Business Management with Foundation Year

This module is designed to support students with the transition to university, the development of the academic skills and attributes necessary for successful future study and the foundations of a developing sense of vocation.  Through a carefully structured and scaffolded series of seminars and workshops, students will be supported in building their self-awareness of, and confidence in, themselves as active learners.  Delivered in the context of their subject area and aligned with the development of academic skills and attributes required across all Foundation Year modules, workshops will focus on academic skills such as referencing, selecting and using valid academic resources, reading/researching for academic purposes, using feedback constructively and gaining confidence in contributing to discussions and debates.  Coordinated assessment points across the Foundation Year experience enables this module to provide students with ongoing support and opportunities to practice and develop their skills and confidence with a range of written and oral assessment types relevant to their subject area as they progress through the year.

This module is designed to raise students’ knowledge and competence in commercial awareness and digital skills so that they will be able to cope with the necessary demands of the undergraduate business and computing degrees.  Students will be trained in a range of business and digital skills, reflecting and discussing how the development of their IT skills can enable future success at university and in the workplace.

This module introduces students to business management as an academic discipline through exploring a range of approaches, theories and contemporary themes.  Specifically, students will study a range of topics and begin to understand the ways in which strategy, people, markets, finance, and ethical issues are entwined with, and impact upon, responsible business. 

Whatever a student’s future career, there are certain professional skills that are required in the workplace. This module provides opportunities to acquire and apply essential skills for academic success, while also developing digital skills that are a prerequisite for a successful career. Students will practice, and build confidence in wide ranging skills, as part of their transition into higher education. By establishing and pursuing a personal development plan, students develop a set of personal qualities such as self-awareness, confidence and resilience; and professional skills such as communication, teamwork, risk management, coaching and feedback. Whilst students learn to construct outstanding CVs and professional LinkedIn profiles, this module also aims to raise students’ digital skills competencies. The module will cover the general Microsoft Office suite and specific digital skills of particular relevance to the discipline that the student is studying. This module is taught as a mix of lectures, practitioner guest lectures, hands-on skills seminars and computer lab sessions.

An important aspect for a contemporary business is to adhere to the requirements of responsible and ethical management. Due to the rapid changes and current dynamics in the environmental and social arenas, shareholder demands develop swiftly. This module prepares the students as future managers and business owners to react to these demands in a prompt, agile and responsible manner. Even in a world of AI and technological advancement, work is not possible without human planning and interaction. Much what is at stake in business organisations depends on the behaviour of groups and their individual members. Late developments in the disciplines of psychology and organisational behaviour help us to understand the significance of considering human behaviour in recruiting and retaining skilled workforce and talent. Apart from the above, the module provides practical insights into the foundations of the entire process of human resource management by addressing major contemporary issues such as diversity, inclusion and equality of opportunity at the workplace.

This module equips non-accounting students with the basic financial skills and understanding of economics at both personal and macro levels. This will support their learning through their management-related degree studies, and also the management of their own finances. The module introduces principles and concepts of economics and this sets the scene on markets and the motivations of human beings and their decisions in becoming ‘better off’: the module will examine how the economics relates to and can determine a person and a country’s well-being. Fundamental financial processes will include analysis of financial statements, knowledge of cost behaviours and forecasting, financial decision making such as how to price a product or service. The module allows students to bring together their financial skills by preparing extracts from a business plan as part of an application for finance.

This module introduces the concepts, theories, and practices of marketing. It explores the meaning and scope of modern marketing as both a management philosophy and a business function. The module contains three components. 

MARKETING PRINCIPLES 

Marketing concepts are examined in depth, emphasising the importance of aligning marketing strategies with market demands. Students are encouraged to develop a critical marketing perspective, considering the broader impact of marketing on the economy, society, and the environment. 

MARKETING RESEARCH 

Students will learn the fundamental methodologies and techniques collecting, analysing, and interpreting data. It equips them with the necessary skills to conduct valuable research and contribute to evidence-based marketing practices in today's fast-paced business environment. Students will gain a deep understanding of how marketing research offers valuable insights into consumer behaviour, market trends, and competition. 

CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR 

Students will explore contemporary consumer behaviour theory and its relevance in marketing management, decision-making, and societal contexts. Various disciplinary perspectives, including economics, psychology, sociology, and cultural anthropology, are examined to reveal the motivations underlying consumer behaviour.  

This module enables students to develop their understanding and competence in using diverse research methods for academic and professional purposes. Students will explore a variety of research approaches and will develop practical qualitative and quantitative research skills including defining and scoping a project; designing an effective and manageable research protocol; collecting data and using appropriate analysis methods. In addition, students will develop an appreciation of ethical implications of the research process to facilitate responsible research practice. Secondly this module aims to introduce students to the key stages required to complete an applied project from concept to delivery. Students will be taught how to manage a project and contribute effectively as a member of a project team, using ideas generation techniques and problem-solving skills to develop innovative solutions to business problems. This module contributes to the students continued professional development as students will gain key insights into how to perform technical process improvement tasks in a range of environments to solve business problems.

The ongoing success, and sustainability, of established organisations often depends on their ability to generate innovative products and services. New and early-stage ventures typically rely upon radically different ideas to gain a critically important foothold in the market. Furthermore, it is also essential for business success, that an organisation is then able to leverage the global business opportunities that creativity can provide. Thus, the ability to communicate and work with others in a multicultural, diverse, and ever-changing environment is key.  

The module will challenge students to develop their creative and critical thinking skills, to engage in design-thinking processes and to employ a user-centred approach to innovation. It will also provide students with the key skills and knowledge to allow them to apply international business management communications principles to complex scenarios in an International organisational context. 

Excellent project management, efficient day to day operations, and a reliable, sustainable supply chain are at the heart of a successful businesses. This module explores the role and purpose of each, with a focus on project initiation, the principles of Sustainable Operations and Supply Chain Management and the opportunity to gain a professional Lean Foundation qualification. 

• Performance Marketing - 30 credits
• Financial Management - 30 credits
• Project Management: Application and Implementation - 15 credits
• Project Management: Monitoring and Control - 15 credits
• Be Your Own Boss - 15 credits
• Disruptive Business Innovation - 15 credits
• Web Development - 15 credits
• Volunteering - 15 credits

This module provides a holistic overview of strategic management from a global perspective and aims to develop informed, critical, and responsible managers who can lead others in an effective and ethical way, aligned with their values. 

Drawing upon traditional academic theories and current debates, the module evaluates the relationship between strategic analysis, strategic formulation, strategic implementation, and business performance in the global arena. Furthermore, students will develop a systematic understanding of the key issues and concepts in the leadership, change [including formulating and executing change as well as overcoming resistance to change], and crises with a critical perspective.  

The module examines how external and internal factors influence strategic decisions and how strategic choices contribute to an organisation’s performance in an increasingly dynamic and hyper-competitive environment. In the module  

On completion of the module, students will be able to apply different strategic management tools to analyse and evaluate the strategic position of firms, develop a set of alternative strategies that will enable a firm to become or remain competitive in the national and global marketplace and recommend how organisational systems should be aligned to support a firm’s national and international strategic direction.  In addition, students should be able to critically evaluate why and how ethical leadership is important and how it guides organisations through change and crises from a practical, ethical and international perspective. 

• Capstone Project: Dissertation - 30 credits
• Capstone Project: Consultancy Project- 30 credits   
• Capstone Project: Placement For Good- 30 credits
• Capstone Project: Start Up For Good- 30 credits
• From Idea to Success: Your Business Start Up- 30 credits
• Advanced Project Management- 30 credits
• Investments and Financial Risk Management- 30 credits
• Brand and Innovation Management- 30 credits
• Social Media Marketing- 30 credits