COURSE BA211 - Business Fundamentals

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Note: This course code has changed from B 211 to BA 211. You may occasionally see references to the old course code or title.

Course Description

This course provides an overview of the core functions of business, including product development, marketing, operations, human resource management, accounting, finance, and international business. This will be accomplished by managing an online simulated business where students will learn to make fundamental management decisions required to run a $50 million dollar corporation effectively. This course is designed to provide student exposure to the various career opportunities in business and also recommended for non-business students interested in gaining an overview of business management, leadership, and small business entrepreneurship.

Course Outcomes

Each student will have the opportunity to:

1. Understand how business principles can be used to manage a company or small business.
2. Work together in teams to run a small company that must make critical business decisions.
3. Become familiar with key business and financial terms.
4. Understand the fundamentals of marketing, finance, and supply chain management.
5. Gain an appreciation for how teamwork and communication can lead to success in business.
6. Enhance abilities to work effectively in teams and make critical decisions together.
7. Gain a better understanding of management/leadership and enhance communication.
8. Score in the 90% percentile on Comp-XM (MBA level assessment of the business simulation).

Course Requirements

Required Course Texts And Fees

• CapSim simulation fees totaling $60 (automatically charged by BYUI Bookstore if you are still enrolled in the course after the Registration Deadline). Fees include:
• Foundation Simulation
• Comp-XM exam
• Access to a laptop computer with Microsoft Office (version 2000 or later)
• Cases accessed via links on I-Learn from the Harvard Business Review
• Good to Great by Jim Collins (ISBN-10: 0066620996, ISBN-13: 978-0066620992)

Compare prices for your textbooks through the University Store Price Comparison Site. They will show you all of the options from the University Store plus several online options to help you find the best price.

The only required book that you need to purchase is Good to Great.

Do not purchase CapSim materials from the bookstore because everything you need can be accessed online.

• If you do not have the funds to purchase CapSim, please contact your instructor for information because CapSim is required for this course.
• If you have already paid once for access to CapSim, let your instructor know right away so the Bookstore can refund your second charge.
• If you withdraw from this class after the Registration Deadline has passed, tell your instructor so you can be removed from the CapSim industry.

Weekly Time Commitment

The online class policy is that for every credit hour, you should expect to spend 3 hours of work per credit. For this 3-credit class, you should plan on spending approximately 9 hours per week. Failure to start working early and diligently continue working on assignments will cause you grief. If you expect to be successful in this course, plan to spend a lot of time on it.

Course Overview

Schedule

General Weekly Outline

Course Policies and Exceptions

1. No assignment will be accepted late.
2. The Code of Honor standards apply to this course and will be enforced. Please review the standards www.byui.edu/student-honor-office. Pay special attention to the academic honesty section. Failure to abide by these principles could result in failing assignments, failing the course, being dropped from the Business Management major or suspension from BYU-Idaho.
3. Plan on completing the final exam at the date and time indicated on the schedule.
4. If you have a diagnosed disability or believe you have a disability that may require reasonable accommodation on the part of BYU-Idaho, please call 208-496-9210 to make an appointment. In compliance with the applicable disability law, qualified students with a disability may be entitled to 'reasonable accommodation.' It is the student's responsibility to disclose to the Disability Services office any special needs he/she may have and to provide the appropriate documentation of the disability. The Disability office is located inside the Learning Assistance Center, McKay Library 1st floor.
5. Learn to love learning!
6. Plagiarism: An exciting and necessary part of college life occurs when students and faculty consider the ideas of others to form their own ideas: we read them in texts, listen to them in lectures, discuss them in class, and use them in our writing. However, when you use another's ideas, you must cite your source. By citing your source, you differentiate between your ideas and those of another, make the source of your ideas clear, and giver proper credit as described in Essentials of Writing: The Hamilton College Style Sheet (New York: The Trustees of Hamilton College 2003). Plagiarism (from the Latin plagiare, "to kidnap") is the practice of claiming, or implying, original authorship of (or incorporating material from) someone else's written or creative work, in whole or in part, into one's own without adequate acknowledgment. Unlike cases of forgery in which the authenticity of the writing, document, or some other kind of object, itself is in question, plagiarism is concerned with the issue of false attribution. (Wikipedia's definition of plagiarism at www.wikipedia.com)
7. Written Assignments and Late Assignment Penalties: All written assignments are due on the session date they are described in the schedule. All assignments should be typed and double-spaced. Also, make an extra printed copy of each assignment for your records and save the latest components of your plan electronically. Late assignments will not be accepted.
8. Forming Your Companies: Over the course of the semester, we will learn more about teams and group decision making relative to individual decision making. It is important that you choose your own team members and be accountable to each other for your work. Your ability to work well in small teams will be a big part of your success in this class and in your future career.
9. Guiding Principles of Learning & Teaching: At BYU-Idaho we foster faith-building and life-changing learning. Through our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and the gifts of the Holy Ghost, we can learn by study and also by faith. Please remember that everyone at BYU-Idaho is both a learner and a teacher. As such, the principles below should guide our actions:
   • Exercise faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as a principle of power. Understand that the Holy Ghost is the true teacher and invite the Holy Ghost to teach us.
   • Act, rather than be acted upon.
   • Accept responsibility for learning and teaching.
   • Integrate scholarly knowledge and sacred truth.
   • Love, serve, and teach one another.

Assignments (165 pts)

To enhance our learning experience, various homework assignments are scheduled throughout the course according to our course schedule. Homework assignments will be submitted in I-Learn.

CapSim Business Simulation (210 pts)

An integral part of this class is a simulated business. Your grade in the simulation is based on the performance of your company, i.e., how well your team "manages" your company. In the simulation, you will make a series of business decisions that are judged in a simulated competitive market. As in the real market, some sets of decisions are more successful than others. While there is an element of competition, you can do well with respect to your grade if you make a valiant effort and prove you have learned from the mistakes made in the simulation.

Note: Your simulation grade may be subject to adjustment based on team member feedback.

Assessments (275 pts)

During the semester, you will have assessments to measure your progress and understanding in the areas you are studying. Each week has at least one assessment that can contain content from any part of that week. Other assessments will test on reading assignments or other specific assignments.

Midterm Exam (100 pts)

The midterm exam will assess your knowledge of key business terms and an ability to read and analyze financial statements.

COMP-XM (200 pts)

Comp-XM is a "Competency Exam." Plan to spend at least 15 hours completing CompXM. The examination provides a simulated company for you to manage and then asks you questions as you run the business. This is an individual exam. Help from anyone else is a clear violation of the honor code. Your ability to use what you have learned from the business simulation to answer new questions you have never seen before will be critical.

Good To Great

We will read this book by Jim Collins during the semester to better understand the principles of change and transition. Evaluation will be in the form of class discussion and assessments. This category"s grade is included in the Assessments Category.

Reflections: Lessons Learned (50 pts)

You will keep track of the things that you have learned throughout the semester. This is a good habit to get into and continue throughout your business career.

Grading Policies

Grades are based on the following point system (1000 points total):

Letter Grade	Percentage Range
A	100% –93%
A-	92.9% – 90%
B+	89.9% – 87%
B	86.9% – 83%
B-	82.9% – 80%
C+	79.9% – 77%
C	76.9% – 73%
C-	72.9% – 70%
D+	69.9% – 67%
D	66.9% – 63%
D-	62.9% – 60%
F	Below 60%

Resources

If any technical difficulties arise throughout the course, contact the Online Support Center or the Help Desk before contacting the instructor.

Online Support Center:

The Online Support Center (OSC) is designed to help any students taking online courses at BYU-Idaho. If you have questions about any online course or any feedback concerning online courses, instructors, or your online learning experience, please contact the OSC.

OSC Contact Information:

Phone: 208-496-1411

Text Messaging: 855-808-7102

Email: onlinelearning@byui.edu

Live Chat: Click Here

Website: https://www.byui.edu/online/online-support-center

Hours: Monday-Friday, 7 AM - 7 PM, MST

Additional Information

University Policies

Academic honesty is required, and any violation with be dealt with according to the University Academic Honesty Policy.

Policy on Sexual Discrimination/Harassment

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 prohibits sex discrimination against any participant in an education program or activity that receives federal funds, including Federal loans and grants. Title IX also covers student-to-student sexual harassment. If you encounter unlawful sexual harassment or gender-based discrimination, please contact the Personnel Office at 496-1130.

Reasonable Accommodation for Students with Disabilities:

Brigham Young University-Idaho is committed to providing a working and learning atmosphere which reasonably accommodates qualified persons with disabilities. If you have any disability which may impair your ability to complete this course successfully, please contact the Services for Students with Disabilities Office, 496-1158. Reasonable academic accommodations are reviewed for all students who have qualified documented disabilities. Services are coordinated with the student and instructor by this office. If you need assistance or if you feel you have been unlawfully discriminated against on the basis of disability, you may seek resolution through established grievance policy and procedures. You should contact the Personnel Office at 208-496-1130.

Personal Conduct

All of your correspondence with the teacher or other classmates must be respectful. Writing something disrespectful or "venting" is unprofessional and not becoming of a university student. In addition, it is not in accordance with the Honor Code of BYU-Idaho and you will be subject to discipline accordingly. You are invited to re-read the BYU-I Honor Code and the "Principles of Personal Honor."