INDEPENDENT UNIVERSITY, BANGLADESH

School of Business
BBA Program Course Outline

Semester Course Code Course Title Section

Spring’17 BUS 201 Introduction to Business 06

Instructor’s Details:
Instructor: Md. Awal Al Kabir Class Time: MW 5:00pm - 6:30pm
Office: 4007
Class Room: 2011
Contact: awalalkabir@yahoo.com
Office Hours: Monday: 01:30 p.m. – 03.10 p.m
Wednesday: 01:30 p.m. – 03.10 p.m
My SB http://103.254.86.4/sb/course/index.php?categoryid=53

Course Description:
This course is an introduction to the functional areas of business and designed to give the students a
general overview of today’scontemporary business world. It will give a total view of all the major courses
they intend to study to become a business graduate. Topics include business enterprises, organization
behavior, economics, environment, human resources, marketing, accounting, finance and international
concerns. Upon completion of this course, students will have both conversation and application skills
regarding the overall business world.

Course Objectives:
 To examine and discuss how business operates in social, political, and economic climates
 To identify common practices and problems in the functional areas of business
 To identify and explore career opportunities in business
 To identify the essential elements and characteristics of free enterprise system

Prerequisite (If Any):

Introduction to Business (BUS201) is a core course and does not have any prerequisites. However,
students are advised to finish all necessary foundation courses before taking any core course including
this one.

Course Policy:
1. It is the student’s responsibility to collect information about the assignments and covered topics for
the lectures s/he missed. Regular class attendance is mandatory. Points will be taken off for missing
classes. According to IUB’sonline attendance policy, students must enter the classroom within the
first 20 minutes.
2. The date and syllabus of quiz, presentation, midterm and final exam will be announced ahead of
time. There is NO provision for make-up quizzes and final exam. However, students might get a
chance to sit for the make-up mid, if only the student himself/herself falls sick. In this case,
applications will only be accepted with proper documents (e.g. medical certificates, prescriptions).
3. The reading materials for each class will be given prior to that class so that student may have a
cursory look into the materials.

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 4. Class participation is vital for better understanding. Students are invited to raise questions in the
class and take tutorials with the instructor during the office hours.
5. Students must maintain the IUB code of conduct and ethical guidelines offered by the School of
Business.
6. Students must refrain from any type of cheating and/or plagiarism in a course. School of Business,
IUB, maintains a ‘Zero’ tolerance policy regarding violation of academic integrity.
7. Students are not allowed to keep bags, handouts, books, mobile phones, smart watches or any other
electronic devices with them during any exam (including quizzes). They are advised to keep
everything in front of the class room before the exam starts. Please note that, just carrying any
electronic devices (even if the device is turned off or put it in silent mode) during the exam will be
considered as “cheating”. Moreover, during the exam, anything written on hand palms (or anywhere
else) and carrying paper materials (whatever is written) will be considered as “cheating”. Any sorts
of “cheating” will result in an “F” grade withno exception. During the exam, students must carry
their own pen,pencil, eraser, sharpener, ruler, highlighter, calculator in a clear plastic bag and not
allowed to borrow them from others.
8. Each class will be conducted completely in English. Students must use English to communicate with
the faculty in the class. No one should expect full marks for ‘Attendance and Participation’ by only
sitting in the class. They must communicate in a proper manner with the instructor and show
enthusiasm towards learning to earn 5 marks on the above mentioned category.
9. Substantial marks will be deducted for spelling mistakes, grammatical errors and incorrect
sentence makings in the quizzes, examinations, assignment and presentation. Also, 5 marks will be
deducted if any student/team fails to meet the deadline of submitting the assignments.
10. Each student must check ‘MY SB’ (link given above) at least once every week to get updates about
the course.
Assessment and Marks Distribution:
Type of Evaluation Weight
Class Attendance and Participation 10%
Quiz (2 quizzes) 10%
Assignment on Business Plan (coordinated) 10%
Presentation on Business Plan (coordinated) 10%
Mid-Term Examination (coordinated) 30%
Final Examination (coordinated) 30%
Total 100%

Grade Conversion Scheme:

The following chart will be followed for grading. This has customized form the guideline provided by the
school of Business.
A A- B+ B B- C+ C C- D+ D F
90-100 85-89 80-84 75-79 70-74 65-69 60-64 55-59 50-54 45-49 0-44

* Numbers are inclusive

Required Text:
Understanding Business, 10th International Edition by William G. Nickels, James M. McHugh and
Susan M. McHugh, McGraw-Hill Irwin Publication

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 Class, Exam Schedule, Topic, Learning Outcomes and Readings

Sessions Topic Learning Outcomes Readings

Session -1 An Overview of What is Business, Business & Nickels, McHugh
Business Entrepreneurship, Objectives of Business, and McHugh,
Factors of Production, Ethics and Law, Chapter 1, 4 and
Corporate Social Responsibilities of Business Handouts

Session -2 Business Trends Types of Business Environment, Managing Nickels, McHugh

Business Ethically, 21st Century Diversity and McHugh,
Issues, Evolution of American and Bangladeshi Chapter 1
Business.
Session -3 Cultivating Business in Overview of Economics, Theories of Nickels, McHugh
line with Economics Economics, Economic Systems, Price and McHugh,
Determination by Supply and Demand, Chapter 2
Foundations of Capitalism, Competition within
Free Markets.
Session -4 Cultivating Business in Pros and Cons of Free Market Economy, Nickels, McHugh
line with Economics Benefits and Negatives of Socialism, Key and McHugh,
Economic Indicators, The Business Cycle, Chapter 2
Stabilizing Economy through Fiscal Policy.
Session -5 Business Trends: Doing Common Forms of Doing International Nickels, McHugh
Business in Diverse Business, Why Trade with Other Nations, Free and McHugh,
Environments Trade, Comparative Advantage Theory and Chapter 3
Absolute Advantage Theory, Measuring Global
Trade.
Session -6 Business Trends: Doing Strategies to Reach Global Market, Factors Nickels, McHugh
Business in Diverse Affecting Trading in Global Markets, Trade and McHugh,
Environments Protectionism, WTO, Common Markets, Chapter 3
NAFTA.
Quiz 1
Session-7 Ways of Owning How to Form a Business, Advantages and Nickels, McHugh
Business Disadvantages of all the forms. and McHugh,
Chapter 5
Session -8 Entrepreneurship and Mergers and Acquisitions, Vertical merger, Nickels, McHugh
Business Ownership Horizontal merger, Conglomerate merger, and McHugh,
Franchise, Franchise Agreement, Franchisor, Chapter 5
Franchisee.
Session -9 Ways of Starting a Entrepreneur’s success stories, Reasons for Nickels, McHugh
Small Business taking entrepreneurial risks, What you need to and McHugh,
be an Entrepreneur, Entrepreneurial Teams, Chapter 6
Micro Preneurs, Intra Preneurs and Home
based business growth, Challenges for home
based business, Affiliate Marketing.
Session -10 Ways of Starting a Definition of Small Businesses, success and Nickels, McHugh

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 Small Business and failure of Small-business, Learning about and McHugh,
Going International small-business operations, Managing a small Chapter 6
with it business, Making a proper Business Plan,
Knowing the customers.
Session -11 Business Management: Levels of Management, Important skills for Nickels, McHugh
Empowering different level management, Leadership Styles, and McHugh,
Employees to Satisfy Empowering workers, Building Customer Chapter 7
Customers Satisfaction.
Session -12 Review for Mid Term Chapter 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 Cases, Videos etc.
Session -13 Mid-Term Exam Chapterscovered till the last class Coordinated
Session -14 Marketing The Marketing Mix, B2B and B2C Market, Nickels, McHugh
Market Segmentation, Niche Marketing, One- and McHugh,
to-One Marketing, Decision Making Process of Chapter 13
Customers.
Session -15 Marketing: Pricing Importance of Pricing, New Product Nickels, McHugh
Development Process, Pricing Objectives, and McHugh,
Pricing Strategies, Break-Even Analysis, Total Chapter 14
Fixed Costs, Variable Costs.
Session -16 Marketing: Distribution Marketing Intermediaries, Channel of Nickels, McHugh
and Promotions Distributionand Types of Intermediaries, and McHugh,
Retail Distribution Strategies, and Non- Chapter 15
StoreRetailing, Promotion Mix.
Session -17 Review Session Students might solve case studies in class. Case, Videos etc.
Session -18 Understanding Finance And Its Activities, Key Steps Of Nickels, McHugh
Accounting and Financial Planning, Financial Forecasting, and McHugh,
Financial Information Budgeting And The Types Of It, Why Firms Chapter 18
Need Financing, Short-Term Financing, Debt
Financing, Equity Financing.
Session -19 Understanding Income Statement, Revenue, Cost of Goods Nickels, McHugh
Accounting and Sold(COGS), Gross Profit/Gross Margin, and McHugh,
Financial Information Operating Expenses, Net Profit or Loss, Chapter 17
Compiling Income Statement.
Session -20 Human Resource 21st Century HR Challenges, Determining HR Nickels, McHugh
Management Needs, Recruitment & Selection Process and McHugh,
Chapter 11
Session -21 Human Resource Compensation & Benefits, Training & Nickels, McHugh
Management Development,Performance Appraisal. and McHugh,
Chapter 11
Session -22 Human Resource Motivating through Job Enrichment, Nickels, McHugh
Management Motivating through Open Communication, Job and McHugh,
Recognition, Motivating Employees Across the Chapter 12
Quiz 2 Globe.
Session -23 Adapting Organizations Organization Structures, Departmentalization, Nickels, McHugh
to Today’s Market Cross Functional Self-Managed Teams, and McHugh,
Organizational/Corporate Culture, Production Chapter 8 and 9

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 Process, Operations Management Planning.
Session -24 Review for Final Exam Chapter 8, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15,16, 17 & 18 Cases, Videos etc.
Session -25 Project Presentation Writing a ‘Business Plan’ about any new N/A
(1 Phase)
st
product/service for Bangladeshi Market
Session -26 Final Exam Chapters covered after Mid-Term Examination Coordinated

Methodology:
The course will be conducted by means of lectures, discussions, case studies, problem solving, readings
&assignments. Students must come to each class to actively participate in discussions of the class materials.

Details about the Final Project:

All the students of BUS 201 course have to work in a group to write a ‘Business Plan’ as their final
assignment and presentation. This will be held on Two (2) phases. In the 1 st phase, students will present
their plan in the class in front of the instructor only. Instructor than will select ‘Best 2 teams’ and will send
them to the 2nd phase, where the teams will present their plan in front of a judging panel and fight for the
title. Full instructions will be provided in the class after the Mid-Term exam week. The hard copy of the
report should be submitted with spiral binding and the soft copy should be e-mailed to the respective
instructors within the given time. Students will be judged on the uniqueness and economic feasibility of the
idea. Judges will also check how they understand the basic roles of entrepreneurship in business, its
benefits and drawbacks while marking for both the report and presentation.

Rules for the Presentation:

1. No script reading is allowed while presenting. Also, do not just read the slides. Present & explain the
contents clearly.
2. Every team member must present, because, students will be marked individually for the presentation.
3. Slides should not be filled with texts copied straight from the Term Paper.
4. There should be consistency in the alignment of the slides.
5. Make strong eye contact with the audience.
6. Articulate your words clearly.
7. Be formally dressed.

Marks Distribution for Class Attendance:

90% and above attendance in total number of classes held (21 classes) 5 Marks
85% to less than 90% attendance in total number of classes held (20 classes) 4 Marks
80% to less than 85% attendance in total number of classes held(19 classes) 3 Marks
75% to less than 80% attendance in total number of classes held(18 classes) 2 Marks
70% to less than 75% attendance in total number of classes held (17 classes) 1 Marks
Less than 70% attendance in total number of classes held (Less than 17 classes) 0 Marks

Audit:
Students who are willing to audit the course are welcome during the first two classes and are advised to
contact the instructor beforehand.

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University Regulation and Code of Conduct:
Please see the green book for further information about academic regulation and policies, including
withdrawal and grading, apples and penalties for pilgrims and academic misconduct.

Students with Disabilities:

Students with disabilities are required to inform the School of Business/ Department of Economics of any
specific requirement for classes or examination as soon as possible.

N.B: This course outline is subject to change. The faculty members reserve the right to make any
necessary changes. Any kind of alteration will be communicated to the students within the shortest
possible time.

Md. Awal Al Kabir

Chairperson, Dept of Management Studies
Faculty of Business Studies
Jahangirnagar University
Adjunct Faculty (Independent University, Bangladesh)

BEST OF LUCK!

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