Unit Aims:

The aim of this unit is to provide students with background knowledge and understanding of business, the functions of an organisation and the wider business environments in which organisations operate

Brief Description:

Organisations have a variety of purposes that depend on why they were established. Some operate for profit, whilst others do not. Organisations structure themselves and operate in ways that allow their objectives to be met

This module will provide students with background knowledge and understanding of business, the functions of an organisation and the wider business environments in which organisations operate. Students will examine the different types of organisations (including for profit and not for profit), their size and scope (for instance, micro, SME, transnational and global) and how they operate.

Students will explore the relationships that organisations have with their various stakeholders and how the wider external environments influence and shape business decision-making.

Learners will consider how different market structures shape the pricing and output decisions of businesses, as well as other aspects of their behaviour.

In this module the knowledge, understanding and skill sets gained will help students to choose their own preferred areas of specialism in future studies and in their professional career.

Summary Description of Assessment Items:

The assessment will be based on an assignment which is an individual task based on a case study and questions. You are expected to apply the theories and concepts learned throughout the course. The subject areas to be covered in this field of business studies are as follows:

- Different types of organisations: Differences between for profit and not for profit and non-government organisations (NGOs).
- Micro, small, medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Different business purposes, objectives and supply of goods and services.
- The range of legal structures associated with different forms of business: sole traders, partnerships and private limited companies.
- Differences between large, medium-sized and small organisations including objectives and goals, market share, profit share, growth and sustainability.
- Global growth and developments of transnational, international and global organisations.
- Differences between franchising, joint ventures and licensing as well as Industrial structures and competitive analysis.
- The various functions within an organisation: The role of marketing, finance, human resource management and operations within an organisational context and the interrelationships.
- Organisational structure: Different structures depending upon the size and scope of the organisation, including bureaucratic and post-bureaucratic, parent, strategic business units (SBUs), matrix and functional levels.
- Organisation structures and complexities of transnational, international and global organisations.
- The context of the macro environment: The application of the PESTLE framework and how organisations need to monitor and forecast external influences.
- Frameworks for analysis: Introduction to SWOT and/or TOWS analysis and how they can assist in the decision-making process within organisations.
- Key external macro factors including the competitive environment and government intervention that influence organisations and business.

Learning Outcomes:

On successful completion of this module students will be able to:

LO1 Explain the different types, size and scope of organisations.
LO2 Demonstrate the interrelationship of the various functions within an organisation and how they link to organisational structure.
LO3 Use contemporary examples to demonstrate both the positive and negative influence/impact the macro environment has on business operations.
LO4 Determine the internal strengths and weaknesses of specific businesses and explain their interrelationship with external macro factors.

LEARNING REQUIREMENTS

As with many module's, your learning will centre on reading and thinking. However, although, there is a lot of reading you will find that thinking is central to your learning as its application of relevant concepts.

- Your performance on this module will also depend on the learning that you have done in other module s because you will find that strategy draws heavily from disciplines such as marketing, finance, statistics, human resources and others.

- A lot of thinking on your part will be required. In order to be ready for the world of work you will find that in many cases you will not be directed to relevant concepts, methods or ideas but you will be expected to identify, select and use these skills on your own. In fact, a major aspect of this module is the development of these abilities.

- Another important aspect is the large volume of studying that you are expected to do. Many of the concepts specific to strategic management draw, and pull together, other concepts previously studied in other modules of the degree.