YORK UNIVERSITY
FACULTY OF LIBERAL ARTS AND PROFESSIONAL STUDIES
SCHOOL OF ADMINISTRATIVE STUDIES

COURSE SYLLABUS, SUMMER 2014
ADMS 1000 - INTRODUCTION TO ADMINISTRATIVE STUDIES:
THE CONTEXT OF BUSINESS

Course Director:
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COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course offers an examination of the external context of business and the challenges of managing in the Canadian business environment. Our exploration of the external context of business includes consideration of such key areas as economic, competitive, labour, technological, societal, global, and political issues. The broad aim is to provide insight into current challenges and opportunities that play a dramatic role in the business landscape and affect business strategy.

COURSE GOALS
1. To identify the key factors which comprise the external environment of business.
2. To understand the potential impact of these external factors on business.
3. To obtain an understanding of the challenges & opportunities present in the Canadian business context.
4. To encourage critical thinking regarding the external challenges that must be addressed as part of successful business strategy.

Prerequisite: None

REQUIRED TEXT
Karakowsky, L. (2013). Exploring The Canadian Business Environment, SECOND EDITION. Pearson: Toronto

COURSE CONTENT AND SCHEDULE

SESSION 1: The Context of Business: A Framework
Learning Goal: To consider why the most logical starting point to undertaking studies in business is to look “outside” the walls of business and see the bigger picture. We will identify and examine the major external contexts within which all businesses operate.
Reading: Chapter 1
Case: Facebook: when your friends are worth a billion. (p. 24-26)

SESSION 2: Societal Context
Learning Goal: To recognize the nature of business’s role in society. We identify the notion of corporate social responsibility and examine its nature and significance.
Reading: Chapter 8 p.201-216 only
Case: The new blood diamond: cell phones. (p.225-227)

SESSION 3: Economic Context
Learning Goal: To obtain an overview of the economic issues influencing the nature of business activity. This will include an introduction to key economic indicators and the nature of the Canadian market economy.
Reading: Chapter 2
Case: NONE

SESSION 4: Understanding Industries: Business Strategy
Learning Goal: To identify the forces that shape industry structure and consider how they influence business and corporate level strategies. We will examine several major strategic business models and develop an understanding of strategic management and its relationship to the external environment.
Reading: Chapter 9
Case: Lululemon: for the love of yoga. (p. 252-254)

SESSION 5: Competitive Context & Technological Context
Learning Goal: To develop an understanding of industry life cycles and competitive behaviour. We will consider the stages through which all industries pass and identify the implications of each of these stages on competition. The role of technology in industry evolution will also be examined. Reading: Chapter 3, Chapter 4 p.83-88 only Case: Has soda lost its fizz? (p. 80-82)

SESSION 6 MIDTERM EXAM: (during class time, 2.5 hours, CLOSED-BOOK EXAM)

SESSION 7: Global Context I
Learning Goal: To address the significance of globalization for business in Canada, as well as in other parts of the world. We will identify the forces driving globalization and consider major actors in this phenomenon such as multinational corporations. The implications of foreign ownership and trade will also be addressed.
Reading: Chapter 6
Case: Beijing and the Calgary oil sands. (p.163-165)

SESSION 8: Global Context II
Learning Goal: Our exploration of globalization continues with a consideration of the role and impact of trade on Canadian business. We will also consider the topical issues that arise as a result of the power of globalization to impact societies.
Reading: Chapter 8 p. 217-224 only
Case: no case assigned

SESSION 9: Political Context
Learning Goal: To analyze the nature of the relationship between government & business. We will discuss the impact of government actions on business with special attention given to issues such as government subsidies and regulation. We will also explore the trends toward deregulation & privatization.
Reading: Chapter 7
Case: The wireless service industry in Canada. (p.198-200)

SESSION 10: Labour Context
Learning Goal: To examine the labour relationship, with a particular emphasis on the perspectives that shape debates about how that relationship should be governed. Should businesses and workers be free to negotiate conditions of work, or should the government closely monitor and influence those conditions? What explains the high volume of government regulation targeting the labour relationship in Canada?
Reading: Chapter 5
Case: Immigrants unsure about labour rights. (p. 128-130)

SESSION 11: Confronting Changing Contexts
Learning Goal: To consider how business confronts the challenges of adapting to changes in its external environment. We will identify the fundamental challenges of achieving successful organizational change. Issues such as organizational learning will be addressed.
Reading: Chapter 10
Case: When good companies go bad: the case of Kodak. (p. 279-281)

SESSION 11: REVIEW

FINAL EXAM: HELD DURING EXAM WEEK – DATE & LOCATION T.B.A. (3 hours, closed book exam) WORTH 60% OF GRADE. NON-CUMULATIVE.
GRADE BREAK-DOWN
Midterm Exam 40%
Final Exam 60%

Final course grades may be adjusted to conform to Program or Faculty grades distribution profiles.

NB: This outline may be subject to in-class changes as deemed necessary.

Final examinations could take place in a different room and on a different day from the regularly scheduled class. Check the published Examination Schedule for a complete list of days and times.

RELEVANT UNIVERSITY REGULATIONS Deferred Exams: Deferred standing may be granted to students who are unable to write their final examination at the scheduled time or to submit their outstanding course work on the last day of classes. In order to apply for deferred standing, students must complete a Deferred Standing Agreement (DSA) form and submit their request no later than five (5) business days from the date of the exam. The request must be properly submitted with supporting documentation directly to the main office of the School of Administrative Studies (282 Atkinson), NOT to the Course Director. These requests will be considered on their merit. Students can check the status of their requests by logging in the link for Status of Deferred Exams Request: http://www.yorku.ca/laps/sas/links.html

Students with approved DSA will be able to write their deferred examination during the School's deferred examination period. No further extensions of deferred exams shall be granted. The format and covered content of the deferred examination may be different from that of the originally scheduled examination. The deferred exam may be closed book, cumulative and comprehensive and may include all subjects/topics of the textbook whether they have been covered in class or not. Any request for deferred standing on medical grounds must include an Attending Physician's Statement form; a “Doctor’s Note” will not be accepted.
DSA Form: http://www.registrar.yorku.ca/pdf/deferred_standing_agreement.pdf
Attending Physician's Statement form: http://www.yorku.ca/laps/council/students/documents/APS.pdf The deferred exam period for the Summer 2014 term shall be held in the period of September 26, 27, 28, 2014.

Academic Honesty: The School of Administrative Studies considers breaches of the Senate Policy on Academic Honesty to be serious matters. The Policy on Academic Honesty is an affirmation and clarification for members of the University of the general obligation to maintain the highest standards of academic honesty. As a clear sense of academic honesty and responsibility is fundamental to good scholarship, the policy recognizes the general responsibility of all faculty members to foster acceptable standards of academic conduct and of the student to be mindful of and abide by such standards. Suspected breaches of academic honesty will be investigated and charges shall be laid if reasonable and probable grounds exist. Students should review the York Academic Honesty policy for themselves at: http://www.yorku.ca/secretariat/policies/document.php?document=69 Students might also wish to review the interactive on-line Tutorial for students on academic integrity, at: http://www.yorku.ca/tutorial/academic_integrity/
Students must be aware of their rights and responsibilities, for more detail please visit: http://www.yorku.ca/laps/students/rights.html Grading Scheme and Feedback Policy: The grading scheme (i.e. kinds and weights of assignments, essays, exams, etc.) shall be announced, and be available in writing, within the first two weeks of class, and, under normal circumstances, graded feedback worth at least 15% of the final grade for Fall, Winter or Summer Term, and 30% for ‘full year’ courses offered in the Fall/Winter Term be received by students in all courses prior to the final withdrawal date from a course without receiving a grade, with the following exceptions:
Note: Under unusual and/or unforeseeable circumstances which disrupt the academic norm, instructors are expected to provide grading schemes and academic feedback in the spirit of these regulations, as soon as possible. For more information on the Grading Scheme and Feedback Policy, please visit: http://www.yorku.ca/secretariat/policies/document.php?document=86

In-Class Tests and Exams - the 20% Rule: For all Undergraduate courses, except those which regularly meet on Friday evening, on a weekend or are on-line, tests or exams worth more than 20% will not be held in the two weeks prior to the beginning of the official examination period. For further information on the 20% Rule, please visit: http://www.yorku.ca/secretariat/policies/document.php?document=141 For further information on examination scheduling please refer to the following: http://www.registrar.yorku.ca/enrol/dates/index.htm Reappraisals: Students may, with sufficient academic grounds, request that a final grade in a course be reappraised (which may mean the review of specific pieces of tangible work). Non-academic grounds are not relevant for grade reappraisals; in such cases, students are advised to petition to their home Faculty. Students are normally expected to first contact the course director to discuss the grade received and to request that their tangible work be reviewed. Tangible work may include written, graphic, digitized, modeled, video recording or audio recording formats, but not oral work. Students need to be aware that a request for a grade reappraisal may result in the original grade being raised, lowered or confirmed. For reappraisal procedures and information, please visit the Office of the Registrar site at: http://www.registrar.yorku.ca/grades/reappraisal/index.htm Accommodation Procedures: LA&PS students who have experienced a misfortune or who are too ill to attend the final examination in an ADMS course should not attempt to do so; they must pursue deferred standing. Other students should contact their home Faculty for information. For further information, please visit: http://www.registrar.yorku.ca/exams/deferred/index.htm Religious Accommodation: York University is committed to respecting the religious beliefs and practices of all members of the community, and making accommodations for observances of special significance to adherents. For more information on religious accommodation, please visit: https://w2prod.sis.yorku.ca/Apps/WebObjects/cdm.woa/wa/regobs

Academic Accommodation for Students with Disabilities: The nature and extent of accommodations shall be consistent with and supportive of the integrity of the curriculum and of the academic standards of programs or courses. Provided that students have given sufficient notice about their accommodation needs, instructors shall take reasonable steps to accommodate these needs in a manner consistent with the guidelines established hereunder. For more information please visit the Disabilities Services website at http://www.yorku.ca/dshub/
York’s disabilities offices and the Registrar’s Office work in partnership to support alternate exam and test accommodation services for students with disabilities at the Keele campus. For more information on alternate exams and tests please visit http://www.yorku.ca/altexams/
Please alert the Course Director as soon as possible should you require special accommodation.