Business Environment and Organization: Course Outline and Study Guide

Business Environment and Organization

Course Objective

This course examines the relationship between business organizations, their functional areas, and the environments—social, political, legal and regulatory, and technological—that affect them. The course is sustainability-oriented and based on the AASHE standards for sustainability.

• Key Focus: Understanding how businesses interact with and are influenced by various external environments.

• Prerequisite: Registration in Business 1.

Course Elements

Element	Included
Credit Value	Yes
Leadership	Yes
Numeracy	Yes
Written Skills	Yes
Global View	Yes
Ethics	Yes
Evidence/Experience	Yes
Final Exam	Yes
Guest Speakers	Yes

Course Information

Organizations must continuously scan their business environment and understand what is happening externally so they know how to best leverage their internal strengths as they pursue their strategies. With a focus on Canadian business, you will be introduced to different functional areas of business. The comprehensive approach to examining the functional areas in the context of their environments should give you an appreciation of the importance of these business areas and how they impact each other.

Learning Outcomes

• LO 1: Identify and apply principles and terms used by business practitioners.

• LO 2: Develop individual study habits to support identifying and applying principles and terms used by business practitioners.

• LO 3: Develop a toolkit of practical and useful skills, strategies, and approaches drawn from Business Organization and Environment discussions.

• LO 4: Demonstrate key skills (e.g., in-class participation, time management, communication, analytical, etc.) while optimizing academic performance.

• LO 5: Practice group collaboration and analytical skills to support identifying and applying principles and terms used by business practitioners.

• LO 6: Actively contribute to group decision-making that includes research and a group report.

Required Materials and Texts

• Access to three online platforms: Avenue, Zoom, and Connect.

• Required Text: Understanding Canadian Business, 12th Canadian edition, by Nickels, McHugh, McHugh, Cossa, and Stevens (Connect access required).

Class Format

This is an in-person course, meeting twice a week. The first class is two hours, and the second class is one hour in length. Three hours will consist of rapid problem-solving, mini-lecture, student-led discussions, and more in-depth applied exercises. There will be a short break each week, and students are expected to take charge of their own learning outside of class time.

Course Evaluation

Component	Weight
Midterm (5 Chapters)	30%
Final Exam (7 Chapters)	40%
Smartbook (SB) Assignments	15%
Group Report	10%
Team Charter	5%
Bonus Assignments	Up to 1.5%

Note: There are 12 SB Assignments. The best 10 SBs will contribute to your grade out of 15%. 2 lowest SB scores are dropped.

Deadlines and Policies

Component	Platform	Deadline	Policy
SB Assignments	Connect	Mon. (see schedule)	11:59 p.m. EST
Bonus: Respondus Lockdown browser plus practice midterm	Avenue	Thurs. Oct. 2	11:59 p.m. EST
Online Midterm	Avenue	Sat. Oct. 4	6:30–7:20 p.m.
Team Charter	Avenue	Thurs. Oct. 10	11:59 p.m. EST
Group Report	Avenue	Fri. Nov. 21	11:59 p.m. EST
In-person Final Exam	On campus	To be scheduled	By Office of Registrar

Missed Work: Missed assignments may result in a mark of zero unless an extension is approved. MSAF (McMaster Student Absence Form) is not accepted for some components.

Course Deliverables

Examinations (70%)

• Online Midterm: Covers five chapters, includes multiple-choice and Avenue quizzes. Closed book, in-person.

• Final Exam: Covers seven chapters, scheduled by the Office of the Registrar. Multiple-choice format.

Connect E-Text and SB Assignments (15%)

• SBs are adaptive e-text assignments that test understanding of chapter concepts.

• Best 10 out of 12 SBs count toward grade.

Team Charter (5%)

• Group assignment to establish team norms and expectations.

• Late submission penalty: 10% deduction per partial day, up to 3 days.

Group Report (10%)

• Group project applying course concepts to a business scenario.

• Late submission penalty: 10% deduction per partial day, up to 3 days.

Communication and Feedback

• All communication with instructors and TAs must be via McMaster email and Avenue.

• Feedback is provided at least 20% of the final grade by the eighth week of class.

• Informal course review with students by Week 14 for possible modifications.

Conversion Table

Letter Grade	Percent
A+	90–100
A	85–89
A-	80–84
B+	77–79
B	73–76
B-	70–72
C+	67–69
C	63–66
C-	60–62
D+	57–59
D	53–56
D-	50–52
F	0–49

Additional Info

• Academic Accommodation: Students with disabilities or religious observances should contact the appropriate university office for accommodation.

• Plagiarism and Copyright: All work must comply with university policies and copyright law.