The School of Business & Technology

(1)

The School of Business & Technology

Page 1 of 8 Last Updated: 10/12; LKA

Course BUSN 5000 Business

Term Spring 1: January 10 – March 8, 2013

Thursday, 5:30-9:30p

Castlerock Chamber of Commerce/Board Room 420 Jerry Street

Castle Rock, CO

Instructor Michelle Post, Ph.D.

Email: [email protected] or [email protected] Cell: 719-651-5415

Office Hours: Monday, 5:00 – 5:30pm or by appointment Catalog

Description

This course is designed to provide a foundation in theories and concepts in accounting, economics, finance, management, and marketing.

Prerequisites NONE

Course Level Learning Outcomes

To develop familiarity with the language and terminology of business. To become familiar with the basic theories, concepts, and practices of the

basic functional areas of business.

To develop an understanding of the benefits that derives from free enterprise capitalism as well as the dangers of unfettered capitalism.

To develop an understanding of profit and profitability and the important role it plays in the operation of successful organizations.

To become familiar with the basic business functions and how they properly work together in an integrated way to improve organizational performance. To develop an understanding of the importance of international issues in

modern business as well as develop an appreciation for the cultural,

economic, political, and financial differences that must be taken into account if international business is to be effectively pursued.

Materials Contemporary Business, 15th Edition

Louis E. Boone, Professor Emeritus: University of South Alabama David L. Kurtz, University of Arkansas

Disclaimer This syllabus may be adjusted at any time during the completion of the course. The

(2)

Grading

Grade Points Earned

Equivalent Letter Grade

950-1000 A Superior Graduate Work 900-949 A- Superior Graduate Work 870-899 B+ Satisfactory Graduate Work 830-869 B Satisfactory Graduate Work 800-829 B- Satisfactory Graduate Work 700-799 C Work that is barely adequate as

graduate-level performance Below 700 F Work that is unsatisfactory

I I Incomplete work

ZF ZF An “I” that is not completed within one year of

the end of the course is automatically converted

to a “ZF”. A “ZF” is treated the same as an F or

NC for all cases involving GPA, academic warning, probation and dismissal.

W W Withdrawn from the course Learner

Deliverables

Learner Participation - (9 weeks x 20) = 180 points In-Class Activities - (9 weeks x 20) = 180 points Course Project - Due in Week-9 = 640 points

Total Points for the course = 1,000 points Late Assignment

Policy

There is no late assignment policy. NO Assignment will be accepted past the due date.

The Due Date for assignments will always be Day 7 of the current week at 10pm. For purposes of this course, Day-7 will be Wednesday of each week.

If a student misses a class, Learner Participation or In-Class Activity Points CANNOT be made up.

Course Activities The course will use a variety of teaching elements: Lecture

DVDs Internet

Hands-On Class Activities Group Activities Learner Participation and Assignments Week-1 - January 10 In-Class Activity Learner Participation Assignment

Week-1 the learner will demonstrate his/her understanding of the proper use of writing an APA 6th edition formatted paper by writing a 400-word essay on the company the learner has chosen for his/her course project and why they choose it. The paper needs to include at least 2 scholarly resources to support the learner's point of view.

(3)

Week-2 - January 17 In-Class Activity Learner Participation Assignment

Part 1 of Business Plan o Business Description

 Mission Statement

 History behind the idea or current business  Company’s current or proposed legal form  Proposed entry strategy and time line of events

 Description of the initial product/service (including any anticipated competitive advantages)

 Product research and development

Due Day 7 of Week-2 (Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2013 at 10PM)

Week-3 - January 24 InClass-Activity Learner Participation Assignment

Part 2 of Business Plan o Market Analysis

 Description of the industry  Targeted markets

 Marketing research  Competition  Barriers to entry

Due Day 7 of Week-3 (Wednesday, Jan 30, 2013 at 10PM)

Week-4 - January 31 InClass-Activity Learner Participation Assignment

Part 3 of Business Plan

o The Management Team

 Background and primary responsibilities of the management team  Organizational structure

 Board of directors/advisors  Ownership

Due Day 7 of Week-4 (Wednesday, Feb. 6, 2013 at 10PM)

Week-5 - February 7 In-Class Activities Learner Participation Assignment

Part 4 of Business Plan o Operations

 Marketing Strategy  Production Plan  Personnel

 Customer Support

 Future research and development plans

(4)

Learner Participation Assignment

Part 5 of Business Plan o Critical Risks

 External Risks  Internal Risks  Insurance Provisions  Contingency plans

Part 6 of Business Plan o Financial Projections

 First year financial projections by month  First year financial projections by quarter  Five year forecast

 Break-even analysis  Ratio analysis  Exit strategy

 Historical financial data

Part 7 of Business Plan

o The Executive Summary (this section is the last one to write, but goes in

the front of the paper)

 Company profile

 Nature of the product/service being offered  Size and growth trend of the market

 Make-up and background of the management team  Financing requirements

 Key projections (sales, gross profits, net income)  Proposed use of funds

 Proposed exit strategy including projected ROI

Due Day 7 of Week-8 (Wednesday, Mar. 6, 2013)

Week-9 - March 7 In-Class Activities Learner Participation Assignment

Final Business Plan is Due (Wednesday, Mar. 6, 2013)

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Details of Course Project Below Course Project

The learner will be writing a 15 – 20 page Business Plan that addresses a company of their choice (existing one or one they may be wanting to start).

The Business Plan must be written in full APA 6th Edition format.

(5)

The sections that are required in the Business Plan are:

o The Executive Summary (this section is the last one to write, but goes in

the front of the paper)

 Company profile

 Nature of the product/service being offered  Size and growth trend of the market

 Make-up and background of the management team  Financing requirements

 Key projections (sales, gross profits, net income)  Proposed use of funds

 Proposed exit strategy including projected ROI o Business Description (Part 1)

 Mission Statement

 History behind the idea or current business  Company’s current or proposed legal form  Proposed entry strategy and time line of events

 Description of the initial product/service (including any anticipated competitive advantages)

 Product research and development o Market Analysis (Part 2)

 Description of the industry  Targeted markets

 Marketing research  Competition  Barriers to entry

o The Management Team (Part 3)

 Background and primary responsibilities of the management team  Organizational structure  Board of directors/advisors  Ownership o Operations (Part 4)  Marketing Strategy  Production Plan  Personnel  Customer Support

 Future research and development plans o Critical Risks (Part 5)

 External Risks  Internal Risks  Insurance Provisions  Contingency plans o Financial Projections (Part 6)

 First year financial projections by month  First year financial projections by quarter  Five year forecast

 Break-even analysis  Ratio analysis  Exit strategy

(6)

Weekly Schedule WEEK TOPIC

1 Business in a Global Environment

Chapter 1. The Changing Face of Business (Read pp. 2-22)

Chapter 2. Business Ethics & Social Responsibility (Read pp. 30-57) Introductions

Course Syllabus APA Lecture

Lecture: Chapter 1 and 2

2 Business in a Global Environment, Cntd.

Chapter 3: Economic Challenges Facing Contemporary Business. (Read pp. 64-86)

Chapter 4: Competing in World Markets (Read pp. 96-121) Introductions

Course Syllabus APA Lecture

Lecture: Chapter 3 and 4 3 Starting and Growing Your Business

Chapter 5: Forms of Business Ownership (Read pp. 132-160) Chapter 6: Starting Your Own Business (Read pp. 168-189) Learner Participation

In-Class Activity

4 Management: Empower People to Achieve Business

Chapter 7: Management, Leadership & the Internal Organization (Read pp. 200-218)

Chapter 8: Human Resource Management: From Recruitment to Labor Relations (Read pp. 230-250)

Generations in the Workplace Lecture Learner Participation

5 Management: Empower People to Achieve Business, Cntd.

Chapter 9: Top Performance Through Empowerment, Teamwork, & Communication (Read pp. 260-279)

Chapter 10: Production & Operations Management (Read pp. 288-308) Learner Participation

Lecture: Chapter 9 and 10 6 Marketing Management

Chapter 11: Customer Driven Marketing (Read pp. 320-344) Chapter 12: Product & Distribution Strategies (Read pp. 364-373) Learner Participation

(7)

7 Marketing Management, Cntd.

Chapter 13: Promotion and Pricing Strategies (Read pp. 390-418) Social Media Marketing Lecture

Managing Technology and Information

Chapter 14: Using Technology to Manage Information (Read pp. 428-444)

Learner Participation In-Class Activity

Lecture: Chapters 13, 14, and Social Media Marketing 8 Managing Financial Resources

Chapter 15: Understanding Accounting & Financial Statements (Read pp. 456-478)

Chapter 16: The Financial System (Read pp. 488-513) Chapter 17: Financial Management (Read pp. 520-539) Learner Participation

Lecture: Chapters 15, 16, and 17 9 Review and Wrap-up

Learner Participation In-Class Activity

Final Business Plan Due Policy Statements:

University Policies

University policies are provided in the current course catalog and course schedules. They are also available on the university website. This class is governed by the university’s published policies. The following policies are of particular interest: Academic Honesty

The university is committed to high standards of academic honesty. Students will be held responsible for violations of these standards. Please refer to the

university’s academic honesty policies for a definition of academic dishonesty and potential disciplinary actions associated with it.

Drops and Withdrawals

Please be aware that, should you choose to drop or withdraw from this course, the date on which you notify the university of your decision will determine the amount of tuition refund you receive. Please refer to the university policies on drops and withdrawals (published elsewhere) to find out what the deadlines are for dropping a course with a full refund and for withdrawing from a course with a partial refund.

Special Services

If you have registered as a student with a documented disability and are entitled to classroom or testing accommodations, please inform the

administrative staff prior to the start of the term so that you may complete the appropriate paperwork. The administrative staff will communicate with the instructor and discuss appropriate accommodations for the student.

Disturbances

(8)

disruptive behavior are subject to disciplinary action, including removal from the course.

Student Assignments Retained

From time to time, student assignments or projects will be retained by The Department for the purpose of academic assessment. In every case, should the assignment or project be shared outside the academic Department, the student's name and all identifying information about that student will be redacted from the assignment or project.

Contact Hours for this Course

It is essential that all classes meet for the full instructional time as scheduled. A class cannot be shortened in length. If a class session is cancelled for any reason, it must be rescheduled

Course Policies Attendance

Attendance is expected, but students sometimes have work or family problems that cannot be avoided. However, if you must miss more than one class it may put you at a disadvantage because of the amount of material to be learned. It is not conceptually hard, but there is a tremendous amount of it. Further, material will be covered in class that is not in the text so make every effort to attend classes. However even though attendance is expected it will not normally directly affect your grade. However, if you are not present for class you will miss any material presented from outside the text and you will be unable to participate and your class participation grade could be affected.

Additional Information

Incompletes

Incomplete grade forms are turned in on the same day as final grades. If a student asks for and receives an "I" for incomplete work - it is the responsibility of the student to complete and submit all required work to the professor within 3 months of the day the Incomplete was submitted, unless otherwise noted in writing. Students will be expected to sign an Incomplete Grade form that will be an agreement with the instructor over what work must be submitted and the submittal schedule.

Finally, after finishing their incomplete, the student’s overall, final grade for the course will be reduced by ½ grade mark. For example, if after finishing their

incomplete work the student’s overall grade is an A; the final grade turned in for the student will be an A–. If completion of the incomplete work would give the student an A–, their final grade submitted will be reduced by ½ grade to a B+.

Once the terms of an “Incomplete” have been decided upon, the timing will be strictly enforced. There will not be an opportunity to extend this deadline. If the student fails to complete the agreement dictated by the instructor, they may be given an F or a ZF, which could result in academic warning, academic probation or

dismissal from the University.