Description
This explanation relating to developing information literacy skills in engineering entrepreneurs a collaborative.
Developing Information Literacy Skills in Engineering Entrepreneurs:
A Collaborative Approach
Constance Adamson, Dale Dilamarter, and Michael White
Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario
Abstract
Technology entrepreneurship is information intensive. Technology entrepreneurs must be
able to locate, understand, evaluate and apply a variety of technical, business, regulatory
and intellectual property information in order to successfully launch new products and
services. Good information literacy skills are critical at each step in the entrepreneurial
process. Decisions made in haste without complete information can be costly if not fatal
to a new venture. While engineering students may be familiar with researching technical
information, they are often unfamiliar with business, government and patent information.
In order to overcome this deficiency, the authors propose a new collaborative model
embodied in an on-line tutorial that integrates information literacy-building exercises into
the technology entrepreneurship curriculum. By using the tutorial, students develop
research and analytical skills that enhance their understanding of the entrepreneurship
process.
Introduction
What makes a successful entrepreneur? What skills and abilities distinguish highly
successful technical entrepreneurs such as Thomas Edison, Steve J obs and J eff Bezos
from unsuccessful entrepreneurs? There are many possible explanations, but one key trait
has long been recognized: successful entrepreneurs are especially adept at identifying,
acquiring, synthesizing and applying information, i.e. converting data into knowledge,
and applying that knowledge to the entrepreneurial decision-making process. [1]
Technical entrepreneurship is especially information intensive. Technology
entrepreneurs, on their own or as part of a team, must be able to identify locate,
understand, evaluate and apply a variety of information in order to successfully launch
new technology-based products and services. This includes technical information and
standards, business information, market, industry and demographic data, regulations and,
of course, intellectual property information. According to Dorf and Byers, authors of a
widely used textbook on technical entrepreneurship, “entrepreneurs distinguish
themselves through their ability to accumulate and manage knowledge as well as their
ability to mobilize resources to achieve a specific business or social goal.” [2] The ability
to locate and apply eclectic information is a distinguishing characteristic of technical
entrepreneurs that sets them apart from other professionals such as scientists, engineers,
physicians and attorneys who are required to acquire and apply a very deep but relatively
narrow body of knowledge.
1
Technical entrepreneurs identify and acquire information by two methods: 1) continuous
broad background reading in business, science and technology in order to identify trends
and opportunities and 2) directed research in order to answer a specific question. [x,x]
Directed research requires identifying a specific information problem, forming a question
and then seeking out the appropriate information resource. For example, an entrepreneur
considering a new safety device for a table saw might start by researching the annual
number of power-tool related hand injuries in Canada and the U.S. Possible sources of
data on injuries include government agencies responsible for consumer and worker health
and safety, medical literature, trade associations and insurance companies. Other
questions the entrepreneur would need to answer include: What is the hand power tool
market? What safety standards and regulations apply to hand power tools? What
companies manufacture hand power tools? What are the recent innovations and patents
on safety devices for hand power tools?
Course Background CHEE 410 Technical Entrepreneurship
CHEE 410 Technical Entrepreneurship is a fourth-year course offered by the Department
of Chemical Engineering at Queen’s University. It was first offered in the 1994-1995
academic year and has evolved over the past decade.[ ] Like many engineering
entrepreneurship programs, CHEE410 is designed to engage students in all aspects of the
innovation and entrepreneurial process using real-life case studies. Working in small
teams, students are required to conduct pre-commercialization research for technology-
based innovations provided by Queen’s researchers. This process exposes students to the
nature of innovation and entrepreneurship and builds their entrepreneurial competencies
in project management, financial analysis, customer relations, industry and market
research, and intellectual property.
The CHEE 410 curriculum conforms to the vision of the Queen’s “Renaissance
Engineer.” A “Renaissance Engineer” must possess a broad and deep technical
knowledge, creativity, excellent communication skills, a sense of aesthetics, the ability to
work in interdisciplinary teams, an aptitude for lifelong learning, a concern for the
environment, and sensitivity to social, cultural and individual variability. [3] The
curriculum of the “Renaissance Engineer” emphasizes, among other things, the ability to
integrate ideas and information from different sources.
On campus, students can
But in the real world, entrepreneurs don’t have the luxury of libraries for different
information needs.
The information needs of technical entrepreneurs are diverse and electic. Technical
entrepreneurs must be able to:
Define potential uses and applications of a technology
Identify potential customers, partners and competitors
2
Find existing patents and other “prior art” that
Determine trends in industry and marketplace
Determine patent status and ownership
Locate suppliers of raw materials and component parts
Locate manufacturers
Determine the price point, break even
Identify industry standards and government regulations
Literature Review
Librarians and faculty have been collaborating on library instruction sessions and online
course guides for years. There are literally thousands of examples on the web of library
course guides covering engineering and business topics. [ ] However, there are few
However, there a few published articles concerning the design and assessment of online
library tutorials for engineering entrepreneurship programs.
Feeney and Martin (2003) describe a collaborative approach toward teaching students in
a fourth-year materials engineering design course at the University of Arizona. No formal
assessment was conducted
The business and science librarians taught business and technical information resources.
Mellinger (2004) describes teaching to students in two entrepreneurship programs at
Oregon State University.
Early in his career, Thomas Edison is said to have visited public libraries in order to read
patents in the weekly issue of the Official Gazette of the U.S. Patent Office.
Chester Carlson, inventor of the photocopying machine, spent countless hours in the New
York Public Library’s science and technology department scanning scientific journals
and books trying to work out the problem of a better way to duplicating documents.
Tutorial Design, 2005-2006 (Beta Version)
During the 2005-2006 academic year, the authors created on online tutorial that was
organized along the lines of the traditional “stage-gate” model into five modules. The
modules were:
Technological Readiness
Market and Industry Analysis
Financial and Risk Analysis
Business Strategies
Determination of Commercialization Path
3
Each module included a set of learning outcomes matched with appropriate information
resources. For example, Gate 1, “Technological Readiness,” required students to
evaluate the technological readiness of their projects based on:
Purpose of the technology
Stakeholders
State of development
Competing technologies
Sustainable competitive advantage
Patent status
Standards
patent document and how to conduct a patent search. The module included links to patent
databases and the Engineering and Science Library’s standards resource guide.
In the “Market and Industry Analysis” module, students received instruction on how to
use various business databases and market research tools.
The authors found that
New Design, 2006-2007
Conclusion
References
[1] Kirzner, Israel M. Competition and Entrepreneurship. Chicago: University of
Chicago Press, 1973.
[2] Dorf, Richard C. and Byers Thomas H. Technology Ventures: From Idea to
Enterprise. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2005.
[3] Queen’s University Integrated Learning Center Committee. View of the Queen’s
“Renaissance” Engineer, 2003.
[ ] Skrzycki, Cindy. “Inventor’s Attempt at Saw Safety Cuts Against the Industry’s Gain.
The Washington Post, Oct. 10, 2006, p. D01.
[ ] Faculty of Applied Science, 1994-1995 Calendar. Kingston: Queen’s University,
1994.
[ ] Instruction Clearinghouse -http://www.alaoweb.org/comsigs/iig/clearinghouse.html
[ ] Schwartz, Evan I. Juice: the Creative Fuel that Drives World-Class Inventors. Boston:
Harvard Business School Press, 2004.
4
[ ] Kanbar, Maurice. Secrets from an Inventor’s Notebook. New York: Penguin Books,
2001.
[ ] Feeney, M. and Martin, J . “The business of science: cross-disciplinary information
literacy in the applied sciences and business.” Issues in Science and Technology
Libraries, Spring 2003. Accessed on
MSE 443 Materials Engineering Design: Library Resources Guide. Retrieved on J an. 25,
2006, fromhttp://www.library.arizona.edu/help/tutorials/courses/mse/443/index.html
Owen, D. (2004). Copies in seconds: Chester Carlson and the birth of the Xerox
Machine. New York: Simon & Schuster.
Schwartz, E. I. Juice: the creative fuel that drives world-class inventors. Boston: Harvard
Business School Press, 2004.
Biographical Information
CONSTANCE ADAMSON is the business librarian in Stauffer Library. She is
DALE DILAMARTER is the instructor for CHEE 410 and the business advisor for the
Faculty of Applied Science’s TEAM program. He was the founding director of the
Fleming Centre for Manufacturing Studies, a technology transfer service for small and
medium-sized enterprises. He is also co-author of Training in Management Skills,
published by Prentice Hall in 2004.
MICHAEL WHITE is the librarian for research services in the Engineering and Science
Library. He is the subject specialist for patents, chemistry, chemical engineering and
electrical and computer engineering. He has worked as a librarian at the U.S. Patent and
Trademark Office in Alexandria, Virginia, the University of Maine in Orono and Loyola
University Chicago.
Submitted by:
Michael White
Engineering and Science Library
Queen’s University
Kingston, Ontario, Canada
[email protected]
October 20, 2006
5
doc_620241695.pdf
This explanation relating to developing information literacy skills in engineering entrepreneurs a collaborative.
Developing Information Literacy Skills in Engineering Entrepreneurs:
A Collaborative Approach
Constance Adamson, Dale Dilamarter, and Michael White
Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario
Abstract
Technology entrepreneurship is information intensive. Technology entrepreneurs must be
able to locate, understand, evaluate and apply a variety of technical, business, regulatory
and intellectual property information in order to successfully launch new products and
services. Good information literacy skills are critical at each step in the entrepreneurial
process. Decisions made in haste without complete information can be costly if not fatal
to a new venture. While engineering students may be familiar with researching technical
information, they are often unfamiliar with business, government and patent information.
In order to overcome this deficiency, the authors propose a new collaborative model
embodied in an on-line tutorial that integrates information literacy-building exercises into
the technology entrepreneurship curriculum. By using the tutorial, students develop
research and analytical skills that enhance their understanding of the entrepreneurship
process.
Introduction
What makes a successful entrepreneur? What skills and abilities distinguish highly
successful technical entrepreneurs such as Thomas Edison, Steve J obs and J eff Bezos
from unsuccessful entrepreneurs? There are many possible explanations, but one key trait
has long been recognized: successful entrepreneurs are especially adept at identifying,
acquiring, synthesizing and applying information, i.e. converting data into knowledge,
and applying that knowledge to the entrepreneurial decision-making process. [1]
Technical entrepreneurship is especially information intensive. Technology
entrepreneurs, on their own or as part of a team, must be able to identify locate,
understand, evaluate and apply a variety of information in order to successfully launch
new technology-based products and services. This includes technical information and
standards, business information, market, industry and demographic data, regulations and,
of course, intellectual property information. According to Dorf and Byers, authors of a
widely used textbook on technical entrepreneurship, “entrepreneurs distinguish
themselves through their ability to accumulate and manage knowledge as well as their
ability to mobilize resources to achieve a specific business or social goal.” [2] The ability
to locate and apply eclectic information is a distinguishing characteristic of technical
entrepreneurs that sets them apart from other professionals such as scientists, engineers,
physicians and attorneys who are required to acquire and apply a very deep but relatively
narrow body of knowledge.
1
Technical entrepreneurs identify and acquire information by two methods: 1) continuous
broad background reading in business, science and technology in order to identify trends
and opportunities and 2) directed research in order to answer a specific question. [x,x]
Directed research requires identifying a specific information problem, forming a question
and then seeking out the appropriate information resource. For example, an entrepreneur
considering a new safety device for a table saw might start by researching the annual
number of power-tool related hand injuries in Canada and the U.S. Possible sources of
data on injuries include government agencies responsible for consumer and worker health
and safety, medical literature, trade associations and insurance companies. Other
questions the entrepreneur would need to answer include: What is the hand power tool
market? What safety standards and regulations apply to hand power tools? What
companies manufacture hand power tools? What are the recent innovations and patents
on safety devices for hand power tools?
Course Background CHEE 410 Technical Entrepreneurship
CHEE 410 Technical Entrepreneurship is a fourth-year course offered by the Department
of Chemical Engineering at Queen’s University. It was first offered in the 1994-1995
academic year and has evolved over the past decade.[ ] Like many engineering
entrepreneurship programs, CHEE410 is designed to engage students in all aspects of the
innovation and entrepreneurial process using real-life case studies. Working in small
teams, students are required to conduct pre-commercialization research for technology-
based innovations provided by Queen’s researchers. This process exposes students to the
nature of innovation and entrepreneurship and builds their entrepreneurial competencies
in project management, financial analysis, customer relations, industry and market
research, and intellectual property.
The CHEE 410 curriculum conforms to the vision of the Queen’s “Renaissance
Engineer.” A “Renaissance Engineer” must possess a broad and deep technical
knowledge, creativity, excellent communication skills, a sense of aesthetics, the ability to
work in interdisciplinary teams, an aptitude for lifelong learning, a concern for the
environment, and sensitivity to social, cultural and individual variability. [3] The
curriculum of the “Renaissance Engineer” emphasizes, among other things, the ability to
integrate ideas and information from different sources.
On campus, students can
But in the real world, entrepreneurs don’t have the luxury of libraries for different
information needs.
The information needs of technical entrepreneurs are diverse and electic. Technical
entrepreneurs must be able to:
Define potential uses and applications of a technology
Identify potential customers, partners and competitors
2
Find existing patents and other “prior art” that
Determine trends in industry and marketplace
Determine patent status and ownership
Locate suppliers of raw materials and component parts
Locate manufacturers
Determine the price point, break even
Identify industry standards and government regulations
Literature Review
Librarians and faculty have been collaborating on library instruction sessions and online
course guides for years. There are literally thousands of examples on the web of library
course guides covering engineering and business topics. [ ] However, there are few
However, there a few published articles concerning the design and assessment of online
library tutorials for engineering entrepreneurship programs.
Feeney and Martin (2003) describe a collaborative approach toward teaching students in
a fourth-year materials engineering design course at the University of Arizona. No formal
assessment was conducted
The business and science librarians taught business and technical information resources.
Mellinger (2004) describes teaching to students in two entrepreneurship programs at
Oregon State University.
Early in his career, Thomas Edison is said to have visited public libraries in order to read
patents in the weekly issue of the Official Gazette of the U.S. Patent Office.
Chester Carlson, inventor of the photocopying machine, spent countless hours in the New
York Public Library’s science and technology department scanning scientific journals
and books trying to work out the problem of a better way to duplicating documents.
Tutorial Design, 2005-2006 (Beta Version)
During the 2005-2006 academic year, the authors created on online tutorial that was
organized along the lines of the traditional “stage-gate” model into five modules. The
modules were:
Technological Readiness
Market and Industry Analysis
Financial and Risk Analysis
Business Strategies
Determination of Commercialization Path
3
Each module included a set of learning outcomes matched with appropriate information
resources. For example, Gate 1, “Technological Readiness,” required students to
evaluate the technological readiness of their projects based on:
Purpose of the technology
Stakeholders
State of development
Competing technologies
Sustainable competitive advantage
Patent status
Standards
patent document and how to conduct a patent search. The module included links to patent
databases and the Engineering and Science Library’s standards resource guide.
In the “Market and Industry Analysis” module, students received instruction on how to
use various business databases and market research tools.
The authors found that
New Design, 2006-2007
Conclusion
References
[1] Kirzner, Israel M. Competition and Entrepreneurship. Chicago: University of
Chicago Press, 1973.
[2] Dorf, Richard C. and Byers Thomas H. Technology Ventures: From Idea to
Enterprise. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2005.
[3] Queen’s University Integrated Learning Center Committee. View of the Queen’s
“Renaissance” Engineer, 2003.
[ ] Skrzycki, Cindy. “Inventor’s Attempt at Saw Safety Cuts Against the Industry’s Gain.
The Washington Post, Oct. 10, 2006, p. D01.
[ ] Faculty of Applied Science, 1994-1995 Calendar. Kingston: Queen’s University,
1994.
[ ] Instruction Clearinghouse -http://www.alaoweb.org/comsigs/iig/clearinghouse.html
[ ] Schwartz, Evan I. Juice: the Creative Fuel that Drives World-Class Inventors. Boston:
Harvard Business School Press, 2004.
4
[ ] Kanbar, Maurice. Secrets from an Inventor’s Notebook. New York: Penguin Books,
2001.
[ ] Feeney, M. and Martin, J . “The business of science: cross-disciplinary information
literacy in the applied sciences and business.” Issues in Science and Technology
Libraries, Spring 2003. Accessed on
MSE 443 Materials Engineering Design: Library Resources Guide. Retrieved on J an. 25,
2006, fromhttp://www.library.arizona.edu/help/tutorials/courses/mse/443/index.html
Owen, D. (2004). Copies in seconds: Chester Carlson and the birth of the Xerox
Machine. New York: Simon & Schuster.
Schwartz, E. I. Juice: the creative fuel that drives world-class inventors. Boston: Harvard
Business School Press, 2004.
Biographical Information
CONSTANCE ADAMSON is the business librarian in Stauffer Library. She is
DALE DILAMARTER is the instructor for CHEE 410 and the business advisor for the
Faculty of Applied Science’s TEAM program. He was the founding director of the
Fleming Centre for Manufacturing Studies, a technology transfer service for small and
medium-sized enterprises. He is also co-author of Training in Management Skills,
published by Prentice Hall in 2004.
MICHAEL WHITE is the librarian for research services in the Engineering and Science
Library. He is the subject specialist for patents, chemistry, chemical engineering and
electrical and computer engineering. He has worked as a librarian at the U.S. Patent and
Trademark Office in Alexandria, Virginia, the University of Maine in Orono and Loyola
University Chicago.
Submitted by:
Michael White
Engineering and Science Library
Queen’s University
Kingston, Ontario, Canada
[email protected]
October 20, 2006
5
doc_620241695.pdf