Course Description
An exploration of the legal mechanisms that are set for effective management of business organizations. Topics include characteristics of a company, types of business organizations, formation of business organizations, management of companies, and termination of a company. The course is a 1000-level law course, and in-depth knowledge of the law is unnecessary. The course build-up on the knowledge of unfair business practices learned in the last semester.
Learning Outcomes
The law of business associations has a wide impact on entrepreneurial decision-making. According to Koh (2022), all business stakeholders need to have a glimpse of the legal systems circumventing their jurisdiction of business activities. Therefore, at the end of the course, the students are expected to achieve the following learning outcomes:
- Demonstrate knowledge of the law of business associations and theories of corporate management by recalling and recognizing the major terms: law, corporations, partnerships, sole proprietorship, shares, and limited liability.
- Identify laws, conditions, and regulations in national and international work environments that guide the formation of corporations, partnerships, and sole proprietorships.
- Demonstrate ability to compare different legal systems in the context of business operations, and identify the most favorable law for a given business case scenario.
- Apply abstractions, theories, and general principles of domestic and international business law in real-life business situations.
- Conduct intensive and thorough research on the ethical and legal problems facing businesses and human resource management.
Assignments/ Assessments
Group Work
Description
The students will work in a group of a maximum of six. The instructor will give a possible list of topics for the groups to choose from. The students are expected to choose their preferred topic in the second week of the semester, and take ten weeks to research. Submissions will be done during the last week of the semester. The scores obtained in the group work assignment will count for 10% of the student’s overall grade.
Connecting To Learning Outcome
In the groups, the students, are required to choose one of the topics listed below, and narrow it down to a specific area of discussion that is in line with various learning outcomes:
- Business law and theories of corporate management- learning outcome number 1
- Business law and human resource management- learning outcome number 5
- Business law and international corporate regulation- learning outcome number 2
- Formation of businesses at international levels- learning outcomes number 3 and 4
Rationale
The law of business associations is a multifaceted topic since it spans domestic and international legal frameworks. The group work assessment will play three significant roles in allowing the students to achieve the learning outcomes. Firstly, thorough research will ease an understanding of complex legal processes. Secondly, the group work research assignment will help students develop generic skills such as teamwork and communication. Lastly, the students will be encouraged to take a future course in commercial and business law due to a better understanding of the unit.
Continuous Assessment Test
Description
The continuous assessment test will be offered at the end of the sixth week of learning. The test will involve close-ended questions that will help determine the level of understanding among the students. The test will be a two hours sit-in exam that will be conducted online, thrush the college’s examination portal. The continuous test will account for 30% of the overall grade.
Connecting To Learning Outcome
The continuous test will be based on learning outcomes 1, 2, and 3. In connection to learning outcome 1, the students will be required to define various terms learned during the first five weeks. In connection with learning outcome 2, the students will relate domestic and international laws to given business case scenarios. Meanwhile, in connection with learning outcome 3, the students will differentiate given business laws and apply them.
Rationale
The continuous assessment test will serve three significant roles. Through the test, the instructor can identify areas of weaknesses and strengths at the student level. Additionally, the test will act as an academic performance indicator, requiring students to add effort in the forthcoming final exam. Furthermore, through the test, the instructor will adopt an effective teaching approach for better final exam and research paper results.
Final Exam
Description
A final exam, accounting for 70% of the overall grade, will be set. The students will be expected to sit for the exam in the last week of the semester, according to the college’s rules and regulations. The exam will consist of two sections: the first with close-ended questions and the second a descriptive essay question.
Sample close-ended question (section A):
- Which of the following is not a legal requirement when registering a company? (1 mark):
- Proposed company name
- Director’s name
- Employee’s list
- Companies can be limited by? (2 marks)
- Shares and liability
- Capital
- Directors
Sample essay question (section B):
- Describe legal challenges faced by companies intending to invest in the global market (15 marks)
Connecting To Learning Outcome
The final exam will be based on learning outcomes 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. While the first section will test outcomes 1, 2, and 3, the second section will test outcomes 4 and 5. Therefore, the students will be able to examine, define, analyze, describe, and apply the business law concepts learned in class.
Rationale
The final exam will give the students a chance to review the materials given during the classes. Consequently, an in-depth understanding of the course concepts and study skills needed. Moreover, the exam will show the students how they have improved during the academic year.
Reference
Koh, A. K. (2022). Shareholder protection in close corporations: Theory, operation, and application of shareholder withdrawal. Cambridge University Press.