Assignments
Course Assignments: Command of knowledge and course concepts
will be shown through a number of written assignments and chat
room activities. You are responsible for applying what you have
learned to actual business problems. In addition to quality
of analysis and synthesis, quality of written presentation will
be part of the grading.
Discussion Case Evaluation: Each student will prepare
an analysis (two-page maximum) of three weekly discussion case
studies. Each analysis will include student answers to the discussion/analysis
questions assigned with the case study.
Team Consulting Assignments: Each student is assigned
to a consulting team by the instructor. Teams will analyze a
minimum of three case study assignments and prepare written
reports, including case evaluations and recommendations. Your
reports will be limited to five pages. A team leader will prepare
and submit each team case report.
These team consulting assignments will be evaluated competitively.
The team leader will rotate with each assignment. To do well
on the consulting assignments, you will need to: (1) use quantitative
analysis; (2) write well; (3) use conceptual approaches; (4)
focus on details; (5) hard work; and (6) develop a superior
solution to the client's problems.
Team Case Project: Each consulting team will develop
their own short case for an agribusiness or food marketing problem,
focusing on one of the issues identified in the eleven course
modules. The case should presented the problem from the viewpoint
of a for-profit or not-for-profit organization manager. The
case will be developed and submitted in two stages. The first
stage is case development, which should provide all the background
information on the organization's marketing problem and supporting
documentation (information similar to text case readings). The
case development is limited to a maximum of 10 pages. The second
stage in the team case project is the case solution set, that
provides the team's evaluation and recommendations. The solution
set should identify and evaluate viable alternative solutions
to the marketing problem. The solution set is limited to a maximum
of 5 pages.
Examinations: There are two exams (mid-term and final),
each of which is equally weighted. Each exam may consist of
multiple methods: multiple-choice questions, short answer questions
(including problems), essay, and case evaluation. An essay question
will typically be an extended problem; i.e., "What would you
recommend the organization do in this situation and why?"
|
Grading:
|
Percent
|
Points
|
| Exam
1 (Midterm) |
16.7% |
100 |
| Final
Exam (comprehensive) |
16.7% |
100 |
| Problem
Set (Chap. 2) |
3.3% |
20 |
| Discussion
Case Summaries (3 @ 20 pts.) |
10.0% |
60 |
| Team
Consulting Assignments (3 @ 50 pts.) |
25.0% |
150 |
| Team
Case Project |
20.0% |
120 |
| Class
Contribution* |
8.3% |
50 |
|
Total
|
100.0%
|
600
|
Course grades will be assigned based on the following percentages:
|
A
|
90-100%
|
Excellent
Performance
|
|
B+
|
87-89.99%
|
Very
Good Performance
|
|
B
|
80-86.99%
|
Good
Performance
|
|
C+
|
77-79.99%
|
Adequate
Performance
|
|
C
|
70-76.99%
|
Acceptable
Performance
|
|
D+
|
67-69.99%
|
Marginally
Acceptable Performance
|
|
D
|
60-66.99%
|
Weak
Performance
|
|
E
|
<60%
|
Unacceptable
Performance
|
* Contribution is comprised of contribution to class chat room
discussions and team written assignments. Contribution to chat
room discussion is absolutely essential for successful completion
of the course. It is only through the chats that you show weekly
command of the issues raised by the course material. Contribution
to the chat sessions is graded through two methods in this course.
First, attendance in the chat sessions is mandatory. The first
absence from the chat session will not count against your contribution
grade. After one absence, -10 contribution points are assessed
for each absence, up to the full 50 contribution points. Second,
contribution during each chat, while voluntary, will contribute
substantially toward your overall contribution grade. Chat contribution
will be based on the instructor's semester-long subjective assessment
of your contribution to the learning process.
Pictures: To facilitate getting to know each other and
enhancing teamwork and chat discussion opportunities, I ask
that each student have your picture taken with a digital camera
and e-mail the picture to me for uploading to the course Website.
Failure to have your picture taken will result in a 5-point
penalty against your contribution grade. Please, this is your
responsibility.
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