CSU, Stanislaus - College of Business Administration

3 Exams (@ 100 points each = 300 points total)
Exams will be 80 points multiple choice (40 questions @ 2 points each, equally distributed across the chapters) and 20 points essay taken from the attached Exams 1-3 Essay Questions page. Bring a scantron to each exam - any version. You can have one 8½ x 11 page (front and back, any font size) of notes per exam. You are invited to write notes to me on the exam by starring the item on the scantron and then writing your note next to the question in the exam itself. Depending on the quality of your note (i.e., tell me what you know), you may receive full, partial, or no credit. Exams will be curved positively if necessary. If you need to miss an exam, speak with me about it before the exam. Makeup exams may be difficult and essay. The successful completion of this assignment will meet learning objectives M1 and M3.

One Case Presentation with Outline (100 points)
Here are some of the basics: teams of 3-4 individuals per case, reserve your case on the sign-up sheet (choices are FedEx, Green Mountain, Texas Instruments, Mattel, eBay, AutoTrader.com, Reebok, XM Satellite Radio, Costco, and IBM), do not pick a company that you have used in another class or in your Profile and Analysis of a Company's Marketing Activity in this class, accompanied with a detailed typed outline due the beginning of class on the day the oral presentation is given, and approximately 8-10 pages of typed outline content. Content pages consist of the body of paper, not the title page, table of contents, appendix, or references. By the way, answers.com is a good reference. You may want to use the attached Case Analysis Format as a guide for how to format a typical case. At least 3 full pages of your outline should be devoted to the solution and implementation. Your outline should be accompanied with a title page, table of contents, list of 10-12 references, and an appendix which at a minimum includes copies of the PowerPoint slides. Hand in two copies of the entire outline -- one will be returned with notes and Dr. Williams will keep the other. Please give the two copies to Dr. Williams at the beginning of your presentation. The outline and presentation should be professional quality, i.e., dress like a job interview, set your stage, practice, and "package" yourself and your ideas well. About 45 minutes of class time (or 10-15 minutes per individual) will be allotted to each case. I will ask at the beginning of class how much time you need. You need to know this accurately. Also, you may not have time to cover everything that you include in Dr. Williams' outline, i.e., the oral presentation may be an abbreviated version of the outline for Dr. Williams. The final written product is due the day you give the oral presentation. The grades for teamwork will be adjusted by a confidential peer evaluation from each team member. Hand in peer evaluations by the next class period as the grade will not be returned until the peer evaluations are received. Please see the attached Confidential Peer Evaluation Form. Each case will be critiqued by the class and the professor. Please see the attached Case Analysis Format and Oral Presentation Guidelines handout and the Presentation Comment Format Sheet. Case examples from previous classes will be available for you to see. The successful completion of this assignment will meet learning objectives C1(a), C1(c), C1(e), C3(c), M2, M4, and M5.

"It is not the brains that matter most, but that which guides them - character, the heart, generous qualities, progressive ideas." - Dostoevsky

Profile and Analysis of a Company's Marketing Activity (80 points)
This assignment includes the following: formal written paper, no oral presentation, individual effort, detailed description and analysis of the marketing activity of a Fortune 500 type company, do not use a company covered in the cases in class or in another class, reserve your company on the sign-up sheet, due the end of the semester, use a word processor, page length not specified, not an outline, double-spaced, 12 font, 1-inch margins, and formal writing style with title page, table of contents, introduction, body of paper -- your choice of content and format (for example, you could use the situation audit or background sections pertinent to marketing activity elaborated in the case analysis handout - sections C. through J.2.), how the company's marketing activity is working successfully, what improvement is needed in the company's marketing activity, conclusion or summary, list of references with at least 12-15 total Internet and library references, and appendix. Past students typically have turned in about 15 content pages. Content pages do not include the title page, table of contents, references, or appendix. You can use library, Internet, interviews, company visits, Career Services, whatever. Be as creative as possible and really pick up the "flavor" of the company's marketing activity, i.e., you should have a good sense of whether or not you would like to work for the company. Profile examples from previous classes will be available for you to see. The successful completion of this assignment will meet learning objectives C1(b), C3(a5), C3(c), C4(a), M2, and M4.

Volunteer Nonprofit Activity & Journal (optional - up to 15 points extra credit)
The volunteer nonprofit activity must be done during this semester only. You must write a journal of your time, activity, assessment of learning, and contemplation of the overall experience of working with a nonprofit organization. The journal is due the end of the semester. The successful completion of this assignment will meet learning objective C4(a) and M1.

Class Attendance and Participation (20 points)
Class attendance will contribute to meeting each of the learning objectives. Students will not be added to the roll after it has been collected/finished.

Overall Grading (Total of 500 points)
450 - 500 points = A
400 - 449 points = B
350 - 399 points = C
300 - 349 points = D

Late Assignments
Grades on late assignments will be reduced one letter grade for each week that the assignment is late.

Audiotaping or videotaping of classes is not permitted under any circumstances. If you do not intend to comply with this policy, please discuss this with me or take another class.