BUS106 - Business - It's Nature and Environment

Outline info
Semester
School
Last revision date 2013-09-12 17:31:35.04
Last review date 2013-09-12 17:31:35.051


Subject Title
Business - It's Nature and Environment

Subject Description
This subject is designed to provide first semester students with an introduction to the Canadian business environment, business issues and functions, and the major forces at work in the global economy.  It provides students with a perspective of business firms as integrated organizations composed of a number of specialized functions.  The subject provides the students an opportunity to develop transferable skills for college and business life.

Credit Status
One Credit.

Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this subject the student will be able to:

  1. Discuss current trends and challenges in Canadian business today, including their impact on the various business environments.
  2. Describe four forms of business ownership and demonstrate the appropriate application for each form.
  3. Identify and explain the basic elements of a business plan.
  4. Demonstrate an understanding of the significance of entrepreneurs, and be able to explain the three alternative strategies for becoming a business owner.
  5. Summarize the basic management functions of planning, organizing, leading and controlling, as well as basic management skills such as technical, human relations, conceptual, time management and decision-making skills.
  6. Describe the importance of trade for Canadian business and the opportunities and challenges of conducting business in the global economy.
  7. Discuss ethical issues and social responsibility, and how they affect the major business stakeholders; employees, customers, investors, the community and environment.
  8. Explain operations management in the delivery of goods and services, including issues of productivity and quality control.
  9. Summarize the Canadian banking and securities industry, including the functions of the Bank of Canada, and how it controls Canada's money supply.
  10. Identify key issues in financial management including the difference between short and long-term financing, the importance of risk management, how it affects business operations, and the various options for managing risk.

Essential Employability Skills
  1. Communication:  Respond to written, spoken, or visual messages in a manner that ensures effective communication.
  2. Personal:  Manage the use of time and other resources to complete projects, take responsibility for one's own actions, decisions, and consequences.

Academic Integrity
Seneca upholds a learning community that values academic integrity, honesty, fairness, trust, respect, responsibility and courage. These values enhance Seneca's commitment to deliver high-quality education and teaching excellence, while supporting a positive learning environment. Ensure that you are aware of Seneca's Academic Integrity Policy which can be found at: http://www.senecapolytechnic.ca/about/policies/academic-integrity-policy.html Review section 2 of the policy for details regarding approaches to supporting integrity. Section 2.3 and Appendix B of the policy describe various sanctions that can be applied, if there is suspected academic misconduct (e.g., contract cheating, cheating, falsification, impersonation or plagiarism).

Please visit the Academic Integrity website http://open2.senecac.on.ca/sites/academic-integrity/for-students to understand and learn more about how to prepare and submit work so that it supports academic integrity, and to avoid academic misconduct.

Discrimination/Harassment
All students and employees have the right to study and work in an environment that is free from discrimination and/or harassment. Language or activities that defeat this objective violate the College Policy on Discrimination/Harassment and shall not be tolerated. Information and assistance are available from the Student Conduct Office at student.conduct@senecapolytechnic.ca.

Accommodation for Students with Disabilities
The College will provide reasonable accommodation to students with disabilities in order to promote academic success. If you require accommodation, contact the Counselling and Accessibility Services Office at ext. 22900 to initiate the process for documenting, assessing and implementing your individual accommodation needs.

Camera Use and Recordings - Synchronous (Live) Classes
Synchronous (live) classes may be delivered in person, in a Flexible Learning space, or online through a Seneca web conferencing platform such as MS Teams or Zoom. Flexible Learning spaces are equipped with cameras, microphones, monitors and speakers that capture and stream instructor and student interactions, providing an in-person experience for students choosing to study online.

Students joining a live class online may be required to have a working camera in order to participate, or for certain activities (e.g. group work, assessments), and high-speed broadband access (e.g. Cable, DSL) is highly recommended. In the event students encounter circumstances that impact their ability to join the platform with their camera on, they should reach out to the professor to discuss. Live classes may be recorded and made available to students to support access to course content and promote student learning and success.

By attending live classes, students are consenting to the collection and use of their personal information for the purposes of administering the class and associated coursework. To learn more about Seneca's privacy practices, visit Privacy Notice.

Prerequisite(s)
None.

Co-requisites
EAC 149

Mode of Instruction
Term work is assigned by your professor at her/his discretion. It will include a written project. Other work could include: quizzes, oral presentations, workshops, field trips, team projects, homework, class attendance or any other assigned responsibility. 

All work must meet Seneca College's standards for English language skills and usage. Marks will be deducted for grammar, spelling errors and incorrect MLA citation.

Prescribed Texts
The Future of Business, 4th Edition, Custom Text for Seneca College by Althouse, Norm R., Laura Allan and Christopher M. Hartt. Nelson Education.2014. 
ISBN: 978-017-656-0751
 
OR

E-text with Pin #
ISBN: 017-657-7831

Reference Material
Seneca Libraries. Guide to Research and Citation: MLA Style. Latest Version, Seneca College, Print.

It is strongly recommended that you work through at least one of the following resources:

  • Your class on-line Blackboard site: http://my.senecapolytechnic.ca
  • You are also encouraged to keep up-to-date on business news through newspapers, magazines, Internet, TV, and radio. Visit the Learning Commons for access to newspapers, magazines and the Internet. The Toronto Star is available Monday to Friday throughout the campus

Required Supplies
None.

Student Progression and Promotion Policy

http://www.senecapolytechnic.ca/about/policies/student-progression-and-promotion-policy.html

Grading Policyhttp://www.senecapolytechnic.ca/about/policies/grading-policy.html

A+ 90%  to  100%
A 80%  to  89%
B+ 75%  to  79%
B 70%  to  74%
C+ 65%  to  69%
C 60%  to  64%
D+ 55%  to  59%
D 50%  to  54%
F 0%    to  49% (Not a Pass)
OR
EXC Excellent
SAT Satisfactory
UNSAT Unsatisfactory

For further information, see a copy of the Academic Policy, available online (http://www.senecapolytechnic.ca/about/policies/academics-and-student-services.html) or at Seneca's Registrar's Offices.(https://www.senecapolytechnic.ca/registrar.html).


Modes of Evaluation

Mid-Term Test  25% Learning Outcomes 1,6,7,9
Term Work  45% Must include 1 written assignment
Must be tied to Learning Outcomes (15%)
Final Exam
(Comprehensive)		  30% Learning Outcomes 1 – 10
Total 100%  

  • Term work is assigned by your professor at his/her discretion.  It will include a written project.
  • Other work could include: quizzes, oral presentations, workshops, field trips, team projects, homework, class attendance or any other assigned responsibility.
  •  All work must meet Seneca College’s standards for English language skills and usage. On all written assignments, at the teacher's discretion, 10% of the total grade will be allocated for proper grammar, spelling and MLA citation.

ASSIGNMENTS, TESTS, AND PRESENTATIONS POLICY
As would be expected in a business environment, if you cannot meet a deadline or will be absent, you must inform key people. Some work is time-sensitive and cannot be delayed. Other work can be delayed, though there are likely consequences of being late. The following guidelines are structured to be relevant, balancing fairness and compassion without compromising standards. Students must ultimately prove mastery of course outcomes to pass.

Missed Tests & Presentations
Students are required to complete all tests, in-class assignments, and presentations on the scheduled dates and times. Missed tests, in-class assignments, and presentations will result in a grade of zero. If there is a valid and unavoidable reason, the student must notify the professor by email or phone prior to the scheduled class time. If by phone, the student must follow up with an email within 48 hours. The email must provide the reason for missing the test, assignment, or presentation and relevant supporting documentation may be required.

Late Assignments
Assignments are to be submitted on the specified due date. If assignments are handed in late without a valid reason and/or sufficient notice, the professor reserves the right to deduct 10% per day for each day that the assignment is late (not including weekends or holidays). Assignments will not be accepted after the return of graded assignments to the class or after five business days, whichever is earlier.

Note: Always use your Seneca email account to send a message to the professor - using any other account may result in your message being deleted by the college’s spam filter. Always keep a copy of your email message in case verification is required.
 
English Competency
  • The ability to communicate effectively is essential for success in business
    • You must demonstrate English competency in this subject in both oral and written work
    • Strive to be clear and concise
    • Ensure your written work is consistent with the rules of English grammar, especially in sentence structure, spelling, and punctuation.
      • Always spell-check, edit and proof-read your work
  • Writing is consistent with the rules of English grammar
  • Spelling and punctuation are correct
  • Appropriate vocabulary used
  • Sentences are structured correctly
  • Main points to be supported with specific, relevant examples and reasons
  • Work to flow logically through supporting statements/paragraphs
  • Work to be arranged in correct format (i.e.., reports essays)
  • Presentation/layout must be attractive

We urge you to work on both content and the clarity of the writing you produce in BUS106.  Our course is part of Seneca's Language Across the Curriculum Initiative, which means we value what you say and how well you say it.  Therefore, all of the pointers about word choice, grammar, punctuation and spelling which you receive in your English courses should be applied to the writing you do in this course too.  In BUS106, we know that language matters.

Participation
As is true of most courses, what you get out of this course is highly correlated to what you put into it. Your degree of preparation, class attendance, efforts in independent homework assignments and participation in discussions will all affect how well you do in the course. It is assumed that each student will have read all assigned chapters prior to class meetings.

Approved by: Marianne Marando