CBA469 – Business Policy and Strategy
Instructor - David W. Palmer, PhD
E-mail: dpalmer@jsu.edu
Office: Room 109 – Merrill Hall
Phone: 782-5770
Office Hours:
Monday, Wednesday and Friday 9:30 AM to 11:00 AM,
Monday and Wednesday 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM,
or by Appointment.
Contact: The best way to contact me is via e-mail for on-line classes. If you are on
campus and would like to visit during office hours or by setting an appointment that is
fine. However, please do not contact me by phone since I may not get the message in a
timely fashion.
Text: “Strategic Management, 5th Edition” by Gregory G. Dess, Alan Eisner, and G.T.
(Tom) Lumpkin, McGraw-Hill Irwin Publishers, Paperback.
ISBN-13: 9780077246266
ISBN-10: 0077246268
Readings: Any outside readings required for each section of the class will be available in
the Course Documents of the Blackboard (http://jsu.blackboard.com) session for this
class. Readings will also include assigned cases and strategic readings of most
chapters.
Prerequisites: Senior standing and completion of all 200-300 CCBA courses.
Course Description: Focuses on the formulation and implementation of business
strategy for an effective organization.
Teaching Approach: The course is based on activities from the host web-page and
notes. There is also a great deal of outside reading and case work the specifics of
which may change by the day and week depending on current events. This is
primarily a self-driven course and thus, the onus is on the student to keep up with the
assignments, quizzes and tests in order to fulfill all of the requirements for the course.
Blackboard (BB): Blackboard is the main activity, assignment and communication
device for this on-line class. The following table gives a list of activities and their
location on BB:
Activity
Case Assignments
Case Notes
Case Readings
Case Test
Class Notes and Slides
Exams
Outside Readings
Quizzes
Study Guides
BB Location
Assignments Section
Assignments Section
Assignments Section
Exams Section
Course Documents Section
Exams Section
Course Documents Section
Exams Section
Course Documents Section
CBA 469 Student Evaluation is based on the items below:
Points
Weighted
Percentage
100
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
Total
Assignments
2.5%
Syllabus Quiz (Extra Credit)
2.0%
2.0%
2.0%
2.0%
2.0%
2.0%
2.0%
2.0%
2.0%
2.0%
7.5%
7.5%
7.5%
7.5%
20.0%
15.0%
15.0%
100.0%
Chapter 1 Quiz
Chapter 2 Quiz
Chapter 3 Quiz
Chapter 4 Quiz
Chapter 5 Quiz
Chapter 6 Quiz
Chapter 9 Quiz
Chapter 10 Quiz
Chapter 11 Quiz
Chapter 12 Quiz
Financial Analysis Case Test
XM Merger Case Test
Cooper Industries Case Test
Home Depot Case Test
Exam #1
Exam #2
Exam #3
Student Expectations: Students are expected to have a personal computing device with
Internet access. This device and its Internet connection should be dependable and
fully functional before the student begins the class.
The student must have a current and working copy of Respondus Lock-Down
Browser (LDB) installed on their computing device.
Each student is expected to have a copy of the book and all required reading material
assigned in the class.
Students are expected to have read all assigned material for each session. Students
are responsible for both the assigned reading and the material presented in the class
notes and slides.
A student in an on-line class should spend at least the equivalent time spent for a
traditional class each week. Thus, a student taking a 3 hour course should spend 6 to
9 hours each week preparing for an on-line class.
Quizzes – Ten quizzes will be given over the course of the semester. Quizzes are
available based on the attached class and assignment schedule.
1. Quizzes will cover the chapter and assigned readings for the session assignment
2. Quizzes are administered though Blackboard testing system
a. 20 minute time limit (NOTE: BB will close the quiz after 20 minutes)
b. Students will be allowed two attempts at each quiz
c. No make-ups are available since students have 4+ days to take the quizzes
3. These quizzes are to:
a. Encourage the student to keep up with the reading (about 2 hours per
chapter).
b. Prepare the student for the topics we are covering in the course.
c. Give the student practice before the exams and expose their weak
areas.
Financial Problem and Cases – A financial problem using the traditional measurements
used to determine economic, accounting, operational and financial health of the firm
will be completed.
We will also use cases from real businesses to verify and apply the main concepts of
the course. Cases are used to help students
1) understand the critical issues by requiring their attention to real business
scenarios
2) recognize and determine the best avenues available to solve business
problems
3) create learned recommendations based on what you have garnered from the
class (using the Case Tests)
There will be special reading assignments for these cases that will be posted in
Course Documents and Assignments Sections of Blackboard.
Exams – Are to be taken on the assigned date. Unless I receive prior notification and
then you provide a doctor's excuse, obituary or university activity excuse make-ups
are not available.
Academic Honesty Policy: Academic dishonesty in all forms will be dealt with swiftly
and severely in this class. That includes all forms of cheating, plagiarism, and
collaboration on individual papers. All students are required to do their own work on
exams and individual projects. Failure to comply with this policy may result in
failure of an assignment, removal from the course, failure in the course, and discipline
action deemed appropriate by the instructor in his sole discretion and/or policies and
procedures set forth by the JSU’s Academic Honor Policy found in the Student
Handbook under the University Policies link:
http://www.jsu.edu/depart/handbook/page17.html#honesty
CCBA Code of Conduct: Students are expected to adhere to the CCBA Student Code of
Conduct which is posted in various locations around Merrill Building as well as on
the CCBA web site.
Americans with Disabilities Act: Any student who qualifies for reasonable
accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act or Section 504 of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973 should inform me by January 16, 2012.
NCAA Student-Athletes: Reasonable accommodations will be made for athletes and
other students on official university business. Any student who is an NCAA athlete
should notify me and make certain I have a list of all expected team travel and
planned absences before January 16, 2012.
Changes in course requirements: Since this is a senior-level class and all classes do
not progress at the same rate. I may wish to modify the requirements or their timing
as circumstances dictate. For example, I may wish to change the number and
frequency of exams, or the numbers and sequence of assignments. However, students
must be given adequate notification. If such modification is needed, it will be in
writing and conform to the spirit of this policy statement.