Syllabus

Schedule

Weekly Dates

Week 1: Jan 8 – Jan 14
Week 2: Jan 15 – Jan 21
Week 3: Jan 22 – Jan 28
Week 4: Jan 29 – Feb 4
Week 5: Feb 5 – Feb 11
Week 6: Feb 12 – Feb 18
Week 7: Feb 19 – Feb 25
Week 8: Feb 26 – Mar 3
Week 9: Mar 4 – Mar 10
Week 10: Mar 11 – Mar 17
Week 11: Mar 18 – Mar 24
Week 12: Mar 25 – Mar 31
Week 13: Apr 1 – Apr 7
Week 14: Apr 8 – Apr 14
Week 15: Apr 15 – Apr 21
Week 16: Apr 22 – Apr 26

Week One: The Entrepreneurial Life

Weekly Learning Outcomes

• Explain the importance of small business and entrepreneurship in our society.
• Distinguish between the terms small business and entrepreneurial opportunity.
• Explain the basic characteristics of entrepreneurs and describe several different kinds of entrepreneurship.
• Describe the importance of understanding your motivations and perceptions related to owning a small business.
• Describe five potential competitive advantages of small entrepreneurial companies compared to large firms.
• Explain the concept of an entrepreneurial legacy and its challenges

Lectures

• Intro to APN 725 Course lecture
• Lecture 1: The Entrepreneurial Life

Readings

• Required:
  • Chapters 1 in course text.

Discussion

• Introductions

Special note for students wanting to choose the job shadowing/field hours:
You will need to notify the instructor that you plan to pursue this option during Week 1

Week Two: Integrity, Ethics, and Social Entrepreneurship

Weekly Learning Outcomes

• Define integrity, and understand its importance to small businesses.
• Explain how integrity applies to various stakeholder groups.
• Identify some common challenges and benefits of maintaining integrity in small businesses.
• Suggest practical approaches for building a business with integrity.
• Define social entrepreneurship, and describe its influence on small companies and startup opportunities.

Lectures

• Lecture 2: Integrity, Ethics, and Social Entrepreneurship
• Lecture 2a: Developing an e-Portfolio

Readings

• Required: Chapter 2 in course text.

Discussion

• Ethical Decision-Making

Assignments

• Part 1 of Capstone Project:
  • All options: Develop an e-portfolio

Special note for students wanting to choose the job shadowing/field hours:

You will need to identify 3 sites for field hours (1 site may be used if student will be engaged in three separate focus areas during the term) and secure permission from them.

Week Three: Starting a Small Business

Weekly Learning Outcomes

• Distinguish among the different types of sources of startup ideas.
• Use innovative thinking to generate ideas for high-potential startups.
• Describe external and internal analyses that can shape the identification and selection of venture opportunities.
• Explain broad-based strategy options and focus strategies.
• Screen business ideas to identify those with the greatest potential.
• Assess the feasibility of a startup idea.

Lectures

• Lecture 3: Starting a Small Business
• Lecture 3a: Selecting a Capstone Project

Readings

• Required: Chapter 3 in course text

Assignments

• Ungraded: Capstone Project Selection

Week Four: Writing a Business Plan

Weekly Learning Outcomes

• Explain the purpose and objectives of business plans.
• Give the rationale for writing (or not writing) a business plan when starting a new venture.
• Explain the concept and process for developing a firm’s business model.
• Describe the preferred content and format for a business plan.
• Offer practical advice on writing a business plan.
• Explain how to pitch to investors.
• Identify available sources of assistance in preparing a business.
• Maintain the proper perspective when writing a business plan.

Lectures

• Lecture 4: Writing a Business Plan

Readings

• Required: Chapter 6 in course text.

Discussion

• Business Plans

Week Five: Creating a Marketing Plan

Weekly Learning Outcomes

• Describe small business marketing.
• Identify the components of a formal marketing plan.
• Define market segmentation, and discuss its related strategies.
• Explain the different methods of forecasting sales.

Lectures

• Lecture 5: Creating a Marketing Plan

Readings

• Required: Chapter 7 in course text

Week Six: The Location Plan

Weekly Learning Outcomes

• Describe the five key factors in locating a brick-and-mortar startup.
• Discuss the challenges of designing and equipping a physical facility.
• Recognize both the attraction and the challenges of creating a home-based startup.
• Understand the potential benefits of locating a startup on the Internet.

Lectures

• Lecture 6: The Location Plan

Readings

• Required: Chapter 9 in course text

Assignments

• Part 2 of Capstone Project
  • Option 1: Executive Summary
  • Option 2: Executive Summary
  • Option 3: Industry Description and Outlook
  • Option 4: Site report and attendance sheet for job site 1

Week Seven: The Income Statement

Weekly Learning Outcomes

• Describe the purpose and content of an income statement.
• Explain the purpose and content of a balance sheet.
• Explain how viewing the income statement and balance sheets together gives a more complete picture of a firm’s financial position?
• Use the income statement and balance sheets to compute a company’s cash flows.
• Analyze the financial statements using ratios to see more clearly how decisions affect a firm’s financial performance.

Lectures

• Lecture 7: The Income Statement

Readings

• Required: Chapter 10 in course text.

Discussion

• Profitability

Week Eight: Forecasting Financial Requirements

Weekly Learning Outcomes

• Develop a pro forma income statement to forecast a new venture’s profitability.
• Determine a company’s asset and financing requirements using a pro forma balance sheet.
• Forecast a firm’s cash flows.
• Provide some suggestions for effective financial forecasting

Lectures

• Lecture 8: Forecasting Financial Requirements

Readings

• Required: Chapter 11 in course text

Assignments

• Part 3 of Capstone Project
  • Option 1: Company Description
  • Option 2: Description of Product/Service and Technology Requirements
  • Option 3: Target Market

Week Nine: Sources of Financing

Weekly Learning Outcomes

• Describe how a firm’s characteristics affect its available financing sources.
• Evaluate the choice between debt financing and equity financing.
• Identify the typical sources of financing used at the outset of a new venture.
• Discuss the basic process for acquiring and structuring a bank loan.
• Explain how business relationships can be used to finance a small firm.
• Describe the two types of private equity investors who offer financing to small firms.
• Describe how crowdfunding can be used by some small businesses to raise capital.
• Distinguish among the different government loan programs available to small companies.
• Explain when large companies and public stock offerings can be sources of financing.

Lectures

• Lecture 9: Sources of Financing

Readings

• Required: Chapter 12 in course text

Assignments

• Part 4 of Capstone Project
  • Option 1: Market Research
  • Option 2: Market Assessment
  • Option 3: Competitive Analysis

Week Ten: Building Customer Relationships

Weekly Learning Outcomes

• Define customer relationship management (CRM) and explain its value to small business.
• Discuss the significance of providing extraordinary customer service.
• Understand how technology can be used to improve customer relationships and the techniques used to create a customer database.
• Explain how consumers are decision makers and why this is important in understanding customer relationships.
• Identify certain psychological influences on consumer behavior.
• Recognize certain sociological influences on consumer behavior.

Lectures

• Lecture 10: Building Customer Relationships

Readings

• Required: Chapter 14 in course text

Assignments

• Part 3 of Capstone Project
  • Option 4: Site report and attendance sheet for job site 2

Discussion

• Customer Relationships

Week Eleven: Pricing and Credit Decisions

Weekly Learning Outcomes

• Discuss the role of cost and demand factors in setting a price.
• Apply break-even analysis and markup pricing.
• Identify specific pricing strategies.
• Explain the benefits of credit, factors that affect credit extension, and types of credit.
• Describe the activities involved in managing credit.

Lectures

• Lecture 11: Pricing and Credit Decisions

Readings

• Required: Chapter 16 in course text

Week Twelve: Promotional Planning

Weekly Learning Outcomes

• Describe the communication model and the factors that determine a promotional mix.
• Explain methods of determining the appropriate level of promotional expenditures.
• Explain how the Internet and social media are changing promotional practices.
• Describe personal selling activities.
• Identify advertising options for a small business.
• Discuss the use of sales promotional tools.

Lectures

• Lecture 12: Promotional Planning

Readings

• Required: Chapter 17 in course text

Assignments

• Part 5 of Capstone Project
  • Option 1: Description of Product/Service
  • Option 2: Marketing
  • Option 3: Financial Projection

Week Thirteen: Professional Management and the Small Business

Weekly Learning Outcomes

• Understand the entrepreneur’s leadership role.
• Explain the small business management process and its unique features.
• Identify the managerial tasks of entrepreneurs.
• Describe the problem of time pressure and suggest solutions.
• Outline the various types of outside management assistance.

Lectures

• Lecture 13: Professional Management and the Small Business

Readings

• Required: Chapter 19 in course text

Assignments

• Part 6 of Capstone Project
  • Option 1: Financial Projection
  • Option 2: Operations and Schedule (2 sections)
  • Option 3: Regulations

Week Fourteen: Managing Small Business Operations

Weekly Learning Outcomes

• Understand how operations enhance a small company’s competitiveness.
• Discuss the nature of the operations process for both products and services.
• Identify ways to control inventory and minimize inventory costs.
• Recognize the contributions of operations management to product and service quality.
• Explain the importance of purchasing and the nature of key purchasing policies.
• Describe lean production and synchronous management, and discuss their importance to operations management in small businesses.

Lectures

• Lecture 14: Managing Small Business Operations

Readings

• Required: Chapter 21 in course text

Assignments

• Part 7 of Capstone Project
  • Option 1: Financial Projection
  • Option 2: Financial Projections and Findings and Recommendations (2 sections)
  • Option 3: Summary
• Part 4 of Capstone Project
  • Option 4: Site report and attendance sheet for job site 3

Week Fifteen: Managing Risk

Weekly Learning Outcomes

• Define business risk and explain its two dimensions.
• Identify the basic types of pure risk.
• Describe the steps in the risk management process, and explain how risk management can be used in small companies.
• Explain the basic principles used in evaluating an insurance program.
• Identify the common types of business insurance coverage.

Lectures

• Lecture 15: Managing Risk

Readings

• Required: Chapter 23 in course text

Assignments

• Part 8 of Capstone Project
  • Options 1-3: Final Product
• Part 5 of Capstone Project
  • Option 4: Final Product

Discussion

• Risks

Week Sixteen: Global Opportunities for Small Businesses

Weekly Learning Outcomes

• Describe the potential of small firms as global enterprises.
• Identify the basic forces prompting small firms to engage in global expansion.
• Understand and compare strategy options for global businesses.
• Explain the challenges that global enterprises face.
• Recognize the sources of assistance available to support international business efforts.

Lectures

• Lecture 16: Global Opportunities for Small Businesses

Readings

• Required: Chapter 18 in course text

Discussion

• Conclusions

Student Resources

Online Student Support

Your Student Support Specialist is a resource for you. Please don't hesitate to contact them for assistance, including, but not limited to course planning, current problems or issues in a course, technology concerns, or personal emergencies.

Questions? Visit the Student Support Applied Nutrition page

UNE Libraries:

• Library Access for all students:  Your library login ID and password are the same as the ones you use to log into Brightspace.
• Applied Nutrition Database
• Library Questions: Ask a librarian or phone library staff at (207) 602-2361 or (207) 221-4330.

UNE Student Academic Success Center

The Student Academic Success Center (SASC) offers a range of services to support your academic achievement, including tutoring, writing support, test prep and studying strategies, learning style consultations, and many online resources. To make an appointment for tutoring, writing support, or a learning specialist consultation, go to une.tutortrac.com. To access our online resources, including links, guides, and video tutorials, please visit:

• UNE Student Academic Success Center

Information Technology Services (ITS)

• ITS Contact: Toll Free Help Desk 24 hours/7 days per week at 1-877-518-4673

Accommodations

Any student who would like to request, or ask any questions regarding, academic adjustments or accommodations must contact the Student Access Center at (207) 221-4438 or pcstudentaccess@une.edu. Student Access Center staff will evaluate the student's documentation and determine eligibility of accommodation(s) through the Student Access Center registration procedure.

Online Peer Support

Togetherall is a 24/7 communication and emotional support platform monitored by trained clinicians. It’s a safe place online to get things off your chest, have conversations, express yourself creatively, and learn how to manage your mental health. If sharing isn’t your thing, Togetherall has other tools and courses to help you look after yourself with plenty of resources to explore. Whether you’re struggling to cope, feeling low, or just need a place to talk, Togetherall can help you explore your feelings in a safe supportive environment. You can join Togetherall using your UNE email address.

Information Technology Services (ITS)

Students should notify their Student Support Specialist and instructor in the event of a problem relating to a course. This notification should occur promptly and proactively to support timely resolution.

ITS Contact: Toll-Free Help Desk 24 hours/7 days per week at 1-877-518-4673.

Career Ready Program

The College of Professional Studies supports its online students and alumni in their career journey!

The Career Ready Program provides tools and resources to help students explore and hone in on their career goals, search for jobs, create and improve professional documents, build professional network, learn interview skills, grow as a professional, and more. Come back often, at any time, as you move through your journey from career readiness as a student to career growth, satisfaction, and success as alumni.

Policies

AMA Writing Style Statement

In keeping with the requirements of the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, the American Medical Association (AMA) Manual of Style, 11th edition is the required writing format for this course and is available at both UNE libraries under the title "AMA Manual." Additional support for academic writing and AMA format is provided throughout the coursework as well as at the UNE Portal for Online Students.

Online resources: AMA Style Guide

Turnitin Originality Check and Plagiarism Detection Tool

The College of Professional Studies uses Turnitin to help deter plagiarism and to foster the proper attribution of sources. Turnitin provides comparative reports for submitted assignments that reflect similarities in other written works. This can include, but is not limited to, previously submitted assignments, internet articles, research journals, and academic databases.

Make sure to cite your sources appropriately as well as use your own words in synthesizing information from published literature. Webinars and workshops, included early in your coursework, will help guide best practices in AMA citation and academic writing.

You can learn more about Turnitin in the guide on how to navigate your Similarity Report.

Late Policy

Assignments: Assignments submitted after the due date and time will receive a deduction of 10% of the total possible grade for each day it is late. After three days, the assignment will not be accepted. No assignments will be accepted after the course ends.

Discussion posts: If the initial post is submitted late, acceptance of the discussion board is at the discretion of the faculty. Any posts submitted after the end of the Discussion Board week will not be graded (does not apply to practicum).

Students are encouraged to make every effort ahead of time to contact their instructor and their student support specialist if they are not able to meet an assignment deadline. Arrangements for extenuating circumstances may be considered by faculty.

Technology Requirements

Please review the technical requirements for UNE Online Graduate Programs: Technical Requirements

Course Evaluation Policy

Course surveys are one of the most important tools that University of New England uses for evaluating the quality of your education, and for providing meaningful feedback to instructors on their teaching. In order to assure that the feedback is both comprehensive and precise, we need to receive it from each student for each course. Evaluation access is distributed via UNE email at the beginning of the last week of the course.

Attendance Policy

8 week: Students taking online graduate courses through the College of Professional Studies will be administratively dropped for non-participation if a graded assignment/discussion post is not submitted before Sunday at 11:59 pm ET of the first week of the term. Reinstatement is at the purview of the Dean's Office.

16 week: Students taking online graduate courses through the College of Professional Studies will be administratively dropped for non-participation if a graded assignment/discussion post is not submitted before Friday at 11:59 pm ET of the second week of the term. Reinstatement is at the purview of the Dean's Office.

Student Handbook Online - Policies and Procedures

The policies contained within this document apply to all students in the College of Professional Studies. It is each student's responsibility to know the contents of this handbook.

UNE Online Student Handbook

UNE Course Withdrawal

Please contact your student support specialist if you are considering dropping or withdrawing from a course. The last day to drop for 100% tuition refund is the 2nd day of the course. Financial Aid charges may still apply. Students using Financial Aid should contact the Financial Aid Office prior to withdrawing from a course.

Academic Integrity

The University of New England values academic integrity in all aspects of the educational experience. Academic dishonesty in any form undermines this standard and devalues the original contributions of others. It is the responsibility of all members of the University community to actively uphold the integrity of the academy; failure to act, for any reason, is not acceptable. For information about plagiarism and academic misconduct, please visit UNE Plagiarism Policies.

Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to the following:

1. Cheating, copying, or the offering or receiving of unauthorized assistance or information.
2. Fabrication or falsification of data, results, or sources for papers or reports.
3. Action which destroys or alters the work of another student.
4. Multiple submissions of the same paper or report for assignments in more than one course without permission of each instructor.
5. Plagiarism, the appropriation of records, research, materials, ideas, or the language of other persons or writers and the submission of them as one's own.

Charges of academic dishonesty will be reviewed by the Program Director. Penalties for students found responsible for violations may depend upon the seriousness and circumstances of the violation, the degree of premeditation involved, and/or the student’s previous record of violations. Appeal of a decision may be made to the Dean whose decision will be final. Student appeals will take place through the grievance process outlined in the student handbook.