BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN COMMUNITY COLLEGE
The City University of New York
Department of Business Management
Title of Course: Introduction to Business
Class Hours: No formal class meeting
Semester: Fall 2013
Credits: 3 credits
Instructor Information
Dr. Katherine Conway kconway@bmcc.cuny.edu
Course Description - Business and industry in the United States are surveyed broadly in this course. Emphasis is placed on the
historical development, objectives, methods of operation, and the interrelationships of management, labor and government.
Included is the study of new developments and trends in business administration and the problems they engender in the total
management process. The class will take a case study approach. Throughout the semester students will apply knowledge learned
from each chapter topic to an analysis of Mattel, the world’s largest toy company.
Basic Skills - Students must have passed ENG 088, ESL 094, ACR 094, and Math 008 (previously MAT 010 or 011).
Course Student Learning Outcomes (Students will be able to…)
Measurements (means of assessment for student learning
outcomes listed in first column)
1. Discuss business and economic activity, and the factors impacting 1. Measured through test questions and/or written
business globally; Identify ethical concerns in the business world.
assignments.
2. Evaluate different forms of business ownership; utilize a
2. Measured through test questions and/or written
managerial decision making process.
assignments.
3. Discuss the primary elements of employee compensation &
3. Measured through test questions and/or written
benefits and explain contemporary views on motivation.
assignments.
4. Describe the components of the marketing mix and the marketing 4. Measured through test questions and/or written
environment for a given product.
assignments.
Below are the college’s general education goals. The goals that are checked in the left-hand column indicate goals that will
be covered and assessed in this course.
General Education Goals
Measurements (means of assessment for general
education goals listed in first column)
Communication Skills- Students will write, read, listen and speak
Measured via test questions, written assignments
x
critically and effectively.
and /or class presentations.
x
x
Quantitative Reasoning- Students will use quantitative skills and the
concepts and methods of mathematics to solve problems.
Scientific Reasoning- Students will understand and apply the concepts
and methods of the natural sciences.
Social and Behavioral Sciences- Students will understand and apply
the concepts and methods of the social sciences.
Arts & Humanities- Students will develop knowledge and
understanding of the arts and literature.
Information & Technology Literacy- Students will collect, evaluate
and interpret information and effectively use information technologies.
Values- Students will make informed choices based on an
understanding of personal values, human diversity, multicultural
awareness and social responsibility.
Measured via questions and assignments related to
coursework on finance topics.
Measured via test questions and/or written
assignments related to coursework on ethics and
human resources.
Required Text & Readings
Pride, Hughes, and Kapoor, Business, Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. Students can use 10 th, 11th or 12th Edition. The slides
posted online are from the 11th edition. There are a variety of ISBN codes – some are for hard cover editions, others are for looseleaf versions; any version will suffice.
Basic Skills: Familiarity with word processing, email, internet usage.
Other Resources: Business Periodicals (e.g. Business Week, Fortune, The Wall Street Journal)
Time Management
An online class is at least as much of a time commitment as a face to face class. In a face-to-face class you meet three hours per
week and then are expected to spend an additional three to six hours on work outside of class. In this online class you might
expect to spend your time on average as follows:
Reading the Chapter:
1 hour
Taking the chapter quiz:
1 hour
Reviewing the chapter and the quiz:
30 minutes
Initial posting to discussion board:
30 minutes
Follow up posts (minimum two – 15 minutes each to read and respond) 30 minutes
Written assignments (6 in total – expect to spend 2-3 hrs. on each)
1 hour
Reading announcements (follow up to discussions)
30 minutes
For some of you this will be a sufficient amount of time, other students may need more time to read, digest, write etc.
Evaluation & Requirements of Students
The class uses a 300 point system.
Discussion Boards (informal writing)
Formal Writing Assignments*
Organization Chart Exercise
Financial Statement Exercise
Chapter Quizzes
Final Submission***
90
40
10
10
15 quizzes, 10 pts. each**
150
A compilation/revision of prior work
-300
*One of the writing assignments requires that you watch the film GLORY (a Civil War film and a departure from our weekly
examination of Mattel and the toy industry). Be sure to investigate well in advance how you will get a copy of the movie (it is
typically available in libraries, on Netflix etc.)
**Each quiz has thirty questions, and the gradebook will show a score from 1-30 – however I will add up your highest 15 quizzes
(dropping the lowest or 16th quiz) and then divide by three (so if you get a perfect 30 on 15 quizzes that will equal 450 in the
online gradebook, which I will then divide by three to get 150 maximum points). This is more complicated than I would like but
in the past quizzes were 10 questions and 10 points, but students preferred a greater number of questions, such that no one
question significantly impacts your grade…
***The final submission as noted above is a compilation/revision of earlier work (discussion posts and formal writing) and has
the potential to improve your earlier grade on these assignments.
A 95% and above (285 or
more points)
B- 80 - 83% (240-251 pts.)
D+ 67-69% (201-209 pts.)
A-
9 posts, 10 pts. each
4 assignments, 10 pts. each
90-94% (270-284 pts.)
C+ 77-80% (231-239 pts.)
D 64-66% (192-200 pts.)
B+ 87-89% (261-269 pts.)
B
84-86% (252-260 pts.)
C 74-78% (222 – 230 pts.)
D- 60-63% (180-191 pts.)
C- 70-73% (210-221 pts.)
F Below 60% (179 or fewer
pts.)
Each week students will contribute to a discussion board or submit an assignment.
Discussion Board
The Discussion Board replaces face-to-face classroom discussion and is an essential part of the online class. We are lucky to live
in a land of free speech and everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion. If you disagree with a classmate, do not be afraid to
say so, but be constructive in your remarks. Misunderstandings do occasionally occur. If you feel a classmate may have
misunderstood, give them the benefit of the doubt and ask them to clarify their position. Neither profanity nor disrespect of any
kind will be tolerated on the Discussion Boards; both are grounds for expulsion from the class.
There are 9 graded Discussion Boards over the course of the semester.
Discussion boards are relevant to the chapter readings. You should post a minimum of three times before the discussion ends.
Aim to post at least 250 words initially, unless the directions for the board provide other guidelines. Ask a classmate a question
about their post and respond to any questions you receive. The first Discussion Board begins immediately and ends on Tuesday
9/3 at midnight. The second discussion starts Wednesday 9/4 and ends Tuesday night 9/10 at midnight. It is possible to post to
the discussion without having read the chapter, but the better posts are usually from students who have done the reading.
The Discussion Board called the Cybercafe is for free discussion and does not impact your grade. Feel free to experiment with
discussion boards at this location and be sure to post an introduction during the first week of the semester.
Grading of the DB’s is roughly as follows:
0 pts.: failed to contribute in a timely manner (ex.: no posts on time)
5 pts.: contributed on time, but remarks were perfunctory (“good answer” “I agree”) at best
7 pts.: contributed initial post in a timely manner but did not engage classmates or sufficiently respond to questions
8 pts.: timely contribution, added to the discussion in a positive manner, engaged classmates with thoughtful questions and
responses
10 pts.: participated as described above and then went the extra mile – included research, posted a link etc. to expand the
discussion
Formal Writing Assignments
The four formal writing assignments are posted under the Assignments button on Blackboard. The first formal assignment (Jose
Rivera) is due on September 24th by midnight (end of day). To upload the assignment click on the title of the Assignment (in dark
black text) not the word doc, from there it is self-explanatory. Assignments will not be accepted late. Each assignment should
be typed, double-spaced, and uploaded as a word document to Blackboard. Be sure to cite all sources and use spell check. Do
not use a cover page; type your name at the top of the first page.
Organizational Chart Exercise
Students will create an organizational chart for Mattel and support the structure they select.
Financial Statement Exercise
Students will calculate a series of ratios for Mattel and its rival Hasbro and then compare the financial performance of the two
companies.
Quizzes
Chapter quizzes, a combination of true/false and multiple-choice questions, will be taken online after reading the chapters.
Quizzes can be found in the chapter folders under Course Documents (Chapter One quiz in Chapter One folder).
Semester Schedule:
Note – Each week begins on a Wednesday and ends on a Tuesday, except the last week of the semester when the final assignment
is due on Sunday 12/15. As soon as possible you should get the textbook and also familiarize yourself with the Mattel web site,
www.mattel.com. You should also complete the syllabus quiz before midnight on Saturday August 31st, and post to the
Cybercafe Discussion Board; neither of which will impact your grade but both tasks must be completed or you cannot move
ahead with the course. Listed below are the topics covered each week. Each topic represents a chapter (but are not numbered
because there is a slight variation depending on the edition of the textbook you are using). The topic should enable you to
identify the appropriate chapter in your text. Given the short duration of the summer session, you will see below that in week one
for example, you are expected to read three chapters and participate in two discussions.
Week
One
Topic
An Overview of Business
Two
Business Ethics & Corporate Social
Responsibility
Global Business
Forms of Business Ownership
Small Business, Entrepreneurship
& Franchises
The Management Process
Creating a Flexible Organization
Attracting & Retaining Employees
Motivating & Satisfying
Employees & Teams
Three
Four
Five
Six
Seven
Eight
Nine
Ten
Eleven
Twelve
Thirteen
Marketing – there are typically four
chapters in the marketing section of
the textbook – you will use all four
chapters as a resource for the
discussion and the assignment
Fifteen
Accounting
Money, Banking and Credit
Thanksgiving week
Financial Management
Sixteen
Personal Finances and Investments
Activity
Discuss the Economy & the
Challenges Facing Mattel
Discuss Mattel’s Philanthropy
Due Date
Discussion ends 9/3 midnight
Discuss Mattel Globally
Assignment: Jose Rivera
Discuss American Girl franchise
potential
Discuss Your Manager
Organization Chart Assignment
Discuss Your New Toy Company
Assignment: GLORY
Film will be shown on campus on
10/23, alternatively you can watch it
at home (Netflix etc.)
Discussion: Effective
Advertisements
Discussion ends 9/17 midnight
Due 9/24 midnight
Discussion ends 10/1 midnight
Assignment – Marketing Barbie
Due 11/12 midnight.
Financial Statement Exercise
Discussion: Credit
Due Midnight 11/19
Discussion ends midnight 11/26
Discuss Mattel Stock
Recommendation
Assignment – Factors to Consider
Discussion ends midnight 12/10
Discussion ends 9/10 midnight
Discussion ends 10/8 midnight
Due 10/15 midnight
Discussion ends midnight 10/22
Due 10/29 midnight
Discussion ends midnight 11/5
Due midnight 12/15
The last day of class is 12/15. More information on the final submission will be distributed later in the semester. There is
no midterm or final exam in this class.
Changes in the above schedule are at my discretion.
College Attendance Policy
An missed assignment or a skipped discussion will be considered an absence. In the case of excessive absences, the instructor has
the option to lower the grade or assign an F or WU grade.
Academic Adjustments for Students with Disabilities
Students with disabilities who require reasonable accommodations or academic adjustments for this course must
contact the Office of Services for Students with Disabilities. BMCC is committed to providing equal access to all
programs and curricula to all students.
BMCC Policy on Plagiarism and Academic Integrity Statement
Plagiarism is the presentation of someone else’s ideas, words or artistic, scientific, or technical work as one’s own
creation. Using the idea or work of another is permissible only when the original author is identified. Paraphrasing
and summarizing, as well as direct quotations, require citations to the original source. Plagiarism may be intentional
or unintentional. Lack of dishonest intent does not necessarily absolve a student of responsibility for plagiarism.
Students who are unsure how and when to provide documentation are advised to consult with their instructors. The
library has guides designed to help students to appropriately identify a cited work. The full policy can be found on
BMCC’s website, www.bmcc.cuny.edu. For further information on integrity and behavior, please consult the college
bulletin (also available online).