PROGRAM LEARNING SUMMARIES

For the course BUSN 100 - Basics of Business, I have chosen to reflect on course objectives 1, 3, 5, and 7 specifically. Course objective 1 states that students will be able to describe the environment in which business operates (Blanton). I met this specific objective through my course work by completing the assignment “Week 2 - Discussion: Business Models.” For this discussion we were to conduct research on business models for a product/company within our assigned industry. I was assigned the industry of household and personal products and I chose Keurig coffee makers. I discussed how Keurig coffee makers essentially go off of the idea of a subscription in a way with the knowledge that customers will have to pay recurring fees for the K-Cups, thus ensuring predictable revenue and fostering long-term relationships. The Keurig coffee makers themselves are relatively inexpensive and around the same price as a traditional coffee maker, but the K-Cups are sold at a higher price. The K-Cups would still be cheaper for those buying a drink at Starbucks everyday. The K-Cups would also be faster and less messy than doing the old school coffee maker with a coffee filter and scooping coffee grinds. In the end though, the K-Cups compared to the old school way of doing things would come out to be more expensive per cup of coffee. This works in favor of the company that does Keurig because they hook you with the initial start-up cost and convenience but in the end they are the ones benefitting the most as a result of customers' new "subscriptions" to K-Cups. Course objective 3 states that students will be able to identify the main forms of business organizations (Blanton). I met this specific objective through my course work by completing the lesson module regarding this topic. Course objective 5 states that students will be able to explain the internal structures of organizations (Blanton). I met this specific objective through my course work by completing the assignment “Week 3 - Discussion: HRM-Employee Empowerment.”  For this discussion we were to define employee empowerment, discuss the risks associated with employee empowerment, and share an experience we have had regarding empowerment, either as a recipient, a giver, or a desired scenario. Course objective 7 states that students will be able to describe sources of financing for businesses (Blanton).  I met this specific objective through my course work by completing the assignment “Week 6 - Discussion: Cash Flow.” For this discussion we were to identify and conduct research on a company within our assigned industry that experienced cash flow problems and the ways in which they chose to address the issue. I was assigned to the entertainment industry and I chose AMC. I discussed how AMC was experiencing consecutive days of stock decline due to high debt and cash flow stemming back to pre-Covid. AMC addressed their cash flow issues by trying their best to manage their finances and capitalize on the reviving box office market. AMC also issued more shares and has offered merchandise promotionals. Overall, BUSN 100 - Basics of Business focused on the American business system and global business environments and taught me about the fundamental concepts of business, business organizations, management principles and strategies, and ethical issues. I can apply the knowledge I gained to the work environment, my current job, and my future job plans specifically. As someone who is hoping to open their own small business, the topics that we covered regarding marketing, finance, personnel, customer relations, production and operations, e-business, internal information systems, and decision-making processes will all greatly impact my business plans.

For the course MKTG201 - Fundamentals of Marketing, I have chosen to reflect on course objectives 2, 3, 7, and 8. Course objective 2 states that students will be able to recall consumer and business buying behaviors (Schaefer). I met this specific objective through my course work by completing the assignment “W2 - Discussion: Consumer Buying Decision.” For this discussion we were to reflect on a buying decision that we had made and later regretted, the factors that contributed to this regret, how we could have approached the decision-making process differently to avoid or mitigate the negative outcome, and what lessons we learned from this experience that we could apply to future buying decisions. Course objective 3 states that students will be able to recognize marketing opportunities related to consumers and market segments (Schaefer). I met this specific objective through my course work by completing the assignment “Week 3 - Assignment 1: Market Segmentation.” For this assignment we were to create a clear, highly detailed profile of a single target audience—just like a real marketer would when crafting a campaign. Course objective 7 states that students will be able to explain the importance of pricing and customer satisfaction in the marketing process (Schaefer). I met this specific objective through my course work by completing the assignment “Week 7 - Assignment 3: Reviewing Super Bowl Ads.” For this assignment we were to review the five provided Super Bowl ads and select one to analyze in a PowerPoint presentation. Within our presentations we were to address the strategy behind the ad, the target customer, how the product was positioned within the ad, what the cost of the ad was and if it was worth the investment, and if we thought the ad helped to increase customer loyalty. Course objective 8 states that students will be able to observe the different aspects of the Marketing Plan (Schaefer). I met this specific objective through my course work by completing the assignment “W8 - Discussion: Marketing Plan Memory Lane.” For this discussion we were to recall a marketing campaign/advertisement that stood out to us from when we were younger. We then had to analyze the way in which the campaign/advertisement impacted our view of the brand/product, what made it memorable, and how the marketing plan behind it might have been designed. Overall, MKTG201 - Fundamentals of Marketing taught me about marketing activities, functions, and procedures which I can apply to the work environment, my current job, and my future job specifically. I now feel confident in my ability to analyze the market and the competition for which my future small business will fall within. I also feel more confident in my ability to monitor consumer behavior at my business in order to make decisions regarding my business location, branding, products, prices, distribution, marketing, and promotion strategies.

For the course BUSN311 - Law and Ethics In The Business Environment, I have chosen to reflect on course objectives 3, 6, 7, and 9. Course objective 3 states that students will be able to describe the litigation system in the United States (Wynne). I met this specific objective through my course work by completing the lesson module regarding this topic. Course objective 6 states that students will be able to identify antitrust issues in business decisions (Wynne). I met this specific objective through my course work by completing the assignment “W2: Intellectual Property - Patenting Life?” For this discussion we were to review how the U.S. Supreme Court held the Myriad Genetics case that a discovered human gene cannot be patented because it is naturally occurring. In other words, discovering something that exists is not a new creation. We then had to reflect on Harvard's Oncomouse and Upjohn's Oncomouse in relation to this Supreme Court ruling. Course objective 7 states that students will be able to analyze what a contract is, how a contract is formed, the types of law that govern contracts, the elements of common-law contract formation, and defenses to contracts (Wynne). I met this specific objective through my course work by completing the assignment “W3: Constitutional Law in Business Practice.”  For this discussion we were to review and analyze the case decided by the U.S. Supreme Court that allowed a website designer to refuse her design service to same-sex weddings. We then had to discuss whether or not business owners should have the right to deny customers with different religious beliefs, skin color, or gender identity. Course objective 9 states that students will be able to evaluate employment laws affecting business (Wynne). I met this specific objective through my course work by completing the assignment “W5: Business Ethics Theory in BP Oil Spill .” For this discussion we were to review the BP Oil Spill case study and the key corporate decision point that defined BP's ethical dilemma, the ethical framework that characterized their decision. Overall, BUSN311 - Law and Ethics In The Business Environment taught me about the decisions that owners and managers of my businesses face which I can apply to the work environment, my current job, and my future job of owning a small business. When striving to operate a business both legally and ethically you often have to put aside any personal feelings to make decisions based on facts and existing laws. Nevertheless, issues may still arise when diversity of ethics cross. I also feel that I am now competent when it comes to contracts, commercial law, forms of business entities, agency, employer-employee relationships, real property concepts, bankruptcy, negligence, and strict liability concepts.

For the course ACCT105 - Accounting For Non-Accounting Majors, I have chosen to reflect on course objectives 13, 17, 26, and 29. Course objective 13 states that students will be able to summarize the steps in the accounting cycle (Whitley). I met this specific objective through my course work by completing the assignment “Project Milestone 2.” For this assignment we had to adjust entries, adjust the trial balance, complete financial statements, and close entries for a business provided to us to work on. Course objective 17 states that students will be able to describe the sources of information for financial statement analysis (Whitley). I met this specific objective through my course work by completing the assignment “Company Analysis.” For this assignment we had to write a research paper based on a publicly-traded company that is traded on U.S. exchange. Using the company’s annual report for the last three fiscal years we were expected to analyze the financial statements, review large movements in specific accounts from one year to the next, review the notes to the financial statements, evaluate the balance sheet to determine if there are large changes in the company's assets, liabilities, or equity accounts, and analyze the income statement and statement of cash flows. We then had to calculate the debt-to-equity ratio, current ratio, quick ratio, return on equity, and net profit margin and explain what the ratio told us about the company. Lastly, we had to prepare a vertical analysis and a horizontal analysis of the income statement and balance sheet. Course objective 26 states that students will be able to explain the relationship among costs, volume, revenue, and profits (Whitley). I met this specific objective through my course work by completing the assignment “Project Milestone 3.” For this assignment we had to complete a ratio analysis and break even analysis for a business provided to us to work on. Course objective 29 states that students will be able to explain the Budgeting in the short, medium, and long term (Whitley). I met this specific objective through my course work by completing the assignment “Budget in a Service Company.” For this assignment we had to complete the cash budget with an explanation of said budget for if we were in a meeting with senior management and we were the accountant who was tasked with presenting the budget. Overall, ACCT105 - Accounting For Non-Accounting Majors taught me the basics of the accounting process which I can apply to the work environment, my current job, and my future job. As someone who had not had a background in accounting it was helpful to learn some general accounting information regarding users of accounting data, the elements and purpose of financial statements, accrual accounting, internal control, and basic financial analysis.