COURSE SYLLABUS

Introduction to Business

Instructor in charge:

Dr. Nguyn Minh Tun

International University,
0913 920 620
nguyenminhtuan288@yahoo.com

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1. COURSE AIMS AND OUTCOMES

1.1 Course Aims
The course objectives, consistent with the mission statement and competencies of the School of
Business and the critical thinking, communication, and other educational goals of the University,
are:
to provide knowledge of the scope, depth, and mission of the University and the School
Business

to introduce the functional areas of business and the integration among them

to give students a strong awareness of global issues, including an understanding of

approaches
to
business
ethics
and
multinational
issues

to develop students' basic research, analysis, writing, computer, teaming, and

presentation skills

to develop students' applied critical thinking skills and communication through the
development of a portfolio of a firm in an industry in which they are interested.

1.2 Student Learning Outcomes

After completing the course, students will be able to:

Explain how rapidly the business world is changing and the importance of life long
learning.

Develop a high level of familiarity with one or more of the functional areas of business.

Explain how global issues influence business entities

Explain how global issues impact customers

Demonstrate effective written communication.

Develop team building skills and understand group dynamics

Develop students' applied critical thinking skills and communication through the
development of a portfolio of a firm in an industry in which they are interested.

Organizing and analyzing information in a logical way: Theories and Concepts.

Organizing and analyzing information in a logical way: Skill Development and Practice.

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2. LEARNING ASSESSMENT
Assessment Details
Group Presentation & Quizzes & class attendance & assignment
Mid-Term Exam (One Hour)
Final Exam (90min)
Total

30%
30%
40%
100%

3. STUDENT RESOURCES
Course Resources
Please note that it is very important to gain familiarity with the subject matter in the readings and
cases prior to attendance in classes.
Textbook:
William G. Nickels, James M. McHugh, Susan M.McHugh Understanding Business, 8th
edition - 2008, McGraw-Hill

4. COURSE SCHEDULE
Week
Topic
1

Chapter 1:
Managing Within The Dynamic Business
Environment: Taking Risks And Making Profits
Business And Entrepreneurship: Revenues, Profits
And Losses
Matching Risk With Profit
Business Add To The Standard Of Living
And Quality Of Life
Responding To The Various Business
Stakeholders
Using Business Principles In Nonprofit
Organization
Entrepreneurship Versus Working For Others
Opportunities For Entrepreneurs
The Importance Of Entrepreneurs To The
Creation Of Wealth
The Business Environment
The Economic And Legal Environment
The Technological Environment
The Competitive Environment
The Social Environment
The Global Environment

Learning materials and

activities
Forming Study groups
How to prepare for case
study presentation

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The Evolution Of American Business

Progress In The Agricultural And
Manufacturing Industries
Progress In Service Industries
Your Future in Business
Chapter 5
Choosing a Form of Business Ownership

Case: Sonic is Booming

Basic Forms of Business Ownership

Sole Proprietorships
Advantages of Sole Proprietorships
Disadvantages of Sole Proprietorships
Partnerships
Advantages of Partnerships
Disadvantages of Partnerships
Corporations
Advantages of Corporation
Disadvantages of Corporation
Individuals Can Incorporate
S Corporations
Limited Liability Companies
Corporate Expansion: Mergers and Acquisitions
Special Forms of Business Ownership
Franchises
Advantages of Franchises
Disadvantages of Franchises
Diversity in Franchising
Home-based Franchises
E-Commerce in Franchising
Using Technology in Franchising
Franchising in International markets
Cooperatives
Which Form of Ownership is for You?

Chapter 7
Management, Leadership, And Employee
Empowerment

Case: Bread Lines are Back

at Panera!

Managers Roles Are Evolving

Functions Of Management
Planning: Creating A Vision Based On Values
Organizing: Creating A Unified System
Tasks And Skills At Different Levels Of
Management
The Stakeholder-Oriented Organization
Staffing: Getting And Keeping The Right
People
Leading: Providing Continuous Vision And Values
Leadership Styles
Empowering Workers
Managing Knowledge
Controlling: Making Sure It Works

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A New Criterion for Measurement: Customer

Satisfaction

Chapter 8

Case: One Smooth Stone

Adapting Organizations To Todays Markets

Everyone Is Doing It
Building An Organization From The Bottom
Up
The Changing Organization
The Development Of Organization Design
Turing Principles Into Organization Design
Issues Involved In Structuring Organizations
Centralization Versus Decentralization Of
Authority
Choosing The Appropriate Span Of Control
Tall versus Flat Organization Structure
Advantages and Disadvantages of
Departmentalization
Organization Models
Line Organizations
Line-and-Staff Organizations
Matrix-Style Organizations
Cross-Functional Self-Managed Teams
Managing the Interactions among Firms
Benchmarking and Core Competencies
Adapting to Change
Restructuring for Empowerment
Focusing on the Customer
Creating a Change-Oriented Organizational
Culture
The Informal Organization

Chapter10
Motivating Employees And Building SelfManaged Teams

Case: Motivation is a Hot

Topic

The Importance Of Motivation

Frederick Taylor: The Father of Scientific
Management
Elton Mayo and the Hawthorne Studies
Motivation And Maslows Hierarchy Of Needs
Applying Maslows Theory
Herzbergs Motivating Factors
Applying Herzbergs Theories
Job Enrichment
McGregors Theory X And Theory Y
Theory X
Theory Y
Ouchis Theory
Goal-Setting Theory And Management By Objectives

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Meeting Employee Expectations: Expectancy Theory

Reinforcing Employee Performance: Reinforcement
Theory
Treating Employees Fairly: Equity Theory
Building Teamwork through Open Communication
Applying Open Communication in SelfManaged Teams
Motivation in the Future

Chapter 11
HRM: Finding and Keeping the Best Employees

Case: Surfs Up at
Patagonia!

Working with People is Just the Beginning

Developing the Ultimate Resource
The Human Resource Challenge
Determining Your Human Resource Needs
Recruiting Employees from a Diverse Population
Selecting Employees Who will Be Productive
Hiring Contingent Workers
Training and Developing Employees for Optimum
Performance
Management Development
Networking
Diversity in Management Development
Appraising Employee Performance to Get Optimum
Results
Compensating Employees: Attracting and Keeping the
Best
Pay Systems
Compensating Teams
Fringe Benefits
Scheduling Employees to Meet Organizational and
Employee Needs
Flextime Plans
Home-Based and Other Mobile Work
Job-Sharing Plans
Moving Employees Up, Over, and Out
Promoting and Reassigning Employees
Terminating Employees
Retiring Employees
Losing Employees
Laws Affecting HRM
Law Protecting the Disabled and Older
Employees
Effects of Legislation

Chapter 13
Marketing: Building Customer Relationships

Case: MTV Goes

Everywhere

What Is Marketing?
The Evolution Of The Field Of Marketing
Nonprofit Organizations And Marketing

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The Marketing Mix

Applying The Marketing Process
Designing A Product To Meet Needs
Setting An Appropriate Price
Getting The Product To The Right Place
Developing An Effective Promotional Strategy
Providing Marketers With Information
The Marketing Research Process
The Marketing Environment
Two Different Markets: Consumer And
Business-To-Business (B2B)
The Consumer Market
Segmenting The Consumer Market
Reaching Smaller Market Segments
Moving Toward Relationship Marketing
The B2B Market
Your Prospects in Marketing

Chapter14
Developing and Pricing Products and Services
Product Development and the Total Product Offer

Case: SolutionPeople Has

the Idea

Developing a Total Product Offer

Product Lines and the Product Mix
Product Differentiation
Marketing Different Classes of Consumer
Goods and Services
Marketing Industrial Goods and Services
Packaging Changes the Product
The Growing Importance of Packaging
Branding and Brand Equity
Brand Categories
Generating Brand Equity and Loyalty
Creating Brand Associations
Brand Management
The New-Product Development Process
Generating New-Product Ideas
Product Screening
Product Analysis
Product Development and Testing
Commercialization
The Product Life Cycle
Example of the Product Life Cycle
The Importance of the Product Life Cycle
Competitive Pricing
Pricing Objectives

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Cost-based Pricing
Demand-Based Pricing
Competition-Based Pricing
Break-even Analysis
Other Pricing Strategies

How market Forces Affect Pricing

Nonprice Competition
Chapter 15
Distributing Products Quickly and Efficiently

Case: Feeding the Poor of

Chicago

The Emergence of Marketing Intermediaries

Why Marketing Needs Intermediaries
How Intermediaries Create Exchange
Efficiency
The Value versus the Cost of Intermediaries
The Utilities Created by Intermediaries
Form Utility
Time Utility
Place Utility
Possession utility
Information Utility
Service Utility
Wholesale Intermediaries
Merchant Wholesalers
Agents and Brokers
Retail Intermediaries
Retail Distribution Strategy
Nonstore Retailing
Electronic Retailing
Telemarketing
Vending Machines, Kiosks, and Carts
Direct Selling Multilevel marketing
Direct Marketing
Building Cooperation in Channel Systems
Corporate Distribution Systems
Contractual Distribution Systems
Administered Distribution Systems
Supply Chains
The Emergence of Logistics
Getting Goods from Producers to Consumers Efficiently
Dealing with Change: Responding to National
Emergencies
Choosing the Right Distribution Mode
The Storage Function
Tracking Goods
What All This Means to You

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10

Promotion Gets a Big Push

Chapter 16
Using Effective Promotional Techniques
Promotion and the Promotion Mix
Advertising: Fighting to Keep Consumer Interest
The Growing Use of Infomercial
Advertisers Are Moving to the Internet
Global Advertising

Personal Selling: Providing Personal Attention

Steps in the Selling Process
The B2C Sales Process

Public Relation: Building Relationships

Publicity: The Tailing Arm of PR
Sales Promotion: Getting a Good Deal
Sampling
Word of Mouth

How New Technologies Are Affecting

Promotion
Managing the Promotion Mix: Putting It All
Together
Approval by

Director

University President

(Signature and Name)

Instructor
(Signature and Name)

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