NC 655: Small Business Operations

Citrus College Course Outline of Record

Citrus College Course Outline of Record
Heading Value
Effective Term: Fall 2022
Credits: 0
Total Contact Hours: 30
Lecture Hours : 30
Lab Hours: 0
Hours Arranged: 0
Outside of Class Hours: 60
Strongly Recommended: Intermediate English language, mathematics, and comprehension skills.
Transferable to CSU: No
Transferable to UC: No
Grading Method: Non-Credit Course

Catalog Course Description

This course introduces learners to starting and maintaining a small business in Southern California. Students learn how to focus on recognizing a business opportunity, starting, operating, and maintaining a business. In this course, students are exposed to the understanding of critical thinking, problem-solving, and innovation as they become business owners in the future. The course focuses on the discussion and understanding on the elements of marketing, business management, accounting, finance, legal issues, and the economic environment. Open entry/exit. 30 lecture hours.

Course Objectives

  • Develop appropriate business skills for the workplace.
  • Learn about the necessary personality traits to become a successful business owner.
  • Learn how to write a business plan and start a business by identifying the customer’s needs for a specific product or service.
  • Learn about the different forms of business ownership.
  • Learn about the advantages and disadvantages of business ownership.
  • Discover the necessary traits of successful business owners.
  • Implement effective techniques of marketing the product or service.
  • Learn about the basic accounting financial statements.
  • Learn the appropriate style for communicating with customers, employees, suppliers, etc.
  • Learn about social media (digital) advertising in marketing the product or service.
  • Identify means of raising capital to start a business.
  • Learn to thrive and flourish in a competitive business environment.

Major Course Content

Small Business

  1. Entrepreneurs: Characteristics and Competencies
  2. Environment: Managing External Relations
  3. Ideas: Creativity, Opportunity, and Feasibility
  4. Entry: Paths to Entrepreneurship
  5. Strategies: Imitation with a Twist
  6. Business Plans: Seeing Audiences and Your Business Clearly
  7. Marketing: Customers and Products
  8. Promotion: Capturing the Eyes of Your Market
  9. Pricing, Distribution, and Location
  10. Accounting: Projecting and Evaluating Performance
  11. Cash: Lifeblood of the Business
  12. Finance: Using Equity, Debt, and Gifts
  13. Legal Issues: Recognizing Your Small Business Needs
  14. Human Resource Management: Small Business Considerations

Suggested Reading Other Than Required Textbook

Material supplied and/or created by the instructor (i.e. PowerPoint, and VoiceThread presentations, handouts, videos, websites, and documents)

Examples of Required Writing Assignments

Paragraph(s) about application of theories studied in class to work settings

Examples of Outside Assignments

Role-play project and in-class online presentations

Instruction Type(s)

Lecture, Online Education Lecture