Legal Environment of Business

Catalog description

Examines the legal system's role and impact regarding business transactions, liability issues, and ownership of intellectual property. Students earning credit for B A 241 may not earn credit toward Smeal College baccalaureate degree for B Law 243 and/or B A 243. B A 241B A 241 Legal Environment of Business (2)As an integral part of planning and management responsibilities, a business decision-maker must be able to identify risks and opportunities from many sources. The legal environment represents a significant segment of the decision-maker's landscape. This survey course is designed to develop the student's awareness and recognition skills with respect to the major inputs in the increasingly complex commercial legal environment. Students in this course will examine the design and function of the U.S. legal system in its roles as protector of property interests and facilitator of business transactions. Alternatives to judicial resolution and enforcement will also be examined. In addition, students will learn about the legal issues affecting the formation and enforcement of business agreements. This will include studying the impact of our economy's continued shift to digital technology for communication and documentation. Finally, tort liability and intellectual property issues from a business perspective will be examined with a special emphasis upon issues created by the Internet's rapid growth. Students earning credit for B A 241 may not earn credit toward a Smeal College baccalaureate degree for B LAW 243 and/or B A 243.