Syllabus

BUS 1113-760   Introduction to Business  

Textbook - Understanding Business, 10th edition by Nickels, McHugh, & McHugh.

ISBN  0077669096   --   Loose-leaf version packaged w/ UB Online  (available in NSCC Bookstore)

ISBN  978-0-07-352459-7 -- Hardback edition

COURSE DESCRIPTION

An introduction to the private enterprise system.  Topics covered include forms of business organizations, business finance, human resource management, production, entrepreneurship, business ethics, marketing, and the changing business environment.  Pre-requisites:  ENGL 0810 and READ 0810 (or demonstration of equivalent skills)

COURSE OUTCOMES

Course outcomes will be pursued through a combination of lecture, class discussion, student presentations of selected cases or topics, and written assignments. Students will participate in activities designed to enhance their abilities in communication, critical thinking, and problem solving.

After completing BUS 1113, students should be able to:

  1.  Examine the changing environments affecting businesses both domestically and globally.

  2.  Describe basic global and domestic economic systems and trends.

  3.  Identify ethical and social responsibilities of businesses.

  4.  Compare and contrast the basic forms of business ownership.

  5.  Examine entrepreneurship and the importance of small businesses to the American economy.

  6.  Describe basic management functions and explain various management styles.

  7.  Identify major aspects of the production and operations management processes.

  8.  Compare various corporate motivational theories.

  9.  Examine the marketing concept and its applications.

10.  Recognize the basic role of financial management.

11.  Describe the role of securities markets for financing and investing opportunities.

12.  Identify the basic concepts of business law.

SUMMARY OF COURSE REQUIREMENTS

1)    Read the assigned material in the textbook (see the Schedule)

2)    Complete the 4 online tests

3)    Submit 4 Video Case Studies

4)    Introduction (Discussions) Assignment

OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES

There are a variety of online learning materials within each chapter. These are not required but are recommended to help you develop mastery of the subject.

ONLINE TESTS

Test questions for each of the online tests will come from material covered in the textbook and the Web lessons. In order for the online tests to be proctored, you must take them in the Testing Center in the Library on the Nashville Tech campus or at a Nashville Tech off-campus site. Testing Center hours are: 8:00 a.m.-7:30 p.m. Monday - Thursday, 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m. on Fridays, and 9:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. on Saturday (video and web students only on Saturday). Please call me with any questions. You must have a photo I.D. to take tests in the Testing Center. Tennessee Board of Regents rules and regulations require that no children under 12 years of age will be allowed in the Testing Center.

The online tests are timed and one attempt is allowed. You will be allowed two hours to complete a test.

TEST MAKE-UP POLICY

Tests will not be available after the deadline published in the Schedule. Missed tests will receive a grade of zero. There will be a five point per day grade reduction for late tests in the unlikely event that an extension is approved. Clearly, this is to encourage you not to procrastinate until the deadline.

Please read Testing Instructions (found on CONTENTS page) for more details.

VIDEO CASE STUDIES

There are four written case study assignments due throughout the semester.  Due dates are listed in the SCHEDULE and they correspond to the four test due dates. The cases involve a short analysis of the chapter videos that can be accessed through the CONTENTS page of the web course. Specific instructions can be accessed on the CONTENT page or by clicking on the appropriate video case study under TESTS/CASES. Answer all assignments in a professional manner.  Use complete, well thought-out sentences with no grammatical errors.              

EXTRA-CREDIT

Extra-credit can be earned by completing the Practice Tests. Practice Tests are available through the QUIZZES page. You will be able to increase your final average by up to 10%. Credit will be awarded based on the PERCENTAGE of CORRECT responses that you submit during the semester. For example, there are 12 Practice Tests, and if you make a 90% on every test, you will have 9 points added to your final average.  OR if you make 100% on 6 tests, you will have answered 50% of ALL possible questions correctly, and you will have 5 points added to your final average.... (This means that you can improve your average by a whole letter grade by correctly completing all of the Practice Tests.) Practice Tests may be taken multiple times and your highest grade will count.

The Practice Tests are a very valuable study tool. Even if you don't need extra credit, I urge you to use them to help you study for the regular tests!

ATTENDANCE and SATISFACTORY PROGRESS

Access to the NS Online component for all courses, study aids, tests, and exams will be available on the first day of classes for the semester. The benefit which you can derive from your course is related directly to the effort which you put into your studies. Attendance, defined as completing assignments on time, is critical to your success. Dates are published for the last opportunity to complete various assignments such as chapters to read, and tests and exams to complete. These dates will not be extended. A student that stops attending (completing assignments on time) during the semester, and does not withdraw, will be assigned a grade of “FA” - Failure, attendance related (unofficial withdrawal).  A student that never attends, and does not withdraw, will be assigned a grade of “FN” - Failure, never attended class (unofficial withdrawal). A student must withdraw officially from a course or the college rather than stop attending. Please refer to the most recent Nashville State catalog for information on withdrawing.

***Failing to submit two consecutive assignments or failure to take two exams will result in a grade     of F for the course.

You do not need to contact me in order to “check in” as long as you are up to date on your assignments. 

NSCC POLICIES

Student Communication Channels
It is the student’s responsibility to check NS Online and MyNSCC email on a regular basis.  These are the official communication channels between the college and students. Students are responsible for the information communicated through those channels.  NS Online contains specific course information and MyNSCC contains information important for other purposes.

Early Warning System
Nashville State Community College has implemented an Early Warning System to notify students via e-mail about academic problems such as poor classroom attendance, poor performance on assignments/tests, poor communication skills, late/missing assignments, and/or lack of classroom participation.  Please note that Early Warning Alerts do not affect a student’s academic standing.

ADA Compliance Statement
Nashville State complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act.  If you wish to request any special accommodations for any courses in which you are enrolled, contact the Student Disabilities Office at 353.3721.

Classroom Misconduct
Nashville State Community College has a zero tolerance policy for disruptive conduct in the classroom. Students whose behavior disrupts the classroom will be subject to disciplinary sanctions. Please consult your Student Handbook for more specific details. The instructor has primary responsibility for control over classroom behavior and maintenance of academic integrity. He/she can order temporary removal or exclusion from the classroom of any student engaged in disruptive conduct or in conduct which violates the general rules and regulations of the College. Disruptive behavior in the classroom may be defined as, but is not limited to, behavior that obstructs or disrupts the learning environment (e.g., offensive language, harassment of students and professors, repeated outbursts from a student which disrupt the flow of instruction or prevent concentration on the subject taught, failure to cooperate in maintaining classroom decorum, etc.), the continued use of any electronic or other noise or light emitting device which disturbs others (e.g., disturbing noises from beepers, cell phones, palm pilots, lap-top computers, games, etc.).

Please be aware that children are not allowed in class or unattended on campus.

Academic Dishonesty (Honor Code)
Any form of academic dishonesty, cheating, plagiarizing, or other academic misconduct is prohibited. “Plagiarism may result from: (1) failing to cite quotations and borrowed ideas, (2) failing to enclose borrowed language in quotation marks, and (3) failing to put summaries and paraphrases in your own words (A Writer’s Reference 331). Academic dishonesty may be defined as, but is not limited to, intentionally trying to deceive by claiming credit for the work of another person, using information from a web page or source without citing the reference, fraudulently using someone else’s work on an exam, paper, or assignment, recycling your own work from another course, purchasing papers or materials from another source and presenting them as your own, attempting to obtain exams/materials/assignments in advance of the date of administration by the instructor, impersonating someone else in a testing situation, providing confidential test information to someone else, submitting the same assignment in two different classes without requesting both instructor’s permission, allowing someone else to copy or use your work, using someone else’s work to complete your own, altering documents, transcripts or grades, and forging a faculty/staff member’s signature.

In addition to other possible disciplinary sanctions that may be imposed through regular college procedures as a result of academic dishonesty the instructor has the authority to assign an “F” or a “Zero” for the exercise, paper, or examination or to assign an “F” for the course. Students may appeal through the appropriate college grade appeal procedures.

Inclement Weather Policy
In the event of an inclement weather event, check the Nashville State web site home page at www.nscc.edu for announcements on campus closures. Campus closures will also be announced on local television stations (channels 2, 4, 5, and 17). When classes are cancelled, an online assignment will be posted in NS Online. Check your NS Online email for a message from your instructor regarding your online assignment requirements. Even though classes may be cancelled, some areas, i.e. Testing Center, may be open. However, you should check before commuting to campus. The Vice President for Academic Affairs and the Director of Security are responsible for cancellation decisions during an inclement weather event for the Nashville State main campus and the Southeast campus. Cookeville, Waverly, and Dickson Campus Directors will make class cancellation decisions based on conditions in their respective areas. Decisions about class cancellations are based on actual conditions, not forecasts. The perspective used for making decisions is that of the college as an employer, not as a K-12 institution. Students should use their own best judgment in determining whether to report to campus during inclement weather when classes are not cancelled.