Course Syllabus


Print Syllabus
Course ID: MGT253
Title: Owning and Operating a Small Business
Modality: Print-Based
Credit Hours: 3.00

Course Section Information

Institution: Rio Salado College

Section: 10837

Term: Fall 2014

Start Date: 11/3/2014

Last date to withdraw: None

Instructor: Bryan Barton

Course Materials

Be sure that you have all the necessary materials prior to the start date of your course.

Title: The Business Planning Guide
Author: David Bangs, Jr.
ISBN: 079315409X

Title: Effective Small Business Management: An Entrepreneurial Approach
Author: Norman M. Scarborough, Douglas L. Wilson, and Thomas W. Zimmerer
ISBN: 0558149898

Rio Salado College has developed a unique Textbook Savings Program that uses customized textbooks and saves students up to 50% off the original price of textbooks. This textbook is included in the Textbook Savings Program and has been customized specifically for this course at Rio Salado College by Pearson Custom Publishing so that it contains information most relevant to the course. Your course materials are available through the Rio Salado College Bookstore. All materials should be verified by ISBN before purchasing at the Rio Salado Bookstore (480-517-8710 or 1-800-584-8775 or http://learnatrio.com/RL-bookstore) or from another seller.

Course Description and Competencies

Official Course Description
Starting, organizing, and operating a small business, including location, finance management processes, advertisement and promotion, credit, inventory control and ethics.
Official Course Prerequisites
None.
Official Course Competencies
  1. Conduct a self-analysis to determine if one has the personal qualities essential for owning and operating a small business.
  2. Use problem-solving methods in determining the course of action to follow in starting and operating a small business.
  3. Create a business plan.
  4. Identify and explain laws and regulations that affect the small business owner.
  5. Explain the advantages and disadvantages of various types of business ownership.
  6. Compare ratios between similar businesses.
  7. Identify the different sources of debt capital, and explain the advantages and disadvantages of each.
  8. Describe the characteristics of various types of business locations.
  9. Compare management styles and practices to determine effectiveness.
  10. Describe various types of inventory control methods.
  11. Describe different types of costs, and calculate break-even.
  12. Read and interpret financial statements.
  13. Compare and contrast methods for promoting a business, product, or service.
  14. Explain the various considerations that must go into establishing a price for a product or service.
  15. Describe the challenge of ethics in small business, and define codes of conduct for businesses.

Course Requirements

MGT253 is offered at Rio Salado College in two different options.  You can choose to follow the “Survey Option” or the “Business Plan Option.” Go to Owning and Operating a Small Business Course Option Selection form, located in the Appendix, to read the descriptions related to your choices.  Remember, once you select, you cannot change.

Please refer to the calendar for specific due dates. Due dates are the last date an assignment can be submitted to your instructor.

Read and study the textbook chapters as indicated on your assignment sheet and calendar. Answering the Discussion Questions at the end of each chapter will help you practice the concepts studied in each lesson.

  1. You must complete all course assessments listed in the lessons to be eligible for a passing grade.  Check the due dates in your course package. 
  2. You are allowed to submit your assignments, including quizzes, only one time unless you have permission from your instructor to resubmit an assignment.
  3. You are expected to write at a college level.  Use the grading matrix (if applicable) to see how your assignments will be evaluated.  Edit your work carefully before submitting it to your instructor.
  4. Keep a copy of all assignments that you submit.
  5. Contact your instructor if you have any questions while you are enrolled in the course.
  6. Assignments must be submitted by the specified due date. If you find that you need an extension on an assignment, contact your instructor before the scheduled due date.  Individual instructors will determine whether or not to grant the extension.  If you do not apply for an extension, or an extension is not granted, your instructor will decide whether or not to accept the work and if points will be deducted.
  7. Each student must submit his or her own original work, as outlined in the plagiarism section in the syllabus.  Plagiarism can include, but is not limited to:
    • submitting work that is not your own
    • submitting work that is copied from another source such as another student, a Web site, or a print source without proper citation
    • submitting work that is paraphrased or summarized from another source without proper citation
  8. Assignments must include information summarized in your own words and personal examples in addition to quoted information from properly cited sources.
  9. You must earn an average of 60% or higher on the exam(s) and/or Midterm/Final Project(s) in order to be eligible to pass the course.

Time Requirements

Remember that this is a three credit-hour class. As such, you will need to dedicate significant time to this course. Plan to spend at least three hours on course content and at least six hours on homework for a total of at least nine hours each week. Be prepared to double your weekly class and study time if you choose an accelerated calendar.

Grading Procedure and Scale

Grading Procedure

There are 930 possible points for this course.
Syllabus Quiz = 30 Points
5 Essay Assignments @ 100 points each = 500 Points
At-Home Midterm Exam (non-proctored) = 200 Points
At-Home Final Project = 200 Points
Total Points = 930 Points

Grading Scale

Letter grades for assignments, examinations, and the course will be determined by the following scale:

837 - 930 points = A (90% - 100%)
744 - 836 points = B (80% - 89%)
651 - 743 points = C (70% - 79%)
558 - 650 points = D (60% - 69%)
0 - 557 points = F (0% - 59%)
Please Note: The grading procedure for this course is based on the total number of points possible.

The grading scale is administered equally to all students in the course. Do not expect to receive a grade higher than that earned by your total points. There will be no “point adjustments” made for such things as “class participation” or other subjective factors.

There is no extra credit available for this course.

Final Grade Options

  • Letter grade (A, B, C, D, F) - Awarded if the student completes all work, including the final exams.
  • Extension (in lieu of Incomplete grade) - Students may request an extension because of illness or other extenuating circumstances, if they have been doing acceptable work. The instructor will define the requirements and timelines to complete the course.
    Please Note: Instructors are not obligated to give extensions.
  • Withdrawal - Students may submit a withdrawal request on or prior to the “Deadline for Student to Withdraw with Guaranteed Grade of W” indicated in the college catalog.

    Students should not contact their instructor to request a withdrawal. A student wishing to withdraw from a class within the stated timeline must do so by visiting my.maricopa.edu or by calling Student Enrollment Services at 480.517.8540 (1.800.729.1197 toll-free). In extreme circumstances, students do have the option of requesting a complete withdrawal from the college by providing Student Enrollment Services with appropriate documentation.

  • Credit/No Credit Option (P/Z) - This course may be taken on a credit/no credit basis.

To receive Credit "P" grade, students must complete all course work, including exams, and attend all required meetings. A "P" grade is judged to be equivalent to a grade of "C" or higher. A No-Credit "Z" grade will be awarded for course work judged to be below the grade of "C."

It is the student's responsibility to request advisement at (480) 517-8580 concerning the transferability of a grade of "P" or "Z."

You have a set number of days from your start date to request to change your grade option. See the table below to determine deadline based upon the length of your course

For example in a 14-week course you will have until the 11th calendar day to request to change your grade option.

Class Length

Deadline to Request

Two Weeks

1st Day of Class

Three Weeks

2nd Calendar Day

Four Weeks

3rd Calendar Day

Five Weeks

4th Calendar Day

Six Weeks

5th Calendar Day

Seven Weeks

5th Calendar Day

Eight Weeks

6th Calendar Day

Nine Weeks

7th Calendar Day

Ten Weeks

8th Calendar Day

Eleven Weeks

9th Calendar Day

Twelve Weeks

10th Calendar Day

Thirteen Weeks

10th Calendar Day

Fourteen Weeks

11th Calendar Day

Fifteen Weeks

12th Calendar Day

Sixteen Weeks

Within 14 days including the first class period

You may request to change your grade option yourself by calling Course Support at (480) 517-8243 by the deadline as outlined above.

Exams

There is an At-Home Midterm Exam for this course. The At-Home Midterm is due at the end of Week 5. The exam consists of one essay question that is specific to the course option (Survey or Business Plan) that you have chosen. The question is comprehensive and covers material contained in Lessons 1-5. Please review the “Grading Procedure and Scale” portion of your syllabus for points and also review the grading matrix in your syllabus for details about how the essay will be graded. Read the directions for your essay carefully and be sure that you address all required components of the assignment in detail before you submit it to your instructor.

Note: There are no in-person examinations for this course.

Hints for Success

 

 

  1. Homework Labeling: Clearly label EVERY PAGE of your homework with your name, the course number, section number, your instructor’s name, and the homework’s name as it appears in the syllabus. Preferably, this labeling will occur in the top right-hand corner of each page. Make and keep copies of all your submissions.
  2. Carefully review the feedback and notes that your instructor provides on your assignments. This information will help you as you prepare future assignments. If you have any questions about the feedback or if you do not understand what the instructor is looking for, don’t hesitate to contact him or her.
  3. Feedback Schedule: Student homework and exams are routed to your instructor on a weekly basis. This completed work is also sent back to you with instructor feedback on a weekly basis.

Copyrights and Acknowledgements

The following items are copyrighted and have been reproduced in this course through special permission granted by the rights holders, with all rights reserved. If permission has not yet been received, items are made available under the Fair Use Statute, Section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976. The material is made available solely for the use of registered students in this class and may not be further distributed to any person outside the class, whether by copying or by transmission in electronic or paper form.

Adams, Susan. “Mixed Motives.” Forbes 185.6 (April 2010): 44. ©2010. Used with permission.

Bellingham, Matt and Nick Jones.“Differentiation the Key to Success in the Post-Recession World.” NZ Business 24.1 (Feb 2010): 44-45. ©2010. Used with permission.

Benson, Leslie. “The Thin Red Line: Questioning Alleged Trade Dress Infringement.” Global Cosmetic Industry 176.11 (Nov 2008): 8-9. ©2008. Used with permission.

Moore, Patricia. “A Place to do Business.” NZ Business 21.9 (Oct 2007): 40-43. ©2007. Used with permission.

Partridge, Mark. “Copyrights and Wrongs.” HR Magazine 52.11 (Nov 2008): 101-104. . ©2008.  Used with permission.

Perman, Stacy. “From Garbage to Gold.” Business Week Online (8/18/06): 12. ©2006. Used with permission.

“Questions to Consider in Assessing Company Culture.” HR Focus 82.10 (Oct 2008): 7. ©2008.  Used with permission.

“Stay in Control.” Wearables Business 12.5 (June 2008): 24. ©2008. Used with permission.

Steyn, Waldo. “Dispute Looms over Apple Trademark.” Managing Intellectual Property 179 (May 2007): 165. ©2007. Used with permission.

Wilson, Marianne. “ADA Myths Remain.” Chain Store Age 82.1 (Jan 2006): 104. ©2006. Used with permission.

Originality of Work

Students are expected to submit work that is primarily original in nature. Failure to do so is a violation of the Academic Misconduct Policy. What does this mean?

  • Quoted Passages - If you quote work from a source, a maximum of 20% of the essay may be quoted. Quoted material should support your original work, not replace it. All quoted work must be surrounded by quotation marks, should end with an in-text citation that includes the page number(s), and correspond to a reference listed at the end of the essay.

  • Combined Quoted, Paraphrased and/or Summarized Passages - You can use paraphrased and summarized information for a portion of your essay provided you include a proper in-text citation(s) along with a reference list. All quoted, paraphrased, and /or summarized material must support your original work. Therefore, no more than 50% of a written assignment may be quoted, paraphrased, and/or summarized - even if properly cited, from the work of others. This would not constitute original work.

  • Plagiarism Detection - All essays submitted at Rio Salado College are compared with previously submitted work to ensure students are submitting original work. You may not submit work that another student has previously submitted in a course as this violates the Academic Misconduct Policy.

  • Assignment Sharing Web Sites - Posting or using content from Web sites where students share their assignments is considered plagiarism as it violates the Academic Misconduct Policy and will result in academic discipline.
  • Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools - Turning in content created by AI essay generators or other types of AI platforms violates academic misconduct and will result in academic discipline.
Tutoring - If you need assistance writing college-level essays, Rio Salado College provides free online and in-person tutoring. Please see the Tutoring Web Site for hours and locations.

Updated after Faculty approval. - Murray Inman  7/16/2020



Submitting Assignments

All assignments are listed under the "Assessing Your Learning" heading in each lesson.

Note to students: Keep a copy of everything that you submit. If your work is lost you can submit your copy for grading. If you don’t receive your graded assignment or quiz results within two or three weeks after submitting it, please contact your instructor.

The due date listed in your course calendar is the last date on which an assignment can be delivered to the Course Support Office, or postmarked.

Distance Learning Drop Box

Distance Learning students can now drop off class assignments (in an appropriately addressed envelope) and return library books, videotapes, and/or cassettes at the Distance Learning Drop Box.

The Drop Box is conveniently located along the curb in front of the Rio Salado building at 2323 W. 14th Street in Tempe.

Mailed Assignments

All mailed assignments must be properly addressed and mailed with adequate postage. Please remember all correspondence to Rio Salado College must have a return address, an addressee, and the correct postage. The U.S. Postal Service may refuse delivery if any of these three are missing. All items placed in the Rio drop box must have a return address and an addressee. Please keep a copy of all work turned in to your instructor. Assignments will not be accepted if postage is due. If you are unsure of the postage required, take the item to the post office and have it weighed.

Include the course section number and assignment identifier on the envelope below your name and return address. Envelopes that are labeled incorrectly can cause a delay in processing your work. Address your envelope as shown in this example:

From:

Your Name:  Jane Q. Doe
Your Address:   1234 Anywhere Street, Anytown, AZ
Course and Section Numbers:  GPH111, Section 12345
Assignment Identifier:   Essay 1

To:

The Course Support Office Rio Salado College
P. O. Box 63310
Phoenix, AZ 85082-3310
Attn: (Write your instructor’s name here)

Your section number can be found in your "Welcome Letter".

The Course Support staff cannot answer questions about the receipt of specific mail-in assignments. Only your instructor can do so.

Note to students: Please submit only one assignment in each envelope. The special envelopes provided to you by Rio Salado are only for computer answer sheets (Scantrons). Please mail all other assignments in separate envelopes.

Note to students: The U.S. Post Office no longer offers Sunday or holiday mail posting, and pick-up does not automatically mean that your envelope will be posted the same day. To be safe, allow extra time: mail early.

Faxed Assignments

Assignments may be faxed to (480) 377-4728 for print and mixed media courses. Your name, your instructor's name, and the course name and section numbers must appear at the top of every page. When the Course Support Office receives assignments, they are sent to your instructor for evaluation. Once your instructor has graded your assignment, they will return it to you.

Protect your hard work. Again, clearly label every page of your assignment with your name, the course and section numbers, your instructors name, and the name of the assignment as it appears in the syllabus.

Course Completion Policy

A student who registers for a Print or Multimedia course is assigned a start date and an end date. It is the student's responsibility to note due dates for assignments and to keep up with the course work.

Students may request an extension because of illness or other extenuating circumstances, if they have been doing acceptable work. The instructor will define the requirements and timelines to complete the course.

Please Note: It is the prerogative of the instructor to decide whether or not to grant the request.

Library Services

The Rio Salado Library is committed to student success and provides a variety of materials and services to enhance student learning. Utilizing Rio’s online library for your research is the best way to ensure that your sources are validated, authoritative, and appropriate for college-level coursework. Librarians are available to help you at all times via our Ask a Librarian live chat service. You can access all library services at https://learnatrio.com/31qeRec.

Academic Misconduct

Academic Misconduct includes cheating, conspiring to cheat, soliciting to cheat, attempting to cheat, plagiarism, fabrication on an assignment, or other forms of dishonest presentation.

Posting assessments on an unauthorized web site, soliciting assessment answers and the unauthorized acquisition of assessments, assessment answers, or other academic material is cheating. Turning in content created by essay generators or other types of artificial intelligence platforms is also academic misconduct.

Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to, the use of paraphrase or direct quotation of the published or unpublished work of another person without full and clear acknowledgment. It also includes the unacknowledged use of materials prepared by another person or agency engaged in the selling or sharing of term papers or other academic materials. Information gathered from the Internet and not properly identified is also considered plagiarism.

We expect every student to produce their own original, independent work. Any student whose work indicates a violation of the MCCCD Academic Misconduct Policy, including cheating and plagiarism, can expect sanctions as specified in the college catalog. This policy is located at https://district.maricopa.edu/regulations/admin-regs/section-2/2-3#11.

Rio Salado College uses software that uncovers plagiarism from student to student and other data sources on the Internet. If a student is found to have plagiarized content, grade consequences will be applied in accordance with departmental policies.

Civility Policy

The faculty of Rio Salado place a high value on the importance of general ethical standards of academic behavior and expect that communication between students and instructors or among students shall maintain the level of formality and mutual respect appropriate to any college teaching/learning situation.

Language or behavior that is rude, abusive, profane, disruptive, or threatening will not be tolerated. Activity of this type is defined as Academic Misconduct in the MCCCD Academic Misconduct Policy (AR 2.3.11). Students engaging in such behavior will be removed from the course with a failing grade. Additional sanctions may be applied pursuant to AR 2.3.11. This policy is located at https://district.maricopa.edu/regulations/admin-regs/section-2/2-3#11.

Requirement for Active Class Participation

Please note that students may be withdrawn from class for non-participation.

If you receive financial aid of any kind, it is your responsibility to protect your eligibility to receive financial aid by meeting the active participation requirements of this class.

Change of Address

Please notify Course Support at (480) 517-8243 or by email at course.support@riosalado.edu. Please include your name, student number, phone number, and new address including city, state, and zip code.

Classroom Accommodations for Students with Disabilities

In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Maricopa County Community College District (MCCCD) and its associated colleges are committed to providing equitable access to learning opportunities to students with documented disabilities (e.g. mental health, attentional, learning, chronic health, sensory, or physical). Each class/term/semester that a student is in need of academic adjustments/accommodations, the qualified student is required to work with the Disability Resources & Services Office (DRS) at their individual college(s). Contact with the DRS should be made as soon as possible to ensure academic needs are met in a reasonable time. New and returning students must request accommodations each semester through DRS Connect online services. To learn more about this easy process, please contact your local DRS office.

If you have not yet established services through DRS, but have a temporary health condition or permanent disability that requires accommodations, you are welcome to contact DRS by using the information listed on the following webpage: https://district.maricopa.edu/consumer-information/disability-resources/contacts. The DRS offers resources and coordinates reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities and/or temporary health conditions qualifying for accommodations/academic adjustments. Reasonable accommodations are established through an interactive process between you, your faculty, and DRS; and only those academic adjustments/reasonable accommodations granted by the DRS are recognized by the college and District. It is the policy and practice of the MCCCD to create inclusive and accessible learning environments consistent with federal and state law.

Retrieved from https://district.maricopa.edu/mandatory-drs-title-ix-syllabus-statements on 09/27/2019.

Rio Salado College Disability Resources & Services

Web: https://learnatrio.com/RL-disability_services

Phone: 480-517-8562

Email: disability.services@riosalado.edu

Religious Accommodations

Rio Salado College will reasonably accommodate the religious needs, observances, and practices of their students, when requested and the requests are made in accordance with the procedures set forth in ND-4. Any student may request a religious accommodation by making a written request for an accommodation to the appropriate faculty member using the Religious Accommodation Request form. To the extent possible, requests must be made at least two (2) weeks before the requested absence from class due to religious holiday or day of observance.

Title IX Statement

Addressing Incidents of Sexual Harassment/Assault, Dating/Domestic Violence, and Stalking

In accordance with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, MCCCD prohibits unlawful sex discrimination against any participant in its education programs or activities. The District also prohibits sexual harassment—including sexual violence—committed by or against students, District employees, and visitors to campus. As outlined in District policy, sexual harassment, dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking are considered forms of "Sexual Misconduct" prohibited by District policy.

District policy requires all college and District employees in a teaching, managerial, or supervisory role to report all incidents of Sexual Misconduct that come to their attention in any way, including but not limited to face-to-face conversations, a written class assignment or paper, class discussion, email, text, or social media post. Incidents of Sexual Misconduct should be reported to the college Title IX Coordinator. MCCCD will provide on its Title IX Coordinators web page at https://district.maricopa.edu/consumer-information/title-ix/title-ix-coordinators, a link to all the Title IX Coordinators in the district. Reports may also be reported at https://district.maricopa.edu/consumer-information/reporting.

Retrieved from https://district.maricopa.edu/mandatory-drs-title-ix-syllabus-statements on 09/27/2019.

Rio Salado College Title IX Coordinator

O. Tafari Osayande

Rio Salado College
2323 W. 14th St.
Tempe, AZ 85281

Phone: (480) 517-8196

Email: o.tafari.osayande@riosalado.edu

Disclaimer

Course content may vary from this outline to meet the needs of this particular group.

Student Solution Center

Rio Salado College is dedicated to a quality learning experience and has provided the Student Solution Center webpage, https://learnatrio.com/3DGKHTz, as a resource for students to raise issues to our attention. We look forward to the opportunity to provide an equitable solution to all involved parties.

For grading or instructional issues, students should first contact their faculty member(s) in accordance with the Instructional Grievance Process at https://district.maricopa.edu/regulations/admin-regs/appendices/students/s-6, as published in the college catalog.

The Office of Institutional Integrity & Compliance responds to all non-instructional challenges and concerns a student may encounter while attending Rio Salado College. Call (480) 517-8505 or email studentcomplaints@riosalado.edu.

The Conduct and Community Standards Office is available to assist students in understanding their rights and responsibilities and administers the Student Code of Conduct policies and procedures. The Conduct and Community Standards Office also works with Academic Affairs to administer the Academic Code of Conduct. Call (480) 517-8196 or email communitystandards@riosalado.edu.

Students may also contact their state regulatory agency (see https://learnatrio.com/RL-state_authorization), the Arizona SARA Council at https://azsara.arizona.edu/content/complaint-process or the Higher Learning Commission at http://www.hlcommission.org/Student-Resources/complaints.html to escalate their concerns.

Contact Rio Salado College

Rio Salado College

Headquarters/Tempe Campus

2323 West 14th Street, Tempe, AZ 85281
In-State (AZ) 480-517-8000
Out-of-State 1-833-RIO-WAVE

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