SYLLABUS
BUS 215 – LEGAL AND SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT OF BUSINESS
Instructor: Sharon R. Resch, Ph.D Office: K Office Suite
Phone: 618-634-3248 E-mail: sharonr@shawneecc.edu
Lead Instructor: Sharon R. Resch, Ph.D Office: Same as above
Phone: 1-800-481-2242 ext. 3248 E-mail: Same as
above
Specific Course Description:
The phases of law dealing with
partnerships, corporations, unincorporated associations, and related topics are covered in this course. Emphasis is placed on laws which regulate the
business enterprise. Employment laws,
environmental laws, trusts, negotiable paper, and wills are additional topics covered.
Prerequisite:
None
Credit Hours:
3 Credit Hours
Textbooks and Class Materials:
Baumer, D. L. & Poindexter, J. C. Legal Environment of Business – In the Information Age. McGraw-Hill, Irwin
Publishers, 2004.
Course Objectives:
After completing BUS 215, the student will
be able to do the following:
1. illustrate the importance of law in protecting competitive advantages that are
provided by ownership of intellectual property.
2. work with and explain the concepts of standing
and justiciability.
3. define vocabulary terms applicable to disputes
that enter the court system.
4. illustrate a working knowledge of online dispute
resolution procedures.
5. discuss the importance of the Due Process and
Equal Protection clauses in the Fourteenth Amendment.
6. discuss the main activities of administrative
agencies.
7. discuss the language of contract law.
8. list the types of contracts that must be in
writing to be enforceable.
9. differentiate between the UCC and common law re contracts.
10. state the areas of coverage and the intended effects of UCITA,
UETA, E-SIGN, and revised Article 2 of
the UCC.
11. distinguish between defamation, invasion of privacy,
and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
12. list methods in which the Federal Trade
Commission polices the Internet to guard against unfair and deceptive trade practices that
compromise privacy in cyberspace.
13. list basic characteristics of real and personal
property and the methods of transferring property ownership.
14. discuss clashes that have occurred between
trademark owners, celebrities, and established companies and domain name
owners.
15. differentiate between basic forms of business
organization.
16. discuss some of the legal consequences of
establishing a website.
17. state hazards companies face for wrongful and/or
abusive discharges of workers.
18. distinguish between employees, independent contractors,
and agency relationships.
19. discuss worker safety legislation, laws that
guarantee worker rights to form unions, unfair labor practices, and
legal/illegal techniques for monitoring employee performance.
20. identify steps the Federal Trade commission has taken
to combat fraud in cyberspace.
21. list antitrust laws, employee workplace legislation, and government regulations for
online trading.
22. discuss environmental laws and how they affect the workplace and business.
23. illustrate recent legislation that inhibits illegal
hacking, protects IP, and involves preventing terrorism and espionage.
24. discuss basic principles of international law
including comity, sovereign immunity, and act of state doctrine.
Instructional Mode:
The following
methods of instruction will be used in this course:
1.
Internet
Research
2.
Case
Analysis
3.
Chats
4.
Discussion
Posting
5.
on-line
quizzing
6.
Traditional
Testing
7.
Portfolio
Student
Expectations:
Students should
expect an instructor who is prepared and has material available for the
completion of assignments. It is
expected that students are serious, dedicated, and willing to complete the
assignments for a grade.
Student
Evaluation:
The following segments will make up the
student’s final grade:
Interactive Quizzes—230 Points
Internet Applications—230 Points
Unit Tests—600 Points
Portfolio—100 Points
Paper—100 Points
Chats—60 Points
Discussion Board—160 Points
Final—100 Points
Other—20 Points
Total—1600 Points
Interactive Quizzes—230 Points: 23 chapters times 10 points per chapter. You will access the website – www.mhhe.com/baumerleob and take a
quiz for each chapter. Results are to be
e-mailed to me – sharonr@shawneecc.edu - there is one quiz per chapter. These are true/false/multiple choice. There will be probably 15 questions per
chapter – making each question worth about three-fourths of a point.
Internet Applications—230 Points: 23 chapters times 10 points per chapter. At the end of each chapter, you have a
section ‘Using the Internet to your Advantage’ – choose one of those sites and
write me a couple paragraphs about what you found. You can send this to me using the
web-ct-e-mail. See the ICON on the
homepage for specific details about this assignment.
Unit Tests:
There are six of these. The
following breakdown is used: 1-3; 4-6;
7-10; 11-14; 15-19; 20-23. Each test is worth 100
points, for a total of 600 points. The
test will be true/false and multiple choice.
The test is open book. See the
ICON on the homepage for specific details about submitting this.
Portfolio—100 Points: As you submit work, I will be making a copy
of your work and accumulating it in a portfolio for you. At the end of the semester, I will review the
contents of this portfolio. This is
subjective on my part - If it is kind of thin, you will not receive your full
100 points. If you have put some
time/effort into your work as you have gone along, you will receive full
credit. Presentation of work, grammar,
etc. will also play a part.
Paper—100 Points: keyed; 1000 words minimum; see ICON for
possible topics – details.
Due Friday, December 10,
20204.
Chats—60 Points: 6 chats during the course of the semester.
Discussion Board—160 Points: A discussion question will be posted each
week and you are expected to respond to the posted question or to the posting
of another student. You must post each
week. 10 points per
week.
Final—100 Points: This will be an applied final. You will select 50 legal terms from various
publications—magazines/newspapers/etc.—and define in your own words. I will need your source for the terms. Can use more than one
publication.
Other—20 Points: This is your choice. If you find something interesting you want to
tell me about – I’ll give you some points.
Summarize a case – worth 10 points; discussion question from the text
worth 5 points each. This
sort of thing.
Point Breakdown:
The following point breakdown will be used
in determining the grade:
1440 to 1600 Points = A
1280 to 1439 Points = B
1120 to 1279 Points = C
960 to 1119 Points = D
below 960 = F
Office
Hours:
Office hours will be
posted on the bulletin board outside the instructor’s office. Other times are possible by scheduling
individual appointments at mutually convenient hours. Students are encouraged to consult regularly
with the instructor regarding class progress or other topics of concern.
Inclement
Weather Policy:
Become familiar with
the inclement weather policy of
Academic
Dishonesty or Plagiarism:
Review the college
policy regarding academic dishonesty in the Student Handbook. Please be aware that if I suspect this is
happening I will turn the work over to the VP of Student Affairs.
College Policy:
Administrative policy
prohibits the following: eating,
drinking, or using tobacco in the classroom; bringing children or other
unauthorized individuals to the classroom.
Again
– not an issue for online.
Attendance
Policy:
Each student is
expected to attend all class meetings.
The student is expected to be on time and ready to begin class with the
proper materials at the beginning of each class period.
Not an online issue; however, to have work
submitted according to schedule – I’m flexible somewhat but I have to make
decisions about dropping you – at 10th day – usually don’t drop at
this point but at mid-term, I will drop you from the class if you haven’t submitted
at least half of the work. Do NOT wait
until mid-term and try to send the first assignment. You will be penalized. SEE LATE WORK POLICY ICON!!
Topical Outline:
Part One – The
Structure of the Legal Environment
Chapter 1 The Legal
Environment of Business in the Information Age
Chapter 2 The Court
System and Jurisdiction
Chapter 3 The
Litigation/Trial Process
Chapter 4 Alternative Dispute Resolution
Chapter 5 Application of Constitutional Law to
Business
Chapter 6 Government Regulation of Business and
Ethics
Part Two – The Common
Law and Interfaces with the Internet
Chapter 7 Basic Contract Law
Chapter 8 Commercial Law: The Uniform Commercial Code (UCC)
Chapter 9 Current and Future Contract Law for
E-Commerce
Chapter 10 Torts:
Wrongs and their Remedies
Chapter 11 Cybertorts,
Privacy, and Government Regulation
Chapter 12 Property:
Real, Personal, and Intellectual
Chapter 13 Copyright, Trademark, and Protection of
Software
Chapter 14 Business Organization and Cybercompanies
Part Three – Government
Regulation
Chapter 15 Agency, Electronic Agents, and Employment
at Will
Chapter 16 Employment Law and Protection of Workers
Chapter 17 Antidiscrimination Legislation
Chapter 18 Consumer Protection Legislation and Electronic
Transactions
Chapter 19 Antitrust and the Interface with
Intellectual Property
Chapter 20 Government Regulation of Securities and
Online Trading
Chapter 21 Environmental Law
Chapter 22 Computer Crime: Pornography, Fraud, Hacking, and Gambling
Chapter 23 Real
Space and Cyberspace: Jurisdiction,
taxation, and International Law Issues
Note:
The above schedule and procedures in this course are subject to change
in the event of extenuating circumstances.
Revised