Detailed Course Outline

Course/Section: BUS 200 – D100 Semester: Summer 2023

Instructor: Parveen Karsan, J.D.
Title: Business Fundamentals Email: parveen_karsan@sfu.ca
TA: Rehan Khoja
Day / Time: Mondays, 4:30pm-7:20pm Email: rehan_khoja@sfu.ca
Room: AQ3005 TA: Bhavya Sethi
Email: bhavya_sethi@sfu.ca
Office Hours: Refer to office hours schedule

Course Overview
This introductory course will explore the fundamentals of modern business and organizational
management. Working with case studies and theories, students will build upon the basics of
profit and loss, as well as integrate advanced aspects of business models, innovation,
competitive advantage, core competencies and strategic analysis. This course assumes no prior
business knowledge.

Objectives
Working individually and in teams, the goals of this course are to enable students to:

• obtain basic business knowledge;

• obtain a holistic understanding of the foundational concepts of organizations;
• formulate and communicate ideas in a clear, concise, compelling, and evidence
based manner;
• contribute collaboratively and effectively to complete a team project; and
• understand the elements of business strategy and strategic analysis.

Course Structure
The course will be delivered using a blended approach of synchronous and asynchronous
components. There will be live sessions at the scheduled course time. Students are expected to
attend and participate as required in all class activities. Absenteeism will affect your grade.

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This course will consist of a mixture of live and pre-recorded lectures, case study
discussions and analysis, small group exercises, group and individual assignments, a
midterm, and take-home final exam.

(See Learning and Assessments below for grade breakdown).

Learning Management System, Videoconferencing, and communication

• Canvas (http://canvas.sfu.ca) will be used for course content delivery and disseminating
information as well as class materials.
• Zoom http://sfu.zoom.us will be used for office hours if needed.
• SFU student email addresses may be used for communications. It is your responsibility
to check your SFU email and the course website frequently.

This course may use SFU’s officially supported digital proctoring systems to collect information
under the authority of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (R.S.B.C. 1996,
c.165) and the University Act (R.S.B.C., 1996, c. 468). It is related directly to and needed by the
University to protect the integrity of the assessments. The information will be used by the
section instructor and Teaching Assistants to review student activity during exams or other
assessments for the purpose of confirming students are following assessment rules. If you have
any questions about the collection, use and disclosure of this information please contact the
Academic Director of the Beedie School of Business.

Book(s) and Materials

Textbook

Required: Course textbook:

Business Essentials. Ebert, Griffin, Starke & Dracopoulos
10th Canadian Edition. Pearson Canada. ISBN-13: 978-0-13-7369072

Students are expected to read the chapters covered in the lecture that week before class.

Note: The exercises in Pearson’s MyBizLab online platform are not a required
component for this course but will provide you with valuable resources to aid in learning,
understanding, and applying the course concepts. The electronic textbook is required (old
editions are not recommended).

Reading List

You will need to access the Harvard Business review (HBR) articles listed below and
available online through the SFU Library. They will not be provided by the instructor.

• Drucker, P. F. (2005). Managing Oneself. Harvard Business Review, 83(1), 100-109.

• Goleman, D. (2004). What Makes a Leader? Harvard Business Review, 82(1), 82-91.
• Levitt, Theodore (2004). Marketing Myopia Harvard Business Review, 82 (7-8), 138-
149

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 • A number of additional readings may be assigned to you which are available
electronically through the SFU library or external public sources. These readings will be
made available through Canvas.

Technology Requirements

• A computing device with a functioning camera and microphone for videoconferencing

and live assessment monitoring/proctoring.

Learning and Assessments

Assessment summary

Evaluation in the course will be based on a combination of group and individual work.

Evaluation Individual Group

Bonus (Introductory Survey & Plagiarism
1%
Quizzes)
Canvas Quizzes (based on the textbook) 5%
Individual Assignment 10%
In-Class HBR Assignments 15%
Team Project 15%
Midterm 25%
Final Exam 30%
Totals 71% 30%

• The grade distribution for this course is not fixed. Grading is based on rank order
performance relative to your peers, and the cut-offs for the various letter grades
will vary depending on how the class as a whole performs.

• Please note that, if your final exam mark is higher than your midterm mark, your
final exam mark will replace your midterm mark.

Canvas Quizzes (5%)

Most weeks you will write a quiz on the chapter to be covered in class that week in
Canvas. Canvas is the course learning management system found at:
https://canvas.sfu.ca.

Quiz completion is due before the start of the class and each quiz will include 10
questions. You will have two 20-minute attempts to complete the quiz and will receive
the highest grade of the two attempts. There is no opportunity to write quizzes after the
deadline.

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Individual Assignment (10%)

This assignment is designed to have you apply what you’ve learned in the first half of
the course to a real-world situation.
Self-Select an industry category that you are interested in. Options include education,
health care, natural resources, real estate, technology, and transportation.

Pick a newspaper or journal article from a credible source published in the last 3 -6
months that relates to the industry you selected. Example sources include: The
Economist, The Globe and Mail, The Wall Street Journal or The New York Times.
Choice of article is important. This is an individual assignment, select a unique article
that is of interest to you.

Apply at least 2 concepts from the course. Explain how these ideas relate to the
article and why it’s important. This paper is intended to help you start thinking about
how course concepts translate into the business world. Prepare a two-page report on
the article you selected. The report must include:

• Facts – details from the article and the course textbook

• Rationale - an opportunity for you to demonstrate and explain how topics in the
course can be applied to a real-world example
• Personal reflection – the ability for you to share why the topic is important and
what you learned (See Canvas for questions)
• Provide a working link to, or PDF copy of the article

Report Format: Title page must display your name, student number, course number
and section, and the assignment title (title page is not included in the page limit). For
this two-page report, use 1.5 spacing, Arial 12 pt. font, one-inch borders. Citations in
APA format. References are not included in the two-page limit.

Report Submission: This assignment is individual. Upload a soft copy of the completed
assignment to Canvas by the stated due date. The assignment must be in the form of a
PDF document named as follows: Student Name and Number-A1.docx. For example:
Jane Smith 301012345-A1.pdf

In-Class HBR Assignments (15%)

There will be three (3) in-class assignments based on the reading list [Harvard Business Review
(HBR) articles] that you are required to read prior to class.

In small groups you will undertake rotating roles for each of the three in-class assignments,
eventually covering all three of the following by the end of the term:

1. Presenter
· Role:
o Background of the article [author(s), publication date/history, etc.]
o High-level summary/overview of the article
o Explanation of the main/key points of the article
· Assignment Deliverables:
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 o 5-minute in-class presentation
o 2-page report submission (additional cover page required) Discussant
· Role:
o An assessment of the article’s main points (strengths and weaknesses) and/or a
critical analysis of its content
o How the article may be useful in today’s business world
o New or current example(s) or practical application(s) not already present in the
article
· Assignment Deliverables:
o 5-minute in-class presentation
o 2-page report submission (additional cover page required)
2. Audience
· Role:
o Prepare 1 unique question per team member to ask the presenter and/or
discussant groups after their respective in-class presentations
· Assignment Deliverables:
o 5-minute in-class audience Q&A session
o 1-page report listing all of the questions from each group member compiled
together (additional cover page required)

During class, the three groups (each representing one of the above roles) will present their parts
to one another.

It is your responsibility to access the article(s) through the SFU Library; articles will not be
provided by the instructor.

· Assignments are evaluated on a marking rubric provided with the assignment.

· The schedule of assignments is provided in the table below.
o Softcopies of assignment deliverables are due 30 minutes prior to class.
o In-class presentations of the assignment deliverables will take place at the
begging of the designated class.

Week # HBR Article Presenters Discussants Audience Q&A

3 HBR #1 – Group A Group B Group C
May 29 Managing Group D Group E Group F
Oneself Group G Group H Group I
Group J Group K Group L
Group M Group N Group O

6 HBR #2 – What Group B Group C Group A

June 19 makes a leader? Group E Group F Group D
Group H Group I Group G
Group K Group L Group J
Group N Group O Group M

9 HBR #3 - Group C Group A Group B

July 17 Marketing Myopia Group F Group D Group E
Group I Group G Group H
Group L Group J Group K
Group O Group M Group N

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Team Project (15%)

This is a team assignment. You will work in small groups. All team members must contribute
equally. You must pick a Vancouver-based small business (or, a single location of a large
business – for example, a specific McDonald’s location in Vancouver).

As a team, you will analyze a case and provide recommendations to specific questions. Groups
will present their findings in the last week of class. More details and the questions will be
distributed in Week 5. The goal of this assignment is to help you learn about business, apply
course concepts to real life scenario as a team, and to develop team-building skills. There are
two parts to the team project:

Case Analysis and Recommendations

You will develop a thorough understanding of a business(es) through an in-depth

analysis. You will answer a set of questions and provide your recommendations
based on this analysis. Your analysis and recommendations should be based on
course materials and concepts. Each group will provide a formal presentation during
the last week of class.

Submission Requirements:

Your team will submit one document for each of the two parts of the assignment. Only
one submission per team is required. Each document consists of the following:
• Title sheet: Title (e.g. “Team Project”), course number and section,
instructor name, team number, student names and student ID
numbers, and word / slide count
• Body of the report / presentation
• References
• Appendices (if applicable)

Format:
• Part 1: 750 Word limit report (due in Canvas)
• Part 2: Groups present in class to a TA or the Instructor with no more than a 15
slide PowerPoint. Schedule for each group will be posted in Canvas. The
presentation should be no more than 10 minutes long plus 1-2 minutes for
questions (if any).
• The 15-slide limit excludes references, appendices, and title slide.
• Citations in APA format.

Report Upload:

Convert each document to PDF file format and upload to Canvas by the stated due
date (one report per team). Please use the following file naming convention:
Bus200_Team_Project_Part#x_Team#x. Your assignment must be handed in by the
due date to avoid late penalties.

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Peer Evaluation Process:

In today’s business world, successful teamwork is critical. The team project assignment
represents a chance for students to develop teambuilding, project management, and
communication skills. It is expected that each team member will contribute a fair
amount of effort to the team project. All team members are also expected to support
each other in order to complete their project successfully.

If there are any problems in a team (e.g.: free riders, team members being chronically
late), the team members should first try to resolve the issue themselves; if the problem is
not resolved, only then should the team make the instructor aware of the issue. Do not
wait too long to try to resolve problems – if you are in doubt, bring up the issue
(respectfully) rather than waiting to see if it will sort itself out. I also suggest that your
teams meet often as this helps teams work together effectively.

Each team member will complete a peer evaluation form for their group after the final
presentation is complete. While it is standard course policy for all members of a team
to share the same grade for a team assignment, the instructor will determine any
applicable individual grade adjustments for the team project based on the available
information.

The online peer evaluation form will be circulated after all submissions are received
and will be due by the final week of class.

Midterm Exam (25%)

A closed-book examination that draws on material from Chapters 1 through 5 (inclusive)

and from the material discussed in lectures. Questions may also be taken from relevant
HBR articles. The midterm exam will be held during the regular lecture time (see
schedule below). You can expect approximately 30 multiple choice questions and 4-5
short answer questions (TO BE CONFIRMED and SUBJECT TO CHANGE).

Final Exam (30%)

Details about the final exam will be provided at a later date.

A closed-book examination that draws on all course material, with a focus on material
after the midterm. Questions may also be taken from the assigned HBR articles. The final
exam will be scheduled as per SFU’s examination policy.

Academic Integrity

All members of the university are expected to uphold the values of academic integrity: honesty,
trust, fairness, respect, responsibility, and courage. SFU considers any act of falsification,
misrepresentation or deception to be destructive because it is unfair to students who pursue
their studies honestly, it compromises the worth of other’s work, and ultimately prevents
students from meaningfully reaching their own scholarly potential.

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Source: http://www.sfu.ca/students/academicintegrity.htmlYou are responsible for your own academic
conduct as it affects the University community. Academic Dishonesty, in whatever form, is ultimately
destructive of the values of the university and to you, your peers, and your friends. It is destructive because it is
unfair to everyone who works hard and pursues their studies honestly, it compromises their work, and
ultimately prevents students from meaningfully reaching their own academic potential.

All academic dishonesty activities that involve any assessment in this course will be pursued
and penalized to the maximum extent allowable under SFU academic conduct policies and
procedures. This could include a maximum score of zero for the assessment, a grade of F for
the course, or a designation of FD (Fail with academic discipline) on your transcript. All incidents
will be reported to the Academic Director of the Beedie School of Business and to the SFU’s
Academic Integrity Office.

DON’T RISK IT. It’s not worth it!

Students are responsible to familiarize themselves with academic conduct policies and
procedures. Some additional resources:

• What is Academic Dishonesty? https://www.sfu.ca/students/academicintegrity/what-is-it.html

• SFU Academic Honesty and Student Conduct Policies:
o SFU Student Academic Integrity Policy:
http://www.sfu.ca/policies/gazette/student/s10-01.html
o SFU Student Conduct Policy: http://www.sfu.ca/policies/gazette/student/s10-05.html
• Student support resources and services:
https://www.sfu.ca/students/academicintegrity/student-resources.html

Course Policies

Assignment Re-Reads

If you feel something was missed in the grading of your work, please review the
assignment rubric carefully and write a summary of specific grading criteria which you
consider that you met and were not marked accordingly. Submit this via email, with
your graded assignment attached. If you request a re-read:

• Your assignment may be read and graded by either a TA or the instructor.

• Your resulting grade may be higher or lower than originally marked.
• The resulting grade will be final and not subject to further revision.
• Request for re-reads will only be considered if received via email
within one week of receiving the mark for an assignment.

Class Expectations

1. Preparation. It is expected that you have will read the assigned chapter
before coming to class and will actively participate. It is each student’s
responsibility to understand what is required and to complete the
necessary readings or other preparation as directed.

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 2. Punctuality. Being on time and ready to start at the stated class time is
expected. Punctuality is important, if you are late for an assignment and
the activity has started, you will receive a “0” for that particular
assignment.
3. Contribution. Students are expected to contribute during class
discussions in order to enrich the learning experience for everyone.
However, individual students should not monopolize or dominate
discussions, or intimidate others from contributing. When someone is
talking, it is expected that everyone will listen.
4. Cell Phones. Your phone should be on silent (vibrate turned off) and should be
put away. Do not use your phone in class unless specifically instructed to do so.
Do not text or browse the web.
5. Laptops. Close down your e-mail browser, IM, text alerts and all
social media channels.
6. Late Submissions. Assignment due dates will be displayed on Canvas.
Late assignments will lose 15% of their grade if submitted late on the
due date. Assignments will lose 25% if submitted the day after the due
date, 50% if submitted two days late, and 75% if submitted three days
late. After the third day a grade of 0% will be assigned. These are firm
policies. In exceptional circumstances (major illness, family
bereavement), students must contact the instructor prior to the
assignment due date. All assignments are to be handed in in a
professional format using standard word processing software. One key
rationale for these guidelines is to help students develop professional
habits that will be valuable throughout their careers.
7. Absences/Extensions. The course policy default is that there will be
no make-up work provided and no extensions to deadlines. Exceptions
are pre-approved circumstances (e.g.: illness, family bereavement).

7. COVID-19 Protocols:
• Stay home when sick. People who are symptomatic are expected to take the
online BC COVID-19 Self-Assessment Tool and follow the instructions:
https://bc.thrive.health/covid19/en.
• Vaccine pop-up clinics are available at SFU:
https://www.sfu.ca/students/support/vaccination-clinics.html
• Non-medical masks must be worn by all students in the classroom unless
someone has an approved exemption.
• Students can obtain disposable masks from Student Central in Burnaby
and at the info desks in Vancouver and Surrey.
• Student requiring mask exemptions in the classroom due to medical or
psychological conditions can contact the Centre for Accessible Learning
(CAL) at cal_admin@sfu.ca for assistance. Students requesting mask
exemptions on other protected grounds should contact the Office of
Student Support, Rights and Responsibilities (OSSRR) at
student_support@sfu.ca. Students who cannot wear a mask are
encouraged to practice physical distancing where feasible.
• Instructors are not required to wear a mask while teaching if they are able to
maintain a two-metre distance from students.
• If you are self-isolating, you are encouraged to reach out to
Student_Support@sfu.ca. Student Services has developed a cross-functional

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 team to assist students with academic concerns, accommodation,
physical/mental health or any other concerns.

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Weekly Schedule

Week # Lecture Topic Assigned Quizzes In-Class Individual / Team

Readings Assignments Assignments
1 Understanding the Ch. 1 No quiz
May 8 Canadian Business
System
2 Environment of Ch. 2 Plagiarism
May 15 Business & Practice Individual
Quizzes: Assignment Topic
Ch. 1 & 2 Selection
HBR Assignment
Groups Assigned
3 Conducting Business Ch. 3 Ch. 3
#1 HBR
May 29 Ethically & HBR – Managing
Managing
Responsibly Oneself
Oneself
4 Entrepreneurship Ch. 4 Ch. 4
June 5

5 Global Context of Ch. 5 Ch. 5 Individual Assignment

June 12 Business
Midterm Review
6 Managing the Ch. 6 Ch. 6 #2 HBR Team Project Groups
June 19 Enterprise HBR – What What Makes a Assigned
Leader?
makes a leader?

7 Midterm Exam Chapters 1 - 6 (textbook); all lecture material

June 26
8 Motivating, Ch.9 Ch.9
July 10 Satisfying & Leading Ch.10
Employees
----------------------------
Managing
Operations &
Information
9 Understanding Ch.10 #3 HBR
Ch.12
July 17 Marketing Principles and Marketing Myopia
HBR - Marketing
Developing Products
Myopia
Pricing, Promoting &
Ch.13
Distributing
10 Money & Banking Ch.14 Ch. 15 Ch.12
July 24 Financial Decisions and Ch.13
Risk Management

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 11 Team Project Ch. 14 & 15 Team Project
July 31 Presentations Presentations

Final Exam Review (time

permitting)

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