BUSI 400 is the strategic planning and business policy capstone of Liberty's BS in Business Administration. All of its graded work is written: two individual and four group assurance of learning exercises on the textbook's Cohesion Case, and two individual and two group case analyses of real business problems.
Liberty's catalog lists the course as BUSI 400 Strategic Planning/Business Policy, 3 credit hours; Canvas and the course guide file print it as BUSI400.
What BUSI 400 covers
The catalog description: This course serves as the capstone for all business administration majors. Students integrate the concepts, techniques, and knowledge of the common professional components (CPC) of business administration. Course topics include a review of the CPC, strategic management theory/practices, and business analysis tools. Additionally, the course requires students to undertake a research project that is discipline-specific to strategic management and business decisions within a business environment.
The capstone integrates the concepts, techniques and knowledge of the common professional components of business administration, with a review of those components, strategic management theory and practice, and business analysis tools. The text is David and David, Strategic Management, whose Cohesion Case runs through the reading with experiential exercises.
Groups are assigned at the end of Week 1. Peer evaluations after each group assignment multiply your group grade by your peer average: a group grade of 100 with a peer average of 80 becomes 80 for you.
Textbook named in the published guide: David & David, Strategic Management (2017). Check the current edition in your Canvas section.
BUSI 400 assignments, week by week
Every graded written assignment in the published guide has its own how-to guide below. Quizzes, exams, checklists and class introductions are left out because there is nothing to write.
| Week | Assignment | Points | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Individual Assurance of Learning Exercise 1 | 125 | Not set in the guide; follow the exercise instructions |
| 2 | Group Assurance of Learning Exercise 1 | 62.5 | Not set in the guide; follow the exercise instructions |
| 3 | Group Assurance of Learning Exercise 2 | 62.5 | Not set in the guide; follow the exercise instructions |
| 4 | Individual Case Analysis 1 | 125 | Not set in the guide; follow the case instructions |
| 5 | Individual Assurance of Learning Exercise 2 | 125 | Not set in the guide; follow the exercise instructions |
| 5 | Group Assurance of Learning Exercise 3 | 62.5 | Not set in the guide; follow the exercise instructions |
| 6 | Group Case Analysis 1 | 125 | Not set in the guide; follow the case instructions |
| 7 | Individual Case Analysis 2 | 125 | Not set in the guide; follow the case instructions |
| 7 | Group Assurance of Learning Exercise 4 | 62.5 | Not set in the guide; follow the exercise instructions |
| 8 | Group Case Analysis 2 | 125 | Not set in the guide; follow the case instructions |
Week 1: Individual Assurance of Learning Exercise 1
An individual experiential exercise applying the week's strategic management concepts to the textbook's Cohesion Case. How to write BUSI 400 Week 1 Individual Assurance of Learning Exercise 1.
Week 2: Group Assurance of Learning Exercise 1
A group experiential exercise on the Cohesion Case, applying the week's chapter. How to write BUSI 400 Week 2 Group Assurance of Learning Exercise 1.
Week 3: Group Assurance of Learning Exercise 2
The second group exercise on the Cohesion Case. How to write BUSI 400 Week 3 Group Assurance of Learning Exercise 2.
Week 4: Individual Case Analysis 1
An individual written report on a textbook case: diagnose the strategic issues, evaluate alternatives and recommend a workable action plan. How to write BUSI 400 Week 4 Individual Case Analysis 1.
Week 5: Individual Assurance of Learning Exercise 2
The second individual exercise on the Cohesion Case. How to write BUSI 400 Week 5 Individual Assurance of Learning Exercise 2.
Week 5: Group Assurance of Learning Exercise 3
The third group exercise on the Cohesion Case. How to write BUSI 400 Week 5 Group Assurance of Learning Exercise 3.
Week 6: Group Case Analysis 1
A group written report on a textbook case: issues, alternatives and an action plan. How to write BUSI 400 Week 6 Group Case Analysis 1.
Week 7: Individual Case Analysis 2
The second individual case report: issues, alternatives and an action plan. How to write BUSI 400 Week 7 Individual Case Analysis 2.
Week 7: Group Assurance of Learning Exercise 4
The last group exercise on the Cohesion Case. How to write BUSI 400 Week 7 Group Assurance of Learning Exercise 4.
Week 8: Group Case Analysis 2
The final group case report, integrating the course's strategic tools into a recommendation and plan. How to write BUSI 400 Week 8 Group Case Analysis 2.
How BUSI 400 is graded
The published guide totals 1,010 points. The two individual assurance of learning exercises, two individual case analyses and two group case analyses are 125 each (750), the four group exercises 62.5 each (250) and the checklist 10. Peer evaluation averages scale each group grade.
| Graded item | Points |
|---|---|
| Individual Assurance of Learning Exercises (2) | 250 |
| Group Assurance of Learning Exercises (4) | 250 |
| Individual Case Analyses (2) | 250 |
| Group Case Analyses (2) | 250 |
| Course Requirements Checklist | 10 |
The published scale puts an A at 900 to 1010 points.
Week timing in the published guide: Each course module/week (except Module/Week 1) begins on Tuesday morning at 12:00 a.m. (ET) and ends on Monday night at 11:59 p.m. (ET). The final module/week ends at 11:59 p.m. (ET) on Friday.
How to approach BUSI 400
Read the Cohesion Case in Week 1 and keep notes on the company's mission, financials and competitors; most exercises apply a chapter's tools to it.
Since peer evaluations scale group grades, agree on roles and deadlines with your group in Week 2 and keep a record of each member's contributions.
Questions students ask
How do BUSI 400 peer evaluations affect grades?
Your group assignment grade is multiplied by your peer evaluation average; for example, a group grade of 100 with a peer average of 80 gives you 80.
What are BUSI 400 case analyses?
Individual and group written reports on real-life business cases from the textbook, diagnosing strategic issues, evaluating alternatives and recommending workable action plans.
Working through BUSI 400 now?
Tell us the week and the assignment. A tutor who knows the course replies with a plan for the draft.