Course Information & Objectives

 

Introduction to Management

• Identify and describe the functions of management including planning, organizing, staffing, directing, and controlling.
• Describe the components of each of the functions of management.
• Explain the complexities of management principles and theories.
• Identify the responsibilities of management.
• Identify the contemporary management trends and issues.
• Develop his or her own philosophy of management.  

Business Communication (Written)

Note: transfer or alternative composition courses should be identified

• Analyze realistic business situations and select an appropriate letter-writing approach to bring about the desired outcome.
• Relate appropriate human/public relations approaches to/in all communications, whether written, oral, or non-verbal.
• Apply correct English grammar, spelling, and punctuation, to write clear, concise and complete sentences, paragraphs, letters, and memorandums.
• Write effective routine letters and memos, such as inquiry and request, claim, orders, and acknowledgements, applying the deductive approach.
• Write effective routing letters and memos, such as requests, claims, credit, and requests applying argumentative writing and the inductive approach.
• Write effecting persuasive letters and memos, such as requests, claims, sales and employment, applying the persuasive approach.
• Compare and contrast the psychology and the organizational structure and wording for pleasant-news and unpleasant-news and letters and memos.
• Apply appropriate guidelines to resolve conflicts while maintaining the concepts of goodwill and positive public relations.
• Discuss the role of cultural diversity in business and apply the appropriate language in written and oral communications.
• Identify the strategies for writing persuasive credit, collection, and sales letters that use the emotional and the rational/logical appeals.
• Identify the various stages of the collection process and the strategies for writing reminders and letters at each stage.
• Compose a series of employment-related letters, such as inquiry, application, request for references, and follow-up.
• Compile information and prepare a data sheet/resume.
• Identify personal characteristics, skills and abilities that would apply to specific employment interviews.
• Express self clearly in expository writing, application, request for references and follow-up.

Business Mathematics

• Apply their understanding of basic arithmetic and relate these basics to problems encountered in common business situations.
• Advance their mathematical competence in the fundamental processes of solving business problems.
• Solve business problems using algebraic formulas.
• Demonstrate the ability to read, write, round off, add, subtract, multiply, and divide whole decimal numbers.
• Add, subtract, multiply, divide, reduce and raise fractions.
• Calculate base, rate, portion, percents of increase and decrease, gross and net amounts, single and series discounts, selling price based on cost or selling price, simple interest using ordinary or exact time, cost of installment buying, add-on interest and cost of open-end credit.
• Compute total wages based on hours worked, straight commission, graduated commission, salary plus commission, piecework, and net wages.
• Compute social security taxes, federal income taxes, sales taxes, price of stock, cost of buying and selling stock, dividends, gains or losses from buying, owning, and selling stock.
• Compute straight-line method of depreciation, book value, annual depreciation, accumulated depreciation and distribution of overhead.
• Calculate mode, median, and mean as well as construct and interpret a frequency histogram.

Accounting/Bookkeeping

Note: transfer or alternative options, such as financial, managerial, or general accounting should be identified. Industry recommendation to not use “bookkeeping” title.

• Develop a working knowledge of the principles of double entry accounting.
• Define common terms used in accounting.
• Analyze various accounting transactions to determine their debit and credit parts.
• Explain the nature of both the income statement and balance sheet, and how they are related.
• Perform the journalizing and posting functions.
• Prepare a bank statement reconciliation.
• Identify the types of journals used in accounting and the purpose of each.
• Outline the steps in the accounting cycle.

Marketing/Marketing Management

• Evaluate marketing in terms of total American business enterprises.
• Learn about the people of marketing:  their functions and the institutions in which they operate.
• Examine the ever-changing marketing climate, and explore new developments.
• Define marketing and the core concepts of needs, wants, demands, products, exchange, transactions, and markets.
• Explain the importance and growth of the marketing management process, both internationally and domestically.
• Describe the role and functions of the marketing manager.
• Explain and analyze the marketing information system (MIS) and marketing research.
• Prepare a marketing plan for a product or service.
• Describe the process of promoting products, brands, labels, packaging , and the marketing mix.
• Discuss and analyze the process of promoting products, including advertising, sales promotion, personal selling, and publicity.
• Discuss career opportunities and potential in the various marketing fields.
• Examine the ethical dimensions of marketing decision-making.
• Examine international marketing implications.

Oral Communications

Note: transfer or alternative communications courses, such as interpersonal or business communications, should be identified.

• Demonstrate, through class discussion, a knowledge of how he /she interacts with his/her environment.
• Compare the theories of interpersonal communication with other modes of public speaking.
• Employ communication concepts in one-on-one and small group communication.
• Demonstrate problem solving and conflict resolution through role-playing.
• Demonstrate increased perception of verbal and nonverbal messages that are common in the work world by reporting outside experiences.
• Analyze ability of fellow students as sender and receiver of nonverbal messages in written critiques.
• Demonstrate more critical listening ability through small group discussion.
• Evaluate the intervening variables (semantic, attitudes, etc.) that cause communication breakdowns to occur.
• Demonstrate methods to ameliorate communication breakdowns through role- playing.

Human Resources Management

• Develop an overview appreciation of human resource administration, its scope, and its responsibilities.
• Evaluate actual human resource problems and the possible solutions involved.
• Understand the principles and methods involved in the recruitment, selection, placement, and training of employees with regard to government regulations,  experience and aptitudes.
• Identify the major laws and issues involved in human resource administration.

Retail Management and Merchandising  

• Identify customer buying motives according to Maslow’s hierarchy by observing and questioning customers and salespeople both orally and by use of written surveys.
• List mental, physical and emotional qualifications necessary to be employed as a person in a retail store.
• Classify retail stores by type of organization.
• Classify retail stores by type of merchandising category.
• Explain the techniques used for sales promotion in promotional, semi-promotional, and non-promotional retail stores.
• Evaluate store layout in relation to customer buying habits.
• Evaluate store location according to accessibility, environment, and cost in relation to sales.
• Recognize the many career advantages the merchandising field offers.

Microcomputer Applications

• Options include any introductory computer course, applications courses, or other entry-level computer course designed to build general computer literacy in the workplace.  Local choice.  

Leadership/Human Relations in Business

• (Industry Representatives see this course as an advanced or culminating course designed to explore best practices in leadership and human relations.)
• Identify the concepts of work, worth, and leisure ethics in the U.S.A. today as they relate to human relations in the workplace;
• Describe the basic individual and group human behavioral theories and concepts in order to apply them to the workplace;
• Explain the individual, group, and organizational qualities and concepts that contribute to job motivation, success, evaluation, and rewards;
• Recognize the challenges of interfacing technology and people at work;
• Identify different leadership and management models and styles in order to respond appropriately with them in different situations;
• Describe the characteristics and select from optional methodologies to deal with managing change and conflict within the workplace;
• Apply various communication concepts in order to improve processes.