SRJC Course Outlines

3/29/2024 3:22:20 AMAGBUS 56 Course Outline as of Fall 2014

Changed Course
CATALOG INFORMATION

Discipline and Nbr:  AGBUS 56Title:  INTRO AG BUS MGMT  
Full Title:  Introduction to Agriculture Business and Management
Last Reviewed:12/12/2023

UnitsCourse Hours per Week Nbr of WeeksCourse Hours Total
Maximum3.00Lecture Scheduled3.0017.5 max.Lecture Scheduled52.50
Minimum3.00Lab Scheduled06 min.Lab Scheduled0
 Contact DHR0 Contact DHR0
 Contact Total3.00 Contact Total52.50
 
 Non-contact DHR0 Non-contact DHR Total0

 Total Out of Class Hours:  105.00Total Student Learning Hours: 157.50 

Title 5 Category:  AA Degree Applicable
Grading:  Grade Only
Repeatability:  00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP
Also Listed As:  WINE 56
Formerly:  AGBUS 50

Catalog Description:
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Orientation to agriculture business organizations and sectors, including an overview of agriculture business principles and government regulations. Includes management and decision making aspects of agriculture business enterprises. Comtemporary issues in U.S., California and Sonoma County agriculture business will be discussed.

Prerequisites/Corequisites:


Recommended Preparation:
Eligibility for ENGL 100 or ESL 100

Limits on Enrollment:

Schedule of Classes Information
Description: Untitled document
Orientation to agriculture business organizations and sectors, including an overview of agriculture business principles and government regulations. Includes management and decision making aspects of agriculture business enterprises. Comtemporary issues in U.S., California and Sonoma County agriculture business will be discussed.
(Grade Only)

Prerequisites:
Recommended:Eligibility for ENGL 100 or ESL 100
Limits on Enrollment:
Transfer Credit:CSU;
Repeatability:00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP

ARTICULATION, MAJOR, and CERTIFICATION INFORMATION

Associate Degree:Effective:Inactive:
 Area:
 
CSU GE:Transfer Area Effective:Inactive:
 
IGETC:Transfer Area Effective:Inactive:
 
CSU Transfer:TransferableEffective:Spring 1999Inactive:
 
UC Transfer:Effective:Inactive:
 
C-ID:
 CID Descriptor: AG - AB 104 Introduction to Agriculture Business SRJC Equivalent Course(s): AGBUS56

Certificate/Major Applicable: Both Certificate and Major Applicable



COURSE CONTENT

Outcomes and Objectives:
At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:
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Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
1.   Describe the composition, scope, and dynamics of the agriculture business industry.
2.   Evaluate the factors that are important to consider in selecting a particular form of business ownership.
3.   Describe the major uses of management information records.
4.   Analyze basic financial statements and describe the process and products of financial planning.
5.   Evaluate ways to finance an agriculture business and differentiate between equity and debt capital.
6.   Make investment decisions involving capital items.
7.   Evaluate strategic marketing approaches to determine effectiveness and  profitability.
8.   Analyze personal selling strategies and approaches.
9.   Describe the broad concept of operations management and how operating systems function in a company.
10. Discuss the primary functions of management and the importance of each function in an agriculture business organization.
11. Analyze the components of a successful human resources management plan.
12. Evaluate contemporary issues in Sonoma County agriculture business.

Topics and Scope
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I. Introduction
   A. Development of the food, fiber and agribusiness system
   B. Input supply sector
   C. Production sector
   D. Processing and distribution section
   E. Emerging trends and challenges for food, wine and agriculture business managers
II. Business Ownership
   A. Forms of business ownership
       1. General partnership
       2. Limited partnership
       3. Limited liability partnership
       4. Corporations
       5. Limited liability company
   B. Relationships between businesses
   C. Cooperatives
III. Budgeting
    A. Purpose of budgets
    B. Types of budgets
    C. Applications of budgeting
    D. Benefits and limitations of budgeting
IV. Overview of Financial Analysis and Planning Methods Commonly Used in Agriculture Businesses
    A. Uses of financial analysis
    B. Financial statement analysis
    C. Ratio analysis
    D. Applying ratio analysis
    E. Break-even analysis and contribution to overload
    F. Financial planning and budgeting
    G. Using budgets as financial controls
V. Financing the Business
    A. Defining the term financing
    B. Equity versus debt capital
    C. Leasing: definitions, advantages, and disadvantages
    D. The concept of leveraging
    E. Determining the appropriate financial structure
    F. Sources of financing
    G. Financing new companies
    H. Financing cooperatives
VI. Strategic Marketing
    A. Definition of marketing
    B. Marketing management
    C. Target marketing
    D. Niches
    E. Customer-level marketing
    F. Product positioning
    G. Marketing opportunities
    H. Branding
    I. Consumer and buying behavior
    J. Business buyer behavior
    K. Marketing to wholesalers and retailers
VII. Regulatory Standards
     A. Law
     B. Regulations
     C. Regulatory Agencies    
VIII. Operations Management
    A. Definitions and examples
    B. Production processes
    C. Plant / business location and design
    D. Production planning and control
    E. Procurement systems
    F. Purchasing
IX. Personal Selling
    A. Selling as an internal and external activity
    B. Elements of successful personal selling
    C. Analyzing a firm's values, purpose and objectives
X. Managing Agriculture and Wine Business Organizations
    A. Role and importance of planning
    B. Formal organizations
    C. Responsibility and authority
    D. Departmentalization
    E. Role of informal organizations
    F. Implementing the coordination function of management
    G. Staffing
XI. Human Resources Management
    A. Introduction
    B. Human resources planning
    C. Recruiting
    D. Selecting new employees
    E. Orienting new employees
    F. Training and development
    G. Managing employees
    H. Handling grievances
    I.   Performance appraisals
    J.  Determining compensation
    K. Promoting employees
    L. Handling terminations
    M. Challenges faced by agriculture business firms
    N. Health and Safety in California
    O. Employee handbooks
    P. Resumes and cover letters
XII. Contemporary Issues in Food Agriculture Business
    A. U.S., California, and Sonoma County
    B. Planning a field trip to a Sonoma County business
XIII. Agribusiness Plans
     A. Marketing plan components
     B. Sales plan components
     C. Business plan components
     D. Role of marketing, sales and business plans in agribusiness
XiV. Forecasting
     A. Basics of forecasting
     B. Forecasting procedures
     C. Using forecasts in Agribusiness

Assignments:
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Representative Assignments:
1.   Working in a group, coordinate a field trip to a local agriculture  business or operation. There will be 4-6 field trips during the semester, one organized by each group.
2.   Field trip journal, 1-2 pages of reflection and observation per field trip.
3.   Write a research paper on (3-5 pages) on any of the following topics; Sonoma County agribusiness, farming systmes and agribusiness in California, California water, agricultural trade and labor issues in agribusiness
4.   Write a resume and cover letter and evaluate another student's resume and cover letter from a prospective employer's perspective.
5.   Conduct Internet research and compile a list of Internet resources for a selected business.
6.   Analyze agribusiness case studies.
7.   Homework problems: business operations problem sets.
8.   Track investment decisions involving capital items and write a 1-2 pages summary.
9.   Midterm and final exam.
10. Reading: 25 -30 pages per week.

Methods of Evaluation/Basis of Grade.
Writing: Assessment tools that demonstrate writing skill and/or require students to select, organize and explain ideas in writing.Writing
20 - 30%
Journal, research paper, reflection papers
Problem solving: Assessment tools, other than exams, that demonstrate competence in computational or non-computational problem solving skills.Problem Solving
15 - 30%
Problem sets; review questions; case studies
Skill Demonstrations: All skill-based and physical demonstrations used for assessment purposes including skill performance exams.Skill Demonstrations
10 - 20%
Field trip coordination, checklist, presentation rubric
Exams: All forms of formal testing, other than skill performance exams.Exams
30 - 40%
Mid-term and final exam: multiple choice, true/false, matching items, completion, short answer.
Other: Includes any assessment tools that do not logically fit into the above categories.Other Category
0 - 10%
Attendance and participation


Representative Textbooks and Materials:
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Principles of Agribusiness Management, Beierlein, J., Schneeberger, K., Osborn, D.,Waveland Press, 5th Ed., 2013
 
Agribusiness: Principles of Management, Van Fleet, D., Van Fleet, E., Seperich G.J., Cengage Learning, 1st Ed. 2013

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