Introduction to Business
Content
BUS 1 Introduction to Business
3 units
Santa Monica College
Professor Fran Chandler
Winter 2015
Course Outline/Syllabus
Transfer: UC, CSU (generally as elective units)
Skills Advisory: Eligibility for English 1
Course Description
This course provides the student with an overview of business in an increasingly global society. Students will
complete the course with knowledge of the general business environment, economic systems, business ethics,
operations and project management, and technology and information systems. In addition, students will learn the
fundamentals of economics, business ownership, entrepreneurship, finance, management and marketing. Key
themes woven throughout the course include exploration of career options and development of business problemsolving skills.
Textbook (Required) and Recommended Subscriptions
Understanding Business, 10th ed., with ConnectPlus PIN code access. Nickels, McHugh and McHugh, McGrawHill Publishing. (Note: For some unexplained reason, the SMC Bookstore has retitled this book as follows: BUS 1
Introduction to Business (Lslf w/Access), Nickels. Therefore, please keep in mind the two titles so that they don’t
confuse you.)
Option 1: Loose-leaf copy with ConnectPlus access code: 1-2591-7535-9 or 9781259175350. About $146
at SMC Bookstore and at A&R on Pico Boulevard.
(A hardbound 10th edition is available direct from the publisher, which allows orders from within the class
itself. Their ISBN would be 9780073524597).
Once you register the pin code via the link within the course, either of the textbooks above will also give
you full access to an ebook.
Option 2: Electronic only option at about $115. This gives you full access to all the electronic material,
including an eBook version of the textbook. You can purchase this option through our course website via a
link to McGraw-Hill Publishing. Caution: Do not set up an account with the publisher outside the course.
Do it only from within the course, using the link provided.
Temporary Option: Connect’s free trial registration option (available only via the link within the course)
allows you to register in Connect without purchasing an access code and receive full access to everything
for approximately 14 days (from the course start date or from the date the first three students register)
before being required to buy an access code and textbook. This option is helpful for those of you awaiting
financial aid or for your textbook to arrive. FYI: The publisher now calls this “courtesy access.”
If using the free trial, be sure to get full access to Connect before the trial period expires to avoid any
delays in completing your coursework.
I do not recommend that you buy a used copy of this book or an older edition because you will have to pay
full price for the pin code (access code) anyway.
Subscriptions suggested but not required: The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg Businessweek, Kiplinger, The
Financial Times, Entrepreneur, Forbes, and Fortune. (Students who are able to make the connection between the
theory they learn in their classes and the real world around them are better able to retain what they learn in their
classes and to use it to make sound career and investment decisions. Daily reading of business publications such as
these makes those connections happen.)
Course Objectives
Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:
Describe the functional areas of business
Explain the influences on the business environment
Identify distinguishing characteristics of business formation
Examine the key functions of management
Describe the role of product, price, place and promotion in marketing
Recognize the key areas of money, finance and investments
Demonstrate business problem-solving skills
Due Dates/Deadlines
Specific due dates for assignments and exams are listed in a separate section under “Course Home/Assignment
Schedule” and in the "Document Sharing" tab.
All homework (three discussions and two critical thinking assignments) is due during the week it is assigned.
Nothing will be accepted late regardless of excuse. NO EXCEPTIONS.
The LearnSmart modules, for which you earn 10 points each, must be done before the last date of each exam. The
Language Tool Kits tied to each chapter are optional but may be done for one point extra credit before each chapter
exam.
Everything except for exams may also be submitted ahead of each due date. Exams must be taken only on the
scheduled dates.
General Policies
Time Zone Issue. This course is on PACIFIC TIME.
Turning in Critical Thinking Assignments and Discussions. All three discussion responses must be posted
within the discussion unit in the appropriate place at the left of your screen (under the title “Discussions”).
The two critical thinking assignments must be cut and pasted into the drop box attached to the unit . Do not
attach them as attachments. Do not fax or email your work to me because it will not be graded.
Questions: General. Post all questions about this class in the section under “Course Home/Your
Questions.” Why? Think of yourself sitting in a classroom surrounded by 50 other students. When one
student asks a question about the exam or an assignment, everyone learns from the answer provided by the
teacher. The question section is my attempt to replicate the classroom experience online.
Questions: Personal. If you do have to contact me by email with questions of a personal nature, please
make sure you put the words “BUS 1 Online” in the subject line so that I will be sure to open it. I get lots of
junk email every day and most of it goes into my SPAM box. Although I usually scan the SPAM folder
quickly before deleting everything, I might miss your email if it isn’t labeled properly.
Attendance/Substantive Participation. I take attendance by keeping track of two things: your regular
posting of assignments and exams and the amount of time you spend in the course. Therefore, if you are not
working regularly within the class or making regular thoughtful contributions to classroom activities, you
risk being dropped for lack of participation. However, as stated in the college catalog and the schedule of
classes, it is your responsibility to drop the class if you decide it is too much for you (although I hope you
will commit to finishing everything you start). Corsair Connect specifies the drop deadlines of which you
should be aware.
Missed Exams. It is not possible for me to allow makeup exams. A missed exam will result in zero points
for that exam. However, if you do miss one exam (or if you just do poorly on one of your exams), you may
take the comprehensive makeup final at the end of the class, Exam 6. This final covers all the chapters, not
just the chapters on the exam you missed. Your grade will be computed using the five highest exam scores.
Viewing Graded Exams. Because of an agreement among all BUS 1 faculty, I can’t open graded exams for
you so that you can see online exactly what you missed and what you got right. To protect the pool of exam
questions from which all BUS 1 faculty draw, we have agreed to keep the questions and answers
confidential. As is the case in most universities and colleges, we view exams as measurement tools, not as
learning experiences. We have provided pre- and post-tests for you online, though, for which you may view
your mistakes and repeat the tests as many times as you wish. In addition, a study guide is available for
your use in “Doc Sharing.”
For those of you who are driven to learn from your graded exams, even though SMC refuses to pay faculty
to hold office hours during the winter session, I will do my best to try to find a date and time when the two
of us can get together to look over your graded exams. I will be on campus infrequently this winter for
leadership meetings so let me know when you would like to come in, and I’ll either arrive early or stay late
to meet with you.
Academic Honesty. You are expected to maintain the highest degree of integrity in this class. When you
registered, you indicated that you agree to live by the SMC honor code. Your agreement will be firmly
enforced in this class, and all violations will be reported to the appropriate authority. It’s simple: do your
own work, take exams by yourself without assistance other than your textbook, don’t give your
assignments or test questions to anyone else, and document your sources.
Please note that, if your integrity is questioned, you might be required to take the exams on campus and
under supervision.
Respect for Others. As you participate in the discussions, please show respect for other students and their
comments. This doesn’t mean you can’t disagree with them; in fact, some of the most interesting
discussions are those in which students disagree respectfully with one another (and/or with me). Just
remember to politely point out where others are wrong and back up your opinions with textbook references.
Another way to gain respect is to document your statements with references from good business
publications (such as The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg's BusinessWeek, Barrons, etc.), not with blog
sites (anyone with an opinion can publish a blog) and not with the New York Times, the LA Times, the
Huffington Post, Vanity Fair, or other anti-business sources.
First, though, make sure you respond to the discussion fully, justifying your response using textbook theory.
Disabled Students. Let me know if you have been authorized by the Disabled Students office for special
accommodations. The eCollege software now makes all the accommodations recommended by your
counselors.
Religious Holidays. Let me know within the first two weeks of class if you need to seek accommodation
for religious holidays.
Veterans of the Armed Forces. I am on the Advisory Committee for the Veterans’ Resource Center and am
the Business Department's liaison committed to increasing the success of our students who served in the
U.S. Armed Forces. Please email as soon as possible so that we can talk about what the Business
Department can do for you. You may also include this information in your introduction.
Changes in the Course. I reserve the right to make changes in the course; however, you will be notified of
any changes in the announcement section of “Course Home” or by email.
Grading Policies
700 points Exams (5 @ 140 points each)
60 points Discussions (3 @20 points each)
40 points Critical Thinking (2 @ 20 points each)
200 points Learn Smart Chapter Modules (20 @ 10 points each)
1,000 points total possible in the class
0-599 F; 600-699 D; 700-799 C; 800-899 B; 900+ A
Your work will be graded for content and for professionalism. Grammar, sentence structure, punctuation,
capitalization, paragraph structure, format, etc., count. In addition, make sure you do not use informal texting
conventions such as lower case i's when "I" is needed. This applies to your assignments and your email. You may
get help with these factors in the Business Tutoring Lab, Business Building 150. Contact Aline Baumgartner
([email protected]).
Student Learning Outcomes
Students will explain the fundamental principles of capitalism and the tools used to measure and manage the
economy.
Students will develop ethical business strategies for solving business problems in the area of domestic and global
marketing, finance, human resources, investments, and domestic and international management.
Rotaract Club
I encourage you to join the Business Department’s Rotaract Club when its meetings commence again in the spring
semester. It meets every second and fourth Tuesday from 11:15-12:30 in B207. Not only does club membership look
good on a resume, because of this club’s close association with the Santa Monica City Rotary Club, you will have a
chance to meet and talk with a number of important business people from the local community.
Facebook, the Business Department, and You
To receive the latest news on what’s going on in the Business Department, follow us on Facebook at
https://www.facebook.com/santamoniacollegebusiness.
Frequently Asked Questions
· Do we ever have to meet on campus?
No. However, if there is a question about academic honesty, you might be required to complete exams on campus.
· Do we have to go online at specific times?
No. You may complete your work at your own convenience as long as you take the exams and turn the
work in by the published deadlines.
· How do I take exams?
On the internet. Exams are written with this in mind. They consist of multiple choice questions drawn from a pool of
thousands of questions. When you access the exams, the program picks randomly for this pool of questions.
Therefore, exams are different for each student. They are designed to test your knowledge while, at the same time,
pressuring you so that you do not have much time to look at the book or your notes. Exams may be taken only once
during the dates on which they are offered. Once you open an exam, it must be finished and submitted for grading.
No one is allowed to take an exam more than once. (Note: I do not use ExamGuard in this class so you do not need
to download it.)
·Who should I contact if I am experiencing a technical problem? in the course itself, eCompanion or on Corsair
Connect?
You should email or call Tech Support (number below) if you have a problem with Corsair Connect or with the
eCollege class. You might send me an email letting me know what the problem is, but I don’t have the
administrative rights necessary to view your minute-to-minute activity. Keep the numbers below right by your
computer or use the help tab on the class toolbar:
eCollege Tech Support Phone: 1-877-740-2213 (Write this number on a sticky note NOW and attach it to the
computer you will be using to take exams.). Within the help tab in the course, there is also a link to contact them for
a live chat.
McGraw-Hill Connect Plus: http://mpss.mhhe.com/contact/php or 1-800-331-5094 (Write
down this phone number. Chances are pretty good that you will need it more than
once.)
They also have a chat available at that site although I do not recommend their email option. (Their response time is
too slow.)
· Do I need to buy the textbook?
Yes, and you must buy the current edition and the PIN code necessary to get into McGraw-Hill Connect Plus. If you
buy a different edition of the book or the 10th edition packaged without a PIN code, you will have to spend about
$115 to get a PIN code online anyway. This is only a six-week course so you must have access to a book on the first
day of class.
Why do I have to use my SMC email account [email protected])?
Because that's the way our IT people set up the course. I can't change this so make sure you check your student
email account frequently (three times a week at a minimum). I communicate with my students a lot, and you don’t
want to miss what I have to say.
·I sent you an email; why haven’t you responded?
I regret that I am not a robot. Sometimes students don’t realize that online courses give them 24-hour access to the
course materials, not 24-hour access to the professor. I will usually get back to you within 24 hours although I try to
avoid the lure of the computer on Fridays and Saturdays.
In addition, please make sure that any email you send to me about personal matters contains the words “BUS 1
Online” so that I can pick it out of my spam folder quickly. The college has a great spam checker, but it tends to pick
up important emails as well as the junk, and the program only sends us a report once a day.
The quickest way to get a question answered is to post it in the “Your Questions” section of “Course Home.” In
fact, please help each other out by answering the questions of other students when you can.
Please note this new policy: I will not respond to unprofessional emails that use texting conventions such as lower
case "i's," numerous typos, and texting conventions such as “UR” for “your.” This may sound harsh; however, the
executives on our advisory committee tell us that this has become a major issue for the companies they represent.
Their recommendation is that we make sure our students know what is expected of them in the business world,
where inappropriate texting brands people as "too young to know better" (Translation: "Not promotable yet")
Keep an electronic trail of any emails we send back and forth to one another.
· Can I meet with you?
Of course. I love to meet my online students in person. My office hours this semester are online as needed; however,
I’ll try to fit you in around a few meetings I must attend during the winter session. Just email me to get an
appointment.
·Who does best in online courses?
Without a doubt, self-directed students do best in online courses because they have the discipline necessary to plan
their time well. They are better able to meet deadlines because they stay on top of assignments and chapters, doing
them before the deadline and doing a little bit every day. The students who usually do the worst are the ones who
post assignments and take exams at the last minute. I’ve noticed that people who do things at the last minute also
seem to have far more computer problems. (Is it possible that the degree of stress under which a student puts
him/herself actually causes computers to malfunction? Hmmmm.....)
·Where do I find my grades?
You may view your grades in the “Gradebook (tab at top of course).” I’ll explain this further in an email when I
post your first grades.
· Where do I begin?
>>First, go through the student orientation short course that appears on your homepage when you access the
college's SMCOnline.org home page. Also, make sure your computer meets all the college’s technical requirements
so that you don't have trouble posting assignments, viewing videos, using the grade book, and taking exams. Trust
me, if you don't make sure you're using a supported browser version, your first exam experience won’t be fun! (The
SMC Library has new computers so this might be a good alternative for some of you whose computers are old or
who have unreliable internet connections.)
>>Next, go into the course with the user name and password the college emailed to you about 24 hours after you
registered. If announcements have been posted in the class, read them.
>>Read and print out the syllabus (under the "Doc Sharing" tab).
>>Read and print out the assignment schedule (under the "Doc Sharing" tab). Record the due dates for all critical
thinking assignments, discussions, LearnSmart modules and exams in your personal calendar. Immediately arrange
your work and vacation schedules to accommodate these dates, particularly the exams, since they are so important to
your grade.
>>Introduce yourself to me in “Course Home” under “Class Introductions.” Read all the other introductions to get to
know your classmates. Introductions must be turned in by the deadline on the assignment schedule. If you do not
turn in an introduction by the deadline, you might be dropped from the course.
>>Open the unit entitled “MH Connect Plus.” Watch the short videos that introduce you to Connect, which is a web
site provided by the publisher of your textbook, McGraw-Hill.
Scroll down and read the information under the introductory videos. It will tell you step by step what you need to do
to register to set up your Connect Plus account, using the PIN code that came with your SMC-purchased textbook.
(This is where much of the content for this course resides so you cannot get by without it.) By the way, the publisher
changes this site regularly so, if my instructions don’t quite match their site, don’t be alarmed. Poke around until you
find what you need, and call McGraw-Hill Technical Support at 1-800-331-5094 if you get confused. Let them know
that you need to speak with someone who is an expert on the eCollege platform and on Santa Monica College in
particular.
>>While you’re in the eCollege course, set up your sign-in account with MH Connect. If you already set up an
account in another class, you do not need to set up another.
If you have not yet bought a book or want to buy only the electronic book and PIN Code (for about $115), this is
where you will do that. If you bought a textbook from another source, this is where you will buy the PIN Code (for
about $115, which also includes the e-book.)
>>Open the first unit (Chapter One) in the class website . Read the chapter. Note the additional optional resources in
each unit. (Just look at the column on the left side of the screen when you're in the course. It includes lecture
material, video exercises, and pre- and post-tests, etc., all of which are included to help you learn the material in
each chapter. These aren't required, but they are recommended. Students tell me that they help them prepare for the
exams.
>>Go into Connect and do the Learn Smart Module (LSM) for Chapter 1. By continuing to do this until you get all
questions right, you will earn the maximum number of points (10), which will show up in the class grade book only
after I have synched the grade books (once a week, usually on Mondays, but always on the date following a closed
exam). While you’re there, you might as well earn an extra credit point by doing the optional Language Tool Kit
(LTK) too.
NOTE: Do not start the LSMs or LTKs on mobile devices. If you do, you will not get credit for doing them because
the technology won’t even register with the publisher’s website. However, as long as you start them on a regular
computer, you can continue doing them on mobile devices.
>>When a discussion is listed on the assignment schedule for a specific chapter, open the unit labeled “Discussions”
and respond as instructed. (The first one is in Chapter 2.)
Keep your discussions short but make them interesting. In addition, make sure you refer to the material in the
textbook to justify your response. (Use page and paragraph numbers in parentheses at the end of every sentence or
group of sentences you paraphrase or quote from another source). You can also earn a higher grade by referring to
and documenting respectable business publications such as The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg BusinessWeek,
Fortune, The Financial Times, The Economist, etc.. (Do not use publications or blogs that are not respected business
sources. See the instructions for more information on choosing appropriate business sources.)
Note: If you open the “Discussions” unit and do not see the topic “Discussion 1,” notify me right away (in “Your
Questions” so that I can assign you to a group. This should only be necessary for students who added late.) More
instructions are included online so read thoroughly.
>>When the assignment schedule indicates there is a critical thinking assignment under a particular chapter, open
the unit on the left entitled “Critical Thinking.” (The first critical thinking assignment is in the Chapter 10
unit.) Do the assignment as instructed, posting it in the appropriate unit (chapter) drop box by the deadline.
Compose your paper in a Microsoft Word or rich text format off-line, then cut and paste it into the drop box. (Do not
attach it as a document.) Document your textbook sources (by page and paragraph number) and other business
sources, proving to me that you can apply textbook theory to the issue.
>>Take the exams on the due dates mentioned in the assignment schedule. I’ll send you a reminder telling you a
little more about each exam a few days before each one is scheduled.
###Uh, seriously, my brain is spinning after all that. Can you tell me in a few sentences exactly what we have to do?
Introduce yourself to me and to the class in “Class Introductions.”
Set up your account in MH Connect, using the PIN code you bought with your book or online. If you didn’t already
buy it, you can buy it online, using the MH Connect tab in the course, or you can just register for the 14-day free
trail. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, email me right away.
Read each chapter and do the LearnSmart module (LSM) for each chapter. (The modules are in MH Connect.)
If a discussion or critical thinking assignment is listed in the assignment schedule for a particular chapter, do it.
Take all exams during the days they are open.
If you want extra credit, do the Language Tool Kits (LTK). (They’re in MH Connect.)
3 units
Santa Monica College
Professor Fran Chandler
Winter 2015
Course Outline/Syllabus
Transfer: UC, CSU (generally as elective units)
Skills Advisory: Eligibility for English 1
Course Description
This course provides the student with an overview of business in an increasingly global society. Students will
complete the course with knowledge of the general business environment, economic systems, business ethics,
operations and project management, and technology and information systems. In addition, students will learn the
fundamentals of economics, business ownership, entrepreneurship, finance, management and marketing. Key
themes woven throughout the course include exploration of career options and development of business problemsolving skills.
Textbook (Required) and Recommended Subscriptions
Understanding Business, 10th ed., with ConnectPlus PIN code access. Nickels, McHugh and McHugh, McGrawHill Publishing. (Note: For some unexplained reason, the SMC Bookstore has retitled this book as follows: BUS 1
Introduction to Business (Lslf w/Access), Nickels. Therefore, please keep in mind the two titles so that they don’t
confuse you.)
Option 1: Loose-leaf copy with ConnectPlus access code: 1-2591-7535-9 or 9781259175350. About $146
at SMC Bookstore and at A&R on Pico Boulevard.
(A hardbound 10th edition is available direct from the publisher, which allows orders from within the class
itself. Their ISBN would be 9780073524597).
Once you register the pin code via the link within the course, either of the textbooks above will also give
you full access to an ebook.
Option 2: Electronic only option at about $115. This gives you full access to all the electronic material,
including an eBook version of the textbook. You can purchase this option through our course website via a
link to McGraw-Hill Publishing. Caution: Do not set up an account with the publisher outside the course.
Do it only from within the course, using the link provided.
Temporary Option: Connect’s free trial registration option (available only via the link within the course)
allows you to register in Connect without purchasing an access code and receive full access to everything
for approximately 14 days (from the course start date or from the date the first three students register)
before being required to buy an access code and textbook. This option is helpful for those of you awaiting
financial aid or for your textbook to arrive. FYI: The publisher now calls this “courtesy access.”
If using the free trial, be sure to get full access to Connect before the trial period expires to avoid any
delays in completing your coursework.
I do not recommend that you buy a used copy of this book or an older edition because you will have to pay
full price for the pin code (access code) anyway.
Subscriptions suggested but not required: The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg Businessweek, Kiplinger, The
Financial Times, Entrepreneur, Forbes, and Fortune. (Students who are able to make the connection between the
theory they learn in their classes and the real world around them are better able to retain what they learn in their
classes and to use it to make sound career and investment decisions. Daily reading of business publications such as
these makes those connections happen.)
Course Objectives
Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:
Describe the functional areas of business
Explain the influences on the business environment
Identify distinguishing characteristics of business formation
Examine the key functions of management
Describe the role of product, price, place and promotion in marketing
Recognize the key areas of money, finance and investments
Demonstrate business problem-solving skills
Due Dates/Deadlines
Specific due dates for assignments and exams are listed in a separate section under “Course Home/Assignment
Schedule” and in the "Document Sharing" tab.
All homework (three discussions and two critical thinking assignments) is due during the week it is assigned.
Nothing will be accepted late regardless of excuse. NO EXCEPTIONS.
The LearnSmart modules, for which you earn 10 points each, must be done before the last date of each exam. The
Language Tool Kits tied to each chapter are optional but may be done for one point extra credit before each chapter
exam.
Everything except for exams may also be submitted ahead of each due date. Exams must be taken only on the
scheduled dates.
General Policies
Time Zone Issue. This course is on PACIFIC TIME.
Turning in Critical Thinking Assignments and Discussions. All three discussion responses must be posted
within the discussion unit in the appropriate place at the left of your screen (under the title “Discussions”).
The two critical thinking assignments must be cut and pasted into the drop box attached to the unit . Do not
attach them as attachments. Do not fax or email your work to me because it will not be graded.
Questions: General. Post all questions about this class in the section under “Course Home/Your
Questions.” Why? Think of yourself sitting in a classroom surrounded by 50 other students. When one
student asks a question about the exam or an assignment, everyone learns from the answer provided by the
teacher. The question section is my attempt to replicate the classroom experience online.
Questions: Personal. If you do have to contact me by email with questions of a personal nature, please
make sure you put the words “BUS 1 Online” in the subject line so that I will be sure to open it. I get lots of
junk email every day and most of it goes into my SPAM box. Although I usually scan the SPAM folder
quickly before deleting everything, I might miss your email if it isn’t labeled properly.
Attendance/Substantive Participation. I take attendance by keeping track of two things: your regular
posting of assignments and exams and the amount of time you spend in the course. Therefore, if you are not
working regularly within the class or making regular thoughtful contributions to classroom activities, you
risk being dropped for lack of participation. However, as stated in the college catalog and the schedule of
classes, it is your responsibility to drop the class if you decide it is too much for you (although I hope you
will commit to finishing everything you start). Corsair Connect specifies the drop deadlines of which you
should be aware.
Missed Exams. It is not possible for me to allow makeup exams. A missed exam will result in zero points
for that exam. However, if you do miss one exam (or if you just do poorly on one of your exams), you may
take the comprehensive makeup final at the end of the class, Exam 6. This final covers all the chapters, not
just the chapters on the exam you missed. Your grade will be computed using the five highest exam scores.
Viewing Graded Exams. Because of an agreement among all BUS 1 faculty, I can’t open graded exams for
you so that you can see online exactly what you missed and what you got right. To protect the pool of exam
questions from which all BUS 1 faculty draw, we have agreed to keep the questions and answers
confidential. As is the case in most universities and colleges, we view exams as measurement tools, not as
learning experiences. We have provided pre- and post-tests for you online, though, for which you may view
your mistakes and repeat the tests as many times as you wish. In addition, a study guide is available for
your use in “Doc Sharing.”
For those of you who are driven to learn from your graded exams, even though SMC refuses to pay faculty
to hold office hours during the winter session, I will do my best to try to find a date and time when the two
of us can get together to look over your graded exams. I will be on campus infrequently this winter for
leadership meetings so let me know when you would like to come in, and I’ll either arrive early or stay late
to meet with you.
Academic Honesty. You are expected to maintain the highest degree of integrity in this class. When you
registered, you indicated that you agree to live by the SMC honor code. Your agreement will be firmly
enforced in this class, and all violations will be reported to the appropriate authority. It’s simple: do your
own work, take exams by yourself without assistance other than your textbook, don’t give your
assignments or test questions to anyone else, and document your sources.
Please note that, if your integrity is questioned, you might be required to take the exams on campus and
under supervision.
Respect for Others. As you participate in the discussions, please show respect for other students and their
comments. This doesn’t mean you can’t disagree with them; in fact, some of the most interesting
discussions are those in which students disagree respectfully with one another (and/or with me). Just
remember to politely point out where others are wrong and back up your opinions with textbook references.
Another way to gain respect is to document your statements with references from good business
publications (such as The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg's BusinessWeek, Barrons, etc.), not with blog
sites (anyone with an opinion can publish a blog) and not with the New York Times, the LA Times, the
Huffington Post, Vanity Fair, or other anti-business sources.
First, though, make sure you respond to the discussion fully, justifying your response using textbook theory.
Disabled Students. Let me know if you have been authorized by the Disabled Students office for special
accommodations. The eCollege software now makes all the accommodations recommended by your
counselors.
Religious Holidays. Let me know within the first two weeks of class if you need to seek accommodation
for religious holidays.
Veterans of the Armed Forces. I am on the Advisory Committee for the Veterans’ Resource Center and am
the Business Department's liaison committed to increasing the success of our students who served in the
U.S. Armed Forces. Please email as soon as possible so that we can talk about what the Business
Department can do for you. You may also include this information in your introduction.
Changes in the Course. I reserve the right to make changes in the course; however, you will be notified of
any changes in the announcement section of “Course Home” or by email.
Grading Policies
700 points Exams (5 @ 140 points each)
60 points Discussions (3 @20 points each)
40 points Critical Thinking (2 @ 20 points each)
200 points Learn Smart Chapter Modules (20 @ 10 points each)
1,000 points total possible in the class
0-599 F; 600-699 D; 700-799 C; 800-899 B; 900+ A
Your work will be graded for content and for professionalism. Grammar, sentence structure, punctuation,
capitalization, paragraph structure, format, etc., count. In addition, make sure you do not use informal texting
conventions such as lower case i's when "I" is needed. This applies to your assignments and your email. You may
get help with these factors in the Business Tutoring Lab, Business Building 150. Contact Aline Baumgartner
([email protected]).
Student Learning Outcomes
Students will explain the fundamental principles of capitalism and the tools used to measure and manage the
economy.
Students will develop ethical business strategies for solving business problems in the area of domestic and global
marketing, finance, human resources, investments, and domestic and international management.
Rotaract Club
I encourage you to join the Business Department’s Rotaract Club when its meetings commence again in the spring
semester. It meets every second and fourth Tuesday from 11:15-12:30 in B207. Not only does club membership look
good on a resume, because of this club’s close association with the Santa Monica City Rotary Club, you will have a
chance to meet and talk with a number of important business people from the local community.
Facebook, the Business Department, and You
To receive the latest news on what’s going on in the Business Department, follow us on Facebook at
https://www.facebook.com/santamoniacollegebusiness.
Frequently Asked Questions
· Do we ever have to meet on campus?
No. However, if there is a question about academic honesty, you might be required to complete exams on campus.
· Do we have to go online at specific times?
No. You may complete your work at your own convenience as long as you take the exams and turn the
work in by the published deadlines.
· How do I take exams?
On the internet. Exams are written with this in mind. They consist of multiple choice questions drawn from a pool of
thousands of questions. When you access the exams, the program picks randomly for this pool of questions.
Therefore, exams are different for each student. They are designed to test your knowledge while, at the same time,
pressuring you so that you do not have much time to look at the book or your notes. Exams may be taken only once
during the dates on which they are offered. Once you open an exam, it must be finished and submitted for grading.
No one is allowed to take an exam more than once. (Note: I do not use ExamGuard in this class so you do not need
to download it.)
·Who should I contact if I am experiencing a technical problem? in the course itself, eCompanion or on Corsair
Connect?
You should email or call Tech Support (number below) if you have a problem with Corsair Connect or with the
eCollege class. You might send me an email letting me know what the problem is, but I don’t have the
administrative rights necessary to view your minute-to-minute activity. Keep the numbers below right by your
computer or use the help tab on the class toolbar:
eCollege Tech Support Phone: 1-877-740-2213 (Write this number on a sticky note NOW and attach it to the
computer you will be using to take exams.). Within the help tab in the course, there is also a link to contact them for
a live chat.
McGraw-Hill Connect Plus: http://mpss.mhhe.com/contact/php or 1-800-331-5094 (Write
down this phone number. Chances are pretty good that you will need it more than
once.)
They also have a chat available at that site although I do not recommend their email option. (Their response time is
too slow.)
· Do I need to buy the textbook?
Yes, and you must buy the current edition and the PIN code necessary to get into McGraw-Hill Connect Plus. If you
buy a different edition of the book or the 10th edition packaged without a PIN code, you will have to spend about
$115 to get a PIN code online anyway. This is only a six-week course so you must have access to a book on the first
day of class.
Why do I have to use my SMC email account [email protected])?
Because that's the way our IT people set up the course. I can't change this so make sure you check your student
email account frequently (three times a week at a minimum). I communicate with my students a lot, and you don’t
want to miss what I have to say.
·I sent you an email; why haven’t you responded?
I regret that I am not a robot. Sometimes students don’t realize that online courses give them 24-hour access to the
course materials, not 24-hour access to the professor. I will usually get back to you within 24 hours although I try to
avoid the lure of the computer on Fridays and Saturdays.
In addition, please make sure that any email you send to me about personal matters contains the words “BUS 1
Online” so that I can pick it out of my spam folder quickly. The college has a great spam checker, but it tends to pick
up important emails as well as the junk, and the program only sends us a report once a day.
The quickest way to get a question answered is to post it in the “Your Questions” section of “Course Home.” In
fact, please help each other out by answering the questions of other students when you can.
Please note this new policy: I will not respond to unprofessional emails that use texting conventions such as lower
case "i's," numerous typos, and texting conventions such as “UR” for “your.” This may sound harsh; however, the
executives on our advisory committee tell us that this has become a major issue for the companies they represent.
Their recommendation is that we make sure our students know what is expected of them in the business world,
where inappropriate texting brands people as "too young to know better" (Translation: "Not promotable yet")
Keep an electronic trail of any emails we send back and forth to one another.
· Can I meet with you?
Of course. I love to meet my online students in person. My office hours this semester are online as needed; however,
I’ll try to fit you in around a few meetings I must attend during the winter session. Just email me to get an
appointment.
·Who does best in online courses?
Without a doubt, self-directed students do best in online courses because they have the discipline necessary to plan
their time well. They are better able to meet deadlines because they stay on top of assignments and chapters, doing
them before the deadline and doing a little bit every day. The students who usually do the worst are the ones who
post assignments and take exams at the last minute. I’ve noticed that people who do things at the last minute also
seem to have far more computer problems. (Is it possible that the degree of stress under which a student puts
him/herself actually causes computers to malfunction? Hmmmm.....)
·Where do I find my grades?
You may view your grades in the “Gradebook (tab at top of course).” I’ll explain this further in an email when I
post your first grades.
· Where do I begin?
>>First, go through the student orientation short course that appears on your homepage when you access the
college's SMCOnline.org home page. Also, make sure your computer meets all the college’s technical requirements
so that you don't have trouble posting assignments, viewing videos, using the grade book, and taking exams. Trust
me, if you don't make sure you're using a supported browser version, your first exam experience won’t be fun! (The
SMC Library has new computers so this might be a good alternative for some of you whose computers are old or
who have unreliable internet connections.)
>>Next, go into the course with the user name and password the college emailed to you about 24 hours after you
registered. If announcements have been posted in the class, read them.
>>Read and print out the syllabus (under the "Doc Sharing" tab).
>>Read and print out the assignment schedule (under the "Doc Sharing" tab). Record the due dates for all critical
thinking assignments, discussions, LearnSmart modules and exams in your personal calendar. Immediately arrange
your work and vacation schedules to accommodate these dates, particularly the exams, since they are so important to
your grade.
>>Introduce yourself to me in “Course Home” under “Class Introductions.” Read all the other introductions to get to
know your classmates. Introductions must be turned in by the deadline on the assignment schedule. If you do not
turn in an introduction by the deadline, you might be dropped from the course.
>>Open the unit entitled “MH Connect Plus.” Watch the short videos that introduce you to Connect, which is a web
site provided by the publisher of your textbook, McGraw-Hill.
Scroll down and read the information under the introductory videos. It will tell you step by step what you need to do
to register to set up your Connect Plus account, using the PIN code that came with your SMC-purchased textbook.
(This is where much of the content for this course resides so you cannot get by without it.) By the way, the publisher
changes this site regularly so, if my instructions don’t quite match their site, don’t be alarmed. Poke around until you
find what you need, and call McGraw-Hill Technical Support at 1-800-331-5094 if you get confused. Let them know
that you need to speak with someone who is an expert on the eCollege platform and on Santa Monica College in
particular.
>>While you’re in the eCollege course, set up your sign-in account with MH Connect. If you already set up an
account in another class, you do not need to set up another.
If you have not yet bought a book or want to buy only the electronic book and PIN Code (for about $115), this is
where you will do that. If you bought a textbook from another source, this is where you will buy the PIN Code (for
about $115, which also includes the e-book.)
>>Open the first unit (Chapter One) in the class website . Read the chapter. Note the additional optional resources in
each unit. (Just look at the column on the left side of the screen when you're in the course. It includes lecture
material, video exercises, and pre- and post-tests, etc., all of which are included to help you learn the material in
each chapter. These aren't required, but they are recommended. Students tell me that they help them prepare for the
exams.
>>Go into Connect and do the Learn Smart Module (LSM) for Chapter 1. By continuing to do this until you get all
questions right, you will earn the maximum number of points (10), which will show up in the class grade book only
after I have synched the grade books (once a week, usually on Mondays, but always on the date following a closed
exam). While you’re there, you might as well earn an extra credit point by doing the optional Language Tool Kit
(LTK) too.
NOTE: Do not start the LSMs or LTKs on mobile devices. If you do, you will not get credit for doing them because
the technology won’t even register with the publisher’s website. However, as long as you start them on a regular
computer, you can continue doing them on mobile devices.
>>When a discussion is listed on the assignment schedule for a specific chapter, open the unit labeled “Discussions”
and respond as instructed. (The first one is in Chapter 2.)
Keep your discussions short but make them interesting. In addition, make sure you refer to the material in the
textbook to justify your response. (Use page and paragraph numbers in parentheses at the end of every sentence or
group of sentences you paraphrase or quote from another source). You can also earn a higher grade by referring to
and documenting respectable business publications such as The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg BusinessWeek,
Fortune, The Financial Times, The Economist, etc.. (Do not use publications or blogs that are not respected business
sources. See the instructions for more information on choosing appropriate business sources.)
Note: If you open the “Discussions” unit and do not see the topic “Discussion 1,” notify me right away (in “Your
Questions” so that I can assign you to a group. This should only be necessary for students who added late.) More
instructions are included online so read thoroughly.
>>When the assignment schedule indicates there is a critical thinking assignment under a particular chapter, open
the unit on the left entitled “Critical Thinking.” (The first critical thinking assignment is in the Chapter 10
unit.) Do the assignment as instructed, posting it in the appropriate unit (chapter) drop box by the deadline.
Compose your paper in a Microsoft Word or rich text format off-line, then cut and paste it into the drop box. (Do not
attach it as a document.) Document your textbook sources (by page and paragraph number) and other business
sources, proving to me that you can apply textbook theory to the issue.
>>Take the exams on the due dates mentioned in the assignment schedule. I’ll send you a reminder telling you a
little more about each exam a few days before each one is scheduled.
###Uh, seriously, my brain is spinning after all that. Can you tell me in a few sentences exactly what we have to do?
Introduce yourself to me and to the class in “Class Introductions.”
Set up your account in MH Connect, using the PIN code you bought with your book or online. If you didn’t already
buy it, you can buy it online, using the MH Connect tab in the course, or you can just register for the 14-day free
trail. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, email me right away.
Read each chapter and do the LearnSmart module (LSM) for each chapter. (The modules are in MH Connect.)
If a discussion or critical thinking assignment is listed in the assignment schedule for a particular chapter, do it.
Take all exams during the days they are open.
If you want extra credit, do the Language Tool Kits (LTK). (They’re in MH Connect.)
