This option is available within the Business Administration major at the following locations:

• Corvallis
• Ecampus

Family businesses are the dominant form of economic organization within the state of Oregon and the Pacific Northwest. It is vital to understand the dynamics within a family business to arm family members and non-family consultants and executives with the knowledge they need to help the family firm succeed.

The curriculum of the Family Business option is intended to prepare students for leadership positions within a family firm. With a focus on entrepreneurship, it offers students the opportunity to develop their entrepreneurial talents while providing a solid foundation on the risks and challenges facing a family firm, including finances, legal issues, marketing and succession planning. The curriculum will prepare future family business leaders to balance the well-being of the business, the family, and individuals, as they address the challenges and opportunities which inevitably arise, day to day and during succession.

Option Code: 786

Upon successful completion of the program, students will meet the following learning outcomes:

• Recognize entrepreneurial opportunities for new business ventures and evaluate their potential for business success.
• Understand the implementation issues including financial, legal, operational and administrative procedures involved in starting new business ventures.
• Communicate effectively and professionally in business situations through physical or virtual presence, writing, speaking, listening, and electronic media.
• Demonstrate the ability to lead by using team building skills and facilitating collaborative behaviors in the accomplishment of group goals and objectives.
• Recognize basic concepts and theories related to business ethics and social responsibility.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the ethical behavior appropriate to specific business situations.
• Identify and analyze business problems and opportunities and formulate recommendations for courses of action.
• Use quantitative and qualitative tools and methodologies to support organizational decision making.
• Assess how organizations create value in their global supply chains through the integrated production and distribution of goods, services and information.
• Describe the concept of competitive advantage and how it may be achieved through strategic and tactical methods.
• Analyze the information content of organizational processes.
• Define markets and apply marketing concepts and principles using a customer focus to effectively sell products and services.
• Recognize and appropriately respond to ethical, legal and strategic concerns relating to human resource and organizational management.
• Make basic investment and financing decisions for a business using financial management concepts, and methods.

The Family Business option requires a total of 24 credits beyond the undergraduate business core.

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Students in this option must complete BA 352 and (BA 223 or BA 390) in the major with a grade of C or higher

Option Code: 786