Small Business Management

Small Business Management MGT 3806Y Fall 2013 Tuesdays 6:00 8:50 p.m. Room: S4037 Instructor: Greg Marsh Office Hours: Text: gregmarsh-uleth@hotmail.com greg.marsh@uleth.ca Tuesdays 5:00-5:50pm and by appointment Canadian Entrepreneurship & Small Business Management: (8 th Ed.) (D. Wesley Balderson) McGraw Hill Ryerson ISBN 978-0070000209 (Order through bookstore.uleth.ca) Prerequisites: Third-year standing (a minimum of 60.0 credit hours) Course Description: This course provides an overview of the macro and micro factors that shape the environment within which the small business owner and manager operates. Common entrepreneurial issues will be presented, examined and discussed to provide you with fundamentals of Small Business Management. Small businesses are a significant contributor to the Canadian economy. This course will explore small business in Canada, the important role it plays and the fundamental knowledge needed to start a small business venture. Learning outcomes will include an MGT 3806Y Fall 2013 1

understanding of skills needed to start and operate a small business; personality traits that are commonly found among successful entrepreneurs; understanding the challenges faced when deciding whether or not to expand the business to a multi-location operation; common pitfalls of failed small business ventures; and key formula to know to help a potential entrepreneur quickly determine the potential viability of a venture; strengths and weaknesses of buying and existing business (including a franchise) vs. starting a new business; and human resources / staffing challenges for the small business owner. Method of Assessment: Midterm Exam 25 % Oct. 15 Final Exam 30 % Dec. 10 Business Plan Concept 10 % Oct. 22 Business Plan / Report 35 % Nov. 22 TOTAL 100 % Examinations Exams can consist of short answer, essays and / or case questions. Class Project This will be a group or individual project that will focus on the creation of a business plan for a specific and viable small business venture. The purpose of the assignment is to allow students to understand the planning and research required during the conceptual stage of beginning a new business. Students can either a) Create a Business Plan for a hypothetical small business that would likely lead to a successful entrepreneurial venture if put into practice or b) Create a Business Plan for an actual small business concept. In this latter case, an acceptable outcome of the plan could include the student realizing their concept is not viable due to such factors as insufficient expected cash flow, insufficient demand for the goods or services, unacceptable profit margins or an unrealistic break-even sales volume. It is recommended the small business be one that you would consider forming at one point in your life. MGT 3806Y Fall 2013 2

Professionalism: Students are expected to act in a professional manner. Therefore points will not be awarded for professional behavior. Points however can be lost for unprofessional behavior. The following is a list of behaviors that are deemed to be unprofessional: Poor Attendance: Missing more than three hours of lecture (one class) Coming to class late (ten minutes into the class) more than once Leaving class early without acceptable excuse (pre-approved) Poor Attention in Class: Text messaging Having your cell phone ring in class (one excuse acceptable) Speaking on your cell phone in class or leaving class to speak or text Reading non-course-related material in class Excessive chatting with the person next to you Grading Scheme: Percent Mark Letter Grade Grade Points Percent Mark Letter Grade Grade Points 95-100 A+ 4.0 90-94 A 4.0 86-89 A- 3.7 82-85 B+ 3.3 78-81 B 3.0 74-77 B- 2.7 70-73 C+ 2.3 66-69 C 2.0 62-65 C- 1.7 58-61 D+ 1.3 50-57 D 1.0 0-49 F 0 Course Policies: 1. Prerequisites. It is the responsibility of students to check the prerequisites for courses before registration. If students are found to be registered in a course for which they do not have the prerequisites, and they have not received prior permission from the appropriate program chair, they can be de-registered. If this occurs after the drop/add date, tuition will not be refunded. 2. Examinations. Alternative arrangements for writing a missed exam may be made at the discretion of the instructor. Deferrals may only be granted in extenuating circumstances such as extreme illness or other serious circumstances beyond the student s control. Work commitments, holidays or traffic are not considered legitimate reasons for missing an exam. MGT 3806Y Fall 2013 3

Students who fail to write final exams must provide satisfactory evidence of illness or extenuating circumstances AND must have the approval of the Dean for a makeup exam. For missed exams, a grade of F (0 marks) will be given. Deferred final exams can only be written at times set by the school and instructor. Please note that if a final exam deferral is granted, the date will be set by the instructor and department. Students who fail to write final exams must provide satisfactory evidence of illness or extenuating circumstances AND must have the approval of the Dean for a makeup exam. For missed exams, a grade of F (0 marks) will be given. 3. Exam policies: For security reasons, students may not leave the examination site during the first thirty (30) minutes nor enter after the first thirty (30) minutes. Data or internetenabled phones (i.e. Blackberry, I-Phone etc.), laptops or other electronic devices may not be used during examinations without prior approval of the instructor. Students, who are found to have an electronic device on their person or desk during an examination, could be in breach of the electronic devices policy, which could result in a 0 grade on the exam. Please see additional examination policies in the 2013/2014 University Calendar, page 85. 4. Academic Dishonesty. In cases of academic misconduct, you will receive an F on the assignment and/or you will receive an F in the course. Students can find further information in the 2013-2014 Calendar. Ethical Conduct: The University s policies are described in the calendar and all students are expected to read and comply with them. Special care should be taken to understand and avoid the Academic Offenses of Plagiarism and Cheating listed in the Student Discipline Policy. Students will respect the basic standards of intellectual integrity, including, but not limited to, refraining from plagiarism, cheating or copying someone else s work. In addition, students are expected to take an active role in encouraging other members of the academic community to refrain from academic dishonesty, and are asked to advise the instructor if they are aware of any such violations. This provision applies to any work submitted as a group project. Plagiarism: to steal and pass off the ideas and words of another as one s own (Webster s). Plagiarism will not be tolerated and will automatically result in a zero grade for the submission. Any student caught plagiarizing may also be subject to additional University sanctions. For the current university policy on Cheating and Plagiarism, please consult University of Lethbridge calendar. The University of Lethbridge subscribes to a plagiarism detection service. Students may be required to submit their written work in electronic form for plagiarism checking. MGT 3806Y Fall 2013 4

Class Schedule: Below is merely a tentative outline. Depending on how coverage of various issues progresses, we may spend more time on certain topics and less time on others. Date Topic Chapters September 10 th Overview of Small Business Management September 17 th The Role of Entrepreneurship and Small Business in Canada Discussion of the Group Project Chapter 1 September 24 th Small Business Decisions Evaluation of Business Opportunity Chapter 2 Chapter 3 October 1 st Organizing the Business Plan Buying a Business Chapter 4 Chapter 5 October 8 th Franchising Financing a Small Business Review - Midterm Exam Chapter 6 Chapter 7 October 15 th Midterm Exam - Chapters 1 7 October 22 nd Marketing the Small Business (Part I) Small Business Plan Concept due (6:05 p.m.) Chapter 8 October 29 th Marketing the Small Business (Part II) Chapter 8 November 5 th November 12 th November 19 th Small Business and Electronic Commerce Financial Management Operations Management In-Class Time to work on Group Project Human Resources Management In-Class Time to work on Group Project Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 November 26 th Tax Management Small Business Plan / Report due (6:05 p.m.) Chapter 13 December 3 rd Managing Growth Chapter 14 December 10 th Final Exam - Chapters 8 14 + Cumulative MGT 3806Y Fall 2013 5