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Introduction to Business
Survey, orientation and background course acquaints
students with role of business enterprise. Deals with various
areas of business and designed to help students decide field of
specialization.
Prerequisite: R
Note: This Class is offered as traditional and
as open entry/open exit.
It's Strictly BUSINESS
An Introduction to the World of Business
Produced by Dallas Telecourses
Textbook:
Pride, Hughes, Kapoor. Business. 8th Edition. Boston, MA: Houghton
Mifflin Company, 2005.
ISBN: 0-618-37230-X
Telecourse Guide (Study Guide):
Woelfle, Bob. Telecourse Guide for It's Strictly Business. 4th
Edition. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2005.
ISBN: 0-618-37233-4 (Loose leaf textbook only)
Twenty-six Lessons
1. INTRODUCING BUSINESS
Defines the basic concepts and motivations of business, identifies
the types of companies in the business world, describes the four
basic resources used by business, and explains international business.
2. EXPLORING E-BUSINESS
Focuses on processes and challenges associated with adding a web
component to an existing storefront business or beginning a business
that operates solely on the Internet. It explains the application
of basic activities and the need to make adjustments in their
emphases, the challenges involved, and the keys to success. The
lesson also addresses the inherent dangers of an e-business: privacy,
use of collected data, security of data, virus protection, potential
criminal activities, and copyright protection.
3. DEFINING ECONOMIC SYSTEMS
Explains how business is influenced by various economic factors,
defines and compares capitalism with other systems on international
business operation, explains the role o competition, and describes
techniques for measuring and predicting economic performance.
4. ACCOMMODATING BUSINESS LAW
Describes the general structure of the U.S. legal system, explains
the impact of the laws on business operations, and summarizes
the legal considerations associated with contracts, property,
negotiable instruments, agencies, bankruptcy, and international
operations.
5. CONTENDING WITH GOVERNMENT INVOLVEMENT
Summarizes the scope and influence of government involvement in
business activities; describes the U.S. government's roles as
referee, regulator, supporter, and major consumer; and addresses
international government involvement.
6. PROMOTING SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
Defines the concept of social responsibility relative to business
activities, describes specific social issues and the approaches
used by companies to address these issues, and identifies the
associated benefits and costs.
7. COMPETING IN A GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT
Describes the difference between dom3stic and international business,
explains the economic rationales for international trade, describes
the unique consideration associated with international business,
and outlines approaches used to operate in international markets.
8. MANAGING BUSINESS INFORMATION
Explains the importance of information in managing a business;
identifies the types and sources of information managers need;
describes the characteristics of usable business information;
identifies sources of business information; and describes the
processes for collecting, storing, analyzing, communicating, and
displaying information to support business decisions.
9. SELECTING A FORM OF BUSINESS OWNERSHIP
Identifies and describes the three principal types of business
ownership, explains the advantages and disadvantages of each,
and describes several alternative forms of business ownership.
10. HIGHLIGHTING SMALL BUSINESS
Defines small business and describes its role in the business
community, identifies the advantages and disadvantages of small
businesses relative to large businesses, explains the process
of starting a small business and the causes of failures, and describes
the concept and advantages of franchising.
11. MANAGING A BUSINESS
Defines the concept and importance of management; explains the
functions, levels, and roles of managers; and describes the three
principal management styles and the process of deriving a management
decision.
12. ESTABLISHING A BUSINESS ORGANIZATION
Explains the reasons for having a formal organization structure;
describes the process of building and refining an organization
to meet business objectives; explains the concepts of authority,
responsibility, accountability, and chain of command; and addresses
the role and impact of informal organizations.
13. MANAGING HUMAN RESOURCES
Explains the importance and functions of human resource management,
describes the associated processes, and addresses key issues that
impact business operations.
14. MANAGING THE WORK ENVIRONMENT
Defines the concept of and the factors that influence the work
environment, explains how work environment issues affect business
operations, and describes techniques for improving the work environment.
15. HANDLING LABOR RELATIONS
Explains the relationship between labor and management, describes
the activities of labor unions and their impact on business operations,
outlines the role of the government in labor relations, and describes
the bargaining tools used by labor and management.
16. MARKETING PRODUCTS
Explains the concept of marketing, describes the marketing process
and associated activities, and explains the importance of marketing
to a company's success in today's highly competitive environment.
17. DEFINING PRODUCTS
Describes how products are defined and developed, explains their
relationship to the marketing process, and identifies and describes
the various classes of products and the elements of product identification.
18. MANAGING OPERATIONS
Defines the concept of operations management as it applies to
various types of businesses; describes how people, materials,
equipment, and other resources are used in processes to provide
various types of products; and explains the roles of planning,
scheduling, purchasing, inventory control, and quality control.
19. PRICING PRODUCTS
Explains the importance of pricing; describes various pricing
objectives, methods, and strategies; and outlines special pricing
considerations for international markets.
20. PROMOTING PRODUCTS
Explains the concept of promotion and its importance for success
of a company, describes the characteristics and uses of promotional
techniques and media, and outlines special promotional considerations
for international markets.
21 DISTRIBUTING PRODUCTS
Describes how products are moved from where they are produced
to where they are used; identifies the principal distribution
channels, their characteristics, and rationales for selecting
alternatives; and outlines special considerations for international
distribution.
22. UNDERSTANDING MONEY
Defines the functions and characteristics of money and credit,
describes the roles and services of commercial banking, and explains
the structure and operations of the Federal Reserve System and
related federal agencies.
23. MANAGING SHORT-TERM FINANCING
Describes the types, sources, and applications of short-term financing
used by companies; and explains the processes of securing and
managing short-term financing in various types of businesses.
24. MANAGING LONG-TERM FINANCING
Describes the types, sources, and applications of long-term financing
used by companies; defines the difference between debt and equity
capital; explains the processes of obtaining business capital
for corporations through the sale of stocks and bonds; and describes
the markets and processes for buying and selling securities.
25. ACCOUNTING FOR MANAGEMENT
Explains how accounting processes are used to support management
planning and control; describes the nature and use of accounting
reports, budgets, and analyses; and outlines special accounting
considerations for international operations.
26. MANAGING RISK
Explains the concept of risk as it applies to business operation,
describes various management approaches for avoiding and minimizing
potential risks, identifies and describes various types of insurance
used to protect company resources, and outlines special risk management
considerations for international operations.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
IT'S STRICTLY BUSINESS brings the world of business to life! It
provides students with a general survey of business on a national
and an international scale, identifies the roles and responsibilities
of business in modern society, and focuses on selected disciplines
and processes within the business community. Each video lesson
addresses a specific business-related topic in four broad categories,
i.e., business environment, management, marketing, and money.
Real-life scenarios present documentary-type examples of how individual
companies deal with issues such as globalization, diversity, technology,
consumer attitudes, competitive pressures, and other business
environment factors. What is the impact of business law on the
production of a new musical composition? Why would a shoe repair
shop owner chose to be a sole proprietor? Examine the pricing
rationale for a new exotic sports car, the development of a promotional
campaign for a fast food chain, and the management of risk in
a major art museum.
IT'S STRICTLY BUSINESS is intended to be the first course a student
takes in a business-centered degree program. It also may be part
of other degree or career training programs that require a basic
knowledge of business processes. Successful completion of the
telecourse will enable students to understand how business works
and impacts their daily lives, and provide the basis for them
to make informed decisions in their educational and business pursuits.
In addition, it prepares students to make day-to-day consumer
decisions and to appreciate the significant roles that business
plays in today's global society.
A unique feature of the telecourse is the use of business leaders
who are recognized as experts in their field to provide objective
information to support or clarify the example scenarios. These
experts include Robert McTeer, President of the Dallas Federal
Reserve Bank; James Breedlove, Regional Director of the Small
Business Administration; Linda Chavez-Thompson, Executive Vice
President of the AFUCIO; Dr. Norman Neureiter, Vice President
of International Support at Texas Instruments; Cinda Haliman,
Chief Information Officer at Dupont; Bob Boruff, Vice President
of Manufacturing at Saturn; Robert Galvin, Chairman of the Executive
Committee, Motorola. The companies and experts used in the lessons
represent various industries, disciplines, and areas of the country
to assure diverse experience and points-of-view are depicted in
a comprehensive treatment of each topic.
This page was last modified :
August 17, 2007
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