Bro. Bell's Home Page

Freshman Academy 2007

Introduction to Business
Section 960  MTWTH   8 - 9:30 am   July 10-18 Ben 271  July 19-Aug 24 Smith 340
Section 961  MTWTH  10:30 - Noon  July 10-18 Smith 380  July 19-Aug 24 Smith 340

Faculty Name: Craig Bell
Office: 231(a) Smith
Phone/Voice Mail: 496-1488
E-Mail: bellc@byui.edu
 

Office Hours:  MWF  1-3 pm other times by appointment

Text: Blackboard,  Harvard Business School Publishing,  Web Resources

Selected Quotes:

The great overriding objective of this college must be to lead the minds of youth in the discovery of those great unchanging principles which come from a loving Father given to His children for their blessing and happiness now and forever.  There must be knowledge and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Savior and Redeemer of mankind.

Charge to President Bednar – President Gordon B. Hinckley
Friday, February 27, 1998

This sick old world so needs people of integrity, people of principle, people of high ideals, and people of great talent and faith to strengthen and mold society in a far better way than it is now being molded.

Brigham Young University-Idaho Inauguration
October 11, 2005
President Gordon B. Hinckley

Course Description:

The course is designed as an introduction to the world of business. Foundational principles of successful businesses will be discussed. Topics ranging from accounting, the economy, management practices, marketing, and finance will be covered.   The course will not have a traditional textbook students will be asked to research areas of business and collect relevant information.  Each student will be asked to create a web site which contains course content.  The course is based upon student participation and discussion.  (D&C 88:122)

Course Objectives:

1.     To expand your vision of the impact business has upon our world and your life.

2.     To help you better analyze business issues thereby enabling you to make more informed decisions as a consumer, employee, and employer.

3.     Gain an understanding of basic business principles and processes.

4.     To help you explore different career options in the business world.

5.     To help build a foundation of business understanding.


Course Requirements:

Students will be evaluated on the following:

    Preparation:  Coming to class having read and thought about the day's assignment.

    Promptness:  Be early and ready to start class at the appointed time.

    Participation:  Be prepared to teach and learn from each other.

    Performance:  You will be expected to gain understanding of several business terms and who they relate to one another.  Your performance on assignments such as your Business Plan will be evaluated.    There will also be course evaluations and a final interview.
 

1. Student Web Sites: You will be invited to create a web site with relevant course materials.  The website is a way for you organize your material and help in the discovery process.  The website will be used to facilitate students teaching one another. You will be expected to have your website up to date based upon where we are at in the course.   www.googlepages.com is a good place to get free space.

2. Business Plan:  The business idea needs to be something that you as a student could operate. With the technology of today you are not limited to selling products or services in Rexburg.  You will be asked to create a two - three page business plan with the following areas:

        -Describe your business idea:  How are you going to make money?

        -Marketing:   4ps

        -Operations and Management: How are you going to operate and manage this business?

         -Finance and Accounting:  How much money do you need to get started?  How much profit do you plan on making and when?

3,  Mentors:  Select one or two mentors outside of immediate family who are in positions / careers you see yourself going into.  Mentors are to be used to expand your understanding of the areas covered in the course.  This link will give you an idea of the type of questions you could ask.

        Sample Mentor Questions

4.  Vision Conference / Career Workshop:  July 14th 

5.  Evaluations / Exams:  There will be periodic evaluations throughout the semester. These will focus on students understanding of the major concepts of the course and less on mere recall of information.
 

Course Points

Preparation, Promptness and Participation :

Performance

Boot Camp Evaluation

E-Bay Experience

Web Sites:  (approx. 200 total pts)

Business Plan:  100 pts.

Mentors: 50 Pts.

Evaluations / Exams:  300 pts.

 

*All assignments are expected to be complete and on time. This means at the beginning of class on the day specified.  Late assignments will be discounted 50%.  Other assignments will be discounted a minimum of 10%. Late is after the start of class on the day assigned or after the time specified.   Assignments can be turned in early.

Grading    ( based upon total points earned divided by total points possible)                                                                    

93-100 A              73-76.9 C
90-92.9 A-           70-72.9 C-
87-89.9 B+
83-86.9 B
80-82.9 B-
77-79.9 C+

 


Note: If you have a diagnosed disability or believe you have a disability that may require reasonable accommodation on the part of BYU-Idaho  please see me after class or call my office at 496-1488. This class outline is subject to change due to teachers discretion.

Abiding by the BYU-Idaho  Honor Code will be expected by all students
 

 

 Chapter / Teaching Schedule
Subject to change at teacher’s discretion

 

Area of Focus

 Assigned Readings / Study What's Expected
July 10

Discussion about Learning / Education
 

 Reading Assignment:
"Whole Soul As an Offering":

 "A Disciple Preparation Center (DPC)"

Elder David A. Bednar

 

 Come Prepared to discuss the purpose of education in your life.

What value is education to you?
Why spend so much time / money in the pursuit of knowledge?

 
July 11

 

Business Today

 

President Clark: Impact of Business
Found in Bb Course Documents / Videos

Watch Thomas Friedman Video on Google

Charlie Rose - THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN
58 min - Apr 5, 2005
 

Introduction to Business Boot Camp
(See Bb course materials under Business Boot Camp)

 

Come prepared with questions and comments.

Questions:

What impact do you see business having today and in the future upon the world?

How does a flat world impact your future?

 
July 12

Boot Camp

  

Individual and Team Time

 

 
       
July 16

 

Economics
                 
 

 Some Good Resources

Economics: An Introduction and Vocabulary
(Business Article)

and

Economics: An Introduction and Vocabulary
(HBS online tutorial)

 

 Come prepared with questions and insights.
July 17 Economics   Economics Web Page Due

 
July 18


Entrepreneurship
 

  

 

  
July 19 Entrepreneurship    
July 23      
July 24  

Pioneer Day

No Formal Class
July 25 eBay    
July 26 eBay Team / Individual Time  
Mon.

July30

 eBay Item Review Article: Business Model Analysis for the Entrepreneur
Bb under course materials / articles

Video Clips at

http://edcorner.stanford.edu
 1. Making Meaning
2.  New Business Models

Guy Kawasaki
 

  
Tues.

July 31

 Career Workshop Read / Review the Career Workshop Booklet

 

 Come with Questions
Aug. 1 Entrepreneurship
 		Review:
Article: Business Model Analysis for the Entrepreneur
Bb under course materials / articles		 One Page Business Plan Summary

1. What product or service?
2. Why?
3.  How?  Operations - day to day?
4. Financial needs and projections?
5. Good/Strengths  &  Bad / Weaknesses

 
Aug. 2 Entrepreneurship Read Article "Learning by the Case Method" found in Bb  Course Materials / Articles

Watch "Case Method" video

 

 

 Web Page Due

1.  Current Event / Article
2.  Mentor comments

Come Prepared to Teach from your Website

 
Mon.
Aug. 6		 No Formal Class   Take the Accounting Pre-Test
Harvard Tutorials:  Introduction to Financial Accounting

Link: 

Harvard Tutorials Link
Tues
Aug. 7		 Accounting:
The Language of Business

Financial Accounting: An Introductory Online Course

(HBS online tutorial--link found in Blackboard under course documents)

Harvard Manage Mentor
Found under Course Materials / Harvard Business Tutorials

or at the following link.

 

Harvard Manage Mentor Link

 You should come prepared with a basic understanding of the three financial statements.  (Review Boot Camp, Harvard Manage Mentor, Harvard Acct. Tutorial)

1. What is the purpose and use for each financial statement?

Print out and Review the following financial statements?

1. Rotelli's  Balance Sheet and Income Statement
2. Cash Flow Statement

1. Pelican's  Balance Sheet and Income Statement
2. Cash Flow Statement 

From a review of the two sets of financial statements which company would you purchase? Explain why.

 
Wed.
Aug. 8		 Accounting
 		HBS Case  Tots-R-Us Selected questions to answer prior to class. (post your answers prior to class- by 10 pm. Tuesday Aug. 7th)

1.  Compute the cost of a single pre-school class and a single birthday party using the current cost system?

2.  Would you recommend the Tot-R-Us (TRU) continue to allocate costs only to the pre-school program? Explain why.

3. What changes to their accounting system would you suggest to the owners of TRU?
Thurs.
Aug. 9		 Finance case:

Pacific Salmon Co., Inc.

Read the case and take time to calculate if the price of $450 million is too much or not?

 

Refer to the Harvard Manage Mentor for help with finance questions.

Accounting Web Page Due with Article and Mentor Comments.

Case Questions:

What is the right amount to pay for Pacific Salmon Co.?  Is $450 million too much? 

Aug. 10 BYU-Idaho Livestock Center
Meet at 8:30 am  by Hart Gym		    
Aug. 13 Marketing

 Read:  Note on Marketing Strategy
Article found in Bb under course materials

&

Pick and Watch two videos from the following list: 

Marketing and Sales Video Clips

This link lists several videos on Marketing and Sales.

If link does not work go to http://edcorner.stanford.edu and select Marketing and Sales videos link on the left side of the web page.

 

 There will be a short quiz on the Marketing Strategy Article

&

Come prepared to share what you learned from the two video clips you selected
Aug. 14 Marketing Read and Prepare
Case: Inside Intel Inside
Case found in Course Materials in Bb

Plan on plenty of time to read and prepare for the case discussion.

Questions to Bring to Class (One page typed)

1.  What was the original motivation behind Intel's decision to launch the Intel Inside Branding campaign?

2. What factors have accounted for the success of the campaign?

3.  Should the company extend or use the "Intel Inside" branding campaign to other non-PC categories such as cell phones and PDA's?  Why or Why not?

Aug. 15  Marketing and the Web

 

 View the tutorials on the Google Analytics page

 Marketing Web Page Due with Article and Mentor Comments.

Sign in to Google Analytics and set up your web page (googlepages) to track visitors etc.

Sign Up Link
Aug. 16 Operations / Supply Chain Mgt.

 Global Supply Chain Simulation

Found in Harvard Tutorials
(link in Course Materials Bb)

  
Aug. 20 Management and Leadership Read Article: Jesus the Perfect Leader (found in Course materials under articles)

Case in Point
Managing Performance: Review Case and Answer Decision Questions.
(go to Harvard Tutorial Link and then Program Catalog,  find Case in Point and then select Managing Performance from the list)
Consider the following questions: (bring 1 page typed)
  • What should Paul say when he meets with Adam the next morning?
  • How should Paul readdress the issue of collaboration so that he and Adam can have a productive dialogue about it?
  • What should Paul say in Adam's written performance review?
 
Aug. 21 Management and Leadership

Case Study : Leading Change and Simmons

 Case Study : Leading Change and Simmons

Read and prepare Case found in Bb:  Course Documents / Cases

Read Article: Leading Change

 Questions:  (1 page typed)

1.Should Charlie Eitel spend the money to help change the culture at Simmons? Do you feel it is a good decision?

2.  If you were Fenway Partners how would you respond to the costs associated with the proposed cultural change program?

Aug. 22

 

Change and Innovation
 

  

President David A. Bednar Video
 


 

Operations Web Page Due with Article and Mentor Comments.

 

Watch the video--take good notes and then post your key learnings into a blog on BlackBoard entitled Elder Bednar Video. 

Blog needs to be posted prior to class.

 
Aug. 23 Honesty and Integrity    

I Will Not Remove Mine Integrity From Me (Job 27:5)
Elder David A. Bednar

Three Towels and a 25-Cent Newspaper
Elder Richard C. Edgley

 

 Leadership / Management Web Page Due with Article and Mentor Comments.

Read the Two Talks and write your personal creed of ethics. This creed should be a guide to you throughout your life.  

Make two copies one to turn in and the other to keep.

Aug. 24  Smith 453  8am    and 10:30 am Final Exam Essay Exam covering the content of the course. Essay questions from the various sections.

Global Business Today
Economics
Entrepreneurship
Accounting
Finance
Marketing
Information Technology
Operations / Supply Chain
Management / Leadership

Note: Do not plan your departure before the time of the final exam.

 

 

 

 

 

Appendix A   

 

 

* non-bold italic items are examples of what you might write. 

* Bold items are template.   Remember you are free to create your own open ended questions.