Business and Management BA (Hons) module details
Year one | Year two | Year three
Year one
Financial Decision Making
This module is designed to give a very generalised introduction to the wide area of Accounting in a deliberately non-technical manner. It is intended to concentrate on the use of financial information as opposed to the deep methodological basis of accounting practice.
Introduction to Enterprise and Entrepreneurship
This module introduces the student to Entrepreneurship and Enterprise and embraces both an understanding of the characteristics of the former, and the basic elements of setting up the latter.The module begins by having students explore their own life journey and progresses with an investigation into the real world of business looking at necessary theory and models to help the student understand the similarities and differences between Entrepreneurs, Entrepreneurialism, and Enterprise.
The module progresses through a variety of assessments concluding with a fascinating challenge to 'pit their wits' in front of real entrepreneurs, in an assignment known as 'The Fox's Lair'®. This is a unique opportunity for students to present their new business idea in front of entrepreneurs, in a 10 minute 'pitch' followed by questions and answers. There is a Mini Oscars Award Ceremony after assessment of the teams with a substantial sponsored prize for the winning Business Group
Global Business and Finance
This highly applied introductory module is designed to develop in the student an interest, knowledge and appreciation of current global economic/business issues and the challenges that they pose for management. The module allows students to examine world business issues with an emphasis upon their financial aspects.It enables the student to analyse and measure real economic/business issues by drawing upon a foundation of theory. The module also promotes an understanding of policy formulation against the background of contemporary economic/business events. Policies of government, companies as well as consumers will be focussed upon.
Introduction to Work and Organisations
Introduction to Work and Organisations introduces students to a range of mainstream and more critical theories and research in the wider field of Organisational Behaviour. This module draws insights from psychology, political science, social psychology, anthropology, economics and sociology. This course will introduce you to some of the central theories and frameworks in the work and organisational theory, and will tie them to concrete organizational situations.
Understanding Business
All organisations, irrespective of size, product, industry or sector, have both an internal and an external environment. This module focuses on organisations within a business context. In particular, the module examines organisations' internal environments, paying special attention to the way’s businesses structure themselves (organisationally and legally), the key processes they engage in (planning, growing, innovating) and the main business functions commonly found (for example, marketing, finance, human resources, operations and logistics). Influences on the internal environment of the business such as culture and communication are identified. The module also examines some of the major external influences affecting the business organisation and seeks to demonstrate how this external context has implications for the firm's internal environment (for example competition, social and economic factors, technological change).
Principles of Marketing
The Principles of Marketing module is intended to provide both an introduction to the topic as well as providing you with a basic grounding in the theory and practice of marketing as a business management discipline. The course is designed to give you the opportunity to learn about the simple mechanics of the subject and to give you practical exercises in how to use the techniques presented to you.
Academic Development and Professional Practice
This module is designed to support you in the development of your academic study skills. It aims to complement the professional practice opportunities available throughout the course and to provide you with the skills necessary to maximise on your graduate employability.
Year two
Contemporary Management
This is the introductory course in management and operations. The course is designed to provide students with an overview of the management function and its role in organisations and society. The module will introduce the latest management ideas, theories and practice in an interesting and relevant manner, whilst still retaining the best of traditional management thinking. It will also focus on the operations function, which is at the heart of all enterprises, whether manufacturing or service based. Unless this core function is carried out effectively, there is little hope that the rest of the organization as a whole will be effective.
Business and Sustainability
What role does or should the business sector play in sustainable development? If corporations are expected to contribute towards the realisation of a more sustainable, responsible and equitable society, what does this mean in practice, and how does this align with corporate goals of economic growth and profit maximisation?
This module addresses these important questions and equips students with a sound understanding of sustainability in the business context. It first highlights how the transformation in the global political economy has given rise to debates about the nature and role of business in society. It then examines the changing expectations of business and how managers have responded to calls for greater social and environmental sustainability. It will also highlight some of the key debates in the sustainability field such as the drivers of corporate responsibility, the extent of responsibility, the governance and implementation of sustainability, and sustainable business models.
Plus, option modules from the following indicative list:
Performance Measurement in Organisations
This module examines the measurement of organisational performance in the commercial, public and not for profit sectors. It examines financial and non-financial measures looking at social accounting and ethics as well as traditional accounting frameworks. It develops the critical and analytical skills in recognising the inter-relationships between accounting and non-financial performance and operations of organisations. It will look at commercial organisation’s charities and other not-for-profit enterprises and will involve considerable in-depth studies of specific organisations. The module also examines the mechanisms for internal performance measurement and the achievement of managerial performance when making decisions.
Business Research and Analytics
The Business Research and Analysis module provides an overview of the research process in business. It equips students with the necessary tools and techniques to prepare a business research proposal, execute this proposal, and analyse and interpret the data. It prepares students to analyse business problems and opportunities in general via a rigorous research process. After completing this module, students should have developed a critical mind and the research skills necessary for evaluation, synthesis and analysis. The module encourages students to become better independent learners. This module will include lectures, workshops, tutorials, and computer laboratory work. The lectures explain and illustrate concepts and theories in business research. The tutorials provide opportunities for small group discussions and project presentation. The computer laboratory allows students to practice the use of Microsoft Excel in resolving managerial issues.
European Business Issues
This module focuses upon the growth strategies firms and institutions / regulatory frameworks that restrain their excesses but may jeopardise growth. Horizontal / vertical integration, and diversification and growth, by merger, acquisition, joint ventures and strategic alliances will be discussed. The regulatory frameworks of the UK, EU and selected European countries will be examined, in particular; competition, trade and monetary policies impact on business of EU Budget spend. Theoretical models that underpin development of these frameworks will be evaluated, such as concepts of contestable markets, market failure and information asymmetry. Integration and intra-EU bloc activity at the possible expense of globalisation opportunities will be discussed. Role and place of the nation state will be discussed via the regulatory institutional material.
The Creative Art of Selling and Negotiation
The Creative Art of Selling and Negotiation is a 15 credit, second year, option module. In this module you will look at the evolution of selling and negotiation techniques over the past century and analyse how they can be enhanced and adapted to fit the modern digital age of selling. In this module you will also have the opportunity to develop and enhance your business negotiation skills.
Human Resource Management in the Workplace
The module will focus on the analysis of the application of HRM practices within contemporary organisations. The module enables students to start to look and think more critically about Human Resource Management as a body of theory and practice. The Module lays downs the underpinnings of the requirements for achieving membership of the CIPD upon completion of the programme by setting HR theory firmly within the realms of HR practice and delivery. The function is set forth as a strategically important function and key practices are scrutinised through a critically reflective analysis. Drawing on theoretical, empirical and case study material, students will explore key areas of HRM including how it is applied in the workplace and how workers, line managers and, indeed, HR professionals themselves are affected by and respond to HRM initiatives.
International Marketing
The International Marketing module equips students with an introductory view of the complexities of trading abroad, and applying previously learned Marketing tools.
On completion of this module you should understand the complexity of international marketing, and the idiosyncratic operation in different geographical environments, and the key terms and concepts associated with the international marketing literature.
This module addresses global issues and describes concepts relevant to all international marketers, regardless of the extent of their international involvement. The module reviews marketing strategy from a managerial, a firm and a country perspective. It provides the transition for students to progress from a purely domestic approach towards the firm, to consider methods for operating in an overseas market, or in a domestic market with increasing competition from abroad.
Government and Business
The relationship between government and business is important both for the development and delivery of public policies and for the successful operation of businesses in Britain. This module examines the nature of the relationship and the interactions between government and business in Britain set within a wider European and Global context. Topics to be considered include: role of politics, markets and regulation, Globalisation, European business policy, business, the environment and sustainable development, Social responsibility and corporate governance, power of business, promotion of business competitiveness, e-business and e-government, rise of regulatory state, and the regulation of business activity. These and other topics will be developed through lectures, videos, case studies and interactive classes involving student presentations, groups and individual exercises. This module is designed for those students who are interested in how public policy is shaped by business needs and interests and those business students who want to understand the wider political and policy context within which business operates.
Business and Finance Essentials
To develop an awareness of the major underlying finance concepts that facilitate the business world and the markets they operate in. An evaluation of the relevance of financial theory to contemporary finance issues within the framework of the differing forms of market efficiencies. An increasing ability to qualitatively evaluate numerical data will be a prevailing theme throughout the module.
A numeric ability to use mathematical and statistical techniques to underpin the fundamental concepts necessary at year 2. Essential prerequisite knowledge for any advanced studies of the subject. Compliments basic financial and management accounting knowledge. Familiarity with the day to day major financial events and use of newspaper/online data essential.
Progressive Franchising
Growth in the franchised sector of business has developed phenomenally over the past few years and offers individuals of all lifestyles the opportunity of owning and running their own business; moreover, the opportunities for post-graduate ownership of franchises have never been greater. The purpose of this module is giving students the skills set to be able to own a franchised business and maximise the potential thereof. The module will explore the issues related to the purchase of business-format franchising such as: understanding the legalities of the franchise agreement; promotion in franchised businesses; micro and macro environmental assessment in franchising; staff recruitment/management in franchisee businesses; systematisation and procedural adherence, risk/reward management, growth management, expansion and building ongoing security for the business; and funding expansion.
Global Operations and Supply Chain Management
Global Operations and Supply Chain Management (GOSCM) plays a vital role in improving productivity and competitive positioning of a wide variety of businesses around the globe. The appreciation of operations and supply chain processes is of the essence to create a competitive advantage through operations in the marketplace. A data- driven and analytics perspectives are vital to success for supply chain analysts in top performing firms. Above all, successful managers often take advantage of analytics approach to apprehend and select the proper strategies through the decision- making process.
This module provides students with high-level managerial and analytical topics, leading to an understanding of what these topics are, why they are crucial to organisations, and how organisations are successfully implementing and integrating them. It aims to introduce the most important concepts and techniques facing operation and supply chain managers as well as to analyse real-world applications in both the manufacturing and service organisations.
Business Law
This module is designed to supply the non-law student with a working understanding of some of the major legal issues which arise in business. The module covers the formation and contents of contracts and the remedies for any breach of contract. The module also covers the law of negligence.
Year three
Global Contemporary Business Issues
This module is designed to critically evaluate how current world issues in both economics and politics affect business management and performance. There is a strong initial emphasis upon analysing the causes of major world events and examining the various scenarios that these events confront business managers with.
Global Strategic Management
This module equips students with a critical and comprehensive understanding of the nature and meaning of corporate strategy. Using this knowledge, students will be able to assess the strategic position of corporations operating in complex global markets. In the early stages of the module, the concepts and tools necessary for critical strategic analysis are introduced and discussed. Students are then encouraged to apply these concepts and tools to analyse specific strategic issues and challenges that affect contemporary business operations. In addition to this, the module outlines key contemporary strategic issues such as mergers and acquisitions, strategic alliances, and knowledge management. A strong focus is placed throughout on the management of change, organisational learning, and strategy development and implementation.
Plus, option modules from the following indicative list:
International Developments in Accounting
This module will look at the ever-changing area of financial accounting and corporate reporting. It will consider the different approaches to developing accounting rules and regulations used across the world as well as technological and reporting developments which have been implemented recently or are currently in discussion. It will also consider the impact of globalisation and the internationalisation of the accounting market on the stakeholders of a business.
Service Operations Management
This module explores the management of processes that deliver service in all of its aspects - service outcomes, service experiences and in the case of public sector organisations, public value. The key focus of the module is on the operations decisions that managers face in marshalling their resources to deliver and improve service in this wide meaning. This module differs from CORP 2165 Contemporary Management in that it deals exclusively with service. New topics, frameworks and techniques are introduced whilst some aspects dealt with in CORP 2165 are developed in the context of service organisations.
Crisis and Business Continuity Management
The module challenges participants to take a counter-intuitive but important step in their business education - to consider how organisations are exposed to, and deal with, crises and business interruptions. The module synthesises two essential components, each of which have underlying theory and practice - crisis management and business continuity management.
Through the duration of the module, students will immerse themselves in crisis and business continuity management theory and practice, having an opportunity to demonstrate their fomentation of knowledge and skills in critical, applied and real-time manners.
Creative Management and Marketing
This module aims to introduce students to 'new ways of seeing' their external and internal business environments through creative perspectives. It uses experiential learning such as cross - cultural negotiations, to encourage students to apply contemporary concepts of managing relationships in global industry networks. The module uses both creative management and creative marketing philosophies to illuminate the processes behind ground breaking innovations that transform industries. It also examines new approaches to customer relationship management from a network perspective, such as the growing reliance by organisations on crowdsourcing.
Globalisation and International HRM
This module examine how global capitalism is challenging established patterns of work and employment in different parts of the world. It enables students to develop a critical, theoretically informed understanding of how and why employment practices vary across countries and how national employment systems are affected by pressures generated by globalization. The module looks at employment systems of countries such as China, India, US, Germany and Japan and the role and impact of different national contexts on the changing nature of human resource management.
Managing Change and Innovation
This module looks into how businesses manage change and innovation that is essential for its growth, survival and success. This module offers an integrative view of managing innovation, comprising a variety of perspectives, to provide students with a robust understanding of the innovation process and equip students with the knowledge and skills crucial to increasing their probability of successfully managing innovation in the workplace.
Critical Analysis of Organisations*
Customer Management
Corporate Social Responsibility and Business Ethics
The almost daily reports of corporate wrongdoing have raised serious concerns about the role and responsibilities of business. In particular, it has brought into sharp focus the processes and practices within corporations and how (un/ethical) decisions are made. Recognising that managers shape, and are shaped by, organisational processes this module focuses on responsibility and ethics at both the organisational and managerial level. It will equip students with a sound grasp of key concepts in corporate social responsibility and their application within business practice. It will also explore ethical issues that corporate decision-makers face and the causes and consequences of (un)ethical decision-making.
Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship
The scale of current social and environmental problems requires steady flows of new entrepreneurial and innovative solutions. This module aims to develop an understanding of a spectrum of ways for entrepreneurship and innovation to be a positive driver of social change and sustainable solutions. The module introduces students to concepts and debates in the field of social entrepreneurship from a theoretical and practical point of view. Students will have the opportunity to explore and examine the taught material upon the experiences of real social entrepreneurs (guest speakers), as well as their own work creating an innovative solution to a real local social issue.
Reflective Business Practice*
Strategy and Management Dissertation
When a student undertakes a dissertation he/she is offered the opportunity to pursue the independent study of a topic of his/her choice. It is a small-scale piece of research that can be completed in the amount of time that a student would spend in and out of class on a regular 30 credit module. To a very large extent a student controls the learning process and the time management of the dissertation process, with some supervisor support.
The dissertation process has two parts. The first part involves the completion of a Literature Review: the second part the completion of the whole dissertation. A Literature Review requires a student to undertake a critical assessment or critical discussion of relevant published information about a particular topic or subject area.