Management (People Management) - BSc (Hons)

with a Year in Industry

This module will introduce students to the key concepts of managing people involving and examination of organisational, management and human resource management theory and practice. This will be achieved through relating relevant theory to practical people and organisational management issues.

The key topics of the module are:

• The nature of human resource management

• Motivation in the workplace

• Work organisation, job design and flexible working

• Groups and team working

• Diversity in the workplace

• Recruitment & selection

• Learning and development

• Employee Involvement and participation

• Employee performance and reward

• Ethical HRM

Find out more about BUSN5013

This module is designed to provide students across the university with access to knowledge, skill development and training in the field of entrepreneurship with a special emphasis on developing a business plan in order to exploit identified opportunities. Hence, the module will be of value for students who aspire to establishing their own business and/or introducing innovation through new product, service, process, project or business development in an established organisation. The module complements students' final year projects in Computing, Law, Biosciences, Electronics, Multimedia, and Drama etc.

Find out more about BUSN6120

The module provides a broad, basic understanding of strategy and strategic management, on which further strategic analysis and exploration of strategic issues can be built. It introduces students to the key vocabulary, concepts and frameworks of strategic management and establishes criteria for assessing whether or not a strategy can be successful. It introduces students to frameworks for analysing the external and internal environments and to different theories of how these relate and of their impact on strategy formulation and implementation.

Students will learn how to identify strategic issues, develop strategic options to address them and decide which option(s) to recommend. Through theoretical readings and case studies, students will develop an appreciation of strategy in different contexts and from different perspectives and of the complexity of strategic decision-making. Students will enhance their ability to read business articles from a strategic perspective and to present strategic arguments in a structured manner

Find out more about BUSN6760

The aim of this module is to provide students with in-depth knowledge about the accounting and control systems businesses use for making managerial decisions. In particular, the module focuses on profit planning decisions and it gives students a thoughtful understanding of the functioning and range of financial controls managers use for making profit planning decisions, related to both the business as a whole and its segments. Students are expected to conduct a management project: they will prepare a business plan that takes into account strategic, marketing and financial aspects. The module also enables students to know how to use accounting and control tools to assess business performance, provide feedback and give recommendations for improvements aimed to create more socially responsible and sustainable businesses. As such, this module is core to the degree program, because it gives an introduction to three key areas: managerial decision making, performance management and organisational financial management.

Find out more about BUSN6770

Business ethics and sustainability are central to contemporary management and thus this module will explore the following topics:

• History, definitions and timeline of society's view on business ethics and sustainability

• Cross-disciplinary approaches to ethics and sustainability

• Role of globalisation, policy and culture

• Ethics and ethical dilemmas

• Change Management, Values, Governance and Leadership

• Sustainable Business Models

• Social Innovation

• Partnerships and collaboration

• Responsible Supply Chain Management

• Environmental Assessment Frameworks and Sustainable Management in practice

• Sustainable Supply Chain Management

• Innovation and creativity

• The role and responses of Corporations, SMEs, Public and not-for-profit organisations

Find out more about BUSN7330

Project Management aims to provide an understanding of the key concepts and practices within the context of the organisational setting and the wider business and technological environment.

This module aims to develop a critical understanding of project management to enable students to recognise the importance of the discipline in a variety of organisational and functional contexts. Students should develop a critical understanding of the concepts employed in project management at strategic, systems and operational levels, and an appreciation of the knowledge and skills required for successful project management in organisations.

Included topics of the module are:

• Project life cycles and alternative development paths;

• Feasibility studies;

• Time management;

• Project planning and control techniques, including Gantt charts, CPM;

• Resource planning;

• Quality Control;

• Project communication;

Find out more about BUSN7500

Students will be expected to develop the ability to use appropriate techniques of analysis and enquiry within Operations Management and to learn how to evaluate alternatives and make recommendations. Topics are likely to include:

• Strategic role of operations and operations strategy

• Design of processes and the implications for layout and flow

• Design and management of supply networks in national and international contexts

• Resource planning and management

• Lean systems

• Quality planning and managing improvement

Find out more about BUSN7860

The module helps prepare students to acquire and develop the employability and transferable skills necessary to search and successfully apply for work experience and graduate opportunities in the commercial and public sector and postgraduate study.

The curriculum builds on employability support offered at Stage 1 providing intermediate level knowledge and exercises in application writing, CVs, careers advice, interview and assessment centre techniques, numeracy and competency tests, and psychometric evaluation.

Find out more about BUSN7900

Students will be expected to develop the ability to use appropriate techniques of analysis and enquiry within Operations and Service Management and to learn how to evaluate the alternatives and make recommendations. Topics include:

• The nature of services and service strategy

• Service development and technology

• Service quality and the service encounter

• Project/Event management and control

• Managing capacity and demand in services

• Managing inventories

Find out more about BUSN5200

This module aims to provide students with understanding and experience of the theory and practice of marketing research. During the module students design and implement a marketing research plan, design a questionnaire, collect and analyse data, prepare an oral presentation and write a marketing research report.

The main topics of study are as follows:

• Introduction to marketing research: Defining and designing marketing research projects

• Understanding data: Secondary data and databases

• Primary data collection techniques.

• Questionnaire design

• Measurement and measurement scales and error.

• Sampling and sample design and error

• Entering and coding data with SPSS

• Data analysis techniques

• Communicating the results of marketing research.

Find out more about BUSN5450

This module presents an overview of what workforce diversity is and its relevance and usefulness in improving our understanding and management of people (including ourselves) at work. The demographics of the population and the workplace are changing drastically because of a number of factors, such as an increasing number of ethnic minorities and women in the workforce and in management. Accordingly, there is a need to effectively understand and manage workforce diversity not only to increase organisational business outcomes but also to create an inclusive workplace in a socially responsible manner.

The module will examine issues confronting managers of a diverse workforce. In particular issues such as ethnicity, race, language, ageing, disability, gender, and intersectional identities will be discussed. Two key approaches towards managing diversity will be explained, i.e. the social equity case of managing diversity, and the business benefits case of managing diversity. The module will explore a range of diversity related concepts and topics, such as social identity, stereotyping, discrimination, intergroup conflict, structural integration, and organisational change.

Indicative topics are:

• Origins of diversity and equal opportunity in the workplace context;

• Social and psychological perspectives on workplace diversity;

• The UK and European diversity contexts;

• Business benefits case and social equity case of managing diversity;

• The legal framework for diversity;

• Organisational approaches to diversity;

• Contemporary issues central to the experiences of diverse individuals in the UK and in organisations across a range of diversity dimensions;

• Diversity management in an international context

Find out more about BUSN6580

Making decisions is one of the most important things any manager or business must do. Making smart decisions, however, can be extremely difficult due the complexity and uncertainty involved. Decision Analysis (DA) provides a structured and coherent approach to decision making. It involves a wide range of quantitative and graphical methods for identifying, representing, and assessing alternatives in order to determine a best course of action. DA is regularly employed by many leading companies in the pharmaceutical, oil and gas, utilities, automotive, and financial services sectors. In this module, you learn about the basic concepts of DA and how to apply it in a variety of practical business planning situations.

Find out more about BUSN6880

This module introduces students to core concepts and theories about consumer behaviour, including individual and organisational perspectives. It is based around understanding the critical application of sociological, economic, socio-psychological and psychological concepts to and theories to consumption.

Indicative topics are:

• Consumer Research Philosophies: What is a consumer?

• Culture: Components of Culture, myths and rituals

• Marketplace cultures

• Dark Consumption and Ethical Consumption

• Personality, Identity and the Self

• Motivational Theories

• Learning Theories

• Organisational Buying Behaviour

Find out more about BUSN7380

This module introduces students to the nature of research and the business consultancy processes involved in carrying out research and consultancy in an area of management, technology and enterprise. The module prepares students for their respective independent research work in an organisational or industry context; and for undertaking management interventions in the workplace.

Indicative topics may include:

• Research approaches, Philosophy of thinking and claims; and key methodologies of research.

• Research and consultancy project designs and methodologies (case study, survey, etc):

• Formulating research & consultancy aim(s) and objectives;

• Nature of consultancy and consultancy approaches/interventions;

• Data collection and analysis

• Role of management consultancy;

• Research reports and proposal writing, research ethics and project planning.

• The management consulting process;

• Control and communication in management consultancy

• Strategy problem solving skills;

• Ethical management consultancy

Find out more about BUSN7570

The Year in Industry to which the module relates provides a structured opportunity to combine appropriate developmental work experience or entrepreneurial activity with academic study. The Year in Industry experience allows students to develop and reflect on managerial and / or professional practice in real and often complex situations, and to integrate this with the study of the relevant subject(s) of their main programme. Where relevant, they develop, reinforce and apply professional and / or technical expertise in an employment or entrepreneurial context.

The ability to integrate this work based learning with the modules of Stages 1, 2 and 3 is a high level cognitive task. The particular combination of the student's degree programme and choice of modules together with the great variety of increasingly diverse Year in Industry situations make the "curriculum" of each Year in Industry unique. The unifying features, with which the project for this module is concerned are integration of theory and practice, and the development of the student as an independent learner and reflective practitioner.

This background is why the report for the module has to be linked to the Year in Industry portfolio.

The assembly, content and organisation of this activity are assessed in BUSN6990 Year in Industry Experience. This module assesses how effectively the student can use this to demonstrate integration of theory and practice, self-assessment of achieved learning and reflection on this.

Find out more about BUSN6980

The Year in Industry experience provides you with a structured opportunity to combine work experience or entrepreneurial activity with academic study.

The Year in Industry allows students to develop and reflect on managerial and/or professional practice in real and often complex situations, and to integrate this with the study of the relevant subject(s) of your main degree programme.

Where relevant, students develop, reinforce and apply professional and/or technical expertise in an employment or entrepreneurial context. The placement portfolio requires students to document their experiences in relation to both their university studies as well as to a wide range of employability skills.

In addition, the portfolio allows demonstration of professional development through the collection and presentation of relevant evidence.

To be able to undertake this module it is necessary for the student to secure a placement or to have validated a Business Start-Up during Stage 2.

The Business Start-Up should build on the student's planned business activity as developed and validated by the ASPIRE Business Start-Up Journey.

The particular combination of the student’s degree programme and choice of modules together with the great variety of increasingly diverse Year in Industry situations make the "curriculum" of the Year in Industry essentially unique.

This module documents and assesses the evidence of Year in Industry learning being achieved.

Find out more about BUSN6990

The module aims to develop critical appreciation of the management activities and leadership skills required in dynamic organisations operating in both national and international contexts. Current theory and research on the role which appropriate leadership behaviours can play in improving managerial and organisational effectiveness is explored. In addition a core feature of the module is student engagement in a range of individual and group development activities and their subsequent self-reflection on their progress and ongoing development needs. In doing so the module aims to develop self-awareness and emotional intelligence in the practice of management, as well as promoting the importance of personal strategies relating to career management, and individual leadership behaviour.

Areas to be covered will include:

• Review of Management Activities and Roles: Planning and decision making, organising and resourcing, controlling and accountability including performance management responsibilities.
• Leadership v Management: Consideration of the differences in these roles within organisations.
• Development of Leadership Theories: From transactional to ethical, authentic and transformational leadership approaches and models of 'leaderful' practice.
• Strategic leadership: Business values, organisational culture(s) and business ethics.
• Leadership in Different Cultures: International perspectives on leadership behaviour and effectiveness; communicating across cultures.
• Managing Self: Self-concept; impression management, networking; organisational power and politics; career development strategies.
• Managing & Influencing Others: Emotional intelligence, assertiveness, ethical power and influence strategies, delegation, empowerment and trust.
• Managing & Leading Teams: Creating high performance teams; team roles; stages of group formation/team life cycle; team building.

This module facilitates the development of an entrepreneurial mind-set, and equips students with necessary cutting-edge knowledge and skills vital for generating value in a knowledge based economy. The curriculum will include the following areas of study:

• Broader application of entrepreneurship
• Co-creation as a new form of generating value in an innovation ecosystem.
• Managing innovation entrepreneurially
• Entrepreneurial opportunity
• Entrepreneurial Motivation
• Entrepreneurial Marketing
• Entrepreneurial Finance - Finance fuels entrepreneurship.

This module will extend students' knowledge and understanding of strategic management and strategic issues. It will introduce a range of contemporary issues associated with the formulation and implementation of corporate and business strategies with an emphasis on identifying and implementing strategic change within the organisation, building dynamic capabilities and developing coherent strategies. Issues might include strategies for a recession, global strategies, knowledge-based strategies, firms and industries, strategies where profit is of secondary (or no) importance. The module will also extend students' theoretical knowledge by presenting contemporary debates and issues in strategic thinking. The module will use a project in which students identify and suggest possible strategic solutions to a strategic issue in a real organisation to develop students' ability to link theory and practice in real-life situations.

The aim of this module is to provide students with (1) a systematic understanding of how information technology is driving business innovation, (2) the methods and approaches used by managers to exploit new digital opportunities, and (3) an appreciation of the knowledge and skills needed to manage the business innovation. By the end of this module, students will be equipped with the necessary knowledge and tools to deal with current business issues including digital transformation and emerging business models via technological innovations.

The module helps prepare students to acquire and develop the employability and transferable skills necessary to search and successfully apply for work experience and graduate opportunities in the commercial and public sector and postgraduate study.

The curriculum builds on knowledge and experience gained in related employability modules delivered at Stages 1 and 2, providing further guidance and more advanced practical exercises in application writing, CVs, careers advice, interview and assessment centre techniques, numeracy and competency tests, and psychometric evaluation. The aims here are to support students during their final year in applying for good graduate jobs and MSc degree programmes.

This module focusses on performance management activities undertaken by both line managers and functional HR managers in organisations in a variety of contexts (such as private, public and voluntary sector) and geographical settings (domestic and international). The aim of the module is to analyse organisational processes and practices pertaining to the optimisation of employee performance and managing related aspects of the employment relationship. Underpinning theories/principles related to this module arise mainly from psychology and organisational behaviour origins, and will include critiques from a variety of appropriate perspectives such as ethical, unitarist, pluralist, and labour process perspectives. A key aspect of the module is to develop students' conceptual and practical skills in managing employee performance.

Employee performance, retention, recruitment/selection, development, engagement

This module will explore more advanced management and organisational theory to facilitate students' examination of the challenges that face managers in contemporary organisations. As well as considering these challenges from a mainstream managerial perspective, the module will also draw on the perspective of critical management studies as a means of providing an alternative viewpoint on contemporary management issues. Indicative areas to be covered may include:

• Identity in organisations and how the construction and performance of it requires managers to cope with existential challenges around anxiety and freedom.
• The uses and abuses of managerial power and the inequality and insecurity that comes with it.
• Neoliberal capitalism and its various consequences for organisational life.
• Pressures to make organisations more sustainable, socially responsible, equal, diverse, and fair.
• Organisational cultures based on entrepreneurialism.
• The performance of gender in organisations.
• New organisational forms and their emphasis on Speed.
• The intensification of the control of Bodies, Spaces, and Time in contemporary organisations.

This module will introduce students to the key concepts of managing people, involving an examination of organisational, human resource management and industrial relations theory. This will be achieved through relating relevant theory to practical people and organisational management issues.

Topics of study are:

• The theory of strategic HRM; Strategic HRM and Business Strategy;
• Strategic HRM and Organisational Performance;
• Strategic employee involvement and participation;
• HRM in the public sector;
• HRM in Small and Medium Enterprises;
• HRM in the voluntary sector;
• Strategic HRM in the international context.

The module aims to provide a critical understanding of the challenges of managing creativity and innovation within contemporary organisations. The experience of work and employment, management practices are affected by rapid technological change, intensifying global competition and changing demographic profiles and values of the work force. Contemporary organisations are pressurised to tackle these developments through creativity, innovation and new organisational forms.

This module examines the nature, antecedents, processes and consequences of creativity and innovation and their complex links with organisation, while also exploring major social and technological changes relating these to organisational creativity and innovation. Students will be introduced to the main concepts and theories on creativity, innovation and organisation through readings and discussions of the main themes and debates in the field. Case studies will be used to illustrate how these concepts are connected together and how they could impact upon management decision making within contemporary organisations. Students will be encouraged to explore some of the most notable historical and contemporary shifts in media and technology and discover how new organisational forms and methods have been devised to exploit them. They will develop awareness for the cross-fertilisation between disciplines in analyzing the dynamics of creativity, innovation and organisation and their complex relationships.

Topics include:

• Conceptual foundations of creativity, innovation and organisation
• Personality and individual creativity
• Organisational creativity and innovation
• Cognition, knowledge and creativity
• Models and processes of innovation
• Organisational culture and systems for supporting creativity and innovation
• Leadership and entrepreneurship
• Creative organisations across fields/ industries
• Socio-technological change and new forms of organisation.

This module presents an overview of what work psychology is and its relevance and usefulness in improving our understanding and management of people (including ourselves) at work. Many work places operate sophisticated and expensive systems for assessing the costs and benefits of various workplace elements but often do not extend this to the management of employees. This module aims to demonstrate the benefits of having a comprehensive understanding of the role psychology can play in the management of people in contemporary organizations. Indicative content includes:

• Work psychology
• Individual differences and psychometrics
• Best practice personnel selection
• Stress and well-being
• Motivation
• Stereotypes and group behaviour
• Leadership and diversity
• The dark side of personality
• Political behaviour in the workplace
• The psychology of entrepreneurs
• Using work psychology to enhance employability.

International and Comparative Human Resource Management aims to provide an analysis of the HRM systems in seven countries: USA, Germany, Sweden, France, Italy, China and India. Students will be introduced to the main concepts and theories through readings and discussions of the main authors in the field.

Within a broad historical context, an international comparative approach will be adopted to consider the development of the relationship between national governments, employers and trade unions. This will include an investigation of the development and decline of employment relations systems and the emergence of human resource management.

This module will allow students to work on a substantive piece of research which will allow them to frame and prioritise real business problems using well known fields and frameworks within academic business and management disciplines.

• Developing important research questions in the area of business and management
• Literature search and review
• Understanding different research designs used in business and management research projects
• Collection, use and analysis of secondary and primary data
• Developing Analytical and Critical Thinking in using theory and data to frame and address business and management problems
• Preparing and structuring the Business/Consultancy Project
• Referencing, Citations and Developing writing skills
• Communication and Presentation skills.