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PERS 2002: Business and Technology

Fall 2017 Syllabus

 

Name:  Dr. Satish Nargundkar

Office: Room 827, College of Business

Hours: By appointment

Phone: 678-644-6838

Email: snargundkar@gmail.com

Web Page: www.nargund.com/gsu

CRN: 82443

ALC 332, Tuesdays 1:00–2:40 PM

 

Course Description

This course examines the impact of business and technology on the economies of countries and on the treatment of labor. Students will learn about how government policies, including import/export regulations, trade barriers, land ownership laws, and social conditions affect innovations in and the spread of technology and business. The course will also provide a brief introduction to the functional areas of business, and to computing technology.

 

Prerequisites: None

 

Text:

1.      “The Travels of a T-Shirt in the Global Economy: 2nd Edition. An Economist Examines the Markets, Power, and Politics of World Trade” by Pietra Rivoli, March 3, 2009.

ISBN-10: 0470287160

ISBN-13: 978-0470287163

 

2.      Students are also expected to subscribe to the Wall Street Journal (http://student.wsj.com/)  and use the library and the Internet for researching topics discussed in class. The course website will be a supplement to such research, but is not intended to replace it.

 

Grading: The course grade will be based on the following:

Quizzes

20%

 

Grade Buckets

Class Participation

10%

 

94 +

A

77-79

C+

Oral Presentation

10%

 

90 – 93

A-

73-76

C

Assignments

30%

 

87-89

B+

70-72

C-

Field trip(s)

10%

 

83-86

B

60-69

D

Project (report + presentation)

20%

 

80-82

B-

Less than 60

F

Total

100%

 

 

 

 

 

 

Global Objectives:

Upon successfully completing the course, the student will be able to:

  1. Analyze the impact of Business and IT on global issues like health, education, and energy.
  2. Analyze the external and internal environment of a business and draw basic business models.
  3. Analyze the impact of the technology on business strategy and processes.

 

A global university level objective of the course is to improve the student's ability to present ideas effectively both orally and in writing.

 

Specific Course Objectives:

 

Analysis of business and technology and their relationship with global issues will require first a basic knowledge of business processes and technology. We will address some of these details as well as discuss the broad issues.

 

Specifically, the successful student will, upon completion of the course, be able to:

Overview:

1.      Define Technology, Business.

2.      Draw/Explain a global supply chain.

3.      Discuss the impact of technology on business process, products, and life of the workers and society in general.

Computing Basics:

4.      Discuss the concept of the “Universal Machine”. Explain how computers as tools are different from all other tools in the past.

5.      Explain basic computer hardware and software concepts.

6.      Perform binary arithmetic.

7.      Create a flow chart to demonstrate the logic of a program.

Strategy/Business Analysis:

8.      Analyze and report on a company’s corporate mission, objectives.

9.      Perform some basic analyses on a spreadsheet.

Functional Areas of Business:

10.  Define Marketing objectives, marketing plan.

11.  Discuss how technology affects marketing, operations.

12.  Define a balance sheet and income statement.

13.  Discuss the concept of “Just-in-time” inventory management. How has technology made it possible? How has information technology helped reduce inventories, improve logistics?

Global Issues (from the textbook)

14.  Discuss the impact of technology on the production of cotton and the evaluation of its quality over the last century.

15.  Discuss the impact of political/legal issues on the trade of cotton and related products like t-shirts.

16.  Discuss the impact of cheap imports like t-shirts on the economies of the countries that they are manufactured in.

 

Class Policies:

 

Attendance: Students are expected to attend all classes. Attendance is important for success in achieving the course objectives. If you do miss a class, you are responsible for remaining current.

Honor Code: It is more honorable to get any grade with your own work than to get a better grade by using someone else’s work as yours. While discussion with classmates is encouraged, any work submitted must be your own (or your group’s, for group projects). Evidence of plagiarism/cheating on an assignment/exam will result in a failing grade for that assignment/exam, or for the course.

Make-up Exams: Students will score a 0 on any missed quiz/test/exam, unless informed in advance. If informed in advance and given a satisfactory reason, then a make-up exam may be scheduled. In general, it is in your best interest to take the exams at the scheduled times.

Accommodations for students with disabilities: Georgia State University complies with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Students with disabilities who seek academic accommodations must first take appropriate documentation to the Office of Disability Services locate in Suite 230 of the New Student Center.

Course Assessment: Your constructive assessment of this course plays an indispensable role in shaping education at Georgia State. Upon completing the course, please take the time to fill out the online course evaluation.