Comments on: Reading List for My Entrepreneurship Course

By: AdamH Melbourne

AdamH Melbourne — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 16:28:10 +0000

I studied a Masters in Entrepreneurship in Melbourne, Australia. We had a large number of academic texts, but the texts that I found the most useful as a practitioner of entrepreneurship were those that had lots of case studies. The works by Professor Tom McKaskill were my favourites. I do not know the names of all the books, but they were excellent for generating discussion and real case studies.

By: Ron Towns

Ron Towns — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 16:42:39 +0000

Sounds like a phenominal course. Would love to have a course like this at Columbia University. I would highly suggest you add the book “The Answer” by John Assaraf and Murray Smith to your list. Its provides a 21st century method for entrepreneurs to solve age old problems in business. http://www.readtheanswer.com/index.php?RTA=web2

By: Bart

Bart — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 08:23:28 +0000

Peter,

Great that uncertainty will be discussed! My hunch is that economic research into entrepreneurship will remain a cumbersome enquiry while the concept of uncertainty remains as non-descript, and well yes, ambiguous as it currently is. Also keen to hear your view on Arrow’s critique of Knight’s contention.

By: Peter Klein

Peter Klein — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 02:11:01 +0000

Thanks Josh. Stop by any time for a guest lecture!

Bart, uncertainty is an important theme throughout the course — in fact, we discussed Cantillon’s treatment of uncertainty in class today. And of course risk and uncertainty will be central when we get to Knight (1921). But we could spend more time on the Knightian construct, perhaps focusing on Richard von Mises’s distinction between “class probability” and “case probability.” I don’t know that particular Arrow piece, but will take a look.

By: Bart

Bart — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 20:30:06 +0000

Peter,
Have you considered looking into the influence of the concept of uncertainty? In my view something which would need (much) more conceptualization in economic theory. Take for instance this guy:
Arrow, K.J. (1951), “Alternative Approaches to the
Theory of Choice in Risk-Taking Situations”,
Econometrica, Vol. 19 Nr. 4, October, p. 404-437

By: Josh Hall

Josh Hall — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 18:44:23 +0000

Peter,

This is an excellent syllabus. I’d love to be a fly on the wall.