COURSE INFORMATION Course Title: INTRODUCTION TO BUSINESS

Code	Course Type	Regular Semester	Theory	Practice	Lab	Credits	ECTS
BUS 103	B	1	3	0	0	3	5

Academic staff member responsible for the design of the course syllabus (name, surname, academic title/scientific degree, email address and signature)	NA
Main Course Lecturer (name, surname, academic title/scientific degree, email address and signature) and Office Hours:	M.Sc. Mikaela Süslü (Musta) msuslu@epoka.edu.al , E302, Wednesday, Friday, 10:30-12:00 and 12:30-14:30
Second Course Lecturer(s) (name, surname, academic title/scientific degree, email address and signature) and Office Hours:	NA
Teaching Assistant(s) and Office Hours:	NA
Language:	English
Compulsory/Elective:	Compulsory
Study program: (the study for which this course is offered)	Bachelor in International Marketing and Logistics Management (3 years)
Classroom and Meeting Time:	E-B32, Thursdays, 12:40-13:30, 13:40-14:30, 15:40-16:30
Code of Ethics:	Code of Ethics of EPOKA University Regulation of EPOKA University "On Student Discipline"
Attendance Requirement:	75% - Absences are not justifiable. No medical reports will be accepted. Students who are not punctual, cause disturbance in the class by communicating with other students, or engage in activities not related to the lecture, will be considered as absent even if physically present.
Course Description:	Introduction to Business is a course that offers essential information related to the business landscape and business functions (Operations & Production, Marketing, Finance & Accounting, Human Resourced Management, IT). The course has been designed in such a way that it provides to the students the updated information on the business reality which changes very rapidly. At the same time, it provides the necessary information for more advanced courses related to the aforementioned business functions. Through real life examples and case studies, both national and international; the content of this course has been aligned with the contemporary developments in the field of business, and aims to provide the basics for the understanding of business organizations and people who operate them.
Course Objectives:	Provide basic knowledge about the main business functions such as Operations, Marketing, Human Resources, Accounting, IT, and Finance. Gain an understanding of the global business environment and the context in which a business operates. Learn about the different types of business, such as entrepreneurship, new ventures, and other types of ownership. Identify the four basic functions that constitute the management process and describe the basic roles and skills required of managers. Learn how structure, managing basic frameworks that organizations use to get their work done, is the main part of the management process. Discuss traditional and learn contemporary theories about motivation and leadership.

BASIC CONCEPTS OF THE COURSE

1	Business
2	Entrepreneurship
3	Business Environment
4	Ethics & Social responsibility
5	International Trade
6	Management
7	Human Resources
8	Marketing
9	Operations Management
10	Accounting & Finance

COURSE OUTLINE

Week	Topics
1	Introduction and Orientation
2	Chpt. 1 The Global Business Environment pg. 28. Business, Profit, and the External Environment, Economic systems, the Economics of Market Systems, and Economic Indicators
3	Chpt. 2 Understanding Business Ethics and Social Responsibility pg.62. How individuals develop their personal codes of ethics and why ethics are important in the workplace. Show how the concept of social responsibility applies both to environmental issues and to a firm's relationship with customers, employees, and investors
4	Chpt. 3 Entrepreneurship, New Ventures, and Business Ownership pg. 98. Starting and operating a new business. Start-ups and corporations.
5	QUIZ #1 & Guest Speaker (30 Oct.-03 Nov. 2023)
6	Chpt. 4 Understanding the Global Context of Business pg. 132 The contemporary global economy, International Trade, International Business Management, Understanding the Cultural Environment, Barriers to International Trade
7	Chpt. 5 Managing the Business pg. 166. Basic management functions. Types of manager and managerial roles and skills. Strategic management. Contingency planning and crisis management. Management and the corporate culture
8	Fall Semester MIDTERM EXAMS WEEK (20-24 Nov. 2023)
9	Chpt. 7 Operations Management and Quality pg. 228. Creating value through operations. Business strategy as the driver of operations. Operations planning, scheduling, and control. Quality improvement and total quality management. Adding value through supply chains
10	Chpt. 10 Human Resource Management and Labor Relations pg. 332 The strategic importance of HR, Staffing, Compensation and Benefits, Developing the Workforce
11	QUIZ #2 (11-15 Dec. 2023)
12	Chpt. 11 Marketing Processes and Consumer Behavior pg. 368 . Marketing plan, strategy, and research. Understanding consumer behavior. Small business and the marketing mix
13	Chpt. 15 The Role of Accountant and Accounting Information pg. 502. The accounting equation. Financial statements and how to analyze them / Chpt. 17 Managing Business Finances pg. 570 Maximizing capital growth, Investing to fulfill financial objectives, Trading securities, Financing the business firm, Becoming a public corporation
14	Presentations of Projects (Group Work) (15-19 Jan. 2023)

Prerequisite(s):	NA
Textbook(s):	Business Essentials, Global Edition, 12th Edition, by Ronald J. Ebert and Ricky W. Griffin, published by Pearson Education 2020
Additional Literature:	NA
Laboratory Work:	NA
Computer Usage:	Yes
Others:	No

COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES

1	Discuss the role of business in society, the primary functions of a business, and the internal and external forces that affect a business and its activities.
2	Explain fundamental economic principles and describe how they shape the business environment.
3	Describe the characteristics, opportunities, challenges of the global business environment.
4	Explain the importance of business ethics and corporate social responsibility.
5	Distinguish among the forms of business ownership.
6	Describe the primary functions, responsibilities, and skills of effective management.
7	Explain the key components of the marketing and human resource functions.
8	Recognize sound accounting practices, and use financial statements and accounting principles to make informed judgements about an organization's financial health.
9	Develop various skills such as cognitive, communication, interpersonal, teamwork, and digital skills.

COURSE CONTRIBUTION TO... PROGRAM COMPETENCIES (Blank : no contribution, 1: least contribution ... 5: highest contribution)

No	Program Competencies	Cont.
Bachelor in International Marketing and Logistics Management (3 years) Program
1	Identify activities, tasks, and skills in management, marketing, accounting, finance, and economics.	5
2	Apply key theories to practical problems within the global business context.	2
3	Demonstrate ethical, social, and legal responsibilities in organizations.	5
4	Develop an open minded-attitude through continuous learning and team-work.	3
5	Use technology to enable business growth and sustainability.	2
6	Synthesize creativity needed for marketing notion with scientific method and numerical skills, for achieving business sustainability.	4
7	Apply the concepts and structures of modern marketing in global context at private and public sectors.	5
8	Integrate the management of logistics, supply chain and in total operations with corporate goals and strategies.	5

COURSE EVALUATION METHOD

Method	Quantity	Percentage
Midterm Exam(s)	1	25
Project	1	17
Quiz	2	7
Final Exam	1	35
Attendance		0
Other	1	9
	Total Percent:	100%

ECTS (ALLOCATED BASED ON STUDENT WORKLOAD)

Activities	Quantity	Duration(Hours)	Total Workload(Hours)
Course Duration (Including the exam week: 16x Total course hours)	16	3	48
Hours for off-the-classroom study (Pre-study, practice)	16	2	32
Mid-terms	1	10	10
Assignments	1	15	15
Final examination	1	15	15
Other	1	5	5
Total Work Load:			125
Total Work Load/25(h):			5
ECTS Credit of the Course:			5

CONCLUDING REMARKS BY THE COURSE LECTURER

While we have covered a comprehensive range of topics, it's important to acknowledge the limitations, such as, time constraints that may have prevented an in-depth exploration of certain areas. I would encourage students to pursue further research independently or in advanced courses to delve deeper into specific aspects of the subject.