HOW TO
BEGIN THE FIRST TWO WEEKS
Topic/Task
How to begin the first two weeks of a Virtual Enterprise
course.
Recommended Department(s) Responsible:
VE Coordinator
Objective (one to two sentences):
VE Coordinators will understand what items need to be addressed
during the first two weeks of the course.
Timeline:
2-hour program: 1st
two weeks of the course
1-hour program: 1st
two to four weeks of the course
Steps to Complete:
The following is a list of suggestions on topics to address
during the 1st two to three weeks of the virtual enterprise course.
1.
Review 1st quarter tasks on VE website
2.
Submit necessary paperwork for students to access their VE
email.
O VE email
permission form is located in Reports (teacher access only). Print a hard copy and run enough copies for
all of your class
O -Submit
permissions to the VEC
§
NOTE: Email accounts
will only be approved when ALL student applications have been received. DO NOT submit to VEC unless you have ALL of
your student’s completed applications!
3.
Familiarize the students with the CA Virtual Enterprise
website.
O To hold
the students accountable for this assignment, have them write a summary of
their findings. This can be an
individual assignment or a small group assignment. You may choose to have the students give a short oral report on
specific areas of the website.
§
NOTE: The VE Coordinator must be familiar with the CA VE
website.
4.
Research and select a possible business (product or service,
or combination of both)
O As a
class, brainstorm what kind of business the students are interested in opening.
§
Write all ideas on the board and vote as a class.
§
VE Coordinator may recommend a business
§
Discuss pros and cons of each business
·
What is the VE competition?
·
Does anyone have knowledge of the business (including the
coordinator)
·
Is their opportunity for the business to be profitable
O Do Not
select a public utility, such as water, gas, or electricity
O Have the
students research the VE market and determine which markets are flooded and
which markets have limited or no competition.
§
Divide into small groups (ideally, no more than 3 students
per group)
§
Assign each group all or part of a market segment from the
Enterprises marketplace section of the website.
O Have
students/groups report on their findings (written and oral)
5.
Coordinator needs to begin identifying and contacting
potential business partners
O Business
partners can contribute information regarding setting up your company
O Business
partners can be involved with interviewing for management positions
6.
Determine if business is going to be proprietary,
partnership, or a corporation (who owns the business?)
7.
Determine the business structure (department/positions
within the company)
O Create an
organizational chart that includes all company positions
O Standard
departments (major topics and positions within the departments are not all
inclusive):
§
Accounting - all financial records
·
CFO, Accounts Receivable, Accounts Payable, Payroll, Branch
Banking
§
Human resource - all employee records, training, historian,
etc.
·
HR Director, HR Asst.
§
Administration - overall business operations
·
CEO, VP of Administration, Administrative Assistant
§
Sales Department - all sales activity
·
VP Sales, Sales Associates
§
Marketing/Advertising - all publications and product
development
·
VP Marketing, VP Advertising, Marketing Assistant,
Advertising Assistant, Research and Development
§
Information Technology - web design, on-line order form,
staff tech support
8.
Product research and pricing
O Conduct
research on your company’s potential product line
§
Determine what products are to be carried
§
Research competitive pricing
§
Internet research and/or director contact with a real
business
§
NOTE to Coordinator:
If you cannot find wholesale pricing on a particular product, then
contact your business partner to find out industry standard markup
9.
Evaluate room resources and determine departmental
layout/configuration of classroom (once hiring takes place, employees should
sit in their designated departments).
10.
Research and create job descriptions.
O See
curriculum titles “Job Descriptions”
O Research
salary range for specific jobs for your geographical area
11.
Post vacancies announcements for each job (include the
number of employees needed for each position)
O Conduct an
Internet search to determine what elements need to be included in a Vacancy
Announcement.
12.
Have students complete a personality survey. Discuss the differences between the 4 basic
personality types and the effective communication skills when dealing with
those who do not have the same personality.
O There are
various personality surveys available.
Conduct an Internet search to locate free personality surveys available
online.
O Check with
your school career counselor to determine other available sources.
13.
Have students create a resume and cover letter that are
specific to the VE position they are applying for.
14.
Students should complete a job application. A generic job application can be downloaded
from the Internet. (All references must
be genuine.)
15.
Have students acquire 2 letters of recommendation from
adults (non-relative). They are to be
submitted with the job application, cover letter and resume.
16.
Submit resume, cover letter, job application, and letters of
recommendation to the Coordinator
17.
Job Interviews -
O Interviewers
for management positions can be business partners, school administrators,
school counselors, community professionals
§
VE Coordinator may or may not be a participant in the
interview process
§
It is recommended that your interviewer has a vital part in
determining who fills the job position
O Managers
need to interview and hire their staff
18.
Personal Finance - Students are expected to setup and
maintain their own personal finance budget.
O Students
can begin researching
§
Apartment/House (financing, deposits - must be realist cost
and location appropriate to job position.)
If sharing housing expense - recommend only one person per bedroom to
make personal finance expenses more realistic.
NO Section 8 or subsidized housing.
§
Vehicle - type, make, model, year, financing
§
Utilities - No employees qualify for special rate
reductions. (I.e. Universal Lifeline)
§
Auto Insurance - (can be done on-line) Have students print this out and submit as
proof
·
For selected vehicle
·
Assume 18 years old
·
Use real current driving record
·
Not living with parents and not a student
§
Homeowner’s / Renter’s Insurance
§
Internet provider
§
Furnishings
§
Appliances
O Students
must provide written documentation for each personal budget expense listed
above.
O Create a
personal budget. Refer to the
curriculum “Personal Finance”
§
Include all weekly and monthly budget items
·
Each teacher has the responsibility to stimulate the virtual
economy and, as such, weekly budget must include from 3-5 purchases from other
Virtual Enterprises
·
NOTE: Gasoline
(weekly expense)
¨ Gas usage
based on 10-12K miles per year
¨ Gas
mileage is based on vehicle selected city miles (miles per gallon)