Great Basin College

GREAT BASIN COLLEGE Course Syllabus Spring 2008

Course Title: Small Business Management MGT 103 - BT9, ET9, UT9, WT9, YT9, 1T9 Telecourse: “Something Ventured”- An Entrepreneurial Approach to Small Business Credits: Three (3) Instructor of Record: John R. Pryor Office Location: Great Basin College, GTA Bldg., Room 104 1500 College Parkway, Elko, NV 89801 Telephone: (775) 753-2205 or Business Dept. Staff (775) 753-2235 Office Hours: Thursdays, 12:00-5:00 p.m. E-Mail: [email protected]

TEXTBOOKS: Small Business Management, 14th Edition, by Justin G. Longenecker, Carlos W. Moore, and J. William Petty. Thomson/South-Western College (Cengage) Publishing, Som ething Ventured Telecourse Study Guide, 6th Edition, by Intelecom. Thomson/South-Western (Cengage) College Publishing.

ASSESSMENT OF LEARNER OUTCOMES: A Student Progress Assessment Questionnaire completed before obtaining 15 credits in the business program and again before graduation.

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

Each day new enterprises are starting or going out of business. Some, of course, are sold or consumed by larger corporations, but many disappear, the victims of business failure. Why the high fatality rate among small businesses? Dun & Bradstreet cite three major factors:

- economic factors--inadequate sales, insufficient profits, and poor growth prospects; - financial factors--heavy operating expenses, insufficient capital; - experience factors--lack of business knowledge, lack of line experience, and lack of managerial experience.

Something Ventured is a 28-lesson telecourse that provides aspiring entrepreneurs, and those already involved in a small business venture, with the tools that will enhance their potential for success.

The video segments from Something Ventured allow students to observe a variety of small businesses in operation, in rural and suburban communities as well as large metropolitan areas. This over-the-shoulder, documentary view of what it’s like to start and to operate a small business is analyzed by a sage counsel of experts who work with such firms on an ongoing basis.

COURSE OVERVIEW:

The objectives of the course will be accomplished through the use of television programs, a student telecourse guide, and textbook reading assignments.

TELECOURSE OBJECTIVES:

This 28-lesson series serves as a comprehensive primer on business success by showing prospective entrepreneurs:

MGT 103 – Telecourse Syllabus 1  how to investigate and evaluate business opportunities,  how to acquire the skills and knowledge needed to establish a new firm,  how to market products or services,  how to manage the human and fiscal demands of a business operation,  and how to meet the organization’s social responsibility to its community.

Something Ventured Telecourse Guide Specific lesson objectives are included in the Learning Objectives section of The Telecourse Guide.

STUDY SEQUENCE:

The learning system you will use as you work your way through Something Ventured has three components: a telecourse guide, a text, and television programs. Together they provide an integrated learning system. In order to master each of the 27 lessons of the course, you should use the sequence of learning activities as follows:

1. Review the Learning Objectives found in the Something Ventured Telecourse Guide.

2. Read the Overview found in the Something Ventured Telecourse Guide.

3. Become familiar with the Key Terms in the Something Ventured Telecourse Guide.

4. Read the textbook reading assignment in the text, Small Business Management, as listed in the Something Ventured Telecourse Guide.

5. Become familiar with the Video Viewing Questions found in the Something Ventured Telecourse Guide and watch the video program for the lesson.

6. Answer the Video Viewing Questions after watching the program.

7. Complete the Self-Test found in the Something Ventured Telecourse Guide. Check your answers with the answer key in Appendix C.

8. For Practical Application material, complete the Extend What You Have Learned Section.

NOTE: The instructor reserves the right to modify the course requirements, assignments, grading procedures, and other related policies as circumstances may dictate.

MGT 103 – Telecourse Syllabus 2 LESSON/VIEWING SCHEDULE:

Week/Dates Telecourse Guide Lessons

1 1: Small Business in a Big World

2 2: On Your Own? 3: Finding A Niche: Investigating Entrepreneurial Opportunities

3 4: New or Used? Buying a Firm or Starting Your Own 5: The Ties that Bind: Franchising Opportunities

4 6: A Different Look: The Nicole Miller Story 7: The Business Plan (no video)

5 8: Taking Aim: The Marketing Plan 9: Where to Hang the Sign

6 10: The Buck Starts Here: Startup Capital 11: Making It Legal

7 12: From the Ground Up: RAW Architecture 13: The Right Mix: Product/Service Strategies

8 14: What the Market Will Bear: Pricing Products and Services 15: Out From the Crowd: Promotional Strategies

9 16: Going Places: Distribution Channels and International Marketing 17: A Vintage Blend: The Foris Vineyard Story

10 18: Making the Pieces Fit: Managing a Small Business 19: The Human Factor: Individuals in the Organization

11 20: Taking Stock: Purchasing and Inventory Control 21: The Play’s the Thing . . .” The Oregon Shakespeare Festival

12 22: Keeping Track: Financial Accounting 23: The Money Flow: Management of Working Capital

13 24: Risky Business: Risk Management 25: Publish or Perish: The Sun Publications Story

14 26: For Everybody’s Good: Social Responsibility 27: It’s the Law

MGT 103 – Telecourse Syllabus 3 SOMETHING VENTURED CORRELATION OF COURSE COMPONENTS Telecourse Guide Text Chapter Video Program Lesson Number and Title Assignment Number and Title

1. Small Business in a Big World Chapter 1 101 Small Business in a Big World

2. On Your Own? Chapter 1 102 On Your Own?

3. Finding a Niche Chapter 3 103 Finding a Niche

4. New or Used? Chapter 3. p. 62-75, Chapter 4, p. 108-114, and 104 New or Used? Appendix B, p. 690-694

5. The Ties that Bind Chapter 4, p. 94-109 105 The Ties that Bind

6. A Different Look Review assignments for lessons 1 - 5 106 A Different Look

7. The Business Plan Chapter 6 NO VIDEO

8. Taking Aim Chapter 7 107 Taking Aim

9. Where to Hang the Sign Chapter 9 – Review Lessons 1-9 108 Where to Hang the Sign Take Test # 1

10. The Buck Starts Here Chapters 10 and 11 109 The Buck Starts Here

11. Making it Legal Chapter 8 110 Making it Legal

12. From the Ground Up Review assignments for lessons 7 - 11 111 From the Ground Up

13. The Right Mix Chapter 13 and 14 pp. 370-388 112 The Right Mix

14. What the Market Will Bear Chapter 15 113 What the Market Will Bear

15. Out From the Crowd Chapter 16 114 Out From the Crowd

16. Going Places Chapter 17 and 14 pp. 389-391 115 Going Places

17. A Vintage Blend Review assignments for lessons 13 - 16 116 A Vintage Blend

18. Making the Pieces Fit Chapter 18 117 Making the Pieces Fit

19. The Human Factor Chapter 19 – Review Lessons 10-19 118 The Human Factor Take Test # 2

20. Taking Stock Chapter 20, pp. 538-545 119 Taking Stock Chapter 23, pp. 586 Chapter 8, pp. 224-228

21. The Play’s the Thing...” 120 The Play’s the Thing...” Review assignments for lessons 18-20

22. Keeping Track Chapter 23 and Chapter 10 pp.260-287 121 Keeping Track

23. The Money Flow Chapter 22 122 The Money Flow MGT 103 – Telecourse Syllabus 4 123 Risky Business 24. Risky Business Chapter 21 Review assignments for lessons 22-24 124 Publish or Perish 25. Publish or Perish

26. For Everybody’s Good Chapter 2 125 For Everybody’s Good

27. It’s the Law Appendix B – Review Lessons 20-27, 126 It’s the Law Take Test # 3

NOTE: You may view the videos at each campus library. It is suggested you view two (2) videos per week. To get the most out of viewing, it is suggested that you:

A. View each program more than once during the week. B. Establish a regular viewing time as if you were going to class.

EXAMINATIONS:

You will be required to complete three examinations during the course of the semester. The times and dates for completing the exams will vary on each campus, therefore, it is necessary to consult with your campus coordinator to determine your specific testing dates and times. Be sure to take the correct test. You will need your WebCampus username (same as your GBC email name) to access WebCampus for testing. You will be given the test online in the Testing Center. Tests are closed book. You may use a calculator. Allow 2 hours per test as you will not be allowed to leave the room and complete the test later. We recommend you SAVE your answers OFTEN so that you don’t lose your responses as you answer the questions. Your test will be scored on the computer as soon as you complete the test, and the corrected test results can be viewed at that time or at a later time in the Testing Center.

Test # Telecourse Guide Lessons Included 1 1 - 9 2 10 - 19 3 20 - 27

Composition of the Examinations. Each exam has a value of 100 points. There are multiple choice questions on each test. Each question counts one point. Additional essay questions may be included or supplant multiple choice questions. Exam questions will not be taken from the videos.

Issuance of Exam Grades. Each center will receive exam grades approximately one week after being received at the Elko campus. The three exams will be averaged to provide the final grade.

DROP POLICY: If you do not wish to complete this course, you are responsible for withdrawing yourself from the class.

GRADE POLICY FOR BUSINESS COURSES:

Final grades will be: A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D+, D, D-, F, and W.

A = 90-100%; B = 80 - 89%; C = 70 - 79%; D = 60 - 69%; F = Below 60%; W = Withdrawal up to the 13th week with instructor consent.

Non-passing grades are F, I, and W, and are described briefly below.

MGT 103 – Telecourse Syllabus 5 F The grade of "F" is reserved for students who score very low on the exams or fail to complete course requirements. This grade is not given to those who withdraw from the class through proper notification to the registrar and the instructor by the 13th week of class. This grade cannot be changed to a passing grade by completion of further work.

I On rare occasions the grade of Incomplete is given if the student, due to circumstances beyond his or her control, is unable to complete a certain requirement of the course by the time the semester ends. Any deficiency must be removed within a short period after the end of the semester in order to have the "I" grade changed to a passing grade.

W If a student officially withdraws from the class, by notifying both the instructor and the registrar by the 13th week of class, then a grade of "W" is given. A student may withdraw from the class for any reason whatsoever.

MGT 103 – Telecourse Syllabus 6