Course Syllabus

Course Name: Small Business Management

Course Number: MGMT 2166, CRN 20760, Fall 2008

A study of entrepreneurship and small business management, planning, and operations. The role of the small business sector in our economy will be studied as well as the rewards and disadvantages associated with small business operations. Financial controls and analysis will receive special emphasis.

Pre-requisites/Co-requisites: Learning Support Reading, English, Math (when required).

Course Learning Outcomes:

1. Demonstrate an understanding of the various forms of business organization (sole, proprietorships, partnerships, corporations) as they relate to the organization of a small business.

2. Demonstrate an understanding of the nature of entrepreneurship and the characteristics of successful entrepreneurs.

3. Demonstrate an understanding of the financial control processes available to help small businesses be successful.

4. Demonstrate an ability to apply financial control processes to small business operations.

College Policy on Class Attendance: Courses at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College are provided for the intellectual growth and development of students. To attain maximum success, students must attend all their classes, be on time, and attend all scheduled course activities including, but not limited to, field trips, seminars, study sessions, individual conferences, and lectures. This interaction with instructors and other students is an important element of the learning process, and a high correlation exists between class attendance and course grades. A student must understand the importance of regular participation in classroom and laboratory activities. The absence of any student affects not only his or her performance but the performance of the class as a whole. Absence from class, for whatever reason, does not excuse a student from full responsibility for class work or assignments missed. Students must accept this responsibility.

Instructors will keep accurate attendance records and must report the individual number of absences with midterm and final grades. Students whose number of unexcused absences is more than twice the number of class meetings per week (the equivalent of two weeks of instruction) will receive a grade of "F" for the course. Fewer absences than twice the number of class meetings per week may result in grade penalties at the discretion of the instructor. Specific attendance requirements applying to labs, clinics, accelerated classes or Learning Support will be adapted to the unique situation by the appropriate division. Final determination of what constitutes an excused absence rests with the classroom instructor. In implementing this policy, faculty will not include in a student's unexcused absences those absences incurred due to authorized and approved college sponsored events (or in the case of joint-enrollment students high-school sponsored events) in which the student represents the institution as part of a group or under the direct supervision of a faculty or staff member.

Whenever a student is absent, whether for official or personal reasons, the student must assume responsibility and provide notice to the instructor, preferably in advance, for making arrangements for any assignments and class work missed because of the absence. However, final approval for make up work remains with the individual instructor. The maximum number of unexcused classes for this class is four.

A student who stops attending class without officially withdrawing from the course is subject to this attendance policy and will receive a grade of "F" for the course.

At the beginning of each semester, instructors will explain clearly to their students specific attendance requirements (including possible penalties). Additionally, they will publish the attendance policy on their syllabi and web-sites.

A student penalized for excessive absences may appeal through the grade appeal process, as stated in ABAC's college catalog and student handbook. (Revised 7/28/05)

NOTE: Students are considered absent if not present when their name is called as part of the role. Absence from class will considered excused only if such absence is a result of illness, certain family emergencies (to be evaluated on a case-by-case basis) or participation in required school-sponsored evolutions (such as field trips). (Doctors appointments, dentist’s appointments, job interviews, etc. should be scheduled so as to not conflict with scheduled classes.) Unusual circumstances shall be considered on a case-by-case basis.

College Policy on Academic Dishonesty: Because Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College has the dual responsibility of educating students and helping them mature into worthy citizens who take their place in the larger community, it has adopted a code for dealing with academic irregularities.

Academic irregularities include, but are not limited to, giving or receiving of unauthorized assistance in the preparation of any academic or clinical assignment; taking or attempting to take, stealing, or otherwise obtaining in an unauthorized manner any material pertaining to the education process; selling, giving, lending, or otherwise furnishing to any person any question and/or answers to any examination known to be scheduled at any subsequent date; fabricating, forging, or falsifying lab or clinical results; plagiarism in any form related to themes, essays, term papers, tests, and other assignments; breaching any confidentiality regarding patient information.

Due Process for Academic Dishonesty Cases

Step 1. When a faculty member suspects that a student has engaged in academic dishonesty, the faculty member will call the student into a private meeting in the faculty member’s office. (The division chair will be notified of and will approve any action.)

Step 2. The faculty member will confront the student with the evidence of dishonesty and/or academic irregularity. The faculty member and the student will discuss the specifics of what occurred. If the student confesses and accepts responsibility for academic dishonesty, then the faculty member will ask the student to sign in his/her own handwriting, a statement which makes clear that the student admits responsibility for the academic dishonesty. The faculty member will then consult with the division chair. The faculty member is then free to reprimand the student, to give a failing grade for the assignment, or to require the student to resubmit the assignment in question. With approval of the division chair, the faculty member can increase the penalty up to and including a "WF" for the course if the incident(s) merit this severe penalty.

Step 3. If the student refuses to sign a statement accepting responsibility for the act(s) of academic dishonesty, then a full hearing on the matter must be held. The faculty member and chair will document this incident and schedule a meeting with the student. This information will be turned over to the Academic Dean, who will make the determination of charges against the student and notify him/her in writing. The charges will be mailed by the Academic Dean to the student along with a notice to appear at a hearing, and, if the student wishes, to bring witnesses. At least three days’ notice is necessary unless the student waives the notice in writing.

Step 4. If the student requests a hearing, the Academic Dean has the option of hearing the case for administrative adjudication, convening a special hearing panel including faculty and students, or of referring it to the Student Life Hearing panel which handles all other disciplinary matters on campus. The committee will provide its recommendation to the Academic Dean. The Student Life Hearing Panel, when hearing cases of academic dishonesty, will include two faculty members, two students (one of whom will be the SGA president and the other an associate justice,) and the Director of Student Life, who oversees campus discipline and the Code of Conduct. The Chief Justice of the SGA chairs the panel. The Vice President for Student Affairs will serve as advisor to the panel for all academic dishonesty cases. In general, the decision of the Academic Dean or his/her designee will not be appealed to the Student Life Hearing Panel. An appeal of the Dean’s decision will go directly to the President who may choose to use the Student Life Hearing Panel to make a recommendation to him.

Step 5. The student has a right to appeal the decision of the hearing officer or hearing panel within ten calendar days of the decision. The appeal will be to the President or his designee. The President’s decision is final. The President reserves the right to review all disciplinary cases and the judgments made during the process.

If there is a student in this class who has specific needs because of learning disabilities or any other disability, please feel free to contact the instructor.

　

　

　

INSTRUCTOR: Earl F. Denham, CM (edenham@abac.edu)

OFFICE: Conger Hall – 217A

PHONE: 391-4835

OFFICE HOURS: 11:00 – 12:00 a.m. Monday through Friday & 2:00 – 3:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Other times are available by appointment.

TEXTBOOK: Timothy S. Hatten: Small Business Management: Entrepreneurship and Beyond

The accompanying STUDY GUIDE is recommended, but not required.

REQUIREMENTS AND GRADING SYSTEM: This course will assess a student’s skills in three areas: one is substantive information that will be assessed through objective tests; the second is analytical skills that will be assessed through case studies involving periodical summaries; and the third is research skills that will be assessed through the development of a business plan for a business that produces a hypothetical product or service you will choose and have approved by me. The grade you earn will depend on your performance in these three areas.

A student may earn a maximum of 600 points in this class. You will take 4 tests, one for each unit in the course. Each test will contain 25 multiple-choice questions and is worth 100 points each for a total of 400 points. You will also need to choose a business (product or service), have it approved by the instructor, research it, and write a business plan covering all aspects of a small business startup. Type it or use a word-processor and follow the format on the handout that will be provided to you. The project will count for 100 points. Computer or printer problems are not acceptable reasons for late reports! In addition, each student will be required to submit a minimum of 1 summary per unit of a periodical article (current event) pertaining to the subject matter discussed in that unit for a total of 4 summaries. Each article will count for 25 points for a total of 100 points. Students must show how the article pertains to the subject matter and should be at least three pages long but normally no longer than four. Follow the format on the attached handout. It is virtually impossible to make a passing grade without acceptable article summaries!

GRADING SYSTEM: A=540-600, B=480-539, C=420-479, D=360-419, F=Below 359. A summary of the relative weights making up the final course grade for all students follows:

Four Unit Tests ……………………….…………………….……………………….400

Project ………………………………………………………………………………...100

Article Summaries…………………………………………………………………...100

Total………………………………………………………………………………......600

Class Participation: I have provided a tentative schedule of daily activities, topics to be covered, and assignments in this syllabus. I expect each student to come to class prepared. That is, read the chapters prior to class. We will analyze actual cases and have class discussions pertaining to the subject matter and every student will participate. While student participation is subjective, active involvement in the topics under review makes for a positive impression and will improve your grade.

LIBRARY RESOURCES: GIL is the name of the online catalog for the ABAC library. It can be used to locate books owned by Baldwin Library. From GIL you may also link to GALILEO, other library catalogs, and the Baldwin Library Web Page. Application forms for activation of your ABAC library number are available on the ABAC web page and at the library. I encourage you to use the library to locate books and supplementary materials for this course.

STUDENT SUCCESS CENTER: Tutoring is available at the Student Success Center free of charge to all currently enrolled ABAC students. Students can also get assistance with all aspects of writing, from developing a thesis to editing a draft. If you need assistance, I highly recommend you take advantage of this service.

LATENESS: You are expected to be on time for class. I will take attendance during the first few minutes of class, make whatever announcements are appropriate, and quickly review material from the previous class meeting. At that point, I will shut the door. If you are tardy, it is your responsibility to verify your inclusion on the daily roll at the end of that class. If you are late for more than three classes, I will revoke the opportunity to be counted present at a later time and the four unexcused absences will apply.

TESTING POLICY: The day each test is given is clearly marked on the course calendar. YOU ARE EXPECTED TO TAKE THE TEST IN CLASS WITH YOUR CLASSMATES. PRIOR APPROVAL IS NEEDED TO CHANGE THIS POLICY. ALL EXCUSED ABSENCES FOR TESTS MUST BE APPROVED BY ME BEFORE THE DAY OF THE TEST. Students who miss scheduled examinations will not be allowed to take a make-up examination without a valid and compelling excuse. Unless one is hospitalized, or has documentation of a serious problem, there will be no make-up examinations. These rules are designed to give every student virtually the same testing conditions and opportunities. Students with at least two recorded unexcused absences will not be allowed to take any make-up examinations.

WITHDRAWAL POLICY: If you fail to meet the attendance policy, you are subject to being withdrawn from the course at the discretion of the instructor. If you determine during the course of the semester that you will not be able to successfully fulfill the requirements for this course, you may withdraw yourself. The mid-term deadline for withdrawal without academic penalty is October 9, 2008, 4:30 p.m.

ACADEMIC FREEDOM AND STUDENT BEHAVIOR: The free and open exchange of ideas is vital to the pursuit of learning. Each student is strongly encouraged to participate in class. In any classroom situation that includes discussion and critical thinking, there are bound to be many differing viewpoints. These differences enhance the learning experience and create an atmosphere where students and instructors alike will be encouraged to think and learn. On sensitive and volatile topics, students may sometimes disagree not only with each other but also with the instructor. Any student that exhibits disruptive behavior and inhibits the learning process will be asked to leave and if necessary escorted from ABAC premises. Further disruptions, will result in the withdrawal of the student and removal from class rolls.

Hats or caps will not be worn in my classroom. Furthermore, the use of tobacco products of any kind will not be permitted. In addition, eat breakfast before class not during.

STUDENT PRIVACY: The federal government requires that student privacy be preserved, thus the posting of grades, even by the last four digits of the social security number is forbidden. All communication will remain between the instructor and the student, and the instructor will not be able to share details of the student's performance with parents, spouses, etc.

ELECTRONIC AND COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT USE: Turn off all pagers and cell phones prior to class! I also find the use of personal tape recorders to be disruptive; therefore, do not use them without obtaining permission from me.

CONTACTING THE INSTRUCTOR: It is far preferable to speak to me before you have a problem, than it is to pick up the pieces afterwards! To that end, I keep regular office hours with other times available by appointment. Furthermore, I check my e-mail regularly. I urge you to contact me with any problems you may be having regarding completing this course before the problem becomes insurmountable.

COURSE CONTENT, SCHEDULE OF DAILY ACTIVITIES AND ASSIGNMENTS:

(This is a tentative schedule and is subject to change.)

August 19, 2008-Introductions, getting acquainted, and executing the contract

August 21, 2008-Unit 1-The Challenge and Planning in Small Business, Small Business: An Overview, read chapter 1

August 26, 2008-Small Business Management, Entrepreneurship, and Ownership, read chapter 2

August 28, 2008-Social Responsibility, Ethics, and Strategic Planning, read chapter 3

September 2, 2008-Social Responsibility, Ethics, and Strategic Planning continued

September 4, 2008-First article due, The Business Plan, read Chapter 4

September 9, 2008-The Business Plan continued

September 11, 2008-Unit 1 Test

September 16, 2008-Unit 2, Early Decisions and Financial Management, Franchising, read chapter 5

September 18, 2008-Franchising continued

September 23, 2008- Taking Over an Existing Business, read chapter 6

September 25, 2008-Starting a New Business, read chapter 7

October 2, 2008-Accounting Records and Financial Statements, read chapter 8

October 7, 2008-Accounting Records and Financial Statements continued

October 9, 2008, 4:30 p.m. Mid-term deadline for withdrawal without academic penalty

October 9, Second article due, Small Business Finance, read chapter 9

October 13-14, 2008, Fall Break, no class

October 16, 2008-The Legal Environment, read chapter 10

October 21, 2008-Unit 2 Test

October 23, 2008-Unit 3 Marketing the Product or Service, Small Business Marketing: Strategy and Research, read chapter 11

October 28, 2008-Small Business Marketing: Product, read chapter 12

October 30, 2008- Small Business Marketing: Place, read chapter 13

November 4, 2008-Third article due, Small Business Marketing: Price and Promotion, read chapter 14

November 6, 2008-Small Business Marketing: Price and Promotion continued

November 11, 2008-Unit 3 Test

November 13, 2008-Unit 4 Managing Small Business, International Small Business, read chapter 15

November 18, 2008-Professional Small Business Management read chapter 16

November 20, 2008-Human Resource Management, read chapter 17

November 25, 2008-Fourth article due, Operations Management, read chapter 18

November 26-27, 2008, Thanksgiving Holidays

December 2, 2008-Operations Management

December 4, 2008-Research Projects Due, Last Day of Class

December 9, 2008-Final Exam-8:00 a.m.

　

PROJECT FORMAT

  1. Identify a topic that is relevant to this course, for example social responsibility.

  2. Research and identify three instances where this topic is an issue. In other words, provide the background for the relevance of this topic using a minimum of three sources. You must cite your sources including a bibliography. The text is not a source for this project except for the major topic.

  3. Provide an overview of each of these events. (25%)

  4. Cite the events and explain their relevance to your topic. Why does it apply? How? (25%)

  5. Has the issue been resolved? How? (25%)

  6. Do you agree with the resolution of these events? Support your position in each case. (15%)

  7. Length should be approximately 6-7 double-spaced pages.

  8. The general layout follows:

    1. Title page to include course information, topic, student’s name, and instructor’s name.

    2. Introduction, body, and conclusion.

    3. References page (bibliography).

  9. Do not buy folders, binders, or other fancy holders for your project. Simply place a staple in the upper left-hand corner and turn it in on time. Late papers will not be accepted.

  10. When you use someone else’s words, you must cite the source. Plagiarizing someone else’s work is unacceptable and will result in dismissal from this class with a grade of F.

  11. Grammar, punctuation, and spelling will account for 10% of your grade.

　

　

　

　

FORMAT FOR PERIODICAL SUMMARY

  1. Topic – Identify the topic as it relates to this unit.

  2. Source of information. Newsweek, Time, Wall Street Journal, etc. to include date.

  3. Summary of article. (30% of grade)

  4. How does it relate to what we have or will discuss? (30% of grade)

  5. Student’s position on arguments, findings, or disposition (settlement, etc.) to include reasons for reaching this conclusion with supporting arguments. In other words, support your position. (30% of grade)

  6. Length should be 3-4 double-spaced pages.

7. Grammar, spelling, punctuation, and other quality factors (poor print quality, etc.) will account for 10% of grade.

　

　

Periodical Format Example

　

Intro: identify the subject. Example:

Bruce Weinstein, PhD asks the question If It’s Legal, It’s Ethical…Right? In an article in BusinessWeek, October 15, 2007, Dr. Weinstein asks this question regarding a TV crew allowing a woman to drive while drunk when they were filming a reality show regarding alcoholism. (Finish the summary)

How does it relate? In this case, he echoes the point regarding the law being the minimum standard and the ethical requirements are from a higher authority and he asks further questions. (Expand this point)

Citations: According to Dr. Weinstein, we should not limit our involvement in what benefits just us, but to be fully human, get involved, and go beyond what the law allows.

Other citations: "In fact, simply being an observer, you are ethically …..around us."(Weinstein)

Conclusion: Give me your thoughts on this issue. In my opinion, reality shows push the ethical envelope. They encourage cheating, lying, and unethical behavior. I agree with Dr. Weinstein that we have a moral obligation to get involved.