Interactive Syllabus
Fall 2005
User Name and Password
You must use a user name and password after the first week of class. Without these words you will not be able to access the course materials. Your username is the first four letters of your last name and the last four numbers of your social security number. For example, if my name was Donna Smith and my social security number was 123-45-6789 then my username and password would be smit6789. Notice that I have used all lowercase numbers for my last name. If your last name has less than four letters than your entire last name should be used as the first part of your username and password.
In the boxes below please type the username and password you will be using in this class.
Username:
Password:
Course Description
3 units
Introduction to management techniques used by small businesses in the free enterprise system. Product ideas, evaluations, planning, start-up problems, structuring and financing, purchasing inventory, locations, hiring, business law, taxes, permits and insurance. Preparation of a comprehensive Business Plan project. Degree Applicable. CSU
Prerequisite: None.
Recommended Preparation: None.
Materials Required
Text: Small Business Management: An Entrepreneurial Emphasis, 13th edition. Longenecker, Moore, Petty, and Palich. Thomson, South-Western: 2006. ISBN: 0-324-22612-8
If you are not using your own computer you will need some disks to save your work.
There are several online handouts for this class. A three-ring binder would be helpful in keeping these handouts organized.
Course Learning Outcomes and Objectives
After successfully completing this class students will be able to:
Identify rewards, drawbacks, and causes of failure for small business owners Determine the forces, nature and degree of competition in an industry and potential strategies to overcome these forces Explain the concepts of market segmentation and niche marketing and its relevance to small business Determine forces and approaches used to determine the potential profitability of a business Create a business plan Identify concepts of consumer behavior and develop product strategies Explain pricing strategies and the use of break even analysis Describe the personnel constraints faced by small business Distinguish between income, cash flow, and interpret financial statements Use financial ratios to evaluate a company's financial position Describe various aspects of working capital management and capital budgeting
Identify rewards, drawbacks, and causes of failure for small business owners
Determine the forces, nature and degree of competition in an industry and potential strategies to overcome these forces
Explain the concepts of market segmentation and niche marketing and its relevance to small business
Determine forces and approaches used to determine the potential profitability of a business
Create a business plan
Identify concepts of consumer behavior and develop product strategies
Explain pricing strategies and the use of break even analysis
Describe the personnel constraints faced by small business
Distinguish between income, cash flow, and interpret financial statements
Use financial ratios to evaluate a company's financial position
Describe various aspects of working capital management and capital budgeting
Online Course Requirements
Online courses taken at Barstow College require the following minimum requirements.
An Internet browser to access web pages. Netscape 3.0, Internet Explorer 3.0 or the equivalent is the minimum. An Internet Service Provider or access to the Barstow College computer labs. Your own email account to receive and submit class materials and assignments. Good time management skills. The ability to create and submit college level written materials.
An Internet browser to access web pages. Netscape 3.0, Internet Explorer 3.0 or the equivalent is the minimum.
An Internet Service Provider or access to the Barstow College computer labs.
Your own email account to receive and submit class materials and assignments.
Good time management skills.
The ability to create and submit college level written materials.
What are the online course requirements at Barstow College?
Critical Thinking Tasks and Assignments
Students will be exposed to and will engage in critical thinking through the following experiences:
Learning and applying business concepts, theories, principles, and terminology to managing a small business Resolving a variety of business related cases and problems Developing a Business Plan
Learning and applying business concepts, theories, principles, and terminology to managing a small business
Resolving a variety of business related cases and problems
Developing a Business Plan
Course Completion Requirements
Read the weekly assigned readings and lectures. Create a Business Plan Complete all assigned quizzes. Complete four case studies. Complete a midterm and final exam. (See "Midterm and Final Exam" Section below) Participate in the discussion board a minimum of twice weekly.
Read the weekly assigned readings and lectures.
Create a Business Plan
Complete all assigned quizzes.
Complete four case studies.
Complete a midterm and final exam. (See "Midterm and Final Exam" Section below)
Participate in the discussion board a minimum of twice weekly.
All students are expected to participate in class by submitting assignments and sharing in the discussion board. Failure to participate can result in an "F" in the course. Remember that it is the student’s responsibility to drop this class if they choose to stop participating. Failure to drop the course could result in a grade of "F" for the course.
What are the course requirements?
Grading
Final grades will be calculated as follows:
Assignment
Points Each
Number of Assignments
Total Point Value
Business Plan Preparation
10 - 40
7
100
Completed Business Plan
1
Case Studies
25
4
Quizzes
20
12
240
Class participation assignments
5
22
110
Midterm Exam
150
Final Exam
200
The following grading scale will be used:
A
900 – 1000
B
800 – 899
C
700 – 799
D
600 – 699
F
0 – 599
All assignments must be submitted in order to satisfactorily complete the requirements of this course. Any assignment that is not turned in by the end of the course will receive a grade of "F".
What grading standard is used for assignments?
An assignment is considered late if it is not turned in by midnight of the scheduled due date. All late assignments will be reduced by ten percent. Any assignment turned in over fourteen days past its due date will not receive credit.
The final exam will be given at Barstow College or via an instructor-approved proctor. (See "Midterm and Final" Section below). Both the midterm and final exams must be taken in the week they are assigned in order to receive credit. The final exam must be completed by the last day of class.
I have provided Grading Criteria sheets so that students know what to expect when completing assignments. These criteria sheets provide my grading guidelines and the point value I give each guideline. Students are expected to print out these Grading Criteria sheets and use them when completing their assignments. The link for the grading criteria sheets can be found on our class homepage.
How will students know what criteria I will use to grade their assignments?
Assignment Guidelines
Case Analysis: There are a total of 4 Case Analyses to complete during this course. These analyses are worth a total of 100 points and are based on both the textbook and online lectures. Please proofread your analysis before submitting it. Since this is a college course, I do expect college level writing. Each case analysis should be long enough to show that you understand the concepts of the case. I will not grade based on length, but rather I will grade based on content. Experience has shown me that often answers that are brief and to the point demonstrate the best understanding. However, this does not mean that one or two sentences is enough for each question. Please make sure each question is answered in a way that demonstrates a clear understanding of the topic.
What are the assignment guidelines for the case analyses in this course?
Discussion Board: Students are expected to post an answer to a discussion board question each week and respond to the postings of two other students. Answers must be posted to discussion board questions in the week indicated on the Assignment Schedule in order to receive credit. Proper netiquette is expected in all discussion board postings and a lack of it could result in a grade of "F" for the posting assignment. Late postings to the discussion board will not receive credit.
What are the discussion board guidelines for this course?
Business Plan: You will be completing a business plan in this course. Certain assignments will be given to help you in preparing your business. Keep up with these preparation assignments and you will find it much easier to complete your business plan. When you submit your business plan please make sure you have followed the suggested criterion and proofread your plan to avoid errors in spelling that distract from your plan.
What are the business plan guidelines for this course?
Quizzes: Students will be assigned a total of twelve quizzes in this course. These quizzes are based on the assigned chapters and online lectures. The quizzes are worth a total of 240 points. Quizzes can only be submitted one time. Additional submissions will not be counted in your course grade.
What are the quiz guidelines for this course?
Extra Credit Assignments: There are no extra credit assignments in this course.
Are there any extra credit assignments for this course?
Grade Book
I will begin grading assignments on the day following their due date and all students will receive their grade via our discussion board grade book. I will post grades within a week following their assignment due date. Only assignments received by that week's lesson due date will be in the grade book. Late assignments will not show up in the grade book until the following week. I will also post an assignment analysis to the discussion board the day I post grades so you will be able to determine why you may have missed points on certain assignments. You can find this analysis under the Instructor's Postings link. Assignments over fourteen days late will not receive a grade or credit. In order for me to post your grades you must provide me with a unique fictitious name. I will not post your grades if you do not provide me with a fictitious name due to student confidentiality.
What is the fictitious name you would like me to use to post your grades to our discussion board grade book?
Academic Honesty
Claiming as your own a paper, report, article, outline, or an other assignment that, in whole or part was prepared by someone other than yourself is plagiarism. All material quoted from publications, interviews, the Internet, or any other source MUST be referenced.
1. You must do your own work. All assignments, including papers, tests, quizzes, etc., MUST be your own work in your own words.
2. When "borrowing" ideas from another source ALWAYS give credit to the author of the idea. If you include information that is not your own original idea you MUST cite the reference.
Claiming work as your own that is not yours is plagiarism. Plagiarism will result in failure of the course.
What is plagiarism and what are its consequences?
Methods of Instruction
Online lectures Discussion Board Individual Instruction
Online lectures
Discussion Board
Individual Instruction
Chapter Readings
Students should read each chapter assigned along with the instructor's lectures.
On-line Office Hour
I will be available during my online office hour. This hour is:
Tuesday from 5:15 p.m. to 6:15 p.m.
During my online office hour I will respond to email immediately as I receive it. If you have a question and need an immediate answer, my office hour is the best time to email me.
When students have questions of a personal nature regarding this course, they should e-mail these questions directly to the instructor and not post these questions to the discussion board.
What are your instructor's online office hours?
Midterm and Final Exam
There is a midterm and final exam for this class. The midterm and final exam consist of multiple-choice questions. The exams are based on both the online lectures and textbook chapters.
The midterm exam will be taken online. You may take the exam at home and do not require a proctor for the midterm. Since you will be taking the midterm exam at home you will be able to use your textbook and my lectures to complete the exam.
The final exam will be held on the Barstow College campus or via an instructor-approved proctor. The time and date of the final exam meeting is on your assignment sheet for this course. If you cannot attend the exam meeting, you will need to find an instructor-approved proctor and site. An approved proctor can include a librarian or education officer. An approved site can include a library or an education center. The approved site will need access to the Internet. No exceptions can be made to this Barstow College policy. The final exam will NOT be sent to anyone other than the approved proctor. If proctor arrangements need to be made they must be completed by the end of the second week of class. If you need a proctor click the proctor form button on our class homepage and complete the proctor form. No textbook or notes may be used for the final exam.
In the box below type: I have read, understand and agree to abide by the proctor statement for this course. I further understand that if I need a proctor I must arrange for one by the end of the second week of class. I also understand that I need to fill out a proctor form. In addition, I realize that filling out the proctor form does not automatically mean the instructor approves my proctor. Finally, I understand there will be no exceptions to the proctoring policy.
Disclaimer Statement
A syllabus is not a contract between instructor and student but rather a guide to course procedures on attendance, requirements, grading and objectives. The instructor reserves the right to amend the syllabus when conflicts, emergencies or situations arise that necessitate a change. Students will be notified of any changes.
