Operations, Finance, and Marketing Foundations

This unit builds practical skills in small-business operations by combining foundational accounting and tax procedures with staffing, branding, marketing, and opportunity analysis. Students will prepare and interpret core financial statements, design HR and delegation systems, and create integrated marketing/branding approaches that support responsible growth and next-stage planning.

Learning Objectives

• Analyze balance sheets, statements of cash flows, income statements, cost of goods sold, and key liquidity and solvency ratios to assess a small business’s financial health and tax implications.
• Apply the accounting cycle and tax‑filing procedures—preparing a balance sheet, reconciling cash flow to net income, computing COGS, and addressing corporate and partnership tax considerations—for accurate financial reporting.
• Design a staffing and employee‑development plan that identifies desirable candidate characteristics, uses SMART goals, implements delegation steps, and addresses common HR issues and dispute resolution.
• Create and evaluate integrated marketing and branding strategies—including visual identity, messaging, social media presence, CSR elements, market research, and contingency plans for flat or shrinking markets—to identify and pursue viable business opportunities.