Atlanta Metropolitan College
Division of Business
The Environment of Business
BUSA 2106
Course Syllabus

This syllabus provides a general plan for the course. Any necessary deviations will be announced and distributed in written form. Individual instructors may supplement this document with additional information and/or requirements.

Course Materials

The following materials will be used in this course and are available at the College Bookstore in the Academic Building, room 160.

Required Text West's Legal Environment of Business, current Edition

Course Objectives and Methodology

General: This course should help the student develop an understanding of the terms and concepts of the legal environment of business in order to further an understanding of business and the publications related to it; develop the principles of inquiry, restraint, objectivity, and a regard for the considerations of public policy; develop an understanding of the philosophy underlying the legal rules and regulations controlling business activity; and to develop an understanding of the principal areas of law and regulation affecting business transactions.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES FOR BUSA 2106:

Explain why law is studied in a business school.

State the objectives of a course on the legal environment of business.

Read a case.

Brief a case.

Define ethics and appreciate the importance of the application of ethics to business decisions.

Compare and contrast the following conceptions of law; ideal conceptions; historical conceptions; sociological conceptions; realist conceptions; economic conceptions; critical conceptions.

Recognize when a business should consult an attorney and how to select one.

Describe the nature of the U.S. Constitution and the role of the Supreme Court.

Define an administrative agency, and describe how it is created.

Determine whether a promise is legally enforceable.

Distinguish a tort from a breach of contract and a crime.

Determine when the elements of a strict product liability action are present.

Describe the nature and contents of an environmental impact statement.

Compare and contrast the relationships among principals, agents and third parties.

Identify a security by the economic reality and common characteristic tests.

Identify the most common business crimes.

List and summarize the federal consumer credit laws.

Recognize relationships with competitors that may result in antitrust liability.

Apply the three-step analysis used to determine whether a firm has violated Section 2 of the Sherman Act.

Compare and contrast the following violations of Section 2 of the Sherman Act: (1) monopolization; (2) attempts to monopolize; and, (3) combining or conspiring to monopolize.

METHODS OF INSTRUCTION: Lectures, films, group discussions, group projects, individual projects, and individual recitations from students.

PROJECTS:

(1) The instructor will assign group projects on various business law topics. Each group will prepare a presentation on a selected topic.

(2) Written reports: All written reports must be typed.  There will be a major research paper and a minor position paper on ethics. The major paper is five pages. The minor paper is a  short paper, two pages. All papers must include cover pages, and where assigned, outlines and bibliographies.

(3) Oral Report: Student will prepare and present a 3 minute oral report on a controversial legal/constitutional topic to be assigned by the instructor. The student will present both sides of the issue in an objective manner, to the class, and be prepared to lead the class in a dialogue on the issue.

(4) News Article Portfolio: Two current events per week, on business law topics, to be included in homework notebook with a one paragraph synopsis.  One article per week will come from the website www.fool.com. One article will come from the newspaper, magazine, net or other media.

(5) Business Interview - Questions provided by professor

(6) Power Point Presentations on a selected business topic (written report submitted on same topic)

(7)  Required films:   Class Action  (Gene Hackman) and Disclosure (Douglass/Moore) --students will view these films outside of class.  Essay questions will be given on mid-term and final.

Materials for Course:

Blank floppy diskette to store typed papers on. Business computer lab is available for typed assignments. Pens, pencils, newspapers, magazines, stapler, dictionary, thesaurus.

Homework Assignments:

Eight selected chapters will be covered. (TBA at beginning of term). Briefs and   ethical dilemmas  one in must be completed, typed and submitted in your notebook in order to receive a grade for the Homework Notebook. Cases, and Ethics   Problems will be executed in writing as assigned in this section. At least one paragraph (four sentences) for each response. In the instance where information must be created or edited, please include all necessary information using applicable approach. Chapters will be covered at an approximate pace of two chapters per week. Please read all assigned chapters within this time frame. Homework must be turned in each week as the chapters are lectured unless otherwise indicated by the instructor. Homework must be typed, and turned in with your name, chapter, page number and date in the upper right hand corner of the first page. All answers must be headed by the page number and number of the assignment. All briefs must be headed by the name of the case and the page number. Work must be submitted in folders, once at mid-term, and once at term end.

The best approach to briefing cases, in order not to fall behind or become overtaxed in the preparation of the briefs, is to brief the cases as you read the chapters.

Instructions for briefing cases: Please read Appendix A of the textbook (to be reviewed by the instructor during the first week of class) for instructions on how to brief a case. Then, read AA SAMPLE CASE.@ All briefs will be executed in this format. Please include a section Afacts@ between the Legal Proceedings and Issues.

HOMEWORK POLICY:

It is essential that all reading and homework assignments are completed on a timely basis in order to learn and hence to be successful in the course. Consequently, assignments are a required part of this course. To encourage students to complete assignments on timely basis, assignments will not be accepted after the exam period. All assignments should be neatly organized in sequence and secured in folders. Points will be forfeited if work is not well organized.

Course Content:

Our approach to the study of the Legal environment of Business will be a joint endeavor. Each of us must do our part if the class is to be successful.

Each member of the class will be expected to participate in class discussions, group presentations, etc. in a meaningful way. As is true with any subject, one must understand the terminology, concepts and principles or theories in order to carry on a meaningful discussion. It is your job to be well-versed in the materials to be discussed for each class period. It is mine to

supplement the text material where appropriate and to explain text material which may be misinterpreted by you. I will do my part; of that you may be sure. Hopefully, youwill do your part as well

OTHER ACTIVITIES:

Read and prepare to discuss end of chapter review problems.

Read current news media and bring to class current events relating to business and the law. These must be accompanied by a synopsis.

Review and discuss various films and videos.

RESEARCH:

Each student will prepare a research paper. There will be a one minute oral review to the class on the prepared paper. The paper must be typed, and the business law topic must be approved in advance by the instructor. The instructor will recommend topics. The student will prepare two copies of the paper, one to be retained by the student, as the instructor will not return the paper that is turned in. Students are encouraged to use the INTERNET in the research process.

SUGGESTED TOPICS:

Business and Zoning Laws

Small Business Financing

Criminal Law (White Collar Crimes)

Minority Affairs (Civil Rights Act)

Corporations

Corporate Law

Equal Employment Opportunity

Entertainment Law

FCC

FTC

Sports Law

Business and Religion

Business Ethics

Computer Crime

Computer/Technology Ethics

COURSE CONTENT:

Introduction - Nature of Law; Business and the Legal System

Administrative Procedures; Constitutional Law

Restraints of Trade; Monopolization

Mergers; Price Discrimination; Franchising

Product Safety; Advertising

Debtor/Creditor Relations

Trading Securities; Labor Management Relations

Labor Standard and Employee Safety; Equal Employment Opportunity

Environment Law

Business Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility Review

COURSE ASSESSMENT:

The final grade awarded for completion of this course will be determined by scores on exams, major and minor papers, and homework assignments, described in the supplemental section. Weekly tests may not be made up. Mid-term and final ests may be made up only upon verifiable evidence of the student=s inability to attend that class session being presented to the professor in a timely manner (letter from doctor, employer or verifiable family emergency. A grade penalty will apply (minimum one letter grade) as determined by the professor.

Test Schedule:

There will be eight exams, six objective and two essay (mid-term and final) unless otherwise announced by instructor.

HOW TO STUDY FOR THIS CLASS

Attendance of all sessions is essential for maximum performance. You should expect to study at least seven hours per week outside of the class room. This will include study time for tests, and preparation of homework and all assignments. Everything must be typed and submitted in folders. Read every chapter, complete all assignments. Keep up with current events.

Course Assessment:

Homework        20%

Exams                 20%

Papers                 20%

Projects                 20%   (Power Point 10%, Interview 10%)

Final Exam            20%

INSTRUCTOR WILL NOT WITHDRAW STUDENTS FROM THIS CLASS FOR BREECH OF ATTENDANCE. STUDENTS MUST WITHDRAW THEMSELVES.  POOR ATTENDANCE WILL RESULT IN LOWER GRADE.