Business Management BA (Hons)

Introduction to Business Management

Students will be introduced to the underlying principles of Business Management that will lay the foundations for progression through the degree. Students will examine what a business is, how it interacts with it’s environment, serves it’s customers and manages competition.  Key topics to be studied include:

Principles of Marketing

Marketing involves strategies and actions companies undertake to draw in customers and maintain relationships with them. This element includes an introduction to marketing, marketing segmentation, communication and promotions strategies and the ‘4Ps’ of marketing.

Skills & Employability

This year will equip students with the fundamental skills for employability. Group-based work will develop ability to work as part of a team, whilst student-led tutorials will enhance competence in relation to interpreting, producing and presenting information in a variety of formats. At the end of this year, students will have the ability to deliver multiple projects within given timescales.  Employability is central to the curriculum across the three years of study and will support students in making them ready for the job market upon graduation.  Business analytics will also be covered within the skills section alongside introductory statistics that will lay the foundations for core research skills.

The Internal and External Environment

Now more than ever, an appreciation and understanding of the wider factors which impact on management decisions and business operations is crucial.  Students will explore the external environment and how this shapes business strategy. Organisational Behaviour will give students the opportunity to explore how the effective performance of groups and teams within organisations can impact on business success.

Microeconomics

Economics is the study of how society manages its scarce resources such as what goods and services should be produced. This topic provides an introduction to microeconomics and covers a range of topics in the discipline such as decisions to be made by firms to manage resources and interact in markets, and economics demand and supply.

Single honours students will also study:

Organisational Structure and the nature of work.

Students are introduced to the main activities of an organization, rules, roles, and responsibilities of employees, and how structures are designed for information flows to accomplish the goals of an organization.

Management Information systems

This introduces students to the use of data from multiple systems and how information is analyzed to generate reports to aid in management decision-making.

Consumer Behaviour

This block is mainly focused on the role of individuals, groups, and organizations and all major functions associated with the acquisition and use of services and goods.

Economics

This topic covers economic systems and shows how markets, demand, and supply affect resource distribution. It studies how individuals, businesses, governments, and nations make choices about how to allocate resources.

Digital Marketing

This topic focusses on how organisations are increasingly using digital technologies and platforms to market and promote their services. Students will explore the processes of promoting brands through the use of the internet and various platforms of digital communication such as social media, and web-based advertising with potential customers.

Explorations in Business Management

In year two, students will be introduced to the dynamic relationship between a variety of business functions and management. This will allow them to consider the operational challenges facing contemporary organisations.  Single honours students will also consider the wider international, economic and ethical framework within which organisations operate.

Entrepreneurship

Students will be equipped with not only the understanding of enterprise, but also an appreciation of how different components of a business interrelate.  Students will be given the opportunity to take part in the Young Enterprise initiative which gives a flavour of the ‘real life’ challenges involved in setting up and running a business.

Key Business Functions

The key functions of Human Resource Management, Finance and operations Management will be studied by students in the second year.  This will cover key HRM practice from recruitment and selection to performance management.  Students will also study underlying principles of Accounting and Finance.  This covers the essential building blocks of understanding how company accounts are put together and interpreted.  Finally, as business functions become ever more complex, the core function of operations management will be studied.

Research Methods

In preparation for the research dissertation or project in year 3, students will be introduced to the methods required for undertaking independent research. This will cover the key steps required to operationalise a research question including research philosophy, sampling approaches, data collection and analysis and research ethics.

Students studying Single Honours Business Management will also study:

Future of work

The ‘Future of work’ introduces students to the impact of geopolitical, economic, social, and technological forces on the world of work, business, and organisations, ending with a brief introduction to the impact of AI (artificial intelligence) on professional work. 

International Business

In the International Business topic, students explore the impact of globalisation on markets and production by looking at relevant theory and applying it to various industries. Students analyse the challenges and opportunities faced by organisations operating internationally and how these issues shape international strategy.  Students will also consider how contemporary economic models operate within an international environment.  

Corporate & Social Responsibility and Ethics

Students are introduced to the concept of business ethics, its importance in the contemporary business world and the application of ethical principles and theories to organisations. In addition, normative and descriptive ethical theories are taught to students and how they can be applied to given business situations.

Employment law

The fundamentals of employment law and how they relate to Human Resource Policy & practice are covered in this topic.  Legislation in relation to discrimination is considered alongside notions of unconscious bias and diversity in the workplace. Students also explore Health and Safety at work with a particular focus on stress management and well-being at work.

Project Management

In this block, students are introduced to the stages of the Project Management life cycle, potential risks associated with project management, various tools, and different project management methodologies and their application to real-world business situations.

Contemporary Economic Models

This block provides students with an introduction to macroeconomic concepts, an understanding of the concept of GDP, how it is measured and its shortcoming, with an insight into a distinction between nominal and real values. Finally, students learn about the determinants of long-term economic growth--state policies in influencing economic growth

Advanced Studies in Business Management

Students will take on more strategic, global and contemporary perspectives in the final year. They will also undertake a research project/dissertation on an organisational issue of their choice. At this point, the course will adopt a more strategic lens, through which to consider the nature and scope of business and management in an ever changing, increasingly global and dynamic context.

Both academic and professional competence will be refined in the final year. Critical evaluation is a key component at this level of study and this will lay the foundations for reflective thinkers and practitioners. The undertaking of an individual research project or dissertation will help students develop a proactive mind-set that will prepare them for the world of work or further study.  Topics covered in the third year include:

Management Strategy

Management strategy enables students to develop an understanding of how organisations plan, monitor, analyse and assess the necessities that they need to achieve their goals. The topic helps to understand the role of evaluating current strategies of an organization, reviewing its internal structures, setting objectives for the future and analyzing the actions of competitors in order to achieve sustainable competitive advantage in the marketplace

Sustainability

In business, sustainability refers to doing business without negatively impacting the environment, community, or society as a whole.  In this block, students will explore the effect that business has on society and on the environment be that positively or negatively.

Students choose 2 out of 3 from the following topics:

• Leadership
• Talent Development
• Operations & Logistics

Single Honours students will also study:

Social Entrepreneurship

In the Social Entrepreneurship topic students develop their understanding of the social economy, building on foundations in business ethics, entrepreneurship and business in society, from the previous two undergraduate years.  The course element covers the characteristics of social entrepreneurs; alternative models of social enterprise; an introduction to the meaning and practice of social-solidarity economy; and social enterprise for societal change.  Students are exposed to a range of critical theories and practice case studies, on which to develop their own critical and analytical skills in commenting on the operation of a leading social enterprise of their own choice.

Globalisation

In the Globalisation topic, students develop a critical understanding of globalisation in the context of economic and social development. They examine key topical debates including the impact of globalisation on economic growth, poverty, inequality and the environment. 

Evolving Work

The world of work is evolving faster than ever, with technology being a significant force of change. The Evolving Work topic seeks to understand the implications of this change for work and employment and how organisations can adapt to it. It aims to provide students with insights into technological change (with a particular focus on AI) from all dimensions of the future of work and what it holds for society and business, from both a historical and forward-looking perspective

• *Final Year Dissertation