Instructor: Dr. James Beierlein
Contact via ANGEL e-mail
Course Description
AG BM 200 is the course for people who want to add a business management foundation to a technical major from the College of Agricultural Sciences. The combination of your technical and business management skills is what employers most desire when they look for potential employees. This is why the faculty in your department made this a required course.
Regardless of your major, most people find themselves as business managers some time during their careers managing time, money and people. When you complete AGBM 200 successfully you will have a solid knowledge of the critical agribusiness skills and their application so you will be able to handle just about any management situation you may encounter.
No prior business experience is required or expected to succeed in this course.
Course Objectives:
Helping You Learn the Stuff You Need Out There to be Successful!
At the end of AGBM 200 you will be able to explain:
- How agribusiness firms operate in a global agri-food system that stretches from those who provide farmers and ranchers with the things they need to product a crop all the way to those who put food on our tables -- "From Dirt to Dinner!"
- How what you do during your career to expand and improve the global agri-food system will determine whether the world will continue to be able to feed its growing population.
- The role that business management has in the successful operation of an agribusiness firm.
- The common business management principle that unifies everything a manager does is the desire to maximize the long run profits of the firm by profitably satisfying customers' needs. Maximizing long run profits means your using all your resources efficiently--you are sustainable. Profitably satisfying customers' needs means you are effective--you are doing the right things. You will do all this while enhancing the economic well being of your customers, employees, and investors.
- The interrelated nature of the four functions of management--planning, organizing, controlling, and directing--and how they help agribusiness managers accomplish their goals.
- Why agribusiness management is an art supported by science.
- The difference between managing things and leading people.
- How the quality of the people you employ and how well you lead them makes the difference between success and failure.
- The two golden rules of agribusiness management--be the kind of boss you would like to work for, and treat the customers they way the customers want to be treated.
Reading Assignments:
The reading and homework assignments will come from the textbook. The book is required; however, since it has not been released by the publisher just yet, we have provided the first five chapters online for you. We will notify you via e-mail once the text is available.
Principles of Agribusiness Management, 4rd Edition, by Beierlein, Schneeberger, and Osburn, Waveland Press.
Occasionally, outside readings will be given. This is normally in the form of hyperlinks provided within the course module.
Grading Policy:
Your grade will be determined by the total number of points you earn on the three semester exams, your homework assignments, and the final exam.
The first examination will be given when we finished the planning and organizing management functions. The test will consist of two questions drawn from the chapter discussion questions and one from a case you have already completed.
The second examination will be given when we have finished the first part of the controlling management function--production and inventory management. The test will consist of two problems that you must work and one essay question from a chapter discussion question or case that you have all ready completed.
The third examination will be given when we have finished the second part of the controlling function--accounting and financial management. The test will consist of two problems that you must work and one essay question from a chapter discussion question or case.
The final examination is comprehensive. It will require you to use and integrate all the material covered in the course.
The maximum number of points you can earn on each activity is
| First Exam | 200 points |
| Second Exam | 200 points |
| Third Exam | 200 points |
| Final Exam | 200 points |
| Homework (Discussion Forum and Drop Box Assignments) |
200 points |
| Total | 1000 points |
Your semester grade will be determined by the number points you earn:
| A | 910-1000 |
| A- | 890-909 |
| B+ | 870-889 |
| B | 810-869 |
| B | 790-809 |
| C+ | 770-789 |
| C | 690-769 |
| D | 600-689 |
| F | 0-599 |
Homework Questions and Case Study Grading:
Each assignment is worth 5 points (unless otherwise indicated).
Homework is due on the date indicated in the Assignment Summary Schedule.
One point will be deducted each day it is late.
Homework must be submitted via ANGEL drop boxes using the text box, Word or WordPerfect. Our system does not support Microsoft Works.
Homework that requires resubmission must be returned within one week of the notification of the need to resubmit to receive credit.
To receive full credit for the case solution, you must submit at least 250 words.
To receive full credit for the answers to the discussion questions you must answer all the questions assigned.
Website:
ANGEL: https://cms.psu.edu
Log-In Policy:
Students are expected to log-in regularly to keep up-to date with announcements, discussions, etc. The class will progress at a regular pace throughout the semester and there are specific due dates and times for assignments, etc.
Course Outline:
See Table of Contents and Assignment Summary Schedule
Academic Integrity:
Policy 49-20 of the Student Handbook will be followed in this course. This policy says, in part, "Academic integrity is the pursuit of scholarly activity free from fraud and deception and is an educational objective of this institution. Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to cheating, plagiarism, fabrication of information or citations, facilitating acts of academic dishonesty by others, unauthorized prior possession of examinations, submitting work of another person or work previously used without informing the instructor, or tampering with the academic work of other students." For more information read A Statement on Plagiarism and Academic Dishonesty.
Disability Access Statement:
Penn State welcomes students with disabilities into the University's educational programs. If you have a disability-related need for modifications or reasonable accommodations in this course, contact the Office for Disability Services, ODS located in room 116 Boucke Building at 814-863-1807 (V/TTY). For further information regarding ODS, please visit their web site at www. equity.psu.edu/ods. Instructors should be notified as early in the semester as possible regarding the need for modification or reasonable accommodations.
Deferred Grades:
If for reasons beyond your control you are prevented from completing a course within the prescribed time frame, your instructor may defer your grade.
- You should have submitted between 50 and 75 percent of your lessons, as specified by your academic college. If you need additional information on lesson-percentage requirements for your academic college, please contact us.
- Submit your request in writing via postal mail or e-mail to our office at least two weeks prior to your course end date. We will forward your request to your instructor for approval.
- If your instructor approves your request, a DF (deferral) will be assigned, and the Office of the University Registrar will be notified.
- When you complete the course, the instructor will assign a grade. If, however, you don't complete the course within the 60-day deferral period, the Office of the University Registrar will assign a grade of "F" to your academic record.
Deferred Grades - Additional Instructions for Nondegree Conditional, Nondegree Regular, Graduate Degree, and Graduate Nondegree students: Your instructions are the same as above; however, you are required to have 75 percent of your lessons submitted.
Use of Trade Names:
Where trade names are used, no discrimination is intended and no endorsement by the World Campus, Outreach and Cooperative Extension, the College of Agricultural Sciences, or The Pennsylvania State University is implied.