INTRODUCTION TO BUSINESS
BA2020
WAYNE STATE UNIVERSITY
SCHOOL OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
Section 004 Room: TBD
(Tuesday) 11:30am – 12:50pm
(Thursday) 11:30am – 12:20pm
Instructor:
Office:
Email:
Office Hours:
Dr. Sheri Perelli
210 Prentis
bd3727@wayne.edu
By appointment
Teaching Assistant:
Office:
Email:
Office Hours:
Robert Reaves
210 Prentis
du7794@wayne.edu
By appointment
NOTE: Assignment and lecture dates and details in this syllabus are accurate as of 1-04-15, but may change during the
semester. Updates will be announced in class and posted on blackboard.
COMMUNICATING WITH INSTRUCTORS
Our goal is to respond to all email inquiries within 48 hours. Your email must include, in the email subject line, the
following information: 1) BA2020 section ID; 2) your name and 3) reason for email. Because of the volume of email sent to
us, email without this information may not be able to be answered.
Subject Line Example: BA2020 section 004_ SUE SMITH_EXAM QUESTION
Your Email: Please check your Wayne State email account frequently (we suggest daily). If you choose not to use your
WSU email, have it forwarded to your email provider of choice (Gmail or Yahoo, for example). Our only way to
communicate with you is through Blackboard or email, so please make sure that you are receiving and checking your email.
COURSE WEBSITE:
http:/blackboard.wayne.edu
*Note: all materials required for this course i.e., e-book, homework, assignments, quizzes, etc. are accessible on
blackboard.
COURSE TEXTBOOK
You will be using an e-book for this course and will need an “access code” to obtain it. You can get a free temporary
access code directly from the publisher for immediate access to the e-book. This code will expire two weeks from the date
you obtain it. At or before that time you will need to purchase your own “access code.” You may purchase your access code
from the bookstore or from the publisher. Note below the differences between these two options. We will discuss these
options and answer any questions you have about them on the first day of class. You may therefore wish to wait to make
your purchase decision until after the first class.


The access code from the publisher (about $85*) provides you with an e-book (required) and all of the study
materials also required for this course.
The access code from the bookstore provides you with all-of-the above PLUS a “physical” (looseleaf) version of
your text. The physical book is not required but some students will prefer the convenience of having both a physical
book and an e-book. This option costs about $120*.
(*Prices noted are estimates based on previous semesters. Check with the publisher and bookstore for current
prices.)
Title:
“Understanding Business,” Tenth Edition
Authors: Nickels, McHugh and McHugh
Publisher: McGraw-Hill publisher
COURSE DESCRIPTION
BA2020 is a 3-credit hour course covering five basic areas of business (not necessarily presented in the order
shown below):

Business and the Business Environment: (This module evaluates and contrasts the effects on business of major
economic systems throughout the world and demonstrates the importance of business ethics and social
responsibility to the long-term success of businesses and society. Concepts, principles, and operation of the private
enterprise system are covered.)

Business Forms and Features (This module describes the legal forms of business ownership: sole proprietorship,
partnership, LLC, corporation, etc. and advantages and disadvantages of each. Starting a small business and
entrepreneurship are also covered.

Management and Leadership (In this module we address the functions of modern management in business
organizations and how these functions are evolving in response to changes in external and internal environments.)

Marketing (This module introduces the marketing function and describes the concepts and processes involved in
designing product strategy, promotional strategy, distribution strategy, and pricing strategy)

Accounting and Finance (This module addresses the role and importance of the financial management function
and illustrates the concepts and processes involved in managing the acquisition and allocation of short & long-term
funds.
GRADING
Throughout the semester you will earn points for various activities and assignments. There are 1000 available
course points, which can be earned as follows:
1. Homework:
The text contains 15 chapters. Most weeks you will read one chapter. Occasionally two chapters are assigned.
For each chapter you will complete three homework assignments in the following specific order:
Step 1) Watch “Interactive Presentation of Chapter Learning Goals” and demonstrate understanding by
answering programmed questions.
Step 2) Read chapter in e-book and answer “adaptive learning” questions for that chapter.
Step 3) Test your comprehension of chapter concepts and definitions by completing “Drag and Drop”
exercises.
Note: Allocate 3 hours to complete all three steps for each chapter.
2. Quizzes:
Each week there will be a 10-question quiz for each chapter assigned that week. Most weeks the quiz will be
given in class. There will be 15 quizzes during the semester. There will be no make-ups for missed
quizzes.
3. Exams:
There will be three exams. The exams will consist of multiple choice and true/false questions. Answers are
either correct or incorrect, with no partial credit.
 Questions will be representative of material covered in text chapters and in lectures.
 If you need to miss an exam for any reason other than a documented emergency, you must take it
before the scheduled day and time. Scheduling conflicts must be brought to the professor’s
attention well prior to the exam. No exceptions.
Evaluation Criteria
Potential Points
Exams
450 points
Quizzes
150 points
Connect Homework
150 points
Attendance/Participation
50 points
Biz News Assignments
50 points
China/India Assignment
30 points
Peer Preps Assignments
45 points
Patagonia Assignment
30 points
SWOT Analysis
25 points
Team Contract
10 points
Introduction Survey
10 points
Total Points
1,000 points
Grade
Percentage Range
1000 pts
A
93-100%
930-1000
A-
90-92
900-929
B+
87-89
870-899
B
83-86
830-869
B-
80- 82
800-829
C+
77-79
770-799
C
73-76
730-769
C-
70-72
700-729
D+
D
67-69
63-66
670-699
630-669
D-
60-62
600-629
F
0-59
599
Interpretation
Excellent
Above average
Average
Below Average
Failure
3
Your points will be entered continuously into Blackboard’s grade center as they are earned throughout the course.
You will be responsible for checking the Grade Center and knowing where you stand in this course at all times.
You have two weeks to report any problems, issues or concerns. Beyond that point, there will be no changes to
any recorded points. This means you should check your points frequently – at least once a week. This includes
points for assignments, quizzes, exams, attendance, etc. Concern yourself with total points, as points are the sole
criterion of your grade.
PLAGIARISM AND OTHER UNETHICAL BEHAVIOR
As an educational institution, WSU puts learning first. When it comes to writing your assignments, all the words
should come straight from you, unless you are supporting your assertions with a properly cited quote or reference
to the source of the ideas you are expressing. Passing off someone else’s ideas, words or other work as your own
is plagiarism. A student must give due credit to the original work of others whenever he or she does any of the
following:
 Quotes another person’s actual words, either oral or written;
 Paraphrases another person’s words, either oral or written;
 Uses another person’s idea, opinion, or theory;
 Borrows facts, statistics, or other illustrative material (textual or graphic) unless the information
is common knowledge.
We take plagiarism very seriously. If you are caught plagiarizing, cheating on exams, etc. you will fail the
course!!! In other words, plagiarism is “an act of fraud. It involves both stealing someone else's work and lying
about it afterward.” Source: http://www.plagiarism.org/plag_article_what_is_plagiarism.html
BA2020 FALL 2014 SEMESTER SCHEDULE:
For every chapter homework assignment the following is required:
Complete Step 1: Learning Goals
Complete Step 2: Readings & Adaptive Learning Questions
Complete Step 3: Drag & Drops
14-Week Term
Week
1
Beginning
January/12
In-Class Topics
Tuesday:
 Introduction to Course/Syllabus Overview
Thursday:
Discussion:
 Chapter 1: Taking Risk and Making Profits
 Chapter 2: Understanding Economics
Homework Assignments
Introduction Survey (10pts)
Due before 11:59pm Sunday,
January 18
2
Beginning
January/19
3
Beginning
January/26
4
Beginning
February/2
Tuesday:
Discussion:
 Chapter 2: Understanding Economics (con’t)
Thursday:
Discussion:
 TBD
 Team Formations
Due before 11:59pm Sunday,
January 25
Tuesday:
Quiz on Chapters 1 & 2 (20pts)
Discussion:
 Chapter 3: Doing Business in Global Markets
Chapter 3 homework (10pts)
Chapter 4 homework (10pts)
Thursday:
Discussion:
 Chapter 4: Demanding Ethical & Socially Responsible
Behavior
Team Contract (10pts)
Tuesday:
Quizzes on chapters 3 & 4 (20pts)
Discussion:
 Chapter 5: How to form a business
Chapter 5 homework (10pts)
Chapter 6 homework (10pts)
Thursday:
Discussion:
 Chapter 6: Entrepreneurship
 Peer Prep Presentations (15pts)
5
Beginning
February/9
6
Beginning
February/16
7
Beginning
February/23
Chapter 1 homework (10pts)
Chapter 2 homework (10pts)
Tuesday:
Exam 1 – Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 (150pts)
Thursday:
Discussion:
 TBD
 Biz News (10pts)
Tuesday:
Discussion:
 Chapter 7: Management & Leadership
Thursday:
Discussion:
 Chapter 8: Adapting Organizations to today’s Markets
Tuesday:
Quizzes on chapters 7 & 8 (20pts)
Discussion:
 Chapter 13: Marketing
China /India Assignment (30pts)
Due before 11:59pm Sunday,
February 1
Chapter 5 online quiz (10pts)
Chapter 6 online quiz (10pts)
Due before 11:59pm Sunday,
February 8
Patagonia Assignment (30pts)
Due before 11:59pm Sunday,
February 15th
Chapter 7 homework (10pts)
Chapter 8 homework (10pts)
Due before 11:59pm Sunday,
February 22
Chapter 13 homework (10pts)
Due before 11:59pm Sunday, March
1
Thursday:
Discussion: TBD
 Biz News (10pts)
5
8
Beginning
March./2
Tuesday:
Quiz on chapter 13 (10pts)
Discussion:
 Chapter 14:Developing & Pricing Goods & Services
Chapter 14 homework (10pts)
Due before 11:59pm Sunday, March
8th
Thursday:
Discussions: TBD
 Biz News (10pts)
9
Beginning
March/9
Tuesday:
Quiz on chapter 14 (10pts)
Discussion:
 Chapter 16: Using Effective Promotions
Thursday:
Discussion: TBD
Peer Prep Presentations (15pts)
Chapter 16 homework (10pts)
Chapter 16 online quiz (10pts)
Due before 11:59pm Sunday, March
15
10
Spring Break: University Closed
No homework
Beginning
March/16
11
Beginning
March/23
Tuesday:
Exam 2 – chaps 7, 8, 13, 14 & 16 (150pts)
No Homework
Thursday:
Discussion: TBD
Learning Community #9: Biz News Presentations (10pts)
12
Beginning
March/30
Tuesday:
Discussion:
 Chapter 17: Understanding Accounting
Chapter 17 homework (10pts)
Due before 11:59pm Sunday, April 5
Thursday:
Discussion:
 Chapter 17: Understanding Accounting (con’t)
13
Beginning
April/6
Tuesday:
Quiz on chapter 17 (10pts)
Discussion:
 Chapter 19: Market Securities & Investing
Thursday:
Discussion: TBD
Biz News (10pts)
Chapter 19 homework (10pts)
Due before 11:59pm Sunday, April
12
14
Beginning
April/13
Tuesday:
Quiz on chapter 19 (10pts)
Discussion:
 Chapter 18: Financial Management
Thursday:
Discussion:
 Chapter 20: Financial Institutions & the Federal Reserve
 Peer Prep Presentations (15pts)
15
Beginning
April/20
Chapter 18 homework (10pts)
Chapter 20 homework (10pts)
Chapter 18 online quiz (10pts)
Chapter 20 online quiz (10pts)
Due before 11:59pm Sunday, April
19
Tuesday:
Exam 3 – chaps, 17, 18, 19, & 20 (150pts)
SWOT Analysis (25pts)
Thursday:
TBD
Due before 11:59pm Sunday, April
26
Tuesday: wrap up
16
Beginning
April/27
7