ONLINE COURSE BUSINESS OPERATIONS
DISCOVER THE ESSENTIALS OF BUSINESS OPERATIONS & PLANNING!
Business success depends upon a strong foundation of skills and knowledge in various aspects of business operation and planning. This course is a good choice if you're wondering where to start. It covers vital topics such as finance, financial record keeping, financial management, business planning, mistakes to avoid, and more.
This course does overlap with Business Studies and Starting a Small Business, so you should choose to do one or the other, not any two of these
Lesson Structure
There are 6 lessons in this course:
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Introduction
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Business law
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types of businesses
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starting a business
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Finance
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Liquidity
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The money market
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terminology
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insurance
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Financial Records
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Simple Bookkeeping procedures
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cash flow
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Financial Management
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Taxation
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costing
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budgeting
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investing
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Business Planning
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Developing a 12 month business plant.
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Mistakes to avoid
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Reasons for business failures
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profitability
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improving productivity
Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the school, marked by the school's tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.
Aims
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* Define the business community, the types of businesses involved and the interaction which occurs between different businesses.
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Explain the difference between goods and services based businesses.
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Define a range of commonly used business terms.
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Research and analyse business opportunities by studying activities in the business world.
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Assess the feasibility of a business opportunity and allocate resources to this business.
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Carry out the basic procedures of recording and interpreting financial records and statements including the cash book, balance sheet, profit and loss statement.
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Explain liquidity and productivity
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Calculate profit and determine assets
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Calculate the real cost of labour in a business.
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Determine pricing based on costs calculated for providing a particular service or product.
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Develop a budget for a simple business operation.
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Develop a simple 3 year business plan (real or hypothetical).
What You Will Do
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Research business publications to evaluate current trends in small business
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Prepare management reports for several businesses
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Contact lending institutions to enquire about money market investment schemes
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Prepare a profit and loss statement, a ledger statement and a balance sheet for a hypothetical business
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Speak with the taxation department about business related tax issues
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List the assets and liabilities in an existing business
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Develop a budget for a simple business operation
Business Tips - Reasons Businesses Fail
Insufficient Capital
• Not enough money to get started:
• Don't forget that money is needed to keep you going from the time you begin in business until the time you are bringing in a profit. In some businesses you might need to cover yourself for several years’ wages. In most businesses you need to cover yourself for at least a few months’ wages.
• Not enough money to grow and develop:
• A slow and steady rate of growth is safer than rapid expansion.
• Remember: Businesses do not stand still they either expand or shrink.
Depending too Heavily on Borrowings
At all costs, avoid borrowing any more money than necessary. If lenders change their minds and won't wait for repayments, or if interest rates increase; something you thought was manageable might all of a sudden cause the business to collapse. This has happened to many small business people as well as a significant number of big businesses in recent times.
Improper Financial Planning
You must know your financial position at all times and adjust the way you manage your business accordingly. It is easy to lose touch with the current situation and become distracted and involved with the day to day problems of running a business. Set clear goals and monitor your progress towards them.
Poor Cash Management
Don't overspend when you have it or you won't have it when you need it. This is a simple statement, but one which leads to the downfall of many businesses. If you don't keep accurate records of what you are owed, you might not realize you haven't been paid.
Watching the Volume of Business and Losing Sight of the Profit
The most successful businesses are generally those which do less work for more profit. Don't try to get too big too fast instead, put your effort into getting better profits out of the work which you are able to get.
Not Collecting Money Owed to You
You need to be of strong resolve to get money out of your customers.
Remember - business and friendships are two very different things.
• Don't go easy on people because you like them.
• Don't avoid chasing money because you don't like the confrontation. If you can't take the right approach to collecting money you shouldn't be in business.
What qualification will I achieve for completing this course?
This is an individual module course. The individual module courses are 100 hour long usually and can be taken on their own or as part of a larger program of study.
If you wish to take an individual module course as a stand alone course, you can elect to sit an optional exam at the end of it.
If you successfully pass the exam and all assignments, you will receive a Statement of Attainment. You can take examinations at a time and location to suit you. If you enrol, you will be sent further information on how to arrange examinations at the end of the course.
If you do not wish to take the exam, you will receive a Course Completion letter when you have passed all assignments.
There is an assignment at the end of each lesson. So for example, if an individual module course contains ten lessons, you will need to complete ten assignments. Assignments can be sent to us via email, post or fax.
Other qualifications, such as certificates, diplomas etc may require examinations to be taken as part of the overall assessment process.
You can find further information on the examinations process by clicking on the “Enrolment” link above.
You can find further information on other courses by clicking on the “Courses” link above.
More Information on ACS Distance Education and our courses
Who are our tutors?
Our tutors are all highly experienced and professional, knowledgeable in their field of study. We have staff from around the world, enabling us to gain a wide variety of perspectives. We have a school in the UK and in Australia. If you would like to have a look at our tutors, then click on the “About Us” in the boxes above and choose “The Staff” option.
Sample Course Notes
Our courses are all written by highly qualified tutors and writers, who also teach on the courses, so know them well. We strive to update our courses and improve them with new information, methods and knowledge on an ongoing basis. If you would like to see examples of some of our courses, then choose the “Enrolment” option above, and then click on “Sample Course Notes”.
What learning method should I choose?
We offer three learning methods – e-learning, correspondence and online. If you are not sure which is the right choose for you, then click on the “Learning” box above, then “Learning Methods.”
How Long will it take to complete the course?
This obviously varies from student to student. Some students will have more time for study than others. Some students may work quicker than others, so it is an individual thing. We estimate that most students will take, for example, 4 – 6 months to complete a 100 hour individual module, but we allow up to 12 months for you to complete it.
Longer courses will obviously take longer. You can find more information on the length of time required and so on the “Enrolment” box, then selecting “Terms and Conditions of Enrolment.”
What Do Our Students think of us?
If you would like to read comments from our previous students, then choose the “About Us” option above, then “Student Testimonials”.
I don’t think this is the right course for me.
If you’re not sure about this course, then why not look at our wide range of other courses. Click on the “Courses” box above.
You may also wish to design your own course to fit in with exactly what YOU want. To do so, click on the “Enrolment” box, then “Design your Own Course”.
If you would like more advice on a course, then you can contact us and ask a tutor about the courses. You can contact us by calling 0800 328 4723 or +44(0) 384 442752 or emailing info@acsedu.co.uk
Recognition and Accreditation
For more information on our recognition and accreditation, click on “The School”, then “Recognition”.
Who is ACS Distance Education?
If you want to know more about ACS and our history, then please click on “The School”, then “About us.”
