BA (Hons) Economics and Business with Foundation Year

This module provides an introduction to the theory and practice of contemporary microeconomics and aims at developing students understanding of economic thinking through rigorous and analytical assessment of Microeconomic key concepts. The content includes supply and demand analysis, theories of the firm and individual behavior, competition among firms and market failures. Furthermore, particular emphasis is placed on how economic analysis may be used to explain a wide variety of contemporary policy issues.

The module is sectioned into two parts. The first part of the module aims to provide students with a practical understanding of the digital business, the need for digital transformation to support innovation and to continue to have a competitive advantage in the marketplace. The various digital business models are explored along with the importance of digital capability. The second part of the module introduces students to the information systems that support todays digital business. A range of information systems are examined including those that support the operations of the digital business, through to its sales and marketing functions. The importance big data and business intelligence are introduced before examining how today’s digital business can apply business intelligence to develop new products and services long with improvements in efficiency and its business processes.

As awareness of climate change, resource scarcity, environmental impact and social inequality rises, businesses are being held increasingly to account by consumers, governments and stakeholders. This module will introduce students to concepts of sustainability within a range of Business contexts.

This module has two main strands: The first is the development of basic numeracy so that students are proficient at the mathematical operations that essential for the study of economics. The second focuses upon the development of study skills and the creation of a personal development plan by the student. This will involving developing an appreciation of how we learn and benefits of reflection by the student. The strand will also help the student to develop transferable skills and increase their employability.

International economics considers how economies and the global economy have become more interconnected. In this module, you will study theoretical models of international trade as well as the effects of trade policies such as tariffs and free trade agreements. You will also explore international macroeconomic issues such as the balance of payments, the foreign exchange market and the links between the exchange rate and macroeconomic activity. The module will develop student’s awareness of the role of international trade and sustainable development.

What influences your choice of holiday destination? How can you tell whether the car you buy should be reliable? Why is the government directly involved in the provision of education but not the provision of food? To answer these questions we need to understand the economics of decision-making and market efficiency. We will begin by examining consumers’ decision-making using rational choice theory. This will be followed by an investigation of how the consumers’ decision-making process would differ in an environment of incomplete information, uncertainty and bounded rationality. The impact of such an environment on decision-making by firms will also be considered. We will apply our understanding of decision-making in individual markets to the overall economy and discuss issues related to market efficiency. The alternative policy options available to government in addressing issues concerning market efficiency will be discussed.

This module will explore operations and supply chain management, as well as the fundamentals of project management. The module aims at giving students the skills required to analyse contemporary issues facing business operations and supply chain. It also exposes students to the understanding of how businesses mitigate these issues to deliver goods and services of the quality and of the right quantity in order to satisfy customers’ need while adopting lean business approaches. The module also equips students with the skills of team working and communication in a project environment. Students will be able to define, plan and control projects through their life cycle, while balancing competing performance objectives and managing competing stakeholder requirements. Detailed study of management tools such as critical path analysis and PERT will be undertaken.

The aim of this module is to develop students’ understanding of management and leadership principles, and to explore the influence various leadership and management approaches have on key Human Resource Management functions, including Change Management. Through the study of emerging leadership concepts, such as super-leadership, students will develop an appreciation for the development of self as a method to support others in their development. Reflective practice underpins the module to support students in assessing their own approach to learning and development.

Why do some countries grow rich, while others remain poor? This module introduces students to contemporary microeconomic and macroeconomic issues in development economics. It is concerned with general theoretical and empirical themes explaining income differences between countries and their growth processes. Topics covered in the module include theories of economic growth and development, the impact of factor accumulation (physical capital, population growth and human capital), foreign aid, the environment on growth and development.

The Organisational Behaviour module explores current knowledge around behaviour in contemporary organisations. This module explores areas from an individual employee and manager perspective. Students will engage with topics such as Identity, Power, Gender, Motivation, Change and Ethics. This list is not exhaustive but indicative only. Students will explore these topics from a critical, and in some instances, post-structuralist perspective. The aim of the module is to equip students with a fundamental grounding in Organisational Behaviour in order to help them develop as managers of the future.

This research-based module will enable students to investigate an economic problem through independent study. The module allows students to integrate different aspects of their previous study of Economics and apply their learning in the discipline by carrying out and independent investigation of a closely defined economics issue/problem. Students will be able to select a topic of specific interest related to staff interest and expertise.

The strategic business module will equip students with the knowledge required to make strategic decisions at both a corporate and functional level. Students will also develop the skills required to evaluate the success of implemented strategy within an organisational context. This will inform decision making at a corporate and functional level.