Fundamentals of Business
Certificate Program
In this training you will develop a basic understanding of business concepts, including the importance of meeting customer and key stakeholders’ needs. We look inside to identify how businesses work: how they are structured, what functions they perform, the constraints they operate under, and what ultimately enables them to survive and grow. The business concepts in this course apply to for-profit, as well as non-profit organizations.
Module 1 | Business Basics
This module introduces a systems approach to how a business operates. Using this framework, the module examines inputs; value-adding, support, and managerial processes; product creation; government and environmental impacts; and customers.
Module 2 | Inputs, Outputs & Customers
Factors of production refer to all the required inputs needed to create a customer valued product recognizing that a business needs to have the right materials, in the right place, at the right time.
Module 3 | Value-Adding Processes
This module focuses on value-adding processes – research and new product development, production, marketing, distribution, and customer services. These processes are necessary to differentiate goods and services important in developing relationships with customers.
Module 4 | Support Processes
Understanding support is necessary to accomplish business goals. This module distinguishes between the enabling and protecting roles of support processes.
Module 5 | Managerial Processes
This module addresses the managerial functions and skills necessary for effective performance.
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