Undergraduate Course: Foundations of Business (BUST08025)
Course Outline
| School | Business School |
College | College of Humanities and Social Science |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 8 (Year 1 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Not available to visiting students |
| SCQF Credits | 40 |
ECTS Credits | 20 |
| Summary | This course affords students an understanding of the nature, structure and workings of contemporary business organisations. This is achieved by applying the concepts and techniques of the social sciences to the problems of business. With the mix of lectures, tutorials and assignments, the course aims simultaneously to cater for the needs of those who have, and have not, formally studied the subject prior to University.
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| Course description |
This course affords students an understanding of the nature, structure and workings of contemporary business organisations. This is achieved by applying the concepts and techniques of the social sciences to the problems of business. With the mix of lectures, tutorials and assignments, the course aims simultaneously to cater for the needs of those who have, and have not, formally studied the subject prior to University.
PLEASE NOTE: This is the course for students for whom Business is a mandatory part of their degree programme. If you are wanting to take Business as an outside course you must take Introduction to Business (BUST08026).
Syllabus
Module 1: Business Policy & Strategy
Module 2: Economic Analysis
Module 3: Marketing
Module 4: Operations Management
Module 5: Business Analytics
Module 6: Finance
Module 7: Employment Relations
Module 8: Organisation Studies
Student Learning Experience
After an initial lecture which introduces the subject content of Business and its methodology, the course comprises eight modules throughout Semesters 1 and 2 (see above)
The students are introduced to the subject-matter of the modules by a combination of lectures and weekly tutorials, and students have the opportunity to select areas to study in depth through a choice of essay topics. The poster exercise is designed to encourage practical application of concepts and models introduced in the initial module on Business Policy and Strategy, and to encourage early interaction with academic staff and peers.
During Semester 1, there is normally an annual 'Jubilee' lecture, when a senior business executive gives a lecture to the class. In recent years, speakers have included the Scottish entrepreneur, Sir Tom Farmer; the CEOs of Sainsbury's Finance, Ford UK and AEGON; the Directors of Standard Life and Aggreko plc; and the Managing Director, Retail Products, Royal Bank of Scotland, Richard Cousins, Chief Executive Officer, Compass Group.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | Students MUST NOT also be taking
Introduction to Business (BUST08026)
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Other requirements | None |
Course Delivery Information
| Not being delivered |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Describe the various ways in which organisations are structured and managed
- Describe the inter-relationships between organisations and the environments in which they operate
- Explain and evaluate critically the contribution of the various techniques and functions to the operation and development of organisations.
- Describe and discuss critically such key contemporary topics as the globalisation of business, and the responsibilities of organisations, including environmental concerns and employees¿ welfare.
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Reading List
| You are strongly advised to purchase a copy of the Custom Textbook, Volumes 1 & 2 (available exclusively from Blackwell's South Bridge) |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Cognitive Skills
On completion of the course, students should have had inculcated into them the desirability, and the methods, of time management and planning through lectures, tutorials and course assignments. Students should have been encouraged to:
(a) use the entire range of learning resources that are available to today's students;
(b) analyse and solve organisational problems and issues, especially through tutorials;
(c) appreciate the holistic nature of the contemporary organisation, especially through the two integrated assignments.
Key Skills
On completion of the course, students should have been encouraged to:
(a) develop their written skills, through the two assignments and the degree exam;
(b) develop their oral skills through the weekly tutorials;
(c) be aware of, and confidently to use, the range of quantitative and qualitative techniques that are appropriate to contemporary organisations;
(d) acquire, or develop, computer literacy techniques.
Subject-Specific Skills
On completion of the course, students should be aware of:
(a) the techniques and insights that are germane to Strategy, Business Economics, Marketing, Operations Management, Management Science, Finance, Human Resource Management and Employment Relations, and Organisational Behaviour.
(b) the uses, abuses and limits of these techniques and insights
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| Additional Class Delivery Information |
3 Lectures plus 1 tutorial per week for 8 weeks (S1)
3 Lectures plus 1 tutorial per week for 10 weeks (S2) |
| Keywords | Economic Analysis,Marketing,Operations Management,Business Analytics,Strategy,Finance,HRM |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Stephen Harwood
Tel: (0131 6)51 5243
Email: stephen.harwood@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Miss Sara Dennison
Tel: (0131 6)50 3825
Email: Sara.Dennison@ed.ac.uk |
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