Class
time: MW
Professor: Dr. Brian Niehoff Office: Calvin 101B
Office
Phone: 532-4359 Email: niehoff@ksu.edu
Textbook: Effective Small Business Management: An Entrepreneurial Approach (7th
ed.) N. M. Scarborough & T. W. Zimmerer 2003,
Prentice-Hall.
Course
Description:
This course is designed to offer students an
opportunity to work in teams with actual small businesses in the local
communities to learn more about small business management and new venture
startups. Emphasis is placed on the
understanding of operational and strategic planning problems. The coursework is targeted toward the
necessary skills for students to be able to assist the small businesses in a
real project.
Course
Assignments:
The assignments for this course are intended to
help students increase their learning about small business management using textbook
material, online resources, and hands-on application of course concepts.
1. Quizzes,
in-class activities, and homework assignments – Given the
nature of the class – student teams assisting businesses – it will be important
that students keep up with course material.
Regular quizzes and assignments will be geared toward knowledge of
course concepts and applications of material to real cases. In total, these activities will be worth
100 points.
2.
Group
Project and Presentation – Each student will be assigned to a group
project to work with a local business.
There will be four projects to complete during the semester, as well as
presentation. Once students are assigned
to teams and paired with a local business, teams will undertake the projects. First, students will conduct an analysis of
the industry in which the local business is operating. This will allow students to fully understand
the context of the business and the types of competitors that exist. A second project will be for the teams to conduct
a full analysis of the business. This
will involve getting to know the history as well as all facets (marketing,
operations, human resources, financial, and strategic) of the business. The third and fourth projects concern the
actual project on which the group will assist the business. The groups will first write a proposal
describing the scope of the project, how they plan to conduct the project, and
what outcomes are expected. At the end
of the semester, the groups will write a final report discussing what they
actually completed and how it was done.
More information on the projects will be discussed at a later date. In total, the 4 group projects will be
worth 200 points, the presentation will be worth 30 points, and evaluations
from your peers will be worth 20 points.
3.
Exams
– There will be 3 exams for the course.
The format will be discussed at a later time. The scheduled dates are shown on the class
schedule in this syllabus. The final
exam will be on Monday May 12th
from
Quizzes
& homework assignments 100 pts
Group Projects:
Industry Analysis 50
Company Summary 50
Project Proposal 30
Final Project Report 70
Class Presentation 30
Peer Evaluation 20
Exams (3 @ 100 pts) 300
A =
585 - 650 pts
B =
520 - 584 pts
C =
455 - 519 pts
D =
390 - 454 pts
F =
below 390 pts
Official
Notifications:
The following statements are required by the
University policy to be in the syllabus.
Academic Dishonesty: The University policy on academic dishonesty
is as follows: “Plagiarism and cheating
are serious offenses and may be punished by failure on the exam, paper or project;
failure in the course; and/or expulsion from the university. For more information, refer to the “’Academic
Dishonesty’ policy in the University catalog.”
Need for Assistance: If you have any condition, such as a physical
or learning disability, which will make it difficult for you to carry out the
work as I have outlined, or which will require academic accommodations, please
notify me as soon as possible.
Final day to Withdraw without a grade of “W”: According to the University Line Schedule for
the Spring Semester 2003, the last day students can withdraw from a class and
not receive a grade of “W” is February
20th.
Class
Schedule:
|
Date |
Topic
for Class |
Text
Chap |
Assignment
Due |
Jan 22
|
Orientation, Class Explanation, & Skill
Assessment |
|
|
|
Jan 27 |
The Consulting Process |
|
|
|
Jan 29 |
Introduction to Entrepreneurs |
1 |
|
|
Feb 3 |
Forms of Ownership |
3 |
|
|
Feb 5 |
Franchising |
4 |
|
|
Feb 10 |
Buying an Existing Business |
5 |
|
|
Feb 12 |
Strategic Mgmt:
Gaining a Competitive Edge |
2 |
|
|
Feb 17 |
Creating a Guerilla Marketing Plan |
7 |
Group
Project #1 (Industry Analysis) |
|
Feb 19 |
Creating a Solid Financial Plan |
8 |
|
|
Feb 24 |
Managing Cash Flow |
9 |
|
|
Feb
26 |
Exam
#1 |
1-5, 7-9 |
|
|
Mar 3 |
Crafting a Winning Plan |
6 |
|
|
Mar 5 |
Pricing & Credit Strategies |
10 |
Group
Project #2 (Project Proposal) |
|
Mar 10 |
Creative Use of Advertising & Promotion |
11 |
|
|
Mar 12 |
Global Marketing Strategies for Entrepreneurs |
12 |
|
|
Mar 17 |
***
Spring Break *** |
|
|
|
Mar 19 |
***
Spring Break *** |
|
|
|
Mar 24 |
E-Commerce & Entrepreneurship |
13 |
|
|
Mar 26 |
Sources of Equity Financing |
14 |
Group
Project #3 (Summary of Business) |
|
Mar 31 |
Sources of Debt Financing |
15 |
|
|
Apr
7 |
Exam
#2 |
|
|
|
Apr 9 |
Location, Layout, & Physical Facilities |
16 |
|
|
Apr 14 |
Purchasing, Quality Mgmt, & Vendor Analysis |
17 |
|
|
Apr 16 |
Managing Inventory |
18 |
|
|
Apr 21 |
Staffing & Leading a Growing Company and
Management Succession & Risk Management |
19 &
20 |
|
|
Apr 23 |
Ethics, Social Responsibility & the
Entrepreneur |
22 |
|
|
Apr 28 |
Legal Environment: Business Law & Government Regulation |
22 |
Group
Project #4 (Final Project Reports) & Presentations |
|
Apr 30 |
Final Project Presentations |
|
|
|
May 5 |
Final Project Presentations |
|
|
|
May 7 |
Final Project Presentations & Wrap-up of
class |
|
|
|
May
12 |
Final
Exam |
15-22 |
|