Introduction to Business s4
Introduction to Business B101
Journal Assignments
1st Day of Class
1. Read Chapter 1
2. Print Bednar’s Devotional January 5, 1999 (find on BYU-Idaho homepage)
3. Review Text Web page:
· Conduct a career search
4. Write 3 Goals for this semester
Chapter 1- Business: Blending People, Technology, and Ethical Behavior
1. One minute essays
A. Why are you studying business?
B. The main reason to go into business is to get rich? Do you disagree, strongly disagree, agree, or strongly agree with that statement?
2. Nothing But Net & Sites to Surf
A. Finding information on a company (#3 pg. 42)
B. www.ceoexpress.com
3. Scriptures
A. Jacob 2:18-19
B. 1 Nephi 2:20
C. Ether 2:9-12
Chapter 2- Achieving Business Success
1. One minute essays
A. Can a firm really survive in the dog-eat-dog world of business by putting ethics before profit?
B. Do you agree with Dunlap’s point of view? Why or why not?
2. Nothing but Net & Sites to Surf
A. Social responsibility of business (#1 pg. 78)
B. www.charactercounts.org
C. Online Text: Company Profiles on Philanthropy and Code of Ethics.
D. www.bsr.org (#1, pg.77)
4. Scriptures
A. D&C 124:15-20 George Miller, integrity of his heart
B. D&C 9:7-9 Study it out in your mind
C. Ether 2:12 Serve the God of this land
D. Helaman 7:5 Wicked Government
E. D&C 124:15
Chapter 3- Economic Challenges Facing Global and Domestic Business
1. One minute essays
A. In your opinion, what is today’s most compelling international issue?
B. Economics has been called “this dismal science.” Do you agree or disagree? Support your arguments. Identify at least five ways that economics affects your daily life.
C. Assume that you are chief economic advisor to the president of the United States, and you are convinced that the economy is entering a period of recession. What economic indicators would you cite to support your belief? What actions would you recommend that the president take? Should the federal government always intervene in a recession? Why or why not?
2. Nothing but Net & Sites to Surf
A. Gross domestic product (#1 pg. 118)
B. www.dismal.com
3. Scriptures
A. D&C 88:78-79
B. Enos 1:23 Pride Cycle
C. Helaman 7:5 Corrupt Government
Chapter 4- Competing in Global Markets
1. One minute essays
A. In your opinion what are the benefits and disadvantages to trade?
B. How will the Internet effect global trade? Has the Internet opened up opportunities for borderless trade?
2. Nothing but Net & Sites to Surf
A. Going Global (#1 pg. 160)
B. www.mcdonalds.com
4. Scriptures
A. 2 Nephi 29:7
B. Helaman 6:8
5. Experimental Exercise pg.153
A. Asses your global awareness
Chapter 5- Options for Organizing Small and Large Businesses
1. One minute essays
A. Why do so many small businesses fail? Why do some succeed?
B. Why are so many women choosing small business over corporate America?
2. Nothing but Net & Sites to Surf
A. Home-based businesses (#1 pg. 206)
B. www.getbusy.com
C. www.sba.gov
D. www.onlinewbc.org
E. www.nfwbo.org
3. Scriptures
A. Amos 3:3
Chapter 6- Starting Your Own Business: The Entrepreneurship Alternative
1. One minute essays
A. Many entrepreneurs choose to start their own businesses because they prefer to be their own bosses. Would you rather work for someone else or be your own boss? What are some advantages and disadvantages of each option?
B. Suppose that the principle of the high school from which you graduated called to ask if you would give a talk on entrepreneurship as a career option during the school’s annual career day. The principle worries that many high school students say they want to be entrepreneurs but few realize what this choice involves. What advice would you give to these students?
2. Nothing but Net & Sites to Surf
A. Starting a business (#3 pg. 244)
B. www.entreworld.org
C. www.entrepreneurmag.com
D. www.ezines.com
E. www.businessfinance.com
3. Scriptures
A. Luke 14:28-30
Chapter 7- Electronic Commerce: The Internet and Online Business
1. One minute essays
2. Nothing but Net & Sites to Surf
A. B2B (#1 pg.278)
B. www.monsanto.com/MonPub/index.html
Chapter 8- Management, Leadership and the Internal Organization
1. One minute essays
A. A Fortune magazine article about leadership said, “Great business leaders ought to reveal all the traits of a great lover-passion, commitment, ferocity. Nothing less will do.” Do you think the analogy is a good one? Based on your work experiences and participation in school and community groups, what traits do you think are most important for a leader? What type of leader motivates you to do your best work?
B. Are women better managers than men?
2. Nothing but Net & Surf the Site
A. Company mission statement (#1 pg.321)
B. www.leaderx.com
3. Scriptures
A. Exodus 18: 13-23 Delegation
B. D&C 72: 3-4 Mansions prepared
C. Alma 48:17 If all men were like Moroni
D. Jacob 4:10 Counsel from the Lord
E. Moses 1:29
F. Proverbs 29:18
G. Alma 5
Chapter 9- Human Resource Management and Motivation
1. One minute essays
A. What in your opinion are the main objectives for Human Resource Management?
B. Suppose you are offered two jobs. One offer includes starting pay at $45,000 per year and a very basic benefit package of health insurance and a retirement plan. The other job offer includes starting pay of 30,000 and a comprehensive benefit package of health insurance, a retirement plan, flexible work hours, free employee lunches every day, and a state-of-the-art fitness center where you can get a free massage once a month. Which job offer would you be more appealing to you? For the job paying $30,000, how would you try to negotiate a higher starting salary?
C. What are the benefits of empowerment?
2. Nothing but Net & Surf the Site
A. Using the Web to find a job (#1 pg. 355)
B. www.hp.com
C. www.ssa.gov
3. Scriptures
A. D&C 58: 26-29 anxiously engaged
B. D&C 121: 34-45 exercise control
Chapter 10- Improving Performance
1. One minute essays
A. Suppose that you have just started your own company and have begun hiring new employees. The people you are interviewing are all aware of the possibilities of employee empowerment and ask you during their job interviews how you plan to empower them, should they decide to work for you. How would you respond? Would you be willing to give your employees an ownership stake in the company? Why or why not?
B. Through empowerment, teamwork, and communication
C. What is empowerment?
D. When have you felt empowered?
2. Nothing but Net & Surf the Site
A. Team Building (#3 pg. 393)
B. www.mapnp.org/library/grp_skll/teams/teams.htm
3. Scriptures
A. Job 42:13
B. Proverbs 12:15
C. D&C 60:2 open mouth
D. D&C 50:12, 17-22 teach by the spirit
E. D&C 38:27 be one, if ye are not one
Chapter 11- Labor-Management Relations
1. One minute essays
A. Are you for or against unions, explain why.
2. Nothing but Net & Sites to Surf
A. Worker friendly companies (#3 pg. 424)
3. Scriptures
A. Ephesians 6:5-9
B. Colossians 4:1
Chapter 12- Creating and Producing World-Class Goods and Services
1. One minute essays
A. In your opinion, what are the benefits of mass production?
B. Should technology replace people as workers?
2. Nothing but Net & Sites to Surf
A. Six Sigma (#1 pg. 454)
3. Scriptures
A. 1 Nephi 18:1-2 curious workmanship
Chapter 13- Customer-Driven Marketing
1. One minute essays
A. Why is customer service so important in today’s hyper- competitive market?
2. Nothing but Net & Sites to Surf
A. Customer Feedback (#3 pg 494)
3. Scriptures
A. Ether 2:25
B. 3 Nephi 14:9-10
Chapter 14- Developing and Pricing Goods and Services
1. One minute essays
A. Describe a favorite brand of yours? Are your brand loyal to that product, and if so, why?
2. Nothing but Net & Sites to Surf
A. Product Pricing (#2 pg. 533)
3. Scriptures
A. D&C 29:31-32 created first spiritually
B. Moses 3:5
Chapter 15- Distributing Goods and Services
1. One minute essays
A. Why is distribution so important to the marketing process? What utility does distribution create?
2. Nothing but Net & Surf the Sites
A. Distribution Channels (#2 pg. 573)
3. Scriptures
A. 3 Nephi 14:6 cast your pearls before swine
Chapter 16- Promoting Goods and Services
1. One minute essays
A. What are some of the important elements that should go into a good promotional mix? Describe at least two of these elements and how a business might use them.
2. Nothing but Net & Sites to Surf
A. Professional certification (#1 pg. 612)
3. Scriptures
A. 2 Nephi 33:6 I glory in plainness
B. Alma 27:27 perfectly honest and upright in all things
Chapter 17- Using Technology to Manage Information
1. One minute essays
A. In what ways have you benefited from technology? Other than a computer, what technology do you use?
2. Nothing but Net & Sites to Surf
A. Computer Shopping (#3 pg. 646)
3. Scriptures
A. 2 Timothy 3:1-7 perilous time, ever learning
Chapter 18- Understanding Accounting and Financial Statements
1. One minute essays
A. What tool does accounting serve in business and why is it important to understand some basic accounting principles?
2. Nothing but Net & Sites to Surf
A. Accounting as a career (#3 pg. 674)
Chapter 19- Financial Management and Institutions
1. One minute essays
A. What value do you place on money?
2. Nothing but Net & Sites to Surf
A. Banking Statistics (#2 pg. 704)
3. Scriptures
A. Luke 16:1-2 give an account of their stewardship
Chapter 20- Financing and Investing through Securities Market
1. One minute essays
A. What financial strategies have you considered? How can you benefit from investing in the stock market?
2. Nothing but Net & Sites to Surf
A. Online Trading (#3 pg. 733)
3. Scriptures
A. Proverbs 22:7 borrower is servant to the lender
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