatibility with private life |
3 |
2 |
13 |
6 |
46 |
|
F |
Future
Prospects |
0 |
2 |
7 |
15 |
61 |
|
G |
Security
and continuity |
1 |
5 |
15 |
3 |
44 |
|
H |
Salary |
0 |
2 |
11 |
11 |
57 |
|
I |
Flexibility |
1 |
6 |
11 |
6 |
46 |
|
Most important aspects in career choice for Female |
|
Description / Importance
|
0 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
Total |
|
A |
Content
of work coherence with studies |
0 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
11 |
|
B |
Opportunity for creativity |
0 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
15 |
|
C |
Work
atmosphere and relationships with co-workers |
0 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
15 |
|
D |
Recognition of your abilities |
0 |
0 |
1 |
4 |
14 |
|
E |
Compatibility with private life |
0 |
0 |
4 |
1 |
11 |
|
F |
Future
Prospects |
0 |
0 |
3 |
2 |
12 |
|
G |
Security
and continuity |
0 |
1 |
4 |
0 |
9 |
|
H |
Salary |
0 |
0 |
4 |
1 |
11 |
|
I |
Flexibility |
0 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
11 |
|
Most important aspects in career choice for Male |
|
Description / Importance
|
0 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
Total |
|
A |
Content
of work coherence with studies |
0 |
1 |
12 |
6 |
43 |
|
B |
Opportunity for creativity |
1 |
4 |
7 |
7 |
39 |
|
C |
Work
atmosphere and relationships with co-workers |
1 |
| 
