Spring 2026
Small Business Management/Entrepreneurship
Approved: Initials/date Small Business Management/Entrepreneurship (BUSG 2309 – 2A1) CREDIT 03 Semester Credit Hours (03 hours lecture, 0 hours lab) MODE OF INSTRUCTION Online PREREQUISITE/CO-REQUISITE: None COURSE DESCRIPTION Starting, operating, and growing a small business. Includes essential management skills, how to prepare a business plan, accounting, financial needs, staffing, marketing strategies, and legal issues. COURSE OBJECTIVES Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to • Identify management skills for a small business. • Outline issues related to choosing a business and obtaining a return on investment. • Create a business plan. INSTRUCTOR CONTACT INFORMATION Instructor: Dr. Yumi Shin Email: yshin@lit.edu Office Phone: 409-247-5296 Office Location: Technology Center, TC-229 Office Hours: M. W: 10 am – 1pm T. Th: 10:30 am – 11 am / 12:30 pm – 2:30 pm F: 9:30 am - 10:30 am REQUIRED TEXTBOOK AND MATERIALS Textbook Purchasing Statement: A student attending Lamar Institute of Technology is not under any obligation to purchase a textbook from the college-affiliated bookstore. The same textbook may also be available from an independent retailer, including an online retailer. Entrepreneurship (OpenStax) Digital ISBN-13: 978-1-947172-70-8 Digital PDF and Web-Access versions of the textbook are provided to students without charge through the Course Blackboard Portal. PARTICIPATION POLICY This is an online course. Students are strongly encouraged to check Blackboard and their LIT email daily for important updates and communications. Regular engagement is essential to staying on track with the course requirements and deadlines. DROP POLICY If you wish to drop a course, you are responsible for initiating and completing the drop process. If you stop coming to class and fail to drop the course, you will earn an “F” in the course. COURSE CALENDAR DATE TOPIC READINGS (Due on this Date) ASSIGNMENTS (Due on this Date) Week 1 (1/20/26-1/25/26) Ch. 1 Ch. 1: The Entrepreneurial Perspective Ch1 Quiz & HW (Sunday) Week 2 (1/26/26-2/1/26) Ch. 2 Ch. 2: The Entrepreneurial Journey and Pathways Discussion 1 & Ch2 Quiz (Sunday) Week 3 (2/2/26-2/8/26) Ch. 2 Ch. 2: The Entrepreneurial Journey and Pathways Ch2 HW (Sunday) Week 4 (2/9/26-2/15/26) Ch. 3 Ch. 3: The Ethical and Social Responsibilities of Entrepreneurs Ch3 HW & Module 1 Exam: Ch. 1, 2, 3 (Sunday) Week 5 (2/16/26-2/22/26) Ch. 4 Ch. 4: Creativity, Innovation, and Invention Ch4 Quiz & HW (Sunday) Week 6 (2/23/26-3/1/26) Ch. 5 Ch.5: Identifying Entrepreneurial Opportunity Ch5 Quiz & HW (Sunday) Week 7 (3/2/26-3/8/26) Ch.6 Ch. 6: Program Solving and Need Recognition Techniques Ch6 HW & Module 2 Exam: Ch. 4, 5, 6, (Sunday) Week 8 (3/9/26 – 3/15/26): Spring Break Week 9 (3/16/26-3/22/26) Ch.7 Ch. 7: Telling Your Entrepreneurial Story and Pitching the Idea Ch7 Quiz & HW (Sunday) Week 10 (3/23/26-3/29/26) Ch.8 Ch. 8: Entrepreneurial Marketing and Sales Discussion 2 & Ch 8 Quiz (Sunday) Week 11 (3/30/26-4/5/26) Ch.8 Ch. 8: Entrepreneurial Marketing and Sales Ch8 HW (Sunday) Week 12 (4/6/26-4/12/26) Ch.9 Ch. 9: Entrepreneurial Finance and Accounting. Ch9 HW & Module 3 Exam: Ch.7,8,9 (Sunday) Week 13 (4/13/26-4/19/26) Ch. 10 Ch. 10: Launch for Growth to Success Discussion 3 & Ch10 Quiz (Sunday) Week 14 (4/20/26-4/26/26) Ch. 10 Ch. 10: Launch for Growth to Success Ch10 HW (Sunday) Week 15 (4/27/26-5/3/26) Ch. 11 Ch. 11: Business Model and Plan Ch11 HW (Sunday) Week 16 (5/4/26-5/10/26) Ch. 11 Ch. 11: Business Model and Plan Module 4 Exam: Ch. 10, 11 (Sunday) 5/6/26: Last Class Day / No Final Exam The course calendar is subject to change if necessary. COURSE EVALUATION Final grades will be calculated according to the following criteria: • Discussion: 5 % • Quizzes: 20 % • Homework Assignments: 45 % • Module Exams: 30 % GRADE SCALE • 90-100 A • 80-89 B • 70-79 C • 60-69 D • 0-59 F TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS For the latest technical requirements, including hardware, compatible browsers, operating systems, etc., review the Minimum Computer and Equipment Requirements on the LIT Online Experience page. A functional broadband internet connection, such as DSL, cable, or WiFi is necessary to maximize the use of online technology and resources. DISABILITIES STATEMENT The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 are federal anti-discrimination statutes that provide comprehensive civil rights for persons with disabilities. LIT provides reasonable accommodations as defined in the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 504 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, to students with a diagnosed disability. The Special Populations Office is located in the Eagles’ Nest Room 129 and helps foster a supportive and inclusive educational environment by maintaining partnerships with faculty and staff, as well as promoting awareness among all members of the Lamar Institute of Technology community. If you believe you have a disability requiring an accommodation, please contact the Special Populations Coordinator at (409)-951-5708 or email specialpopulations@lit.edu. You may also visit the online resource at Special Populations - Lamar Institute of Technology (lit.edu). STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT STATEMENT It is the responsibility of all registered Lamar Institute of Technology students to access, read, understand and abide by all published policies, regulations, and procedures listed in the LIT Catalog and Student Handbook. The LIT Catalog and Student Handbook may be accessed at www.lit.edu. Please note that the online version of the LIT Catalog and Student Handbook supersedes all other versions of the same document. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE STATEMENT Lamar Institute of Technology (LIT) recognizes the recent advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI), such as ChatGPT, have changed the landscape of many career disciplines and will impact many students in and out of the classroom. To prepare students for their selected careers, LIT desires to guide students in the ethical use of these technologies and incorporate AI into the classroom instruction and assignments appropriately. Appropriate use of these technologies is at the discretion of the instructor. Students are reminded that all submitted work must be their own original work unless otherwise specified. Students should contact their instructor with any questions as to the acceptable use of AI/ChatGPT in their courses. STARFISH LIT utilizes an early alert system called Starfish. Throughout the semester, you may receive emails from Starfish regarding your course grades, attendance, or academic performance. Faculty members record student attendance, raise flags and kudos to express concern or give praise, and you can make an appointment with faculty and staff all through the Starfish home page. You can also login to Blackboard or MyLIT and click on the Starfish link to view academic alerts and detailed information. It is the responsibility of the student to pay attention to these emails and information in Starfish and consider taking the recommended actions. Starfish is used to help you be a successful student at LIT. ADDITIONAL COURSE POLICIES/INFORMATION ANNOUNCEMENTS Announcements will be posted in Blackboard under the Announcements as needed. Therefore, it is important to check in Blackboard regularly. ASSIGNMENTS All assignments will have their due dates posted in Blackboard. Please refer to the course syllabi and Assignment Due Dates in Blackboard. Typically, all assignments are due on Sundays until 11:59 CST PM. Discussion questions are posted in Blackboard under Assignment folder. Chapter Reading Quizzes and Homework assignments are typically Multiple-Choice, True-False questions designed to ensure that students are reading the text at an appropriate and responsible pace. Late assignments will not be accepted, so students make sure to complete and submit the assignments by the due dates. EXAMS Make-up exams will not be given. Exams will be provided in Blackboard under Assignments. The exams will be timed and are typically limited to 90 minutes with 50 questions. There will be no final exam for this class. Missed exams will receive a score of zero. Exams will be graded immediately by Blackboard. Feedback on specific exam questions will be given 24 hours after the exam has permanently closed. EXTRA CREDIT All opportunities for extra credit will be announced in advance as needed. PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION Students can contact the instructor via email at yshin@lit.edu, or phone 409-247-5296. Students must use appropriate e-mail etiquette when corresponding with the instructor. This involves writing emails in a "letter" format as opposed to "text chat" format. The instructor will respond to e-mail and voicemail communication within 48 hours Monday through Friday. Voicemail messages should be clearly spoken identifying the student’s name, course, and any return phone number. IMPORTANT DATES These dates are tentative and subject to change if necessary. • First Day to submit Intent to Graduate: January 20, 2026 • Last day of drop WITHOUT academic penalty: February 20, 2026, Full Term • Last Day to submit Intent to Graduate: March 20, 2026 • First Day to Apply for Graduation: February 2, 2026 • Last Day to Apply for Graduation: April 3, 2026 • Last day of drop WITH academic penalty: April 13, 2026, Full Term • Commencement/Graduation: May 19, 2026 COURSE REQUIREMENTS Students must meet the following grade requirements to successfully complete and pass the courses: • Program courses: A grade of C or better is required. • General Education courses: A grade of D or better is required. Students are responsible for determining whether each class falls under Program courses or General Education courses to ensure they meet the appropriate grade requirements. USE OF INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS Instructional materials, such as Powerpoint Presentations, Instructional Videos, etc. are provided in Blackboard for each chapter. These will be useful in understanding and reinforcing concepts as they are presented in class. Content folders are scheduled to unlock/grant access throughout the semester to ensure synchronous learning.