Major Concepts/Content:   The marketing / entrepreneurship course enables students to gain a basic understanding of marketing principles, techniques, career opportunities, learning to recognize a business opportunity and operating and maintaining that business.  Instruction will include the relationship of products, prices, promotions to the marketing of goods and services to consumers.  Ethics and social responsibilities of free enterprise will be included.  This course includes planning and strategy concepts, financial and organizational considerations, accounting and financial controls, and other components of business operation.  Students will have the opportunity to gain skills in emerging technologies that become the standard for conducting global business (E-Commerce).  The course will include workplace skills such as time management, money management, materials management, human resources management, facilities management, teamwork, decision-making, problem solving, negotiations, work ethics, and creative thinking. 

Major Instructional Activities: Instructional activities will be provided in a lab utilizing individualized instruction or electronic learning services.  Textbook, workbook problems, business simulations, team projects, computer activities, and electronic resources may be used.  On-site visitations to area businesses and guest speakers may be included. Development of a complete business plan may be assigned as a group or individual project. Students should develop a complete marketing plan for a product or service.  A plan may be developed jointly with an Entrepreneurship or Management student.

Essential Objectives: Upon completion of the course, students should be able to

• Identify possible business opportunities.
• Understand the financing necessary to start a business.
•  Understand that cultural difference, export/import opportunities, and the current trends in a global marketplace can affect an entrepreneurial venture.
• Understand the characteristics and components of a business organization.
• Write a plan for the start-up of a small business that includes a marketing strategy and a management plan. Research and develop a marketing plan for a product or service. Components should include product development, pricing, distribution processes and methods, and forms of promotion.
• Identify unique characteristics of a career as an entrepreneur and evaluate the degree to which one possesses those characteristics.
• Apply economic concepts when making decisions for an entrepreneurial venture.
• Identify, establish, and maintain appropriate legal and financial records to make business decisions.
• Describe how ethics, government, and different forms of business ownership affect the entrepreneurial venture.
• Analyze and evaluate the business plan.
• Define the purpose of marketing.
• Analyze how external factors and competition influence marketing decisions.
• Demonstrate the role of marketing and the impact of marketing on the individual, business, and society.
• Apply strategies to deal with a diverse marketplace.
• Explain the importance of requiring high ethical standards in marketing.

Last Revised: April 23, 2007