The module explores a number of key themes to introduce students to the concepts of people management and organisations and supports students to develop core skills for managing people and working in teams.  

• The development of management and organisations as subjects - changing theories of management and leadership perspectives
• People in organisations – indicative content: motivation, culture, personality, identity, how people work in groups and effective teamworking, learning in an organisational context
• Managing people in organisations - indicative content: organisation and job design, talent management, goal setting, communication, perception and the psychological contract, job satisfaction, stress 
• Skills for managing people in teams and organisations - indicative content: team formation, team working and leading, managing performance, giving feedback, managing conflict

1. To enable students to examine a range of management themes and activities
2. To introduce students to theory underpinning organisational behaviour
3. To enable students to consider the significance of different environmental contexts in which organisations operate, and the effects of the environment on its activities
4. To enable students to develop transferable skills for managing people in teams and organisations

• Preparation of simple financial statements – statement of financial position/income statement. Adjustments-depreciation/sources of finance/accounting conventions and standards.
• Analysis and interpretation of financial statements – profitability, liquidity, working capital, gearing and investment ratios. Cash flow statement.
• Budgets/cash flow forecast/forecast profit or loss/profit vs. cash.
• Product/service costing/absorption costing/overhead allocation, apportionment and absorption.
• Cost-volume profit analysis, cost behaviour, break-even analysis, simple contribution analysis.

• To equip students with a basic grasp of the underlying principles and concepts of finance and accounting and to be familiar with the relative uses of both financial and management accounting practices.
• To develop the student’s ability to read and interpret simple financial statements.
• To introduce students to the process of using and presenting structured financial data to assist the management decision making process.

• The role of marketing within organisations and society.
• The development of marketing and marketing concepts.
• Introducing the Marketing Environment.
• An introduction to Marketing research.
• Introducing consumer behaviour.
• Understanding segmentation, targeting and positioning.
• The Marketing Mix
• Marketing in context - this may focus on various contexts (e.g Public Sector, Non-profit Organisations,  Marketing Events, Destination Marketing & Sports Marketing).
• Introducing international marketing

1. To provide students with fundamental knowledge of concepts, principles and theories of marketing.
2. To introduce students to marketing techniques and applications.
3. To develop the students' understanding of the linkages between concepts and contexts.
4. To enable students to relate these principles to a range of organisational contexts.

This module will use a series of workshops to explore key themes associated with academic and professional development. Students will engage in self-reflection and analysis in order to develop a personal action plan, to be implemented throughout the year. Study and professional skills will dominate the curriculum, offering students rich opportunities to develop.

The topics will include, but are not limited to:

• Academic integrity including academic writing, referencing and responding to feedback
• Research skills - locating, evaluating and using good quality research information.
• Emotional intelligence and self-awareness: your skills, strengths and weaknesses, personality and needs.
• Learning styles and approaches
• Idea generation and problem solving
• Developing effective teams: team dynamics, negotiation and conflict resolution
• Commercial and subject/discipline awareness; understanding the academic and environmental contexts
• Personal management; planning and time management, avoiding stress and tackling assignments/exams
• Managing your professional image; CVs, social media profiles, portfolios
• Personal and professional development planning
• Career awareness and action planning

This module aims to support students in their transition into Higher Education by introducing and developing their understanding of;

• Higher Education expectations including academic research, writing, structure and UoC processes
• Independent learning including curriculum engagement, time management and understanding and using feedback  

In addition, the module aims to improve the employability of students by providing opportunities for them to;

• Develop and evidence a range of transferable skills such as teamworking, presentation skills, researching, working to deadlines and problem solving
• Explore and enhance self-awareness through skills auditing, peer/academic reviews and personal and professional action planning
• Identify the qualifications, skills and qualities required to enable them to progress into their chosen career path and articulate any current gaps

The traditional academic programme structure is not applicable in relation to this experiential learning intern-ship opportunity. The experiential content is freely structured and determined by negotiation between the student, placement supervisor and host organisation. It is generally informed by the aims and learning outcomes and by the objective of optimising added value for both the host organisation and the student experience. 

A placement conference will enable peer to peer sharing of experiential learning permit feedback and allow an analysis of the range of skills and benefits derived from the placement, it will also further develop the construction of learning logs and the portfolio.  For those unable to attend, for whatever reason, online via Teams will permit engagement and feedback.  In addition, the conference will provide an opportunity to acquire an overview of final year options and dissertation and/or project research.

For those students where costs or other geographical/logistical difficulties render visits, conference attendance or participation via teleconferencing prohibitive, there will be an augmented portfolio of activities to substitute the conference activities.

All students will engage in the drawing up of a learning agreement on acceptance of the placement that will cover a contact plan and agreed learning outcomes with their designated academic tutor and placement coordinator.

1. To provide an opportunity for students to apply and enrich their previous theoretical knowledge and understanding of course content through observation in and insights derived from working in an organisation and professional environment. 
2. To enable students to develop their practical and transferable skills in a business environment and to experience a broad range of tasks and responsibilities in different functional areas. 
3. To enable students to pursue professional and personal development in a working business environment
4. To enable students to recognise the nature of tasks, workloads, management problems and working methods in the working environment.
5. To enable students to inform the tasks, problems and scenarios presented in the business environment with theoretical concerns emanating from their studies and research and vice versa.

Indicative Content

• Understanding People Management: role and function
• Introduction to Human Resource Management
• The key objectives of the HR function
• Strategic HRM: Achieving the business strategy through HRM
• Managing and coordinating the Human Resource Function
• Employee engagement and the psychological contract
• Resourcing strategy, workforce planning, defining jobs, recruitment and selection, attraction and retention strategies
• Managing the employee relationship including employee contracts.
• Managing performance; The Performance management journey, from entry to exit including, developing the reward
• Strategy induction, performance review, learning and development, the role of the line manager and managing people through change. Managing performance including capability, absence, dismissal, redundancy, retirement.
• Evaluating People Management: Measuring HRM's contribution to organisational success; Measuring human capital, corporate social responsibility and employee wellbeing

• To enable students to uphold and maintain the standards and behaviours set out in the CIPD code of professional conduct (2023).
• To develop within students a body of knowledge and understanding relevant to the successful management of people in the workplace.
• To enable students to recognise and carry out the key activities of the HRM function.
• To enable students to evaluate and where necessary, formulate improvements pertaining to the techniques used in managing people in the workplace.

This module seeks to build understanding among learners that e-commerce is only part of the engine that is defined as e-business. Although the extraordinary growth in e-commerce will be explored in detail, this module shall also examine how the emergent, yet rapidly evolving, digital economy fundamentally changed underlying business strategies and models. While Business-to-Consumer (B2C) and Business-to-Business (B2B) activities remain important, Business to Government (B2G) activities will also be explored, such as the aspirations of G-Cloud. This module will also explore core electronic communications networks that integrate processes (e.g. ERP), transact (e.g. Electronic Data Interchange) and those that support business collaboration (e.g. intranet). Given the rapid evolution of the Internet it is imperative for business managers to gain an understanding of recent innovations in e-business. To this end, this module shall further explore mobile technologies, e-CRM, e-gaming, e-community management, knowledge management practice and open innovation; focused into of how they change competitive advantages, link consumers to businesses and support delivery of products/services. Beyond these elements, this module will also examine the socio-political and change management constraints faced when deploying new technologies in business.

Within this context, the e-business module aims are twofold - firstly to appreciate the context for e-business and secondly develop a framework for considering e-business initiatives and possible future developments (e.g. advanced collaboration environments). In the contemporary e-business era even smaller organisations are able to utilise modern information systems approaches/models to conduct business in new and innovative ways (e.g. Cloud solutions); although many do not follow this route. The course does not attempt to cover all aspects of the e-business environment but seeks to highlight some of the major impacts and forces identified by leading authors and researchers (e.g. Chaffey, 2011).

Indicative content:

• Types of decisions and decision making processes
• The dynamics of decision making at individual, group and organisational levels (including the impact of psychology, leadership styles, power and politics)
• Data, information and knowledge management
• Skill development: Constructing and communicating persuasive arguments
• Skill development: Effective business reports
• Project management
• Risk and uncertainty
• Ethics in decision making
• Communicating decisions
• In-depth exploration of operations management and underpinning concepts e.g.  the volume/ variety mix and its implications for product/ process design, process layout, use of technology, operations planning and control. 
• Strategic decision-making and operations management - levels of strategic contribution; the challenges of market evolution for operations
• Comparative study of the management challenges of manufacturing and service operations

To develop students' ability to:

- assess the key influences on effective and ethical decision making

- analyse an organisation according to its operational capabilities

- apply management tools and techniques in operational planning, monitoring and control

• Decomposing costs for decision making
• Traditional costing – its dangers as a decision tool
• How Activity Based Costing improves decision-making
• Short term decision making
• Cost-volume-profit analysis
• Marginal costing – for planning, pricing and decision-making
• Relevant costing – for decision making
• Using budgets for planning and control through variance analysis
• Long term decision making – making capital investment decisions - introducing cost of capital
• Pricing to achieve the organisation's objectives - cost plus pricing, target costing
• Monitoring and measuring performance – e.g the balanced scorecard
• Working Capital Management
• Excel model development for decision making.

• To enable students to elaborate on key management accounting themes and concepts introduced at Level 4 or equivalent
• To introduce students to management accounting techniques used for decision making.
• To enable students to develop analytical and problem-solving skills through the application of management accounting tools to theoretical situations - sometimes incorporating Excel models

This module examines how international organisations manage their business operations. In particular the ways in which international organisations design, plan, monitor, implement, evaluate and improve their operations will be explored.

Indicative content:

• Introduction to the management of international business operations
• Planning and organising in the global business environment
• Market penetration strategies, including import and export strategies
• Controlling international operations, including international supply chain management
• Measuring and improving international operations, including initiatives such as TQM, JIT and MIS systems

• To enable students to explore business operations in an international context.
• To develop students’ understanding of how the management of international operations differs from the management of nationally based operations  
• To allow students the opportunity to evaluate the various techniques and methods available to organisations operating in the international business environment
• To explore and investigate current issues influencing the management of international business operations   

Part A:      

Preparation for Experiential Overseas Learning will take place at the university of Chester during level 5 and will include:  

• The multiple facets of Global citizenship
• Ethical engagement and practice
• Cross-cultural issues and sensitivity
• Intercultural communication

Theories, models and strategies of learning

• Theories and models Intercultural competence
• Theories and models of Integration and Multiculturalism

• Critical thinking skills and models of Reflection
• Experiential learning models
• Self-directed experiential learning

Personal and placement-related skills

• Enhanced independence
• Improved command of multicultural behaviour
• Increased knowledge and confidence in their individual facets of personal identity
• Effective time management and organisational skills
• Project management – working away from University and independent study
• Self-management and personal development
• Team building and team work

Part B:            Overseas

Students will engage in experiential learning activities overseas for at least 150 hours 

The purpose of this module is to enhance students’ prospects of completing an overseas placement to the best of their ability consequently it aims to:

• To equip participants with appropriate knowledge and skills to study or work in a different cultural, linguistic and/or social environment; enhancing ethical, cultural and intercultural awareness.
• To enhance students understanding of the ethical issues related to living and working abroad.
• To increase students Global Citizenship skills
• To provide an opportunity for students to reflect critically on their experience of living and learning within an unfamiliar culture, to their 'home' culture or ethnic group.

To challenge students to learn about themselves as global citizens in terms of life skills, career choices and academic development outside the classroom.

Preparation for the year abroad will take place in Chester during level 5 and will include:

• Cross-cultural issues and sensitivity
• Host-country orientation, study methods– economic, political and social reality of the country
• Orientation specific to exchange – health, education, gender issues
• The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
• Practical matters relating to living and studying in the wider world

Theories, models and strategies of learning

• Critical thinking skills, experiential learning       and models of reflection

Personal and placement-related transversal skills

• Effective self-motivation and independent resourcefulness
• Effective time management and organisational skills
• Project management – working away from University and independent study
• Self-management and personal development

Whilst abroad:

Students will undertake study at one of UoC’s partner universities; it is expected that students will choose a series of modules at the university abroad, which equal a full-time study load. This must be agreed by the host institution and the International Tutor. Students must supply details of their courses/modules on a learning agreement within 4 weeks of arrival at the host university, note students who fail to supply this within 4 weeks may have the opportunity withdrawn.

1. To experience academic life in country outside of the EU, enhancing cultural and intercultural awareness and increasing transversal skills.
2. To reflect on the impact of the experience in their destination on one’s own personal, academic and professional development.
3. To engage with the experience of study at a partner university to gain extensive first-hand knowledge and understanding of the relevant society from the perspective of the resident.
4. To further develop independent learning techniques.
5. To foster critical evaluation.

The module will engage students through the use of lectures and seminar discussions. These will explore key themes and topics so that students may develop and enhance their knowledge, comprehension, analysis and application of marketing concepts, tools and theories within domestic and international contexts. This aims to support the preparation of the student in a marketing manager role.

These themes and topics may include, but are not limited to:

• Purpose and role of marketing management and planning within the context of domestic and international markets.
• Secondary data sources for marketing planning.
• The components of an internal and external situation analysis 
• Analysis and application of segmentation, targeting and positioning.
• Planning market entry method in domestic and/or international markets.
• Approaches to managing innovation.
• Managing product portfolios.
• Managing distribution systems for value
• Setting and managing pricing strategies
• Integrated marketing communications for competitive advantage and brand value.
• Application and evaluation of the adaptation standardisation approaches to marketing across markets.

The aims of this module are to: 

• To analyse and understand the importance of the situation analysis and apply appropriate models to an organisation’s situation.
• To investigate the different contexts (domestic and international) in which organisations manage their marketing activities.
• To examine the significance of coordinating and managing marketing for competitive advantage.
• To provide an insight into the approaches of managing innovation.
• To integrate and enhance areas of marketing knowledge and comprehension building on knowledge from other modules.

Pre-placement:

• Structured approaches to researching, selecting and securing a suitable work placement relevant to the student’s interests and career aspirations*.
• Writing an effective CV. Constructing a letter of application.*
• Interview skills.*

 *Note: Students are required to undertake these pre-placement tasks during term 1 level 5, as part of the placement acquisition process and will be supported by the Work Based Learning team and the Careers and Employability department.

 Induction Programme and Placement:

• The organisational context: research-informed analysis of the placement organisation’s aims, structure, culture.
• Self- assessment of needs: identification of the range of transferable skills, competencies and attitudes employees need and employers expect graduates to possess. (Employability Skills: e.g. verbal and written communication, analytical / problem solving capabilities; self-management; team working behaviours; negotiation skills; influencing people; positive attitude, resilience, building rapport).
• Devising a strategy for integrating into the workplace and work based teams
• Completion of online assignment tasks covering sourcing and obtaining placement; health and safety procedures in general; general workplace integrity; placement requirements. 

During and post-placement: Learning effectively in and from the workplace:- 

• Devising and implementing strategies to improve own approach and performance
• Critical analysis/evaluation of approach to skill development and performance in the workplace;
• Influencing the Placement Provider’s appraisal;
• Devising an action plan to develop gaps in transferable skills based on the placement experiences;

This module aims to enhance students’ prospects of gaining graduate level employment through engagement with a University approved work placement**, which will enable them to:

• Develop their understanding of workplace practice and lifelong learning;
• Enhance their work readiness and employability prospects through development of transferable skills;
• Take responsibility for their own learning and acquisition of workplace employability skills;
• Articulate, in writing, their employability skills.

This module is delivered in the context of the modern business environment, therefore, contemporary case studies and reports on companies and industries are integral to learning on the module.

Topics include:

• The macro, industry and market environments,
• The internationalisation process,
• Strategic mergers, acquisitions and alliances,
• Innovation and knowledge management,
• Writing and delivering strategy,
• Undertaking analysis on organisations and their strategic successes/failures.

As well as the subject knowledge and understanding set out in the module content, this module is designed to bring together and build on prior levels 4 and 5 knowledge, and current learning in the functional areas of business and/or tourism and events management (or suitable equivalent).

The seminars and assessments, both formative and summative, are designed to enhance the students' abilities in critical evaluation of sources and academic texts.  The module is designed to enhance critical faculties in balanced judgements within a context of imperfect information, risk and uncertainty, using both deductive logic and inductive lateral thinking while recognising the constraints of both. 

• Retailing formats and channels

• Retail management concepts

• Retailing destinations and environment

• Retail strategy and planning

• Management of the Retail Marketing Mix

• The competitive environment

• Understanding the retail consumer

• Emerging customer expectations and shopping behaviour

• Transformation of retail and retail change theory

• Online / Delivered retail services and reverse logistics

• Innovation and technology in retail

• Retail ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility

The aim of this module is to introduce students to the nature and organisation of the retail sector and the principles of retail management.

We shall explore contemporary topics such as the changing nature of retail practice and consumer behaviour as digital technology and customer preferences in general continue to evolve.

Students will examine the strategic and tactical application of key retail management concepts in a variety of retail formats and contexts, and evaluate the effectiveness of key retail methods and applications.

The implementation and evaluation of retail management approaches will be explored with reference to real-world practical case studies and examples, including input from retail specialists as guest speakers.

A key underpinning of the module is the application and management of general and retail-oriented marketing concepts in a retail-specific environment.

Indicative Content: 

• Leadership versus Management
• Theories/Approaches to Leadership (eg Trait, Situational, Contingency, Transformational)
• Leadership dilemmas: conflict management, power, influence and trust 
• Responsible and ethical leadership
• Leadership and management development
• Group leadership
• Leading in the 21st Century (e.g. cross-cultural contexts, communication technology)
• Nature and process of change
• Planned versus emergent change
• Impact of technology on change (eg BPR)
• Resistance to change
• Managing change
• Approaches for leading and embedding change
• Leadership and change management skills (eg EI, project and event management)

The module focusses on the nature and significance of leadership in organisations,  evaluating contemporary and future contexts in the light of developments in theoretical approaches to leadership and change , providing critical insight into the challenges inherent in successfully leading change and the role of the future leader in doing so.

• Introduction to the research process
• The importance of research justification and scoping
• Methodological foundations of research
• Moral and ethical issues in research
• Effective project management
• Rigour and feasibility issues in research
• Quantitative methodology: Research design, data collection and analysis
• Qualitative methodology: Research design, data collection and analysis
• Writing and reporting research in context

The Management Research Project aims to draw together specific subject knowledge and skills, with a particular focus on improved self-awareness and preparation for business, by challenging students for personal and academic development to management positions and and to employability on general. 

• To undertake a research project that is 'scoped and framed' within a required degree programme of study.
• To enable the student to design and conduct appropriate in-depth research in an elected area of study.
• To provide the student with the opportunity to acquire, consolidate and apply theoretical knowledge, methodologies, and research approaches in a ‘real world’ environment.
• To enable the student to develop and utilise skills in critical investigation; analysis and synthesis of evidence; reflection and autonomous learning.

Indicative Content

To develop an understanding the employment relationship and the nature of work

To understand the role of the line manager in the performance management process (coaching, counselling and mentoring; performance review, feedback and managing continuous personal development; managing under-performance and performance improvement plans; monitoring and mentoring of line managers in the performance management process to ensure equity)

To identify and evaluate a range of people management practices and how to design them in an integrated and ethical way to ensure professional principals, regulation and law are evidenced when making decisions about performance

To be able to develop an understanding of the people performance function: creating a learning culture that supports continuing professional development and high performance working (HPW), current and future trends in adult learning and motivation into the organisation’s learning approach, design learning using theories and methods that maximise learner engagement, reward, learning transfer and impact.  

To understand the role of people analytics and how this can add value to drive organisational performance

To enable students to uphold and maintain the standards and behaviours set out in the CIPD code of professional conduct (2023).

To critically reflect on the determinants of the employment relationship within an organisation

To critically examine the people performance function and the internal and external influences which drive individual and organisational performance

To understand the ethical and legal approaches to managing people

To have an understanding of how people analytics can be used to support people performance

Students will ideally have studied some finance or accounting prior to undertaking this module, for example BU4002, BU4010 or BU5016

• The international financial environment: The nature, concept and financial structure of Multinational corporation
  (MNCs), the economic environment and the influence of the international flow of funds
• The background of international financial markets
• Currency Derivatives and Hedging (Hedging techniques for foreign currency risk and interest rate risk)
• Exchange rate determinants and behaviour
• Exchange rate risk measurement and management
• Long term asset and liability management - Foreign Direct Investment / country risk analysis/Long term financing - multinational capital budgeting, cost of capital and capital structure
• Short term asset and liability management –financing international trade, short term financing , international cash management

The purpose of this module is to :

• critically evaluate the international financial environment of a multinational corporation, including financial institutions, financial markets and exchange rate systems.
• critically examine and evaluate the principal concepts in the theory and practice of international financial management
• analyse, apply and evaluate financial strategies through application of relevant analytical tools to examine and assess major issues and developments in international financial management
• provide a critical understanding of the principles of risk exposures and the management of its international financial operations

• The drive for internationalisation/globalisation 
• Standardisation versus adaptation- the globalisation versus localisation debate
• International Marketing research
• Understanding international cultures and their importance to a global marketing strategy
• International Consumer Behaviour
• International Communications
• Analysis of foreign market potential - distribution systems and entry strategies
• International Marketing Mix
• Contemporary issues in International Marketing (e.g. ethical and societal)

• To enable students to appraise and evaluate the special issues and problems faced by an organisation seeking to enter overseas markets
• To ensure that students appreciate the cultural issues that effect an international marketing programme
• To enable students to understand and develop appropriate strategies available to organisations when considering marketing on an international level

In a simulation of a marketing department task, a situational analysis and marketing communications plan will be produced. This requires marketing communications models to be applied to real-world case studies and therefore uses a mix of academic theory and practitioner resources. 

The content of this module will consider the shifting marketing communications landscape and the move to more integrated marketing communications. It will consider how marketing communications works and reviews such as interactive, digital and traditional marketing communications. It will also review the behavioural foundations of marketing communications including the profiling of customers.

The marketing communications plan aims to set out objectives, undertake planning, implementation and control of the plan. This requires consideration of material such as: strategic and tactical positioning; branding, brand management and the development of long-term strategic platforms; the analysis and application of communication tools and techniques; analysis of on-line and off-line media channels, platforms and applications; evaluating integrated marketing programmes through such as campaign control, budgeting and metrics.

To provide students with a comprehensive strategic understanding of contemporary marketing communications theory and practice.

1. To enable students to critically evaluate the underlying principles and practice of marketing communications.
2. To enable students to thoroughly examine the creation and maintenance of company and customer value through customer engagement, relationship building, brand management and targeted marketing communications techniques and applications.
3. To enable students to relate the dynamics of marketing ideas and concepts to a range of organisational contexts.
4. To develop students’ holistic understanding of the linkages between theory and practice across a range of related areas such as branding, service marketing, relationship marketing.
5. To enable students to produce viable, comprehensive marketing communication strategies across a range of channels and market types.