This module will teach you the most essential analytical tools required for economic decision making such as: the concepts of economic systems, profit and utility maximisation, demand elasticity, market equilibrium, market structures, macroeconomic objectives, government policies’ (monetary, fiscal and trade policies) tools and their impact on businesses. You will also learn how to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages to the business of a range of sources of finance, how managers report on the financial affairs and financial position of the business, and how to analyse financial reports in order to evaluate business performance.

Learning Outcomes for module:

• Evaluate the contribution of HRM activities to organisational effectiveness and the impact of the changing context of work on HRM.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the key HR activities and the way in which these integrate to achieve organisational objectives and a critical insight into the current developments impacting on these.
• Identify HR strategies, policies & practice appropriate to the needs of different organisations.

The module will cover the following content:

• Organisation strategy and Strategic Leadership
• Determining the Strategic Direction: Mission Vision and Values
• Strategic Decision-making in Practice
• Transformational Leadership Approaches and Emotional Intelligence
• The Leader-Follower Relationship
• Team Leadership
• Strategic Decision-Making in Innovative Contexts
• Creating Systemic innovation
• Authentic and Sustainable Leadership
• Current Trends in Strategic Leadership

Learning Outcomes for module:

• Examine and critique the underlying principles of key leadership theories
• Critically review how effective leaders foster an innovation culture in organisations
• Explore the dynamics underpinning the leader-follower relationship in organisations
• Review and critically the strategic role of leaders within organisations

This module focuses on the behaviour of people at work by placing an emphasis on understanding the vital importance of managing change and culture. It covers two broad areas, namely:

• Organisational Behaviour: attitudes; perception; motivation; groups and teams; leadership; management of transformational change; power, politics and conflict; and
• Managerial Process and Skills: activities designed to develop skills relating to the management of people, including corporate social responsibility

By the end of the module you will have developed an appreciation of the dynamics of working organisations in a rapidly evolving business environment by planning and carrying forward system-wide change programmes.

Learning Outcomes for module:

• Apply organisational behaviour theory to the business context.
• Critically analyse the factors influencing individual behaviour in organisations.
• Evaluate the nature, role and tasks of people management; identify effective management practice and skills.
• Identify and analyse trends in transformational change management in organisations.
• Demonstrate through analysis and synthesis a robust understanding of International Leadership and management theories and concepts

Overall the module emphasises the concept of the integrative nature of business and what matters most, in the need and desire to create and sustain business excellence, performance that can endure in the complex, global business environment.

Learning Outcomes for module:

• Critically evaluate elements of an organisation’s strategic objectives through performance measurement using appropriate performance measurement frameworks and tools (e.g. the Balanced Scorecard, EFQM)
• Critically investigate and appraise the role of operations management & strategy, project management & the significance of modern supply chain management practice to the delivery of customer value, social and environmental impact and the building of high performance organisations.
• Critically investigate and appraise the impact of the philosophy of ‘lean’ operations & supply practice and models of quality and performance management with specific reference to the principles and practice of operational improvement and contribution to an organisation’s success.
• Critically evaluate the global marketing concept and strategy within marketing environments and consumer & organisational buyer behaviour
• Critically assess the ethical and responsible marketing principles, the influence of marketing research, international market segmentation managing the international marketing mix & brand development upon marketing activities in different international marketing environments.
• Evaluate the ways in which changes within the global economy might impact upon marketing strategies.

The focus of this module is to develop critical thinking and problem solving skills to prepare you for a range of challenges in your academic and professional career. Specifically, the emphasis is on developing research skills that will equip you with the expertise to undertake relevant and topical research allied to your dissertation. The core material covers:

• critiquing academic and practitioner research from a range of published sources,
• developing tools and techniques for writing a critical literature review,
• methodological considerations,
• research design,
• research ethics,
• qualitative and quantitative methods of data collection,
• manual and computer-based techniques of data analysis and,
• evaluating and communicating your research.

Learning Outcomes for module:

• Select and critically review relevant literature
• Formulate a research problem
• Design and plan appropriate research to investigate an area for a dissertation.
• Assess reliability and validity of the chosen approach
• Critically communicate the philosophy of research

The Role and Nature of strategic management; Analysing the External Environment: macro-environment, industry and competitor analysis; Analysing internal resources, capabilities and core competencies; Business level and corporate level strategy; international business strategy; strategic development: mergers and acquisitions, alliances and joint ventures; Strategy Implementation: Structure, Culture and Change.

Learning Outcomes for module:

• Critically appraise the frameworks, tools, and concepts required to analyse, formulate, implement and evaluate an organisation’s strategy
• Apply theoretical concepts to practical business situations through the analysis and evaluation of published case studies; research on selected companies and where appropriate draw upon experience in current or prior work organisations
• Develop and recommend creative solutions to strategic situations in different organisational contexts
• Critically assess business performance from a holistic and integrative general management perspective

The module content can be divided into two main components. Firstly, a discussion of key concepts and why innovation management is crucial in most organisations. Secondly, an examination of the leading practical theory related to innovation management, in particular, this will include an in depth discussion of a conceptual model of innovation management. This model will outline the main contextual elements (e.g. innovation strategy, organisation structure, etc.) that affect the process of innovation management and also the process itself. This examination and discussion of innovation management will utilise materials (e.g. examples, cases, etc.) dealing with different kinds of innovation (e.g. product, service, internal systems and procedures, etc.) in a variety of organisations.

Learning Outcomes for module:

• Explain and critically reflect on innovation and why it is crucial to competitive advantage and organisational success.
• Conceptualise and critically explore the context and process of innovation management
• Analyse the innovation management in a variety of organisations using examples from the world’s most innovative firms.
• Critically evaluate innovation management and provide recommendations for change demonstrating appropriate judgement.