It's Strictly Business

Video-based course
26 half-hour videos
26 lessons

Preview Video
Courseware Demo

It's Strictly Business is an introductory business course intended to be the first course a student takes in a business-centered degree program. It also may be part of other degree or career training programs that require a basic knowledge of business processes. In addition, the course prepares students to make day-to-day consumer decisions and to appreciate the significant role that business plays in today's global society.

The real-life scenarios in each video present documentary-type examples of how individual companies handle the topic of the lesson. Lessons include such topics as the impact of business law on the production of a new musical composition, the various uses of retail checkout scanner information by manufacturing and store managers, the reasons a shoe repair shop owner chooses to be a sole proprietor, the pricing rationale for a new exotic sports car, the development of a promotional campaign for a fast food chain, the process of selling stock to finance an expanding corporation, and the management of risk in a major art museum.

A unique feature of the course is the use of business leaders who are recognized as experts in their fields and provide objective information to support or clarify the example scenarios. The companies and experts used in the lessons represent various industries, disciplines, and areas of the country to assure that diverse experiences and points-of-view depict a comprehensive treatment of each topic.

Course Objectives

Define the basic concept of business and types of companies that constitute the world of business.
Define and compare capitalism with the principal planned economic systems used in the world of business.
Identify the laws that are applicable to business operations.
Describe the basic economic, political, social, and cultural factors that companies must accommodate to compete successfully in a global market.
Describe the three basic forms of business ownership (i.e., sole proprietorship, partnership, and corporation).
Describe the process of building and refining an organization structure to meet business objectives.
Illustrate the influence of environmental forces, such as cultural diversity and federal legislation, on the human resources management function.
Explain how the supply of money influences the marketplace and how it is controlled in the business world.

Lesson Titles/Descriptions

Introducing Business - Defines the basic concepts and motivations of business; identifies the types of companies in the business world; describes the four basic resources used by business; and explains international business interdependence and competition.
Exploring e-Business – Focuses on processes and challenges associated with adding a web component to an existing storefront business or beginning a business that operates solely on the Internet. It explains the application of basic activities and the need to make adjustments in their emphases, the challenges involved, and the keys to success. The lesson also addresses the inherent dangers of an e-business: privacy, use of collected data, security of data, virus protection, potential criminal activities, and copyright protection.
Defining Economic Systems - Explains how business is influenced by various economic factors; defines and compares capitalism and other systems; summarizes the influence of economic systems on international business operations; explains the role of competition; and describes techniques for measuring and predicting economic performance.
Accommodating Business Law - Describes the general structure of the U.S. legal system; identifies and explains the impact of the laws applicable to business operations; and summarizes the legal considerations associated with contracts, property, negotiable instruments, agencies, bankruptcy, and international operations.
Contending with Government Involvement - Summarizes the scope and influence of government involvement in business activities; describes the U.S. government's roles as referee, regulator, supporter, and major consumer; addresses international government involvement; and explains the impact of taxation on business decisions.
Promoting Social Responsibility - Defines the concepts of social responsibility and ethical behavior relative to business activities; describes specific social and ethical issues and the approaches used by companies to address these issues; and identifies the associated benefits and costs.
Competing in a Global Environment - Describes the differences between domestic and international business; explains the economic rationales for international trade; describes the unique considerations associated with international business; outlines approaches used to operate in international markets; and identifies the special agencies and agreements that promote international trade.
Managing Business Information - Explains the importance of information in managing a business; identifies the types of information managers need; describes the characteristics of usable business information; identifies sources of business information; and describes the processes for collecting, storing, analyzing, communicating, and displaying information to support business decisions.
Selecting a Form of Business Ownership - Identifies and describes the three principal types of business ownership; explains the advantages and disadvantages of each; and describes several alternative forms of business ownership.
Highlighting Small Business - Defines small business and describes its role in the business community; identifies the advantages and disadvantages of small business relative to large businesses; explains the process of starting a small business and the causes of failures; and describes the concept and advantages of franchising.
Managing a Business - Defines the concept and importance of management; explains the functions, levels, and roles of managers; and describes the three principal management styles, and the process of deriving a management decision.
Establishing a Business Organization - Explains the reasons for having a formal organizational structure; describes the process of building and refining an organization to meet business objectives; explains the concepts of authority, responsibility, accountability, and chain of command; and addresses the role and impact of informal organizations.
Managing Human Resources - Explains the importance and functions of human resources management; describes the associated processes; and addresses key issues that impact business operations.
Managing the Work Environment - Defines the concept of and the factors that influence the work environment; explains how work environment issues affect business operations; and describes techniques for improving the work environment.
Handling Labor Relations - Explains the relationship between labor and management; describes the activities of labor unions and their impact on business operations; outlines the role of the government in labor relations; and describes the bargaining tools used by labor and management.
Marketing Products - Explains the concept of marketing; describes the marketing process and associated activities; and explains the importance of marketing to a company's success in today's highly competitive environment.
Defining Products - Describes how products and services are defined and developed; explains their relationship to the marketing process; and identifies and describes the various classes of products, the four stages of a product life cycle, and the elements of product identification.
Managing Operations - Defines the concept of operations as it applies to various types of businesses; describes how people, materials, equipment, and other resources are used in processes to provide various types of products; and explains the roles of operations and quality management.
Pricing Products - Explains the importance of pricing relative to company profits and competitive posture; describes various pricing objectives, methods, and strategies; and outlines special pricing considerations for international markets.
Promoting Products - Explains the concept of promotion and its importance for success of a company; describes the characteristics and uses of various promotional techniques and media; and outlines special promotional considerations for international markets.
Distributing Products - Describes how products and services are physically moved from where they are produced to where they are used; identifies the principal distribution routes or channels used, their individual characteristics, and rationales for selecting alternatives; and outlines special distribution considerations for international markets.
Understanding Money - Defines the functions and characteristics of money and credit; describes the roles and services of commercial banking; and explains the structure and operations of the Federal Reserve System and related federal agencies.
Managing Short-Term Financing - Describes the types, sources, and applications of short-tem financing used by companies; and explains the processes of securing and managing short-term financing in various types of businesses.
Managing Long-Term Financing - Describes the types, sources and applications of long-term financing used by companies; defines the difference between debt and equity capital; explains the processes of obtaining business capital for corporations through the sale of stocks and bonds; and describes the markets and processes for buying and selling securities.
Accounting for Management - Explains how accounting processes are used to support management planning and control; describes the nature and use of accounting reports, budgets, and analyses; and outlines special accounting considerations for international operations.
Managing Risk - Explains the concept of risk as it applies to business operations; describes various management approaches for avoiding and minimizing potential risks; identifies and describes various types of insurance used to protect company resources; and outlines special risk management considerations for international operations.

Design and Production Team

Content Specialist - Robert Woelfle has over 40 years of business experience at various companies, the latest being the E-Systems subsidiary of Raytheon, Inc. He also served for almost 20 years as adjunct instructor in business at Eastfield College in the Dallas County Community College District. He has a Master's Degree from the University of Notre Dame, and has published several articles on business-related topics.

Project Director - Linda Condos' experience spans two continents, coming to the United States having served in a management position with Education Television in New Zealand. Her background in education includes roles as programmer, program manager, executive producer of telecourses, project manager, and producer of local and national programs.

Project Director - Paul Bosner's experience spans a period of 47 years, beginning in 1950 at CBS-TV in New York City where he worked for twenty years. He has worked at PBS stations around the country, the Instructional Television Centre in Israel, and Television & Educational Classics in London, England. For the LeCroy Center, he has produced and directed six telecourses and he has been project director for seven telecourses.

Producer - Hector de Luna's national award-winning style has been developed during twenty years of broadcast television direction and experience with various news agencies throughout Texas, as well as New York and other regions. He previously co-produced and directed Dallas' A Writer's Exchange telecourse.

Producer - Mark Birnbaum has produced and directed documentary and instructional programs-both independently and for Public Television—all over the world. Recognition includes the Peabody Broadcasting Award. He co-produced and directed the Living with Health, a Dallas telecourse which garnered a Gold Questar Award, and a Freddy, the top prize from the International Health and Medical Film Festival.

Supervising Producer - Julia Dyer brings a decade of experience producing film and video for business, government, education and public broadcasting. She received her BS in Radio-Television-Film magna cum laude from the University of Texas at Austin, where she has also taught film directing as a guest instructor.

Instructional Designer - Nora Coto Busby has been involved in instructional design since 1977, designing training programs for business and working with faculty on curriculum development projects. Her recent focus involves telecourses, interactive multimedia, and collaborative learning environments for distance learners. She received her MS degree in Instructional Design and Development/Educational Media from Florida State University and is currently completing her doctorate in Adult Education with specialization in Educational Technology.

Instructional Designer - Celeste Kennedy has designed and developed instructional materials for a wide range of delivery systems based on various learning theories and approaches. She brings to the project a teaching credential, MA in Guidance and Counseling, and extensive instructional design workshop expertise. She has also produced instructor-led courses and training programs, computer-based and multi-media programs, and telecourses since 1984.

Executive-in-Charge - Pamela K. Quinn is Assistant Chancellor for the Dallas County Community College District's LeCroy Center for Educational Telecommunications. With a BS from the University of Kansas and an MS from Texas A&M University-Commerce, she has over 25 years of experience in education and television, in teaching, public broadcasting, and administration. She has served as a board member and consultant on numerous national organizations promoting educational telecommunications.

Advisory Committee

It's Strictly Business was developed through the efforts of a number of outstanding individuals. Among those who made a significant contribution to the project are the members of the national and local advisory committees.

National Advisors

Scott Birnie, Humber College, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Victoria Braswell, Catawba Valley Community College, Hickory, NC
Neville Dudley, Wayne County Community College, Detroit, MI
Brenda Fung, Sylvania Campus, Portland Community College, Portland, OR
Dennis D. Shannon, Belleville Area College, Belleville, IL

Local Advisors

Ray Attner, Brookhaven College
Craig Christopherson, Richland College
Kathy Hegar, Mountain View College
Jimmie Henslee, El Centro College
John Pharr, Cedar Valley College
Bea Smith, Eastfield College
Jim White, North Lake College