Management decision making is a complex subject involving many variable factors. The primary objective of this module is to provide a conceptual and analytical framework for looking at organisations operating in capital, financial and operational markets. You’ll explore the financial element contained in decisions and the techniques that may be used to assist informed management decisions. You start by considering the availability of financial information that may be relevant to decision making and whether this fits with the information you need to make the decision. This is further developed to the type of decision and differing requirements, leading to a more bespoke deliverable information set that meets the context of the decision. You’ll gain an appreciation of core themes prevalent throughout financial management. The module also explores the financial techniques developed by financial and management accountants and how they may be used and applied. Finally, consideration is given to the relevance and weighting of the financial element in the decision making process and how qualitative issues may be incorporated in the overall decision. Strategic financial management issues covered include financial statement analysis, budget and performance management, raising finance (both short and long term), efficient allocation and utilisation of financial resources (including investment decisions), and mergers and acquisitions as well as foreign currency and interest rate risk management.

Different organisations and sectors are covered to develop your knowledge and skills in finance and business analysis through practical tasks involving developing financial strategies, conducting a financial analysis, managing foreign currency risks and by using professional database such as FAME and Osiris, etc.

You’ll investigate and critically evaluate historical and contemporary approaches to leadership theory, focusing especially on leadership at junior to middle management level. Classical theories of leadership will be examined including traits theory, behavioural theories and contingency theories. Some contemporary theories will include issues such as emotional intelligence, psychodynamics and leader-led relations. There will be a strong emphasis on applying the theory to your ownpersonal leadership with a view to enhancing leadership performance in preparation for middle management roles within the organisation. Management of change will be another key emphasis, including organisational politics & power, change theories and the implementation of the change process. Issues for consideration will include the organisational context of change, resistance to change and practical management of the change process.

You’ll work through the main theories and principles of marketing for the marketing manager or business leader, understanding how those theories and principles can be applied in practice to a range of business contexts; from business-to-consumer, business-to-business, charities, arts, to tourism and service-based industries. You’ll focus particularly on global business challenges; competition and defining value; a digitally based economy; and societal marketing (corporate social responsibility, sustainability, morals and ethics) whilst also understanding the legal framework that impacts upon marketers and marketing practice such as consumer and data protection laws. This module will challenge you to examine marketing problems that have faced brands and organisations to critically analyse their approach and suggest new alternatives. You’ll gain a firm grasp of the scope of marketing in general business management and leadership roles as well as a clear understanding of the specialist areas of study and work as you plan your lifelong career in this very broad industry.

Job design and work organisation are important concerns for the HR function in all sectors of the economy. Traditional social theory tends to over-simplify the complexities of contemporary work practices, so an understanding of the social context of work and employment is vital to the performance of HRM effectively. In this module, you’ll reflect on both traditional and contemporary organisation of work and place the development of the concepts of work and employment into their social contexts. The amount of regulation covering the employment relationship and the workplace has grown substantially in volume and complexity in recent years. As such, you’ll gain a comprehensive understanding of employment law and employment relations in terms of theoretical perspectives, debates and practices in national and international contexts, and from a theoretical and behavioural competency perspective. The purpose is to provide you with the knowledge, understanding and skills required to brief and support organisations on the consequences of current and future developments in employment law/relations, and to give up-to-date, timely and accurate advice concerning the practical application of key legal principles of UK employment law. This will relate to collective and individual employment relations, the actions of employers, employees and their respective organisations, and offer support and advice to management regarding best practice. You’ll need to reflect critically on theory and practice and take into consideration both legal and ethical issues.

Human Resource (HR) professionals and managers operate within increasingly complex and changing organisational and contextual circumstances in the public, private or third sectors. This is exacerbated by the variety of organisational types and size that contribute to national wealth creation in terms of the services and goods they provide and produce. This module provides you with understanding of market and business contexts in the operational, tactical, and strategic HR function, along with issues of the modern organisation. You’ll examine the cultural, political, and social contexts that organisations operate within, both from an internal and external perspective. Further, you’ll discover how economic forces affect and influence organisational practices, and their impact upon the HR function and its practices. You’ll explore globalisation and how the changing demographics and social environments impact on organisational strategy and the HR function. Plus why ethical and democratic practices are needed to meet the changes of complex business and economic practices or the management of human resources in more dignified ways. Finally, you’ll see how HR can contribute to and influence the strategic direction of organisational practice in the pursuit of welfare profit, as well as monetary profit.

Your major project should be a substantial piece of individual primary and/or secondary research focussed on a topic relevant to your specialist subject area. You’ll discuss contemporary research problems and issues based on your research and practice, and conduct literature reviews, evaluate and critically appraise a range of information, investigate and adopt suitable theoretical frameworks, research methodologies and methods, and process and analyse data to produce a coherent and justified solution to the problem(s) identified. Throughout the module your supervisor will support you in terms of content and skills development so that you can work semi-autonomously on your individual research project. You’ll have regular supervisory meetings throughout the year, to enable you to discuss the range of tasks you will need to complete for the project to be
completed smoothly.