Module 0

Wilfrid Laurier University - Course Introduction

Land Acknowledgement

• Acknowledgement of territory where the university is located.
• Traditional territories of the Haudenosaunee, Anishnabeg, and Neutral peoples.

Agenda

• Overview of topics for the introduction session:
  • Access in Microsoft Teams
  • Attendance procedures
  • Introductions and expectations:
  • Instructor information
  • Student introductions
  • Course expectations
  • Review of course outline and roadmap.

Course Introduction & Objectives

• Aim to establish the framework for the course:
  • External Business Environment Overview: Understanding the broader factors affecting business.
  • Integrative Model: Combining theory with practical application.
  • Skills Development:
  • Analytical and research skills
  • Communication and teamwork skills
  • Expansion of business vocabulary
  • Professional Environment Expectations: Familiarize with professional norms and behaviors.

BU111 Design Communication

• Key components of the course regarding communication design:
  • Presentations: Includes presentation skills, slides, and informal report writing formats.
  • Teamwork: Involvement in group projects with peer evaluations and lab activities.
  • Emphasis on punctuality and understanding consequences related to labs and assessments.
  • Critical Thinking: Involves CIIP (Consulting, Industry Insight Project), case method training, guesstimation, and financial skills.
  • Organization: How course delivery is structured with multiple deliverables scheduled over extended timelines.

Professional Success and BU111 Design

• Building blocks for achieving professional success:
  • Business Knowledge: Foundational models to enhance insights into business contexts.
  • Professional Skills: Key skills necessary for effective business communication, critical thinking, and teamwork.
  • Professional Benefits: Enhancements in interview performance and differentiation in a competitive job market.

Required Course Materials

• Textbook Requirements:
  • Business 111 Lab Manual, 37th Edition: TopHat, 2023.
  • Business Essentials, 11th Canadian edition: Pearson Publishing, 2020.
  • Management Consulting, 5th edition: Pearson Publishing, 2016.
• Textbooks serve as the basis for lectures and include accompanying lab activities and assignments.

Key Course Components

• Breakdown of assessments and their weight in the final grade:
  • Lab:
  • Quizzes and Lab Manual Questions: 5%
  • Lab Contribution: 3%
  • Assignments:
  • Communication Skills Test: 6%
  • Consulting Case: 22%
  • Company and Industry Insight Project: 20%
  • Exams:
  • Midterm Exam: 20%
  • Final Exam: 24%

Course Policies – The Laws of BU111

• Important course policies to adhere to:
  • Attendance is mandatory; students allowed one unexcused absence (1% deducted from final grade).
  • Late submission penalties can range up to 100%.
  • Peer Evaluation submission might incur a penalty ranging from -10% to -20%.
  • Individual grades for peer evaluations may be adjusted based on participation.
  • Students must pass at least one exam to pass the course.
  • If midterm is missed, a cumulative final exam will be administered; no make-up exams will be provided.

Who Wants BONUS Marks?

• Opportunities for earning additional marks:
  • Extra Pearson Quizzes: Complete 5 quizzes for up to 1.5 bonus marks.
  • News of the Day Segment: Earn up to 1 bonus mark by summarizing news articles using three slides:
  1. Summary of the article
  2. Connection to course content
  3. Insights/Key takeaways from the learning experience.

Course Outline

• Importance of having a clear course roadmap:
  • Utilize the provided weekly schedule to stay prepared for both lectures and labs.
  • Review the full schedule now to identify important dates and deadlines:
  • Identify particularly busy weeks vs. lighter workload weeks.
  • Please note: NO EXTENSIONS will be granted for submissions or assessments.