Academic Catalog

HORT 55A: GREEN INDUSTRY MANAGEMENT: BUSINESS PRACTICES

Foothill College Course Outline of Record

Foothill College Course Outline of Record
Heading Value
Effective Term: Summer 2022
Units: 3
Hours: 3 lecture per week (36 total per quarter)
Degree & Credit Status: Degree-Applicable Credit Course
Foothill GE: Non-GE
Transferable: CSU
Grade Type: Letter Grade Only
Repeatability: Not Repeatable

Student Learning Outcomes

  • Discuss common management problems and potential solutions.
  • Prepare a written business or stategic management plan.

Description

Introductory survey of green industry management and business practices. Geared to people in such fields as landscape construction, nursery management, and landscape design, this course focuses on helping individuals successfully organize, manage, and/or market their agency or small business. The course utilizes both a theoretical and hands-on approach to the application of common business principles.

Course Objectives

The student will be able to:

  1. Demonstrate knowledge of common green industry business organizational structures.
  2. Analyze personal and professional traits to determine suitable business organizational and management styles.
  3. Analyze the existing assets and liabilities of a business.
  4. Demonstrate knowledge of the elements of business and organizational planning, marketing, public relations, and financing.
  5. Discuss human resource development and management.
  6. Prepare a written business or strategic management plan.

Course Content

  1. Identify common business structure for the green industry
    1. Self employment
    2. Partnerships
    3. Corporations
  2. Self-assessment research and process
    1. Determination of individual strengths and weaknesses
    2. Compare individual traits to requirements of various business structures
  3. Organizational financial analysis
    1. Profit and loss
    2. Balance sheet
    3. Cash flow analysis
  4. Standard techniques in green business operations
    1. Financing
    2. Strategic planning
    3. Management styles and policies
    4. Goal setting
    5. Marketing and public relations
    6. Developing a strategic and/or business plan
    7. Legal requirements
    8. Liability protection
    9. Business development
    10. Taxes
  5. Managing employees and human resources
    1. Hiring
    2. Motivation
    3. Management
  6. Writing a business plan
    1. Content
    2. Strategies

Lab Content

Not applicable.

Special Facilities and/or Equipment

1. Design laboratory with multi-media projection system.
2. When taught online, on-going access to computer with email and internet access.

Method(s) of Evaluation

Methods of Evaluation may include but are not limited to the following:

Participation through attendance
Exercises and assignments
Midterm examination
Business or strategic plan
Final examination

Method(s) of Instruction

Methods of Instruction may include but are not limited to the following:

Lectures
Discussions
Guest speakers
Assigned reading activities
Self-guided research

Representative Text(s) and Other Materials

Huston, James. How to Price Landscape and Irrigation Projects. 2014.

Even though this text is more than five years old, it is considered a standard in the industry.

Types and/or Examples of Required Reading, Writing, and Outside of Class Assignments

  1. Reading assignments will include reading approximately 30-50 pages per week from assigned text. Supplemental reading will be provided in hand-out form or through reference to online resources
  2. Writing assignments include:
    1. Topical white papers
    2. Preparation of business plan
  3. Other:
    1. Lectures will address reading topics and experiences of instructor. Classroom discussion and demonstrations in support of lecture topics will be provided
    2. Guest speakers from industry will provide supplemental lecture and demonstration

Discipline(s)

Ornamental Horticulture