YORK COLLEGE OF PENNSYLVANIA

DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

COURSE SYLLABUS

SPRING 2007

Mission Statement:

The Department of Business Administration at York College provides distinctive, high caliber business education that prepares individuals for successful careers and personal growth.  We provide students with an education that encourages intellectual development while also meeting the specific needs of the business community through a dynamic, experiential business curriculum.

Vision Statement:

The Department of Business Administration at York College will be recognized as a leading business educator in the Mid-Atlantic region. Our business students will be regarded as the best and most sought after graduates due to exceptional academic preparation and integrated actual business problem-solving experiences provided by our relationship between regional businesses and the dedicated faculty of the Department of Business Administration.

General Information

Course Title:                          Retailing Buying and Merchandising

Course Section:                   MKT320.01

CRN & Credit Hous:             20474, 3 credits

Classroom:                            CH236

Class Meeting Times:           Tues., 6:30-9:15 p.m.

 

Instructor:                             Greta Blake

Office Location:                    GH107

Office Hours:                         Tuesday and Thursday, 4:00-5:00 p.m. & by appointment

Office Phone:                        (717) 815-1241

Home Phone:                        (717) 854-8478

Email Address:                      gblake@ycp.edu

Web Page Address:              http://goose.ycp.edu/~mblake

 

Catalog Course Description

This course is designed to provide students with the theoretical and practical concepts required for successful buying and merchandising in retailing.

Prerequisite Course

Completion of MKT200 with a grade of 2 or better.

Core Learning Outcomes:

1.        To provide students with a better understanding of the organizational role played by retail buyers in various retail organizations and how retail buying is evolving.

2.        To examine the impact technology is having as a decision-making tool for modern retailing buyers in terms of developing buying plans, conducting consumer research and improving market communications.

3.        To provide students with a better understanding of the importance merchandising plays in buying strategy implementation.

Grading System and Course Requirements:

Quizzes (5 @ 100 points)                                        500 points

Chapter summaries (4 @ 25 points)                        100 points

Case exercises (2 @ 50 points)                              100 points

Guest speaker assignment                                       100 points

Total                                                                        800 points                               

Quiz Dates and Coverage

Quiz

Date

Coverage

Quiz # 1

February 1

The Buyer’s role in the Retailing Environment

Quiz # 2

March 21

The Buyer’s role in Forecasting Consumer Needs and Wants

Quiz # 3

March 13 &

March 22

The Buyer’s Role in Merchandise Management

Dollar planning (part 1- March 13)

Assortment planning (part 2- March 22)

Quiz # 4

April 12

The Buyer’s Role in Locating Merchandise Resources

Quiz # 5

May 3

The Buyer’s role in preparing merchandise for sale

 

Grading policy

4 (Excellent): This grade denotes accomplishment that is truly distinctive and decidedly outstanding. It represents a high degree of attainment and is a grade that demands evidence of originality, independent work, an open and discriminating mind, and completeness and accuracy of knowledge, as well as an effective use of the knowledge.

 

3.5 (Very Good): This grade denotes mastery of the subject matter. It represents very good achievement in many aspects of the work, such as initiative, serious and determined industry, the ability to organize work, and the ability to comprehend and retain subject matter and to apply it to new problems and contexts.

 

3 (Good): This grade denotes considerable understanding of the subject matter. It represents a strong grasp and clear understanding of the subject matter and the ability to comprehend and retain course content.

 

2.5 (Above Average): This grade denotes above average understanding of the subject matter. It represents a good grasp of the subject matter and the ability to comprehend and retain course content.

 

2 (Average): This grade denotes average understanding of the subject matter. It represents the grade that may be expected of a student of normal ability who gives the work a reasonable amount of time and effort.

 

1 (Below Average): This grade denotes below average understanding of the subject matter. It represents work that falls below the acceptable standard.

 

0 (Failure): This grade denotes inadequate understanding of the subject matter. It signifies an absence of meaningful engagement with the subject matter and that the student is not capable of doing or understanding the work or has made little or no effort to do so.

 

I (Incomplete): The student may request permission from the instructor to receive an incomplete prior to the final examination and must present extraordinary reasons for the petition. The Instructor should indicate on the Attendance/Final Grade Record the required work the student must do to complete the course. Any grades of “I” not removed within two calendar months after the end of the semester will automatically be changed to “0” in the Records Office. Grades of incomplete should only be provided to students who have completed a substantial portion of all course requirements.

 

W (Withdrawal): Students are permitted to withdraw from courses without penalty up to the ninth Friday of the fall or spring semester. Corresponding deadlines are set for all other semesters (e.g., summer sessions). Withdrawal after that time shall result in a grade of “0.”

 

P (Pass): This grade denotes passing in special Pass/Fail courses.

 

F (Fail): This grade denotes failure in special Pass/Fail courses.

 

Final Grade Scale

Grade

Performance

4.0

90-100% 

3.5

85-89%   

3.0

80-84%   

2.5

75-79%   

2.0

70-74%   

1.0

60-69%   

0.0

  0-59% 

Attendance Policy

It is the policy of York College of Pennsylvania to maintain accurate attendance records in order to best serve our students and to comply with professional and regulatory standards.  Regular attendance at all classes is expected.

 

Attendance at all classes is expected.  Attendance on all quiz dates, assignment dates, and speaker dates is mandatory.  Any student with an excused absence may be eligible to arrange for a make-up quiz.  However, such arrangements must be made prior to the missed class. 

While attendance will not typically be used by the instructor in determining student grades, it is clearly in the student’s interest to attend class as often as possible.  Historically, attendance and class performance have proven to be closely correlated. 

Late Submission of Course Materials Policy

Eligible students may arrange to make-up any quiz or assignment within one week of returning to class.  Point deductions may apply to late assignments.

Academic Honesty Policy

“Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated at York College.  Academic dishonesty refers to actions such as, but not limited to, cheating, plagiarism, fabricating research, falsifying academic documents, etc., and includes all situations where students make use of the work of others and claim such work as their own.

 

When an instructor believes that a student has committed an act of academic dishonesty, the instructor must provide written notification to the student, the Department Chair, and the Dean of Academic Affairs of the charge and sanction.  Documentation related to instances of academic dishonesty will be kept on file in the student’s permanent record.  If the academic dishonesty is the student’s first offense, the instructor will have the discretion to decide on a suitable sanction up to a grade of 0 for the course.  Students are not permitted to withdraw from a course in which they have been accused of academic dishonesty.

 

Students who believe they may have been unjustly charged or sanctioned in cases involving a first offense must discuss the situation with the instructor immediately.  Following this discussion, students may request through the Dean of Academic Affairs that the Student Welfare Committee conduct a hearing to review the charge and/or the sanction in the case.  In cases of a first offense, the instructor may request that the Student Welfare Committee conduct a hearing and decide on the sanction, which can involve academic suspension or dismissal from the College, if the instructor believes the offense to be of an extremely egregious nature.

 

If the Dean of Academic Affairs determines that the academic dishonesty is the student’s second offense, the Dean will provide written notification to the student, the instructor, and the Department Chair.  The Student Welfare Committee will automatically conduct a hearing to review the charge and decide on an appropriate sanction, which will involve academic suspension or dismissal from the College.  Students who believe the Student Welfare Committee has unjustly sanctioned them may submit a written request to the Dean of Academic Affairs for a review of their case by the Dean.”

·         York College of Pennsylvania policy

College Statement of Communication Standards:

“Students are expected to use literate and effective English in their speech and writing.  All papers must be well written; grades on written work will be based on expression as well as content.   Students may be required to rewrite papers that contain errors in grammar, spelling, or organization.”

·         York College of Pennsylvania policy

 

Method(s) of Instruction:

This course will utilize a discussion format.  Students are expected to participate in class discussions.  In addition, the course may include assignments based on emerging retailing events as well as the case assignments described above.

Instructor’s Educational Philosophy

I believe education to be a process of shared responsibilities.  My responsibilities as the instructor of this course include, but are not limited to: encouraging a classroom environment which encourages and facilitates learning, performing my classroom responsibilities in a professional and timely manner, monitoring changes both in the marketplace and relevant research to provide the most current information possible, and to assist each individual student in such a manner as to maximize the learning experience.  Student responsibilities should include, but are not limited to: respecting fellow classmates, meeting all course deadlines, preparing for class to enable discussions that will benefit all, and to engage in those activities that will best help in the attainment of individual goals.

Classroom Code of Conduct

-          Timely arrival is expected.

-          Maintain respect for your classmates and instructor.

-          Cell phones must not audible in the classroom, nor may students may leave the classroom to answer a cell phone. If, for some circumstance, you need to have your phone turned on during class, please see the instructor before class to get permission.

-          As a rule, electronic submissions of assignments are not accepted. You are responsible for turning in a hard copy of all assignments.

Changes:

While every attempt to follow the procedures outlined in this syllabus will be made, it is subject to change at the discretion of the instructor.

 

Power Point Links

 

CURRENT GRADES

 

Retail Pricing Case

 

Tentative Course Calendar:

January 18                             Course introduction, Introduction to Merchandise Buying

 

January 23                             Organization for Retail Buying

 

 

January 25                             Buying for Traditional Organizations

 

January 29                             Buying for Non-Store retail locations

                                               

February 1                             Quiz #1

                                                Assignment: “Sears Case assignment”

 

February 6                             Sears Case due

Consumer Buying Behavior

 

February 8                             Consumer buying Behavior (continued)

 

February 13                           Fashion Forecasting

                                                Assignment: Fad vs. Fashion case

                               

February 15                           Fad vs. Fashion case due

Fashion Forecasting (continued)

 

February 20                           Quiz #2

 

February 27-March 1            NO CLASS-BREAK!!!!

 

March 6                                  Merchandise planning-dollar planning

 

March 8                                  Dollar planning review day

 

March 13                                Quiz #3 (first 50 points) - Dollar planning- bring formula card and calculator

 

March 15                                Merchandise planning- assortment planning

 

March 20                                Merchandise planning- assortment planning (continued)

 

March 22                                Quiz #3 (second 50 points)

 

March 27                                The buyer’s role in locating merchandise- The resident buying office

                                               

March 29                                Topic: Domestic and foreign sources

                                               

April 3                                     Services offered by merchandise resources

 

April 5                                     NO CLASS-BREAK!!

 

April 10                                   Developing good buyer-vendor relations

 

April 12                                   Quiz #4

 

April 17                                   Pricing merchandise

 

April 19                                   Pricing merchandise (continued)

 

April 24                                   The Buyer and the selling process

 

April 26                                   The buyer and the selling process (continued)

 

May 1                                      Day for outside speaker!!!

 

May 3                                      Quiz # 5