Small Business Management

Overview

Course description

This course provides students in the Habitat Restoration Program with an introduction to the theoretical and practical aspects of the start-up and management of a new venture. Topics include: Business plan development, financing a business, marketing, financial management and systems, personnel management, customer relations, leadership, and communications. Emphasis will be placed on the start-up of a small business consulting practice.

Course content

1. The Small Business Decision

• personal capabilities evaluation

2. Evaluation of Business Opportunity

• non-quantitative assessment

• steps in quantitative assessment

• feasibility analysis

3. Organizing a Business

• business plan components

• forms of business ownership/legal requirements

• small business plan checklist

4. Financing the Small Business

• equity and debt financing

• government programs

5. Marketing Management

• marketing plan

• marketing checklist

6. Financial Management

• fundamentals of small business accounting

• budgets

• financial planning and operations control

7. Personnel Management

• best practices in personnel management

Learning activities

Lectures, seminar discussions, case study analysis, role playing and business plan project.

Means of assessment

Midterm Examination 20%

Group Project 15%

Business Plan (10% before midterm) 30%

Final Examination 25%

Participation 10%

100%

Learning outcomes

At the end of this course, the successful student should be able to:

1. develop preliminary pro-forma financial statements using computerized spreadsheets;

2. determine market potential for a consulting business;

3. develop a business plan;

4. describe the legal requirements to start a small business;

5. identify sources of financing.

6. develop a marketing plan;

7. develop a promotional campaign;

8. develop a budget;

9. describe the elements of systems relating to accounting, payroll, inventory control and cash handling;

10. demonstrate an understanding of financial control techniques;

11. describe and demonstrate the methods of hiring and training of employees;

12. describe and illustrate principles of effective personnel management relative to leadership styles;

Textbook materials

Textbooks and Materials to be Purchased by Students

Balderson, Wesley D. Canadian Small Business Management, Latest Ed. Irwin.

Requisites

Prerequisites

No prerequisite courses.

Corequisites

No corequisite courses.

Equivalencies

No equivalent courses.

Course Guidelines

Course Guidelines for previous years are viewable by selecting the version desired. If you took this course and do not see a listing for the starting semester / year of the course, consider the previous version as the applicable version.

January 2009 (Current)