AGRICULTURAL BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

AGEC 391 DISTANCE SECTIONS

FALL 2002

Instructor:       Dr. John C. Foltz
                  Ag Sciences Room 40I
                  Phones: Office - 885-6047     Home - 883-0170

                  U of I TOLL FREE: 888-884-3246
                  E-mail: jfoltz@uidaho.edu
                  Office Hours: MW -- 2:00-4:00 p.m., other
                  times by appointment.

Secretary:        Amber Youmans
                  Department of Agricultural Economics
                  Ag Sciences Room 39
                  University of Idaho
                  Moscow, ID 83844-2334
                  Phone: 208-885-6264
                  E-mail: ambers@uidaho.edu

Teaching Asst.:   Angel Aguiar
                  Ag Sciences 19E

                  Phone: Office - 885-7514
                  E-mail: ahaquiar@hotmail.com

CSI Program       Jodie Mink

Coordinator:     U of I wing of Evergreen Building
                  Room B56
                  College of Southern Idaho
                  Twin Falls, ID
                  Phone: 208-736-3624
                  FAX: 208-736-0843
                  E-mail: jmink@uidaho.edu


Treasure Valley   Carl Van Slyke
Coordinator:    Parma R & E Center
                  29603 U of I Lane
                  Parma, ID 83660
                  Phone: 208-722-6701 ext. 211
                  FAX:
                  E-mail: cvanslyk@uidaho.edu

Boise Coordinator:Dr. John Mundt
                  Ag Ed-UI Boise Center
                  800 Park Blvd.
                  Suite 200
                  Boise, ID 83712-7742
                  Phone: 208-364-4020
                  E-mail: jmundt@uidaho.edu

Idaho Falls       Arlynn Horne (videos, case study packets, exams)
Coordinators:     Video Coordinator
                  IFCHE
                  1776 Science Center Dr.
                  University of Idaho
                  Idaho Falls, ID 83402-1575
                  Phone: 208-282-7961
                  FAX: 208-282-7817
                  E-mail: arlynn@if.uidaho.edu

Chris McIntosh (general questions)

Coordinator, Agribusiness Degree Program

1776 Science Center Drive

Idaho Falls R & E Center

Idaho Falls, ID 83402

Phone: 208-529-8376

FAX: 208-522-2954

E-mail: mcintosh@uidaho.edu

Class Schedule:   Videotapes are available for checkout at your own pace, from
                  the coordinator at your respective campus. I have outlined
                  a suggested lecture schedule at the bottom of the syllabus.
                  It follows a Monday, Wednesday lecture schedule. A

friendly reminder from your professor -- DO NOT GET BEHIND!!

Keep up with the lecture material – it will make your life

                  easier come exam time.

Texts:            The following texts are available from the University of Idaho
                  bookstore.
                  Phone: 208-885-7334

                  Downey, W. David and Steven P. Erickson, Agribusiness
                  Management, McGraw-Hill, 2nd Edition, 1987.

                  Your site coordinator will have copies of the following case
                  packet:

                  Case Packet for Agricultural Economics 391: Agribusiness
                  Management

Web site:         http://www.uidaho.edu/ag/agecon/391/agec391dist.html

Objectives:       1. To acquaint the student with the general area
                     of business management with an orientation
                     towards agribusiness.

                  2. To create and/or stimulate interest in businesses,
                     problems of management, and the basic principles of
                     management.

                  3. To help the student understand and obtain a degree
                     of competency in using specific tools and
                     techniques of analysis for solving management
                     problems.

Grading:          Your grade will be determined as follows:

                                          Possible Points   Weight

                        Class Participation     130         10%

                        Case Studies            100         45%

                        2 midterm exams         200       30%

                        Final Exam              100        15%
                                                530        100%

Letter grades will be assigned as follows:

Your total points on each component of the course/total possible points x weight,
then these component "percentages" are summed and graded on the following scale:

Percent of Total Points Letter Grade
90-100%                 A
80-89.9%                B
70-79.9%                C
60-69.9%                D
Below 60%               F

You can use the grade sheet found at the end of the syllabus to keep track of your

grades. This breakdown is meant to provide a general gauge so you may assess your

performance in my class. Based upon overall class performance, adjustments may be

made at the end of the semester. Such adjustments will not raise the minimum

requirements for a particular grade. If you have any questions about your grade

during the semester, feel free to discuss them with me at any time.

Mid-Term Examinations

Mid-term examinations WILL BE GIVEN BY YOUR ON-SITE COORDINATOR ON THE DATES LISTED
ON THE SCHEDULE BELOW and are worth 100 points each. Examinations will cover
material from lectures, class handouts, homeworks, quizzes and assigned readings.
All mid-term exams will cover material presented since the previous exam, and are
not comprehensive. Exam questions will be both objective type (multiple choice,
True-False, etc.) and subjective type (short answer and essay). Any exam missed
without permission for a make-up is scored as a zero (see discussion of make-up
exams). Copies of old exams are available on the class web site.

Final Examination

A non-comprehensive final exam will be given. Format of the final will be similar
to the mid-terms.

Make-up Examinations

Make-up exams are a privilege not a right. Treat them as such. If you must miss
an examination, clear it with me in advance and obtain permission for a make-up.
Call if necessary (home or office), but inform me in advance! Only in clear-cut
emergencies will a make-up be given without prior approval.

Homework/Case Studies

Case studies will be given throughout the semester, and a calendar for these
assignments is available on the class web site. ASSIGNMENTS ARE DUE ON THE DATE
LISTED. The best method of sending me your assignments is as an attachment via e-mail.
I will accept a FAX or snail mail in a pinch, but it is in your best interest (not to
mention the fact that it is almost instantaneous) to use the electronic medium. You
are encouraged to work in groups to facilitate understanding, but you must turn in
your own work.

General Rules

1. I expect academic honesty from everyone -- this means turning in your own
   homework assignments, and no cheating on exams. Any indication of behavior
   contrary to my expectations will be referred immediately to the proper
   administrative authorities.

2. The format of this class is probably significantly different than classes that you
   have taken in the past. The use of the technology does allow you a variety of
   ways to access the course material (videotapes, web site). However, it does have
   the downside of limiting our interaction to a great extent. I encourage e-mail,
   and will attempt to answer it as quickly as possible. You may also feel free to
   call me on the phone.

3. If I make a mistake in grading, please tell me about it immediately. This
   includes both arithmetic errors and questions about my evaluation of your
   answer. I am happy to entertain a discussion about anything I grade up to
   one week after it is returned to you. After one week, your grade stands
   as given.

AGEC 391

Lecture and Reading Schedule

Downey Video

Week or date Topic Chapter Lecture

Aug. 26 Introduction to course & instructor 1

Aug. 28

I. ROLE & ORGANIZATION

OF AGRIBUSINESS

Sep. 2 LABOR DAY HOLIDAY

Sep. 4 A. Agribusiness in Perspective 1 2

Sep. 9 B. Managing the Agribusiness 2 3

Sep. 11 C. Organization of an Agribusiness 3 4

Sep. 16 D. Co-ops in Agribusiness 4 5

II. FINANCIAL MGMT. & CONTROL OF

THE AGRIBUSINESS

Sep. 18 A. Economics for Managers 5 6

Sep. 23 A. Economics for Managers, cont. 5 7

Sep. 25 B. Understanding Financial Statements 6 8

The Balance Sheet

Sep. 30 B. Understanding Financial Statements 6 9

The Income Statement

Oct. 2 C. Analyzing Financial Statements 7 10

Oct. 7 C. Analyzing Financial Statements 7 11

WEEK OF OCT. 7 FIRST EXAM SCHEDULE W/ YOUR COORDINATOR

Oct. 9 D. Financing the Agribusiness 8 12

Oct. 14 D. Financing the Agribusiness 8 13

Oct. 16 E. Tools for Controlling the 9 14

Agribusiness

Oct. 21 F. Tools for Mgmt. Decisions 10 15

in Ag Business

Oct. 23 G. Strategic Planning in Agribusiness - 15a

III. MARKETING IN AGRIBUSINESS

Oct. 28 A. The Ag Marketing System 11 16

Oct. 30 B. Mkting. Mgmt. in the 12 17

Agribusiness Firm

Nov. 4 C. Tools for marketing decisions 13 18

Nov. 6 D. Selling in Agriculture 14 19

WEEK OF NOV. 11 SECOND EXAM SCHEDULE W/ YOUR COORDINATOR

Nov. 11 E. The Selling Process 15 20

Nov. 13 E. The Selling Process 15 21

IV. OPERATING THE AGRIBUSINESS

Nov. 22 FALL BREAK

- Dec. 1

Nov. 18 A. Production Planning 16 22

Nov. 20 B. Controlling Production 17 23

V. HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Dec. 2 A. Personnel Management 18 24

Dec. 4 A. Personnel Management 18 25

Dec. 9 B. Managing Human Resources in 19 26

Agribusiness

Dec. 11 B. Getting Started in Agribusiness 19 27

Management

WEEK OF DEC. 16 FINAL EXAM SCHEDULE W/ YOUR COORDINATOR

AGEC 391

FALL 2002

Assignment Actual Possible

Class Participation

WebCT On-Line Discussion _____ 130

Total _____ 130 X .10 = _____

Case Studies

#1 _____ 10

#2 _____ 10

#3 _____ 10

#4 _____ 10

#5 _____ 10

#6 _____ 10

#7 _____ 10

#8 _____ 10

#9 _____ 10

#10 _____ 10

Total _____ 100 X .45 = _____

Midterm Exams

#1 _____ 100

#2 _____ 100

Total _____ 200 X .30 = _____

Final Exam

_____ 100 X .15 = _____

TOTAL _____