4 Credits College Now/CTE Student Outcomes Checklist www.cocc.edu/college-now Student s Signature Completion Date High School Teacher s Signature Recommended Letter Grade High School COCC Review Instructor s Signature COURSE DESCRIPTION: In this course you will learn about the many exciting and challenging facets of business and its dynamic role in today s environment. You will gain a working knowledge of the components of business which includes discussion on management, marketing and finance. During this course you will be introduced to topics which are covered in greater depth in higher level business courses. You are encouraged to use this course to explore the breadth of business topics offered in the Business Administration degrees and identify specific areas of interest or specialization. INSTRUCTIONS: To receive credit toward a Business certificate or degree, a student must earn a grade of C or higher from the tests, the four assignments, and the team presentation. Tests may NOT be retaken to achieve a higher score. It is recommended that students complete the assigned readings as well as review key terms, questions and exercises at the end of each chapter. Approved High school teachers must complete the training session (explained below) before they can teach BA 101 Introduction to Business. Any instruction related issues, contact Theresa Freihoefer, COCC Business Instructor, tfreihoefer@cocc.edu or 383-7734. REQUIRED TRAINING SESSION: There is now a one day training session to assist High School instructors in how we teach at the college. This training session includes all the materials needed to teach the course- instructor textbook, power point slides, assignments, in-class activities, team presentation information, and exams. REQUIRED TEXTBOOK: The following text is required: Understanding Business, Ninth Edition by Nickels, McHugh, McHugh (McGraw-Hill publishing). BA 101 INSTRUCTOR BLACKBOARD SITE: Please refer to the Blackboard course set up for College Now BA 101 instructors which includes everything the instructor needs to teach the course including syllabus template, course schedule, exams, assignments, power point lectures, team presentation guidelines, and much more. EXAMS: To request copies of the exams and answer keys, high school teachers should refer to the Blackboard course. GRADING: A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, D, F. See College Now Grading Policy. GRADING SCALE: A = 93 100% B = 83 86% C = 73-76% A- = 90 92% B- = 80 82% D = 65-72% B+ = 87 89% C+ = 77 79% F = 64% and below 1
GRADE CALCULATION: Item Percentage Score Weight Weighted Score Average of Tests: % x 40% = % Note: Instructor can choose to give 4 tests or a test for each chapter (see the Blackboard site for options). Assignments (maximum 100 points each) 1. Paper on U.S. Economy % 2. Marketing Analysis % 3. Financial and Stock Ratio Analysis % 4. SWOT Analysis % Average of 4 Assignments: % x 45% = % Team Presentation % x 15% = % Total Score % Recommended Letter Grade 2
COURSE OUTCOMES: The high school teacher will send the following documents to: College Now Office, Central Oregon Community College, 2600 NW College Way, Bend, OR 97703. 1. A completed and signed copy of the Student Outcomes Checklist pages 1 and 2. 2. A copy of the four graded exams for each student. 3. A copy of the 4 assignments for each student. 4. A copy of the company power point presentation. 5. A completed and signed final grade roster for the course. Learning Outcomes: In addition to gaining an understanding of the business principles described in your text and presented during the course, you will practice and develop a number of skills critical to managing a business career, including: Logical thinking and decision making Self-Management Effective communications Analytical skills Team building and working effectively with others Presentation skills On successful completion of this course, you will be able to: 1. Describe how the macroenvironment impacts a business (global, political-legal, competition, social, economic and technology). 2. Explain basic economics and how it affects business. 3. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of different types of business ownership. 4. Explain why entrepreneurship and small business are important to the U.S. economy. 5. Describe each of the four functions of management. 6. Identify the characteristics of different organizational structures. 7. Explain the importance of human resource management and describe the current issues facing human resource managers. 8. Describe the four components of marketing and apply them to a corporation. 9. Apply market segmentation and target marketing concepts to business. 10. Describe basic financial statements and calculate financial ratios to analyze the strengths of a business. 11. Explain the role and responsibilities of financial managers and the financial planning process. 12. Describe investment opportunities offered by various types of securities (stocks, bonds and mutual funds). 13. Explain the role of the Federal Reserve and how they impact business. 3
BA 101 Course Topic Outline You will note the chapters are listed out of order. This was done to facilitate the development of the team project. Contact Theresa Freihoefer at COCC with any questions. Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits Within the Dynamic Business Environment Chapter 2: Understanding How Economics Affects Business Chapter 5: Business Ownership: Starting a Small Business Chapter 6: Entrepreneurship and Starting a Small Business Test One (covers Chp 1, 2, 5, 6) Instructor can opt for chapter tests. Chapter 13: Marketing: Helping Buyers Buy Chapter 14: Developing and Pricing goods and Services Chapter 15: Distributing Products Chapter 16: Using Effective Promotions Test Two (covers Chp 13-16) Instructor can opt for chapter tests. Chapter 17: Understanding Accounting and Financial Information Chapter 18: Financial Management Chapter 19: Using Securities Markets for Financing and Investing Opportunities Chapter 20: Money, Financial Institutions, and the Federal Reserve Test Three (covers Chp 17-20) Instructor can opt for chapter tests. Chapter 7: Management and Leadership Chapter 8: Adapting Organizations to Todays Markets Chapter 11: Human Resource Management: Finding and Keeping the Best Employees Test Four (covers Chp 7, 8,11) Instructor can opt for chapter tests. Assignment 1: U.S. Economy Paper (please read carefully) (100 Points Possible) Have the students write a 1-2 page paper (typed with references cited) about the current state of our U.S. economy. Included in their answer should be terms and concepts learned from class and the textbook (Chapters 1,2) like whether we are in a recession, depression, recovery or boom period. Make sure they use facts to support their position (such as GDP, inflation, unemployment levels, CPI ). The goal with this assignment is to see if the students understand what they have learned so far (Chapters 1,2) well enough that they can apply it our current state of the U.S. economy. Additionally, this assignment helps to get the students to look at the world we live in from a business perspective. 4
Assignment 2: MARKETING ANALYSIS (please read carefully) (100 Points Possible) Requirements: Read Chapters 13-16 Target Market Describe the target market for your company s primary products/services. How does your company segment the market (demographic, geographic, psychographic variables or some combo)? Describe the Marketing Mix (4 Ps) for your Company Product, Price, Place, Promotion. Write a paragraph for each element of the marketing mix: PRODUCT/SERVICES (Describe the width and depth of the product mix. Include product lines and brands if appropriate.) PRICING STRATEGIES (from Ch 12) CHANNELS OF DISTRIBUTION (Describe a few strategies they use. This is not just about the number of stores or countries they are in.) PROMOTION MIX (Include examples for each of the four elements in the promotion mix- advertising, personal selling, sales promotions, and public relations/publicity.) Assignment 3: FINANCIAL RATIO Analysis Instructions 1. Create a chart listing key financial ratios for your company, a competitor and the industry average. Ratio Your Company Competitor Industry Average Current Ratio Debt/Equity Ratio E.P.S. (earnings per Not Applicable share) Inventory Turnover Net Income Revenue (Sales) Not Applicable Not Applicable 2. To find the ratios, go to www.msn.com home page, and find the MONEY section (listed inside the white band near the top). Then put your company s name in the get quote area and press enter. Using the side menu bar on the left choose FINANCIAL RESULTS then choose KEY RATIOS. Then choose from the key ratios list FINANCIAL CONDITION to get the debt/equity ratio and current ratio for your company. Then choose from the key ratios list MANAGEMENT EFFICIENCY to get the inventory turnover ratio for your company. Then going back to the left hand side bar, choose HIGHLIGHTS under Financial Results to get the E.P.S. ratio (earnings per share). 3. For each ratio, indicate which company has the better individual ratio (either underline or highlight the better number). Note: the better number might not be the largest number it depends on the ratio. 4. In the last two rows of the chart, add the Sales and Profit TREND data to your table using directional arrows or the words UP, DOWN, FLAT (if Sales are going up for the past two years, use an up arrow, if they are basically flat, use a flat arrow, etc). To access the sales and profit trend data go to 5
www.msn.com find the MONEY section and press enter. Then put in your company s stock ticker symbol in the get quote area and press enter again. Then go to the left hand side bar and choose FINANCIAL RESULTS and then STATEMENTS. After the Balance sheet and Income statements folders is the Cash flow statement then the 10-year summary. Look at the 10-year summary folder to get the sales and net income trend data (comparing the last two years of data only). 5. Write a summary paragraph which states which company is in the better overall financial position and support your answer with data from your analysis. Remember to look at all ratios and trends you cannot draw a conclusion about the financial health of a company by looking at one ratio in isolation. (Continuation of Assignment 3) STOCK Analysis Instructions Use www.msn.com to create your stock chart. Go to the MONEY section then enter in your company s stock ticker symbol and press enter. Look at the left hand side bar and explore the following areas: o Stock Scouter Rating o Charts o Analysts Ratings Create a 5-year stock chart: Compare your company s stock to one of the major indexes (S&P 500, DOW, or NASDAQ). Then add your company s competitor to the chart (you will need your competitor s stock ticker symbol!). Print out the chart or cut and paste to your document. Then answer the following questions: 1. If you had $10,000 to invest 5 yrs ago, who would you invest in? (Hint: Use the stock chart for your answer). 2. If you had $10,000 to invest today, would you invest in your company s stock? (Hint: Use the stockscouter rating and your own ratio analysis for your answer). Assignment 4: SWOT Analysis (please read carefully) (100 Points Possible) Requirements: Identify the Strengths and Weaknesses for your company. Remember this involves the internal factors such as employee experience, capital and cash flow, building, machinery, organizational culture, etc Identify the Opportunities and Threats for your company. Remember this involves the external factors such as- economic conditions (growth, recession, etc.), competitive environment (oligopoly, monopolistic competition, few competitors/lots of competitors). Your typed analysis should contain a list of Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and a list of Threats facing your company over the next 5-10 years (bullet format with summary for each). 6
TEAM CORPORATION PRESENTATIONS The objective of this assignment is to give you the opportunity to apply some of the concepts and ideas presented in the text and class with examples drawn from the business world. Working in small teams, students will be required to research a large company and its biggest competitors throughout the term. The company must be traded on a public stock exchange. On an assigned date, each student team will give a 15-20 minute presentation to the class about their company. Power point is required. During the course, students will complete and turn into the teacher a total of 4 analyses on their company which will provide students with the information needed to develop a successful presentation (a marketing analysis, 2 financial analyses, and a SWOT analysis). Mandatory topics to include in the presentation are (and suggested outline): Brief summary of company s business, including name of corporation, stock ticker symbol, and its major competitors, and a brief history of how the company got started. Summary of the Marketing Mix (4 Ps), including target market for primary products. List and briefly describe your competitors. Also include your company s sustainable competitive advantage over its competitors (if it has one). Financial ratio analysis for your company and for one leading competitor. What are their sales and profits for the current year and prior year? What does this tell you about your company s financial health? Provide a brief analysis of company s stock price fluctuation over time. Include one graph for your company s stock over a 5-year period including one of the market indexes (S&P 500, DOW or NASDAQ) and your company s major competitor (1). Strategic external analysis for your company (use SWOT tool). List 3-4 Opportunities for your company and 3-4 Threats. [This should be completed as a brainstorming session with all members of the team]. Answer the question, Would you want to work for this company? Why or why not? Note: You must relate class material to this assignment using terms learned from lecture and the textbook. 20 min is enough time to cover the assigned material if your team is well prepared. This assignment is designed to increase your comfort and skills presenting business material to an audience. Since students bring different levels of ability and prior experience to this assignment, we will discuss strategies for delivering successful presentations in class. Note that the entire team will receive the same grade for the presentation and to earn a grade, you must be present and participate in the presentation. For those schools where student teams are not possible, a single report covering the above criteria is possible. Please contact Theresa Freihoefer at 383-7734 or email tfreihoefer@cocc.edu. 7