Introduction to Global Business

BUS4100

Title	Introduction to Global Business
Code	BUS4100
School	RBS
Module Level	4
Module Code	BUS4100
Available Summer	N
Semester	1
Credits	6
ECTS Credits	3
Contact Hours	48
Course Length (wks)	12
Course Leader	David Snell
Lecturers	Lorna Walker
Course Aims	The module aims to: Provide students with an overview of modern business and give them an appreciation of the variety of challenges facing global managers in the 21^st Century; Stimulate their abilities to think critically when analysing business structures and strategies; Give them an appreciation of the impact of PEST factors on global business activities; Enable them to develop management skills in using analytical tools such as SWOT, stakeholder analysis, Porter’s 5 Five Forces and Porter’s generic strategies; Help them to think critically and analytically about the role of company structure and culture, human resource management, marketing, change management and strategy in successful management; Encourage the development of their abilities to put forward logical arguments to support individual perspectives and to consider the opinions of others.
Course Content	Written communication Teamwork Oral communication Data collection and analysis Problem solving
Learning Outcomes	On completion of this module, students should be able to: LO1 Recognise the importance of the external business environment in affecting how businesses are controlled; LO2 Analyse news from a variety of sources (newspapers, TV, internet etc) and identify the factors which will impact on the management of different types of businesses; LO3 Effectively use tools such as PEST, SWOT, Stakeholders, Porter’s 5 Forces, the 4/7 Ps, Ansoff and BCG Matrixes to identify the issues which impact upon global businesses and make management recommendations for future actions; LO4 Undertake individual and collective research on issues, policies and LO5 Exercise critical thinking in the analysis and interpretation of business events and to determine the value of information, depending upon its source; LO6 Listen to, and to learn from, the views of others in discussions and team exercises; work successfully in teams which include a mixture of views, abilities and backgrounds; LO7 Critically reflect on the learning process, the course content and the different learning styles of themselves and others.
Presentation	Students are required to attend two sessions each week (each of two hours). Course instruction will incorporate a variety of activities including lectures, individual and group presentations, discussions, debates and briefings. Everyone is expected to come to class prepared to participate actively in classroom discussions, seminar presentations and to have completed assigned readings in advance.
Reading Recommended	CAMERON (2005) The Business Student’s Handbook (3rd ed). FT / Prentice Hall NEEDLE (2004) Business in Context – An Introduction to business and its environment (4th ed). Thomson. WORTHINGTON, I and BRITTON, C (2000) The Business Environment (3rd ed). Financial Times/Prentice Hall.
Reading Required	CAPON, C. (2004), Understanding Organisational Context, (2nd ed.) FT/Prentice Hall.
Pre-Requisites	None
Asseseement Methods	Individual written report - week - 15% Group presentation and written report - week - 15% Learning Diary - week- 20% Written Exam - Exam Week - 50%
Weekly Schedule	A broad investigation of the main aspects of global business, the prime models used in their analysis and their application. Introduction to the module PEST analysis and application Analysis of the micro environment Stakeholder analysis Integration of the models with SWOT Introduction to HRM Introduction to marketing: theories, issues and applications Organisations: structure and culture Managing change; overview of models and their application.