Entrepreneurial Leadership
A comprehensive exploration of how leadership theory meets entrepreneurial practice. This course bridges the critical gap between traditional leadership and the unique demands of leading ventures in conditions of uncertainty, resource scarcity, and rapid change.
Course Structure
1
Foundations
Weeks 1–4 · The theory base of entrepreneurial leadership
2
Mindset
Weeks 5–8 · Creativity, innovation & lean startup thinking
3
Challenges
Weeks 9–12 · Venture lifecycle, teams & growth strategies
4
Ethics
Weeks 13–15 · Ethics, CSR, ESG & sustainable entrepreneurship
Weekly Teaching Plan
Click any week card to access the full lecture content and tutorial activities.
Week 1
Unit 1 — Foundations
Introduction to Leadership & Entrepreneurship
Defining entrepreneurial leadership; historical evolution; leadership vs. entrepreneurship
Week 2
Unit 1 — Foundations
Forms of Leadership — Comparative Analysis
Social, Managerial, and Entrepreneurial Leadership — comparative analysis with real-world examples
Week 3
Unit 1 — Foundations
Trait, Behavioral & Contingency Theories
Ohio State, Michigan Studies, Managerial Grid; Fiedler, Hersey-Blanchard, Path-Goal
Week 4
Unit 1 — Foundations
Modern Theories & Leader Identity
Transformational, Transactional, Authentic, Servant, Level-5, Shared Leadership; Indian philosophical perspectives; Unit 1 checkpoint
Week 5
Unit 2 — Mindset
Creativity & Innovation
Creative process (Wallas); barriers to creativity; SCAMPER, Six Thinking Hats, Brainwriting, Lateral Thinking; psychological safety
Week 6
Unit 2 — Mindset
Innovation Management & The Innovator’s Dilemma
Types of innovation; founder as Chief Innovation Officer; The Innovator's Dilemma; open innovation; IP strategy
Week 7
Unit 2 — Mindset
Entrepreneurial Mindset & Effectuation
Growth mindset; effectuation theory (Sarasvathy); bricolage; Kirznerian alertness; cognitive biases; mindset self-assessment
Week 8
Unit 2 — Mindset
Lean Startup & Agile Leadership
Build-Measure-Learn; MVP; pivot vs. persevere; future of work & virtual team leadership
Week 9
Unit 3 — Challenges
Venture Lifecycle: Startup Stage
Vision crafting; founding teams; bootstrapping leadership; leading without formal authority
Week 10
Unit 3 — Challenges
Growth, Scaling & Renewal
Founder-to-CEO transition; delegation; professionalization; succession planning
Week 11
Unit 3 — Challenges
Case Studies of Entrepreneurial Leaders
Indian and global leaders: Dhirubhai Ambani, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Elon Musk, Steve Jobs & more
Week 12
Unit 3 — Challenges
Organizational Design & Team Dynamics
Startup structure; hiring; OKRs; co-founder conflicts; change management; crisis leadership
Week 13
Unit 4 — Ethics
Ethics & Social Responsibility
Ethical challenges in startups; decision-making frameworks; Indian ethical perspectives
Week 14
Unit 4 — Ethics
Culture, Values, CSR & ESG
Building the right culture; CSR frameworks; ESG reporting; Indian philosophical frameworks
Week 15
Unit 4 — Ethics
Sustainable Business Models & The Future
Triple Bottom Line; SDGs; B-Corps; social entrepreneurship; course wrap-up