BA 460-01 Senior Seminar in Business
Julie Clarkson Kliegl
Office: WBC 103
Phone: 319-352-8485 (office)
319-830-4130 (cell)
Email: julie.clarkson@wartburg.edu
Class Time and Place:
Section 01: Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:35 to 11:15 in WBC 116.
Section 02: Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1:00 to 2:40 in WBC 116.
Office Hours:
Scheduled office hours are Mondays and Fridays from 11:00 to noon, Wednesdays 2:00 to 3:00, and Thursdays from 3:00 to 4:00. I am generally in the office during regular business hours except class and committee meetings and am happy to meet with you at other times. Please set up a time in advance so I can plan appropriately and you can save yourself the aggravation of repeated attempts to reach me.
Course Description: This is the capstone course for business majors. This is a writing intensive course that focuses on research of unstructured business challenges and ethical decision making in real business situations. As you start your career, you will be called on to solve complex problems in unstructured settings. The course is designed to give you the frameworks and application experiences that will prepare you. Content will include reading and lecture on the research process, ethical and strategic theory, case studies, outside research and reading, and written and verbal analysis. Discussions on career planning and decision making are also part of the course but are secondary to the academic component.
This is a seminar style course. Seminars are an advanced form of study and as a result this course will be different from others you may be familiar with. You will have a significant responsibility for presenting course materials to your peers and leading discussions on the material.
This is a writing intensive course as required by the curriculum. Fourth year standing is a prerequisite. This course is conducted in a seminar style requiring students to bear a significant degree of responsibility in the development and delivery of the content. You are expected to participate actively, lead assigned discussions, and make connections between the content from this course and other business courses that have been part of your major.
The required books
for all students are:
Good to Great, Jim Collins
Ethics in the Workplace, Craig E. Johnson
Quick MBA – strategy sections
In addition, there will be various assigned readings that will distributed or posted on MyWartburg throughout class. A partial list includes:
Freeman, R.E., Wicks, A.C., & Parmar, B. (2004). Stakeholder theory and “the corporate objective revisited.” Organization Science, 15 (3), 364-369.
Porter, M. E. (1996). What is strategy? Harvard Business Review, 74 (6),61-78.
Trevino, L. K.,
& Brown, M.E. (2004). Managing to be ethical: Debunking five business
ethics myths.
Course Objectives:
At the completion of the course the student should be able to:
1) Understand ethical decision making models and be able to apply them to personal and business decisions.
2) Critically reflect on ethical challenges and personal moral development
3) Demonstrate an ability to conduct academic research on a big question that relates to your concentration and/or your career interests.
4) Demonstrate critical thinking and problem solving in complex business situations.
5) Demonstrate an ability to write business analysis applying concepts and theories to real world businesses and/or business challenges.
6) Demonstrate adequate preparation for a job search.
Grading: A total of
525 points are possible
Generally all assignments may be submitted by email or in paper copy.
75-points – Reflection Log
You are required to keep a reflection log on various activities that are covered in the text and in class. Your reflection log will be collected three times during the term and will be graded on the criteria reviewed in the assignment. It is a component of the written work required for a writing intensive course and a professional format should be used. Because it is a personal reflective journal, first person is appropriate.
75 points – Ethics Analysis
This is a team based assignment. Each team will be assigned an ethical decision-making theory from chapter one of Johnson’s text. Each team will present that theory to the class along with an example of how the theory would be applied to an ethical dilemma (appx. 18 min). A powerpoint will be due from each team and must be emailed to the instructor by 8:00 a.m. on the day it is due to facilitate quick transitions in class. Everyone is expected to know and be able to apply all five theories even though they are assigned to one for presentation.
75
points – Verbal Analysis: Critical Debate
Students will work in two-person teams supporting or opposing a debate assertion related to their research paper topic. Those who are working to support the assertion will need to prepare arguments that support it using credible sources of evidence. The opposing team will research the opposite side. Each team will present their arguments in a debate format in class. More details in class.
200
points – Analytical Writing: Research Paper
You are responsible for an individual research project. This research will be conducted on a company of your choice or a topic of your choice, with instructor approval. The written analysis should apply the strategic and ethical concepts covered in the course. Appropriate academic sources must be used to support the premise of your paper. The paper should range from 15-20 pages in length, excluding cover and bibliography. The paper should demonstrate higher level thinking and analysis on ethics and/or strategy. Part one of the paper is due after Winter break and the final paper is due the last day of class. More details in class.
75
points – Participation/ Discussion
As a seminar-style class your active participation is
critically important to your success. Active participation in all class
activities is essential. Your
attendance, your active involvement in each class, and your leadership of class
materials are all part of this grade. You must properly prepare for class and
engage in critical discussion of the course materials. Because this is a seminar style class, you
will be expected to lead discussions in class, as assigned.
You will need to prepare class materials and lead discussion on some part of the course material. Chapters from the required books, assigned articles, and other topics will be used. Sign up for the material you will cover will be done Tuesday, September 15. Facilitation of the class discussion is the most important aspect of this assignment.
Your opinion is
valuable. Everyone should have a chance to be heard. To foster responsible
thinking, opinions should be backed by relevant evidence to support your
position.
50
points – Career Search /Resume Preparation
You are required to prepare a resume and cover letter (10pts), and complete a company research profile (30pts). In addition you will participate in mock interviews (10pts). As your capstone course in you major, you should leave the course prepared to undertake a job search in your field of interest.
25
points – Final Reflection
The final exam will allow you to reflect on course material. It is not designed to test fact and data retention, but rather call on you to demonstrate insight and critical reasoning about the materials we have covered.
Participation and Attendance: Attendance is required. If you must be absent, inform me before class verbally and by email. It is your responsibility to get handouts and assignments given during your absence. If you must miss more than two class periods, your grade may be adversely impacted (special circumstances can be addressed). Class members who must miss class due to extracurricular activities must make advance arrangements with me.
In the News: We will rotate responsibility for leading a discussion at the beginning of each class on current business news. As seniors, you are about to enter the “real world” where your ability to speak up and carry on relevant business conversations with you coworkers is essential. You are expected to develop a habit of checking a business news source each day prior to class. Suggestions include the Wall Street Journal or any online business source such as Yahoo finance, the bbc.co.uk, cnbc.com or others. You are to read relevant stories to your chosen career field, the specific topic being covered that day in class, or business in general. Be prepared to share that news in class and facilitate the discussion of news with your classmates.
Late Penalties: Late assignments are subject to a penalty of one letter grade per day late. Assignments are due at the beginning of class on the due date unless otherwise noted. Anything turned in after that time is subject to penalty.
Special Needs:
The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (
Honor Code:
You are expected to demonstrate academic integrity in this
course. This includes honesty in test
taking, original work in assignments, and citing of sources in papers. “By attending
Failure to uphold the honor code may result in a failing grade.
Your research paper will be submitted to Turnitin.com. You will need to register in the course that I have set up. You will be allowed to submit one draft. After you receive the originality report you will be able to make changes. The final submission cannot be modified. More details in class.