Introduction to Business
MGG 150 – Fall 2013
Instructor:
David Murray
Email: djmurray@buffalo.edu
Skype: djmurrayub
Office: Jacobs 284
Phone: 645-3249
Office hours: Tuesday and Thursday 12:30 - 1:30 (or
by appointment)
Course Web Site: http://www.mgt.buffalo.edu/departments/mss/djmurray/mgg150/
Course
Objectives:
This course provides students with an introduction to business
concepts and a foundation of business knowledge. We will explore all aspects of a business
including Organization of a Business, Business Environment, Management,
Managing Employees, Marketing, Financial Management and Management Information
Systems. As future managers / business
owners, you need to be equipped to make knowledgeable business decisions that
will maximize the value of the firm. The
course accomplishes this by:
·
Introducing basic business concepts
·
Providing an overview of the functional
areas of a business
·
Guest lectures
·
In Class Exercises
·
Providing a foundation needed for
subsequent coursework
Course
Materials:
·
Madura, Introduction to Business 5th Edition, Paradigm, 2010. ISBN: 978-0-76383-620-7
Also available as an eBook at http://paradigm.emcp.com/introduction-to-business-5th-edition.html
In
Class Exercises and Homework:
There will be 12 individual assignments that are designed to
help reinforce the material that has been covered in the lecture. Only the 10 highest grades will be counted
towards your overall course grade for a maximum of 50 points. You are permitted to miss any 2 assignments
without penalty. Completion of more than
10 assignments will not result in extra points earned, but may improve your
grade if you scored lower on other assignments.
Most of the assignments are In Class Exercises which are assigned
and completed during class. Of the 12 assignments, some may be assigned as Homework to be
completed outside of class. Late assignments are not accepted and you must be in class to earn credit for In
Class Exercises. In Class Exercise
#1 will be assigned as a course pretest during the first week of class.
Exams:
There will be 4 in class exams and a non-cumulative final
exam administered during the course. All
exams are multiple-choice format and are Scantron
scored so bring your #2 pencil and UB ID Card to class on exam days. The date and time of the final exam will be
announced in class once it has been scheduled.
There are no make up exams except under exceptional circumstances.
Course
Conduct:
You are required to observe the rules of academic integrity
and classroom conduct put forth by the University at
Grading:
Assignment |
Points |
Exam 1 |
50 |
Exam 2 |
50 |
Exam 3 |
50 |
Exam 4 |
50 |
Final Exam |
50 |
Homework and In Class Exercises |
50 |
Grading
Scale:
A course grade of A is 285 points and above, A- is 270
points and above, B+ is 262.5 points and above, B is 255 points and above, B-
is 240 points and above, C+ is 232.5 points and above, C is 225 points and
above, C- is 210 points and above, D is 195 points and above and a grade of F
is earned if you receive less than 195 points.
Depending on the overall class performance, I reserve the right to
adjust the scale. My decision to adjust
the scale will only be made at the end of the semester once all of the course
grades are in.
According to University Regulations, a grade of Incomplete
can only be given if the student is currently passing the course and
circumstances prevent them from completing the semester. Incomplete grades will not be given once the
student has taken the final exam. **November
8th is the last day to resign the course.
Tentative
Course Schedule:
Date
|
Ch
|
Topics
|
8/27 |
|
Course Introduction |
8/29 |
|
Course Pretest – will receive full credit for In Class
Exercise #1 by simply completing it |
9/3 |
1 |
Motives and Functions of a Business |
9/5 |
No
Class. Rosh Hashanah |
|
9/10 |
2 |
Business Ethics and Social Responsibility |
9/12 |
3 |
Assessing Economic Conditions |
9/17 |
4 |
Assessing Global Conditions |
9/19 |
Exam 1 (Chapters 1, 2, 3, and 4) |
|
9/24 |
5 |
Selecting a Form of Business Ownership |
9/26 |
6 |
Entrepreneurship and Business Planning |
10/1 |
|
Bill Gates and Warren Buffet Video |
10/3 |
7 |
Managing Effectively |
10/8 |
8 |
Organizational Structure |
10/10 |
Exam 2 (Chapters 5, 6, 7, and 8) |
|
10/15 |
9 |
Improving Productivity and Quality |
10/17 |
10 |
Motivating Employees |
10/22 |
11 |
Hiring, Training, and Evaluating Employees |
10/24 |
12 |
Creating and Pricing Products |
10/29 |
Exam 3 (Chapters 9, 10, 11 and 12) |
|
10/31 |
13 |
Distributing Products |
11/5 |
14 |
Promoting Products |
11/7 |
|
Topic To be Announced |
11/12 |
15 |
Accounting and Financial Analysis - Guest Speaker
Professor Muriel Anderson |
11/14 |
Exam 4 (Chapters 13, 14, and 15) |
|
11/19 |
16 |
Financing |
11/21 |
17 |
Expanding the Business |
11/26 |
|
Using Information Technology |
11/28 |
No
Class. Fall Recess. |
|
12/3 |
|
Using Information Technology (cont.) |
12/5 |
|
Final Exam Review |
TBA |
Final Exam (Chapters 16, 17, and Using
Information Technology topic) |