Business & Management

Unit Description: You will gain an understanding of the business environment and the internal and external circumstances in which different organisations operate. You will also gain understanding of organisational responsibilities and structures. Your understanding of the business environment will support your learning throughout other units in this programme, as you progress.

Unit Content:

Understand types of organisations, their purposes and responsibilities

• Types of organisations - including private (sole trader, partnership, limited, public limited), public, government, voluntary, charitable.
• Purposes - including profit, growth, return on investment (ROI), sales, service, customer satisfaction, corporate responsibility, ethical, environmental and social responsibilities; expressed through vision, mission, aims and objectives, long and short-term goals, values, culture.
• Responsibilities - meeting legal requirements of country or countries in which it is operating (e.g. consumer legislation, employee legislation, equal opportunities and anti-discriminatory legislation, environmental legislation, health and safety legislation), quality and safety of products and services offered, ethical practices, meeting stakeholder interests, dealing with potential conflicts of interest, producing and implementing policies, recruitment of expertise.
• Meeting objectives of different stakeholders - stakeholders including internal and external stakeholders, e.g. financial institutions, other lenders, debtors and creditors, owners/managers/employers, customers and clients, employees, government, trade unions, suppliers, community; objectives including financial, corporate, social, ethical and environmental, achieve business plan; potential conflict between objectives of differing stakeholders.

Understand the structure of organisations

• Organisational structures - hierarchical structure (e.g. flat, matrix, functional, divisional), centralization vs. decentralisation, specialisation, departmentalisation or other form of distribution of work, span of control, chain of command and level of formality in procedures.
• Functions of the departments: human resource management, physical resource management, finance, marketing and sales, communications, quality of service delivery, operations, logistics, decision-making, performance management, defining the expected type of communication and relationship between employees.
• The nature of inter-relationship in order to deliver mission and meet business strategy and objectives, impact of culture.
• Impact of globalisation: requirements for operating globally, limitations of certain organisational structures in the global field with respect to intercultural relations, geographical distances and different time zones.

Understand the impact of the market environment on organisations

• Supply and demand - concept of supply and demand and their relationship, time and supply, equilibrium and disequilibrium, excess demand; examples of pricing strategies (e.g. skimming, premium, penetration, economy).
• Interventions in the marketplace - government initiatives: taxing and subsidies, setting maximum and minimum prices, tools of market regulation, state ownership and funding; impact of the planned interventions: correcting market failures, re-distribution of income and wealth, managing monopolistic situations, improvement of market performance, mobility and social inclusion.

Understand the nature of the national environment in which organisations operate

• Impact of national fiscal and monetary policy on business organisations and their activities: level of profit, size and nature of employment, redundancy, imports, exports, trading partners, business behaviour, consumer behaviour, propensity to save, propensity to spend, tastes and preferences, expansion, downsizing.
• Government Policy and related agencies: including fiscal policy, monetary policy, private finance initiatives (PFI), central and local government spending, quantitative easing, interest rates, competition commission, sector regulators.
• Impact of competition policy on the chosen organisation: main aims/impact of competition policy including to promote competition in markets and price between suppliers, improve markets, contribution to efficiency and competitiveness, wider consumer choices for goods and services, technological innovation. Other regulatory mechanisms differ between country but UK examples include the 4 pillars of competition policy in the UK (antitrust and cartels, market liberalisation, state aid control, merger control), Competition Act 1998, Enterprise Act 2002, Office of Fair Trading, Directorate General for Competition, Ofgem, Ofwat, Civil Aviation Authority, Companies Act, Enterprise, Training and Skills Policies, Public Sector Borrowing.
• Benefits and challenges of operating in different economic environments. Benefits may include the ability to: complete effective market analysis; adapt to cyclical changes; expand business operations; communicate effectively (within the domestic business environment); access and purchase high quality materials and labour; benefit from economies of scale. Challenges may include: the inability to communicate effectively with the international business environment; diseconomies of scale; the increase in regulations and international legislations; difficulty in adapting and meeting the needs of different cultures; language barriers.

Unit Description: You will develop knowledge and understanding of the people aspects of an organisation, including communication practices, teamwork, remote working and other organisational structures. Using this knowledge and understanding, you will be able to review the impact of workplace practices on people.

Unit Content:

Understand communication practices within organisations

• Benefits: accurate and timely information; efficiency; good relationships/effective teams; morale; clear messages; customer and supplier relationships.
• Policies and procedures to cover: protocols e.g. for email; staff briefings; newsletters/posters/bulletins/email groups; briefings, regular meetings at different levels in the organisation; cascade; policies e.g. dealing with the media, confidentiality.
• Legislation to cover: Data Protection Act 1998, GDPR 2018; Freedom of Information Act; Equality Act 2010; confidentiality. Implications of policies, procedures and legislation for communication within organisations: improving communication, standardising communication, protecting confidentiality, security of personal information.
• Organisational structure: flat/tall; matrix; regional; remote offices; dotted line reporting. Implications for effectiveness of communication (flat structures - fewer gatekeepers, freer but can be uncontrolled; functional structure - no ambiguity, strict reporting lines; hierarchical structure - clear reporting lines but can be frustrating, power concentrated, teamwork can be limited).
• Impact of new technologies: remote working, isolation, maintaining consistency; speed of responses; need for damage limitation (e.g. due to social media).

Understand effective teamwork

• Benefits: synergy; motivation; sense of belonging; efficiency; creativity; being able to utilise individual skills and experience, building on ideas and concepts; opportunity for personal development.
• Failure of teams: communication; absence of individuals; conflict or conversely desire not to upset other team colleagues; imbalanced team make-up; poor brief, lack of clarity about objectives, process; insufficient monitoring of progress against objectives and key milestones; leadership style; Tuckman team development theory (stuck in early development stage).
• Impact of leadership styles on teamwork: autocratic (can be too controlling and demotivate); coaching (positive but tends towards micromanaging); participative (natural fit for teamwork, joint decision making); affiliative (aimed at developing work teams, risk that harmony is placed above performance); laissez faire (hands off, depends on strength of team). Other management styles may be included as appropriate.

Understand the issues associated with remote working

• Remote working includes: working at home; working from home (home-based); regional offices; virtual working; global working.
• Implications: investment in technology; feeling remote, isolated and lonely; challenges with communication; working in different time zones; different ways of behaving and doing things; time management and irregular hours.
• Different working practices: teleconferencing, webinars, flexible hours, regular updates, meetings, skype, email, travel. Technological requirements: broadband access with good speeds, web-based communications software.
• Impact of leadership styles on remote working: autocratic, coaching, democratic / participative, laissez faire; other management styles may be included as appropriate.

Understand how organisations monitor and support people in the workplace

• Human resources department: ensuring the correct policies and procedures are in place; assessing developmental needs; dealing with disciplinary issues; supporting in issues concerning conflict; advising managers; support for those leaving organisations e.g. retirement, redundancy.
• Policies and procedures: recruitment and selection criteria; job descriptions and person specifications; contracts of employment; flexible working/family friendly; termination of employment; induction, appraisal, training; data protection; personal issues e.g. bereavement, pregnancy.
• Practices: coaching; mentoring; training; performance reviews; appraisals.
• Review and appraisal process: motivation; monitor outputs; manage poor performance; reward good performance.
• Impact of legislation on employee relations management: employment law relating to equality, data protection, health and safety, maternity, redundancy, contracts of employment, industrial tribunals, trade unions, collective agreements; ethical issues. Strategies and processes for building employee relations.

Unit Description: You will develop a knowledge and understanding of fundamental financial and management accounting techniques that are used by managers in organisations and develop skills enabling you to apply these techniques.

Unit Content:

Understand financial and management accounting systems

• Management and financial accounts and requirement for financial records: legal requirements; users; outputs - information required by managers; monthly/quarterly accounts; useful ratios.
• Purpose and requirement for financial records: legal requirements; tax requirements; internal control requirements.
• Financial Accounting Systems and techniques: double entry bookkeeping; day books and ledgers; trial balance; annual financial statements (sole traders, partnerships, private limited companies - income statement, statement of financial position - and Public Limited Companies annual reports, i.e. general corporate information, accounting policies, income statement, statement of financial position, statement of cash flows, notes to the financial statements, chairperson's and directors' reports, auditor's report).
• Management Accounting Systems and techniques: cost-accounting systems; inventory (stock) management systems; cash flow forecasting; capital investment appraisal; budgeting and budgetary control; marginal and absorption costing; break-even analysis.
• Stakeholders: shareholders; potential investors; directors; managers; employees; suppliers; customers; lenders; government; analysts; local community. Information needs of different stakeholders. Benefits of integrated accounting systems.

Assess business organisation performance

• Working capital components: bank and cash balances; trade receivables (debtors); trade payables (creditors); inventory (stock). Management of working capital; working capital ratios - calculation and evaluation; ways to manage working capital - payment and collection cycles, inventory control, overdrafts, introduction of Just In Time (JIT) system etc.
• Ratio analysis: liquidity ratios (current ratio, acid test (quick) ratio); profitability ratios (mark-up, gross profit margin, net profit margin, return on capital employed); efficiency ratios (inventory turnover, trade receivables collection period, trade payables payment days).
• The interpretation of ratios including comparison with historical data, industry averages, other organisations etc. and use for assessment and decision-making; the benefits and limitations of ratio analysis.

Apply management accounting techniques for decision-making

• Budgetary control: purpose and content of budgets; cash flow forecasts; budgetary control process; importance of budgets for management; zero based budgeting, incremental budgeting; advantages and disadvantages of budgets.
• Variances: flexing the budget; calculating variances; explaining variances - financial and non-financial factors; reconciliation of budgeted to actual profit; advantages and disadvantages of variance analysis.
• Costing and pricing: classifying costs - direct/indirect, fixed/variable; calculating unit cost; dealing with overheads in manufacturing and service industries - full absorption costing and overview of other costing methods including Activity Based Costing, job costing; pricing - cost plus, marginal cost, price takers etc.; break-even analysis and marginal costing.
• Appraisal methods: accounting rate of return; payback; net present value; internal rate of return. Evaluation: strengths and weaknesses of each method; non-financial factors - organisational goals and vision, time factors etc.; organisational preference.

Unit Description: You will develop knowledge, understanding and skills relating to communication in a business context, including internal and external communication, and the factors that impact on the effectiveness of business communication.

Unit Content:

Understand how internal communication takes place within organisations

• The process of communication: to provide information, gain information/understanding, generate ideas, generate team cohesion, motivate; to send information vertically (upward and downward) and horizontally; to provide information formally and informally. A dynamic process - sender has an idea, idea/message sent, message transmitted to receiver, receiver gets message, receiver gives feedback (responds) to message.
• Modes of communication: written - letters, bulletins, noticeboards, updates, newsletters; face to face/oral - briefings, appraisals, daily/weekly huddles, meetings, interviews, disciplinary, sales, AGM, EGM; electronic - email, Facebook, Twitter, blog, Intranet, Yammer, Skype; conferences / whole staff meetings; training events; webinars.
• Barriers: clarity of written/oral message - readability, language, tone; technology - poor connections, inappropriate use; interpersonal relationships - personal conflict; non-verbal communication.
• Legal and ethical issues: legal - Freedom of Information Act, General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), equality legislation; ethical - use of email, whistleblowing, organisational policies.

Understand how organisations communicate with customers

• Formal communications: websites, brochures, letters, newsletters, emails, telephone calls, face to face, public relations.
• Informal communications: social media; blogging; influencers.

Understand the factors that impact on the effectiveness of communications in business

• Impact of organisational relationships: team cohesion; personal conflict; favouritism; hierarchical, line management, culture.
• Impact of non-verbal communication: tone of voice, body language; negative and positive, reinforcement of oral message/contradiction of oral message; active listening and focusing.
• Impact of technology: negative - reliance on technology at meetings/presentations, can create stress; positive - enhanced clarity of information, helps reinforce messages, can help those with different communication styles and needs.
• Effectiveness: clarity (e.g. of purpose, information, actions required), layout, length; message received is the same as the one that is sent; the purpose is achieved.

Present oral information effectively

• Oral presentation: formal presentation to a small group e.g. staff, colleagues, management.
• Complex information: general - introductory; complex - facts, figures, data.
• Technology: presentation software; ICT e.g. spreadsheets, hand-outs.
• Effectiveness: were intended purposes met; appropriateness of language used and body language; audience understanding and response; quality and appropriateness of information given.

Communicate effectively in writing

• Communicate complex information in writing e.g. reports, briefing notes, press releases, social media, meeting documentation; purpose e.g. to present results to the board, to launch a marketing campaign.
• Conventions in written communications: formal reports, informal reports, emails, letters, texts; greetings, sign off, tone, punctuation and grammar, use of first or third person. Documents required for meetings: agenda, minutes, papers. Quantitative data e.g. financial results, sales figures, changes in product features, productivity, energy efficiency.
• Review written communication for clarity, readability, appropriateness of media, use of visuals (e.g. charts, graphs, pictures), tone, language. Review and adapt written communications: selection of material; choice of channel for purpose; tone / style of presentation (formal, informal); suitability for intended audience.

Unit Description: You will develop an understanding of the seven elements of the marketing mix and how they relate to one another, including how digital and social media marketing relate to each element.

Unit Content:

Understand the elements of the marketing mix

• Product: features and benefits of products or services; product and service information provided to potential customers; comparison against competitor products and services; importance of the right product; use of marketing mix at each stage of the Product Life Cycle; creating lifetime value using the Customer Life Cycle.
• Price: use of pricing to reflect perceived value and to offset costs; different pricing strategies - penetration pricing, economy pricing, price skimming, psychological pricing, product line pricing, optional pricing, captive product pricing, product bundle pricing, promotional pricing, geographical pricing, premium pricing.
• Place (distribution channels): chain of distribution - wholesalers, retailers, distributors, internet; direct channel; indirect channel; types of distribution for market coverage - intensive, selective, exclusive; advantages of a direct marketing channel.
• Promotion: functions of promotion - persuade, remind, inform, sell, respond to competition, increase market share; promotion of corporate identity.
• Process: process activities - technological, manufacturing, electronic (EPOS, barcodes, checkouts, loyalty cards), direct and indirect; how process leads to customer focus.
• People: importance of recruiting the right customer-facing staff; how people underpin the customer relationship; importance of training customer-facing and non-customer-facing staff.
• Physical evidence: physical environment; ambience; spatial layout; corporate branding - signs, symbols, artefacts, packaging, webpages, brochures, uniforms, business cards.
• Relationship between elements and the effects of adjusting one element on the others (product, price, place, promotion, process, people, physical evidence); identifying and relating elements within an organisation.

Understand the application of the marketing mix

• Analysing marketing mix within organisations: identify a product or service, research and establish each element.
• Benefits: supports understanding of products/services and customers; helps planning; helps businesses focus on strengths; helps avoid unnecessary costs; supports efficiency; guide for allocating resources and responsibilities; facilitates communication.

Understand digital elements of the marketing mix

• Digital tools: search marketing; social media marketing; digital advertising; digital PR; digital partnerships; digital messaging.
• Digital media can be: paid for (pay per click, paid social media, online adverts, affiliate marketing, external email push); owned media (guest blogging, customer reviews, website advertising); earned media (sponsorship, earned mentions, influencer, partner emails).
• Examples of uses across product, price, place, promotion, and people/process/physical evidence (e.g. digital products, online discounts, affiliate or co-marketing, search/email/social media marketing, Live-chat and online knowledge bases).

Unit Description: You will develop an understanding of entrepreneurship in business, the skills and qualities needed by a successful entrepreneur, and the roles an entrepreneur plays in starting and developing businesses. You will develop skills in generating ideas for possible new business ventures and will be able to prepare for a new business venture.

Unit Content:

Understand entrepreneurship in business

• What is entrepreneurship? Entrepreneurial lifecycle: new idea conception; test ideas; focus on opportunity; commit resources; market entry; growth; maturity/sale of business/decline of business.
• New business ventures, business start-ups: opening new markets; fulfilling a new need; identifying a gap in the market; new products and services; new business models; disruptive business models.
• Entrepreneurship vs established business management; can create employment and wealth.
• European Commission Entrepreneurship 2020 Action Plan; Entrepreneur First (EF); World Economic Forum - Entrepreneurial Ecosystem; DIT Global Entrepreneur programme; entrepreneurship visa; TechStars London.

Understand the skills and qualities of a successful entrepreneur

• Types of entrepreneur, e.g. small business entrepreneur; lifestyle entrepreneur; high-growth potential entrepreneur; professional entrepreneur; serial entrepreneur; corporate entrepreneur; social entrepreneur.
• Skills and qualities: risk-taking; organising; motivating people; drawing together a team of people with relevant skills; creativity; opportunity analysis; speed of taking action; decision-making; innovative; hard-working; passionate; able to sell ideas and convince others; perseverant; resilient; imaginative; motivated; problem-solving; vision; teamwork; commitment.
• Compare with managers who may be more concerned with stability, profit margins, lower risk-taking, people oriented, responsible and accountable. Roles of managers and entrepreneurs - entrepreneur as driving force, often business owner, starts and expands the business; managers focus on administration, utilise existing resources, plan and control day-to-day activities.

Prepare for a new business venture

• New business opportunities: services, products, new business models. Idea generation; model/theory: Drucker's 7 sources of innovation. Making recommendations: selection of workable idea; justifying the business case; financial projections; customer base; gap in market; need for product/service.
• Component parts of an effective business plan: executive summary; business description; market analysis; organisation management; sales strategies; funding requirements; financial projections.
• Developing a brand: link with business strategy; identification and research of target customers; develop brand positioning; messaging strategy; development of name, logo and tagline; content marketing strategy; branded items (e.g. website, business cards).
• Business promotion: marketing plan; social networks; promotional products, adverts, samples. Business start-up plan: strategy; team; financial objectives and projections; form of business organisation and legal set-up; product/service and their features and benefits; market; customer analysis; competitors; market positioning; sales and marketing strategy; operations; payback plan.

Unit Description: You will be able to develop knowledge and understanding of the scope and importance of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and to explore how effective CRM is achieved. You will also gain an understanding of loyalty schemes and have an opportunity to make improvements to CRM.

Unit Content:

Understand the importance of customer relationship management (CRM) to business

• Key features: definition (strategies to learn more about customers and improve relationships with them); collecting customer information; systems to store customer information; access to information for appropriate personnel; analysis of customer behaviour; use of data to inform marketing, customer service and quality systems.
• Benefits: increased profits; competitive advantage; increased sales due to better understanding of customer requirements; effective marketing targeted at known customer profiles; personalised approach to customers; increased customer satisfaction; increased customer retention.
• Measuring customer satisfaction: formal/informal repeat business, customer loyalty; Net Promoter Score (NPS); customer feedback; complaints.

Understand how effective customer relationship management is achieved

• Processes: creating a customer culture; collecting and processing customer information; making systems customer based; supporting with effective IT; complaints procedures.
• Staff: senior management; IT managers; operational managers; front line; administration. Staff roles: determination of aims and objectives of CRM; choice of system; implementation and management of system; liaison with software suppliers; analysis and use of data; implementing customer service policies and processes; understanding of customer service as a key responsibility; role model; training.
• External stakeholders: shareholders; suppliers; community groups; customers. External stakeholder roles: agreeing strategies; reporting; sharing information; complying with customer service policies; acting in partnership; giving feedback.
• Impact of employee engagement with CRM: increased job satisfaction; increased productivity/efficiency; better service; satisfied customers/repeat business.

Understand the use of loyalty schemes in customer relationship management

• Information from loyalty schemes: purchasing habits; opinions; preferences; profiles of customers.
• Use of information: targeting groups of customers; product development to meet customer needs; adapting marketing mix; personalising marketing; choice of media for promotion.
• Segmentation by: geography; products purchased; stage in family lifecycle; loyalty; consumer spends.

Plan improvements to customer relationship management in a chosen organisation

• Review: systems in use; current role of staff; service policies in use; quality benchmarks used; quality of customer service; available data on customer satisfaction.
• Potential improvements to processes: new software systems; customer service policies; working towards recognised quality standards; introduction of mystery shoppers; introduction of a CSR department.
• Potential improvements to the role of staff: recruitment of right staff; training; clear vision and mission; appropriate access to customer data. Obtain feedback from colleagues, customers and managers.

Unit Description: You will develop your knowledge and understanding of digital communications technology. You will examine a range of concepts relating to digital communications and their impact on organisations and society. You will also gain an understanding of the issues of accessibility, security and portability in digital communications.

Unit Content:

Understand a range of digital communications technologies

• Analog and digital communications: how analog waves are recorded as opposed to being sampled and converted into a digital format; advantages of sustainability and longevity of digital formats.
• Digital communications examples: email, video conferencing, instant messaging, text messaging and mobile phones.
• New and emerging trends: virtual environments for research, teaching and learning; interactive workspaces and virtual offices; the growth in mobile workers and changes to traditional work environments (e.g. Ambient Knowledge, Immersive Technology and Bürolandschaft).

Understand the impact of digital communications

• Digital communications in the workplace: how digital media has streamlined office procedures such as invoicing and payments, digital marketing tools, meetings and collaborative software and online trading via e-commerce.
• Societal impact: greater choice and flexibility for consumers; enhanced global communications (email, Skype, Zoom, Teams, Facebook, Messenger, Twitter, Snap Chat); isolation of vulnerable groups; health and well-being issues of becoming more insular and less mobile.
• Written and oral communications: use of texting and emojis; move away from formal English to informal styles; decline of traditional written formats such as letter writing, with more modern methods such as emails, WhatsApp etc.

Understand issues of accessibility, security and portability in digital communications

• Barriers: cost of constant upgrades; geography and networks, access to wi-fi and the internet; lack of technological skills in some sectors of society; time zones for virtual meetings; resistance to change within a workforce.
• Security threats: protection of mobile devices (anti-virus software, passwords, log-in shields); voice recognition, multi factor authentication and passkeys; use of payment systems such as PayPal; network security, firewalls, administrators, IT policies, download and portable device restrictions.
• Portability and growth: the importance of digital communications 'on the go'; the need to be available 24/7 and its impact; no defined barriers between work-life and social-life. Portability: the ability to work from any location; working flexibly across time zones. Breach of digital security: unauthorised access to data, applications, services, networks and/or devices.

Understand blogging, digital content management and social networking platforms

• Blogging software: tools such as WordPress, Wix, Yola, Tumblr or Contentful etc. Blogging evaluation: comment on layout, content and design; is the blog 'fit for purpose', appealing, does it allow comments, is it updated regularly.
• Content management: features of what content management is and does; the processes and technologies that support the collection, managing and publishing of information; how it becomes 'digital content'.
• Social media platforms: drawbacks including spam, privacy and cyber-bullying, security threats, viruses and hackers, costs and the global social divide. Benefits including global communication networks and advancements in teaching, learning and innovation.

Unit Description: You will develop an understanding of the issues organisations face when operating in a global context, and review how these issues impact on business operations.

Unit Content:

Understand global business operations

• Key differences: legal status/ownership (e.g. sole trader, partnership, company, corporation - limited and unlimited, public limited and international equivalents); structure and size; what they offer (products and/or services); image.
• Different sectors/industries: private (e.g. manufacturing, service such as hospitality, finance); public (e.g. healthcare, education); 'not for profit' (e.g. supporting others, conservation and heritage organisations, campaign groups).
• Global context: international; national; local.
• Organisational responsibilities: to shareholders; to employees; to other stakeholders; to customers; to the environment; ethical issues.
• Organisational strategies: human resources policy; environmental strategy; equal opportunities policy; ethics policy; financial plan; international partnering policy; electronic modes of marketing and communication; reliable import and export processes.

Understand the impact of external factors on global business organisations

• Technological factors: transport revolution; information and communications.
• Economic factors: increasing incomes; global trade; world financial markets; market forces; global competition and competition rules; country specific differences - costs, logistics.
• Social factors: consumerism; convergence in customer tastes; education and skills; environmental conservation; understanding other languages and cultures.
• Political factors: reduced trade barriers; intellectual property rights; privatisation; technical standards, regulations, legislations; global strategies.
• Government policies: monetary policies, interest rates, quantitative easing, unemployment; fiscal policies, spending, public sector borrowing, controlling demand, taxation, distribution of income; competition policy; sector regulation (e.g. in UK OfGem, OfQual, OfGas, CAA, OfCom, and equivalents elsewhere); regional policies; skills agenda, apprenticeships.

Understand the impact of globalisation on the internal operations of business organisations

• Global integration: trading blocs; World Bank, IMF, global/trading bloc policies and directives (e.g. EU), G20, OPEC and other relevant organisations; market size; transnational corporations.
• International trade: opportunities e.g. emerging markets; growth; protectionism; trading blocs, partnerships and agreements and their regulation/restrictions; trade duties and tariffs; increased competition, outsourcing to other countries, increased customer choice.
• Operational management: structure appropriate to manage operations across numerous locations; agreed systems, protocols.
• Impact of technology: ICT technologies; remote workforce (locating workforce where labour may be cheaper or skills more relevant); the role of the internet in trade; easy communication e.g. Skype, email, social networking.
• Different approaches to leadership and decision making in global organisations: potential for different decisions depending on the culture and values of different locations; appropriate range of skills, experience in different locations, expat managers and staff; issues with language and communication.

Understand current issues impacting on global business activities in a specified country

• A review of: domestic market in chosen country; global market; domestic and global policies; other global factors; government policies; trade blocs.
• Strategies: new markets; new environments (e.g. move business); new technologies; growth/shrink; change of suppliers, importers, exporters; change in business structure (e.g. from sole trader to company/corporation).
• Issues affecting business activities in a specified country: internal issues; cultural issues; ethical issues; problems with suppliers; limited resources.

Unit Description: You will develop an understanding of how to manage individuals and teams. You will study organisational factors and how they impact on, and influence, individual and team behaviour, and learn management tools and techniques to help you effectively manage individuals and teams.

Unit Content:

Understand how organisational structure, culture and other factors impact on people in organisations

• Structure: hierarchical; flat/tall; matrix; inverted triangle; functional; product, market and geographical structures.
• Culture: organisational leadership style; 'the way we do things'; assumptions; behaviours; values; codes; stories and myths; ceremonies and rituals; working practices.
• Organisational factors: workforce development; talent management; intrinsic and extrinsic incentive and reward schemes; community engagement; environmental responsibility; working practices e.g. flexible or hybrid working; remote working; equality, diversity and inclusion; psychosocial factors (job design, workloads, resource availability).
• Impact factors: power/influence of individuals; power/influence of teams; leadership power/influence (span of control); communication channels, ease of communication; motivation levels; creativity; line management structures.

Understand how to manage individuals and teams to achieve sustainable business performance

• Individual differences: knowledge, skills and experience; attitude; personality traits; culture; religion and beliefs; mental health; physical health; work pattern; work location preferences.
• Theories of managing individuals and teams / theories of motivation: McGregor's theory X and theory Y; Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs; Contingency Theory; Herzberg's Theory; the Hawthorne studies. Effect of management styles on motivation, creativity, trust and respect, productivity, commitment.
• Managing teams: setting a goal and planning to achieve it; getting buy-in; Belbin (understanding individual strengths, weaknesses and team roles); Tuckman model of team development; motivating staff; high-performing teams.
• Management style: trait theories; behavioural approach; contingency approach; autocratic/democratic/laissez faire; Hersey and Blanchard Situational theory; charismatic leadership; Tannenbaum and Schmidt.
• External factors which impact on management of teams and individuals: economic situation (availability of labour, full employment, interest rates, inflation/deflation, government economic policy); infrastructure, transport availability; legislation (minimum wage, immigration policies, maternity/paternity leave, working hours); education (access to HE, tuition fees, in-house training/coaching); union membership, industrial action.

Understand how to develop and motivate individuals and teams to achieve sustainable business performance

• Training and development: talent management; training workshops and conferences; online training; books and websites; CPD; membership of professional body; sharing good practice; celebrating achievement and success; coaching and mentoring; work placement and exchange, job shadowing; qualifications.
• Developing high-performing teams: leadership; accountability; processes; shared purpose; communication; recognition; continuous improvement.
• Benefits of training and development - individuals (self-actualisation, increased motivation, developing talent, promotion/enhanced pay) and organisations (increased productivity, workforce retention, enhanced profit).
• Development of individuals and teams: delegation; performance review; incentives and rewards; theories of motivation.

Review people management strategies in an organisation

• People management strategies: working environment; management and leadership style; structure; culture; staff development opportunities; flexible working practices; ethical practices; CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) agenda.
• Strategies for improving performance: incentives, bonus schemes, incremental rises, improved job satisfaction; for organisational improvement; for organisational productivity.
• Impacts on employees and stakeholders: individuals/teams; performance; staff retention; employee satisfaction.

Unit Description: You will develop the knowledge and understanding of the sources and uses of finance in organisations, and how to interpret and evaluate financial data.

Unit Content:

Understand the sources of finance available to organisations

• Sources of finance: internal and external; short, medium and long term.
• Types of organisations: sole trader; partnership; private limited company; public limited company; third sector organisations.
• Appropriate sources of finance for a specific project: savings; reserves; overdraft; loan; mortgage; credit card; trade credit; venture capital; share issues; crowd funding; bond issues. Consideration of the advantages and disadvantages of each source, and their appropriateness to specific business decisions.

Assess an organisation's financial performance

• Annual financial statements: sole traders; partnerships; private limited companies (income statement, statement of financial position); public limited companies annual reports (general corporate information, accounting policies, income statement, statement of financial position, statement of cash flows, notes to the financial statements, chairperson's and directors' reports, auditor's report). Differences between internal final accounts and the publicly available final accounts of a limited company; financial statement interpretation.
• Relevant legislation: Companies Act; Partnership Act; Charities Act; impact of relevant legislation on different forms of business ownership (sole traders, partnerships, private limited companies, public limited companies, third sector organisations).
• The application of accounting concepts and principles to financial statements: valuation of non-current assets; valuation of inventory; matching principle; provision for depreciation; irrecoverable debts; provision for doubtful debts.
• Ethical requirements: responsibility to stakeholders; responsibility to members as the owners; legal requirements for some third sector organisations.

Use costing methods to make informed organisational decisions

• Organisational costs: fixed; variable; direct; indirect; semi-variable; stepped; total; unit; marginal; opportunity; start-up; operating; overheads.
• Break-even calculations: calculation of the break-even point by formula; produce break-even graphs; produce contribution to sales (profit/volume) graphs; evaluate break-even data/graphs.
• Apply break-even analysis to specific business decisions: make or buy; special order decisions; acceptance of additional work; discontinuing a product or service based on contribution; price setting; scarce resources; 'what if' scenarios. Consideration of the impact of changes in costs and revenues; uses, benefits and limitations of break-even calculations.
• Break-even chart - graphical representation of break-even output, including: fixed cost line; total cost line; total sales revenue line; break-even output; area of profit; area of loss; margin of safety. Uses, benefits and limitations of break-even charts.

Unit Description: You will develop skills to formulate an appropriate research question, and design and undertake a research project to answer that research question. You will also learn to interpret the outcomes of your research and present this to stakeholders.

Unit Content:

Produce a research proposal

• Selecting a research problem/issue: identifying the objectives of the research; project resourcing (time and resource needed and availability); skills and knowledge (access to appropriate skills, expertise and literature).
• Formulating a research problem/issue: stating the problem in terms of the research objectives; identifying what is included in and excluded from the scope; identifying a suitable research methodology; use of primary and secondary data; data collection - surveys, interviews, observation, focus groups, literature review etc.
• Research methodology: ethical issues (access to sensitive data and respondents; GDPR/data protection, confidentiality agreements); data analysis (qualitative, quantitative, statistical, results of interviews); gathering information (company documentation, outcomes of similar research, theoretical concepts and ideas).
• Project planning: project tasks; project timelines (sequence, task duration, start and end dates using tools e.g. Gantt or flow chart); project monitoring (risk factors and mitigation, key milestones, review dates); use of project resources (human, financial, technical, physical).

Undertake a research project

• Undertaking research: application and implementation of the research project plan, including data collection, analysis, write-up and presentation; retaining focus on the intended purposes and outcomes; systematic recording of data and information; taking account of bias, validity and reliability and control of variables; consideration of the sufficiency of the data; analysing data (qualitative, quantitative, trend analysis, statistical); presentation of data (graphs, tables, bar charts, pie charts, case studies, quotes).
• Reviewing progress: monitoring and reviewing the project including resource and time allocation; modifying the plan in relation to monitoring information; adhering to the scope of the research.
• Evaluating the research project: review the successes and difficulties encountered (delivering the purposes and outcomes, effectiveness of the plan and methods, volume, validity and value of the data).

Evaluate research project outcomes

• Understand to what extent the research outcomes answer the research question; the limitations of the research and what improvements could be made; developing recommendations including possible areas for future research or changes to the methodology; reach conclusions; understand the significance, application and possible impact of the research outcomes.

Present the research project outcomes to stakeholders

• Consider the prior knowledge and information needs of the audience; business expectations and norms for presentation; the advantages and disadvantages of different communication methods (written and spoken presentation, visual representation).
• Select an appropriate presentation media, format and structure; deliver a professional written or spoken presentation; present research projects and outcomes accurately; reporting conclusions and, where appropriate, recommendations based on the outcomes.

Unit Description: You will develop knowledge and understanding of communication within and between organisations. You will also review your own communication skills in an organisational context.

Unit Content:

Understand channels and types of communication within and between organisations and their effectiveness

• Communication types: internal (colleagues, other departments); external (between organisations).
• Communication channels: formal, informal, face to face, telephone, electronic (email, social media, forums, web conference, instant messaging, live and web chat), written (letters, reports, blogs), mass media (newsletters, promotional material), noticeboards, presentations, briefings, meetings.
• Benefits: suitability, appropriateness, clarity of information/message, adapting to individual needs and circumstances, speed, flexibility, reduced cost and time, transmission of documents, multiple people contribution, audit trail, sharing ideas and best practice.

Understand the factors that impact on workplace communication

• Factors: organisation structure (hierarchical, functional, horizontal, matrix, network, team-based); culture, management styles (autocratic, affiliative, coaching, democratic, pacesetting, visionary); leadership styles (authoritarian, paternalistic, democratic, laissez-faire, transactional, transformational); role and responsibility (positional power, relationships); organisational policy and processes (communication policy, whistleblowing policy, brand guidelines/house style, standard responses); resources (technology, time); location (same site, hybrid or remote working).
• Stakeholders: external (customers, suppliers, competitors, shareholders, pressure/environmental groups, trade unions, finance and/or government authorities, regulatory bodies); internal (team members, other employees, line manager, departmental managers, senior managers, specialists such as finance, IT, HR, sales, marketing, R&D, customer service, dispatch, administration). Understanding audience needs, wants, expectations, preferences and limitations.
• Technology: types (intranet, extranet and internet, websites, email, collaborative meeting software, IS and MIS, networks); role (flexibility, accessibility and convenience, supporting remote workers, efficient tasks such as electronic documents, invoices and online payments).

Develop own communication skills within the workplace

• Role and process of reflection; situations such as delegating, negotiating, motivating, briefing, providing information; appropriateness and suitability of method.
• Personal Development Plan (PDP) framework: define and prioritise own goals; set out proposals for improving own communication skills; understand strengths and weaknesses; SMART objectives.

Understand how to improve communication within an organisation

• Evaluation to include: timeliness, understanding, suitability, clarity, response, achieving outcomes.
• Measures of effectiveness: reactions, feedback, checking understanding, surveys, customer complaints. Recommendations: what, why, how and benefit.

Unit Description: You will develop knowledge and understanding of general marketing principles and their application in business. You will also have the opportunity to develop a marketing plan for a specific product or service.

Unit Content:

Understand the role of marketing in business

• Role of marketing to achieve business objectives: establishing and growing relationships between a business and its customers; establishing and maintaining public image and reputation; growing customer base; branding via publicity, advertising and customer interaction; launching new products and services; entering a new market; expanding market share; increasing sales and profits; building competitive advantage; improving customer focus; increasing customer satisfaction; improving quality.
• External factors influencing marketing: political, economic, social, technological, legal and environmental factors; pressure groups, competitors, Porter's Five Forces.
• Role of marketing in a not-for-profit business: overlaps with the role of marketing for a business; providing information to change attitudes (e.g. health campaigns); providing information and generating income (e.g. charities); social marketing (e.g. political campaigns).
• How a marketing strategy supports the sales function: satisfies customer need; establishes clear responsibilities, process and goals; determines messaging; establishes common tracking and reporting; identifies areas for improvement; aligns marketing content with the selling cycle; shares data and intelligence.

Understand marketing principles

• Marketing process: carrying out a marketing audit; environmental analysis e.g. PESTLE; SWOT analysis; setting aims and objectives; planning; understanding constraints and options.
• Methods of segmenting markets: demographic; socio-economic; geographic; psychographic; behavioural.
• Principles of digital marketing: ratio of digital to traditional marketing; timing of marketing; content; maintenance of currency of marketing material; allocation of time, effort and budget.
• Benefits of market segmentation: better matching of customer needs; enhanced profits; better opportunities for growth; retain more customers; build relationships via targeted communications; gain share of the market segment.
• Challenges a business faces to market effectively: time; expertise; budget; fitting in with the buying/selling cycle; pricing correctly; matching product to market; placing product correctly.

Understand marketing methods

• Marketing research methods: primary, secondary; qualitative/quantitative; surveys, questionnaires; sampling methods; interviews (structured, unstructured, focus groups); observation; experimentation; ethnography.
• Use of channels for digital marketing: search engine optimisation; pay per click advertising; responsive website; social media (Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter); viral marketing; emails (newsletters, personalised); hand-held devices. Considerations include increased security risk, cluttered market, focus on search phrases, ad blockers, increased ad costs, and how challenges could be overcome or mitigated.

Develop a marketing plan for a specific product or service

• Strategic objectives: introduce a new product feature or service; enter a new market; expand market share; increase sales; increase profits; enhance reputation.
• Target markets: specific demographic; geographic area; socio-economic group; defined psychographic group.
• Consideration of factors relevant to implementation: implementation factors; barriers and their resolution; marketing budget; monitoring and controlling the marketing plan; people and knowledge, skills and experience; technical factors.

Unit Description: You will develop knowledge and understanding of new business ventures and the skills associated with planning a venture. You will develop an understanding of business types and the factors that determine the success or failure of a new business venture. You will also learn how to determine the market potential of a new business and develop the associated business plan.

Unit Content:

Understand how to determine the market potential of a new business venture

• Market conditions: PEST / PESTLE (political, economic, social/ethical, technological, legal and environmental); competitor analysis (characteristics and strategies of the competition); estimating market size; market need; gap analysis.
• Specifying a product to meet market need: details, dimensions, purpose, longevity, target market, international or national market, pricing, distribution and marketing. New products or services: emerging trends (e.g. due to ageing population, new technology); changing requirements.
• Target markets: socioeconomic; age; gender; occupation; sources of finance; special factors; personality indicators; geographical.
• Potential benefits, limitations and risks: benefits (ownership, control); limitations (growth, image, operations, finance); risks (unlimited liability, loss of control e.g. to shareholders, closure, bankruptcy/insolvency).

Understand the legal considerations of new business ventures

• Legal and regulatory considerations: legal entity of business (e.g. sole trader, partnership, LLP); health and safety; environmental; employment and redundancy; contracts; insurance; data protection; equality and diversity.

Develop a business plan

• Vision and mission; market conditions; target market; opportunities due to a gap in the market.
• Skills/experience: project management; business planning; marketing; accountancy/book-keeping; leadership; communication skills (oral and written); delegation; organisation; sales; customer relations; people management.
• Other resources: human (committed and capable personnel); financial (financially secure, access to funding); physical (suitable premises, equipment); mentoring and training; information (in-depth knowledge of industry, stakeholders).
• Financial requirements: financial, physical and sales forecasts; short and longer term. Business structures and systems: organisational structure; resource management systems; supply chain management; technology requirements/systems.
• SWOT analysis; risk management (use of contingency funds, insolvency and bankruptcy, new markets).

Understand how to secure funding for a new business venture

• Sources of finance: savings; flotation on stock market; loans; investors; share capital; crowdfunding; private equity.
• Benefits and risks associated with different sources of funding (e.g. savings - no interest but could lose savings; loans - range of amounts and payback options, retain equity, but interest and payments due whether the business succeeds or not; investors - extends financial risk but gives up some control).
• Pitching for funding: getting your facts correct and being on top of the detail; considering your investors' needs; framing the pitch ('telling a story'); practice and developing confidence; following up; revising the pitch (what worked / what didn't).

Unit Description: You will develop knowledge and understanding of business ethics and the effects ethics can have on organisational planning and the management of goals and activities. The importance of business ethics will be considered in relation to different ethical perspectives in business, within business and workplace relationships, and within a specific organisation.

Unit Content:

Understand different ethical perspectives in business

• The history and development of ethics: an outline of moral philosophy and the modern-day study of ethics; applied ethics (its meaning and how ethical problems are resolved in the context of business, corporate and individual conduct); normative and descriptive business ethics; institutions and frameworks (The Society of Ethics, the European Business Ethics Network (EBEN)).
• Absolute v. relative ethics: public morality and ethical codes; contextual ethics.
• Role of governance in ensuring ethical behaviour: ethical standards part of the corporate agenda (Charity Governance Code, Good Governance Code); broad ethical awareness; lead in setting ethical standards; ensure enforcement of ethical behaviour; build commitment and respect for values; meet social obligations; train employees, management and the board in best business practices.
• Issues of unethical behaviour (corporate and individual): misleading product information; unfair competition; mistreating employees; manipulating accounts; bribery; misusing company time; abusive behaviour; distortion of facts; violating/disregard of company policies.

Understand business objectives from an ethical perspective

• Business objectives and ethics: objectives such as shareholder value, profit, meeting customer and employee expectations, increasing market share; how these are affected by ethical considerations (compliance, environment, CSR, human rights, sustainability, ethical treatment of suppliers, workers, investors and other stakeholders).
• Implications for business and its stakeholders of unethical practice: stakeholders (employees, customers, owners, suppliers, wider population); implications (criminality/unethical approaches may break the law, reputation/trust, profitability).
• The need for: ethical trade; compliance with legislation and codes of practice; designing ethical processes and relationships; responding to ethical pressures; ethical policy and responsibility reporting.

Understand ethics in business and workplace relationships

• The business as an ethical agent: stakeholder/business responsibilities, obligations and duties; moral obligations; psychological contract; transparency and accountability; sustainability.
• Business areas and ethics, e.g. contracts; negotiations; customers; advertising/promotion; sales and marketing; information gathering and storing.
• Mechanisms for supporting and developing ethical treatment of employees: employer/employee relations; workers councils, employee ownership (e.g. John Lewis), unionisation and employer accountability; discrimination and human resource policies (e.g. equal opportunities); individual ethical rights, behaviours and responsibilities.
• Ethics of workplace relationships for global organisations: shared core values and common standards; developing a culture of integrity; commitment from the Board, CEO and senior managers; code of conduct; managing for organisational integrity.

Assess a current ethical issue in an organisation

• Current ethical issues such as globalisation, labour issues, outsourcing, fair-trade, modern-day slavery, sustainability, environmentalism, global warming, energy security, access to resources (e.g. water, timber, biofuels), community relations, intellectual property, social networking and personal information.
• Design of ethical code including ethical auditing (e.g. supply chain); ethical, environmental and social reporting; business processes and design; ethical practices, standards and codes of conduct.

Unit Description: You will develop the knowledge, understanding and skills necessary to develop an organisational strategic plan.

Unit Content:

Understand the foundations for developing organisational strategy

• Explanations of organisational vision, mission, strategy and business plans; the differences and the interface between them.
• Core organisational values e.g. ethical, environmental, client centred; cultural diversity; drivers e.g. business growth, profit, market share, workforce expectation.
• Objectives and measures: SMARTER (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, time-based, evaluate, re-evaluate) objectives; stakeholder involvement.
• External factors: needs and expectations of stakeholders (customer groups, shareholders, suppliers and sub-contractors, the workforce, and the community); the success and direction of competitors and changes in the market sector (product design, political changes, legal changes, trends and expectations, exchange rates, trading agreements).
• Use of external surveys and statistics; customer analysis and feedback; tools such as SWOT analysis, STEEPLED analysis; market research (primary and secondary); feasibility.

Review an organisation's strategy and business plans

• The purpose of review and what this entails; tools such as Value Chain analysis, SWOT, PESTLE analysis, Porter's Five Forces; internal surveys and statistics.
• Market position; market share analysis; life cycle analysis; Boston growth share (BCG) Matrix.
• SWOT analysis, resource analysis, competitive analysis, skills and competencies audit, benchmarking sustainable competitive advantage; pricing strategies; economies of scale and scope; market equilibrium.

Develop strategy options for an organisation

• Strategic planning options: Ansoff Matrix strategies; corporate expansion; integration (vertical - backwards and forwards; horizontal); differentiation; Porter's generic strategies.
• Diversification, control of resources, distribution channels; Mintzberg's strategies (deliberate, emergent); strategic alliance; merger, acquisition; competitive strategies.
• Value-based strategy; contingency strategy; maintaining/increasing market share, niche markets; market segmentation; adding value; workforce competence development; product portfolio; reconfiguration; gap analysis; profitability; portfolio analysis; benchmarking.
• Criteria for judging options; feasibility studies; risk assessments.

Unit Description: You will develop knowledge, understanding and skills that will enable you to analyse internal and publicly available financial information. This will help to inform strategic decision-making.

Unit Content:

Understand the importance of financial data in formulating and delivering business strategy

• Sources of financial information: internal (internal accounting systems, payroll etc.); external (suppliers, Companies House, the Budget etc.).
• Financial information: profitability, cash flow, business value, financial stability, cost projections.
• Need for financial information: assessing finance requirements, obtaining finance, reporting to owners, shareholders and stakeholders, setting and meeting targets, appraising new projects, managing risk, internal needs v external needs.
• Business risks: strategic, market, compliance, operational, risk modelling.

Use financial analysis as a tool for strategic decision-making

• Published accounts: purpose; provide information to shareholders/stakeholders; users (shareholders, potential shareholders, managers, employees, lenders, creditors, suppliers, customers, community, competitors); annual reports including main financial statements (statements of financial position, income statements, statements of cash flows), director's report, audit report, notes to accounts; internal management accounts versus published financial accounts; structure of financial statements; limitations of published accounts.
• Comparative analysis: comparison between years, comparison between businesses, industry comparisons, benchmarking.
• Ratio analysis: reasons for using ratios; advantages and limitations; ratio categories including profitability, liquidity, efficiency, capital and investor.

Evaluate proposals for strategic capital expenditure in an organisation

• Types of expenditure; difference between capital and revenue expenditure (definitions, decision making, treatment in financial statements).
• Investment appraisal techniques: payback, accounting rate of return, net present value, internal rate of return, discounted cash flow, cost benefit analysis, value for money.
• Long term and short-term finance; importance of matching finance to project. Sources of finance: external and internal sources, role of markets, role of government, advantages and disadvantages of each source, implications such as gearing.
• Cash flow management: cash flow forecasts v cash flow statements; managing inventory, trade payables, trade receivables etc.; budgetary control processes - budgets and variances.

Unit Description: The aim of this unit is to develop the knowledge, understanding and skills required to carry out research to meet the needs of strategic business management.

Unit Content:

Produce a research proposal relating to strategic business development

• Research proposal: possible questions or hypothesis; different formats for research proposals; aims of research; scoping research projects; SMART objectives; terms of reference; rationale for selection; ethical issues; potential costs; timescales.
• Information for strategic development of business area: analysis of organisation, structure, culture; planned growth strategy, marketing, operational issues; SWOT analysis, PEST analysis, analysis of customers and key stakeholders, competitor analysis.
• Success criteria: linked to purpose, objectives and outcome, SMART.
• Project planning: key milestones, resources, risk assessment and management, critical pathways, contingency, accessing relevant information, project goals, schedule, communication systems, sensitivity of information gathered (e.g. intellectual property, data protection).
• Link to business development: rationale for chosen research linked to stated business development needs.

Apply different research methodologies to gather sufficient and valid data

• Research methodology: research methods (survey, questionnaire including manual and electronic, observations); ways to test sufficiency, reliability and validity; definitions of data (primary and secondary sources, qualitative and quantitative); literature search and review (credibility, use and acceptance); ways to reference sources.
• Size and sufficiency of data; reliability and validity of information gathered.

Present research findings in an appropriate format for a target audience

• Research findings: report format (title, acknowledgements, contents page, introduction, summary of literature review, research methods used, findings, recommendations, references, bibliography, appendices); referencing (e.g. Harvard system).
• Analysis of data and application of statistical methods: qualitative (interpretation of records, feedback, processes, categories, trends and relationships); quantitative (mean, median, mode, variability e.g. range, standard deviation, application to business data, reliability of estimates from samples, trends and forecasting).
• Presentation of findings: methods for statistical data (graphs, charts, statistical tables); chosen audience (colleagues, Board members, external stakeholders); use of language appropriate to the audience; PowerPoint presentations.

Evaluate own skills while undertaking research

• Methods of self-evaluation: personal reflection, constructive feedback from a range of sources, evaluation forms, use of electronic equipment (e.g. recording interviews), SWOT analysis, balanced judgements.
• Improving own research skills: courses or qualifications, mentoring, coaching, conferences, secondments, application in future research, discussion with more experienced colleagues; a plan with specific actions, timescales, success criteria, resource implications and milestones that is realistic but challenging, addresses weaknesses and builds on strengths.

Unit Description: You will develop an understanding of how organisational behaviour, structure, culture, motivation, creativity and leadership impact on an organisation's effectiveness and efficiency.

Unit Content:

Understand leadership behaviour theory and practice

• Leadership versus management.
• Leadership behaviour theory including personal leadership traits, trait theories (e.g. Allport, Eysenck, Cattell), 'great man' theory, contingency theories (e.g. Fiedler, cognitive resource theory), situational theories (e.g. Hersey and Blanchard, Vroom and Yetton), behavioural theories (e.g. role theory, managerial/leadership grid), participative theories (e.g. Lewin/Likert, transformational v transactional leadership, emotional intelligence).
• Working relationships and interaction e.g. power, behavioural theories, social constructivism.

Understand how organisational structures and culture impact on the effectiveness of an organisation

• Organisational structure: bureaucracies, stakeholders, re-engineered corporation, modular, hierarchical, matrix, liquid devolved decision-making powers, networked and atomised organisations, virtual organisations, line, staff & functional structures, formal and informal organisations, designing organisation structure, centralisation, decentralisation.
• Organisational culture: Harrison (power, role, person, task cultures); Likert (autocratic, benevolent autocratic, consultative, participative); Mintzberg (simple, machine bureaucracy, divisional, adhocracy); Pedlar et al (the learning organisation).
• How structure and culture impact on effectiveness; the leader as a change agent.

Understand how organisations can improve employee motivation and effectiveness

• Motivational theory including Taylorism, Mayo, Maslow, Herzberg, McGregor, broad theories (e.g. temporal motivation theory), cognitive theory.
• Organisational learning: the learning culture, knowledge capture and management, technical versus experiential knowledge, technology.
• Organisational culture: integration/interaction of disciplines and teams, attitude to risk, rewards.
• Measuring performance: metrics, KPI, OKR, business scorecard, working in teams, group dynamics, teams versus groups, communications, collaboration and team decision making, motivation of groups.
• Change processes and outcomes: changes (reorganisation, restructuring, merger and acquisition, downsizing), involving stakeholders, communicating and managing change.

Unit Description: You will develop your own personal leadership and management skills in the context of the creation and achievement of organisational vision and strategic direction.

Unit Content:

Understand how knowledge and skills in leadership and strategic management support the creation and achievement of organisational vision and strategy

• Meaning of vision and strategy and their interrelationship.
• Knowledge and skills required - visioning, describing possible futures with clarity, creating, giving direction, specificity, providing motivation, planning, communicating and listening at different levels, synthesizing, analysing, empathy, decision taker, link between vision and strategy, bringing about effective change, emotional intelligence, developing and leading high performing teams, consistency and reliability, delegation, dealing with conflict, gaining alignment.
• Contribution to organisational vision and strategy; leadership and management knowledge and skills including consideration of financial situation, political uncertainty, availability of human and physical resources, and instability in the market.
• Similarities, differences and importance of knowledge and skills needed by strategic managers.

Understand how to develop and communicate organisational vision

• Factors impacting on organisational vision - history of the organisation, external and internal business environment, capacity of the organisation, anticipating potential barriers, skills and ambition of leadership team.
• Approaches to developing vision - two-way, top down, bottom up, timing, clarity, specificity, quality of information, presentation, dialogue, culture, understanding and feedback loops, involvement etc.
• Factors which impact on the communication of vision to internal and external stakeholders - size of organisation, organisational development, culture and diversity, complexity and boldness of vision, communication systems, dissemination and cascading processes.

Manage development of own knowledge and skills in leadership and strategic management to support achievement of personal and organisational vision and strategy

• Theories of leadership and management and their application - transformational, transactional, tri-dimensional leadership theory, charismatic, situational.
• Audit of personal skills and knowledge linked to creation and achievement of organisational vision and strategy.
• Objectives and personal development plan - specific, clear, challenging, achievable objectives linked to audit with stated outcomes, tasks, time frames, deadlines and monitoring points; formal learning (qualifications, training courses, work shadowing, job rotation, mentoring) and informal learning (reading texts, learning from successes and mistakes, diagnostic tools such as psychometric tests, development of emotional intelligence, ability to learn, systems thinking).

Reflect on the benefits of personal development in the achievement of personal growth and organisational vision and strategy

• Benefits of review - reviewing performance, learning from experience, repeating what is good, dealing with weaknesses, acknowledging success; review used frequently (at key milestones, at the outset and conclusion of tasks, at the end of a meeting, after a difficult problem).
• Sources of information - appraisal outcomes, 360-degree feedback systems, client feedback, staff/colleague/superiors' feedback, personal observations, data, KPIs, business results.

Unit Description: You will explore the changing international business environment and develop knowledge and understanding of its effect on organisations.

Unit Content:

Understand the international environment for business

• Analysis techniques: environmental analysis and diagnostics, environment audit, Porter's diamond (The Competitive Advantage of Nations), PESTLE, 'Five Forces' analysis.
• Micro-environment: stakeholders, suppliers, customers, competitors, market intermediaries.
• Macro-environment: external climate, economic conditions, political opinion, legal environment (national and international), cultural environment, resources (capital, people and natural), technology.
• International business environment: culture, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), politics, environmental issues, globalisation.

Understand the impact of globalisation and international trade on business

• History: economic theory, dependency theory, non-western cultures, maritime European empires, industrialisation, trade and empire, Bretton Woods, development of communications, information technology.
• Extent of globalisation (international trade) - trade, labour movement, cultural exchange, technical development and exchange, and capital.
• Effects of globalisation - on markets, business change, capital, jobs and outsourcing, cultural dominance, natural resources, conflict; debates on the benefits and challenges of globalisation, advocates and critics.
• Operations: international business conduct, competition in different markets, international brand development, protection of IP, trade partnerships, politics and regulation, security, ethics.

Understand the international markets in which businesses operate

• Sustainability.
• Moral and ethical issues: organisation purpose, nature of business ethics, corporate responsibility, social responsibility, corporate accountability, corporate governance, cultural conflict (e.g. nature of bribes and rewards), different economic models, different ethical frameworks (deontological and utilitarianism), Hofstede, Hall (monochronic and polychronic cultures).
• Conflicts: current conflicts and issues such as climate change and environmentalism, anti-globalisation and social responsibility, 'Peak Oil', greater insecurity, relationships with government, technological change and privacy concerns, social media, intellectual property issues.
• Legislation: UK, European, global and other national legislation and guidance; global agreements on carbon; legislation on pollution; agreements affecting specific industries (e.g. fishing agreements); institutions; codes of practice and guidelines from international (e.g. OECD, ISGN) and industry (e.g. ISAR) bodies; reporting mechanisms and audit standards.

Unit Description: You will enhance your knowledge and understanding of how organisations develop vision and strategic direction. This is particularly important for delivering strategic leadership roles in either private or public sector organisations.

Unit Content:

Understand how to develop an organisational vision and strategic direction

• Processes involved in creating a vision: written vision and mission statements, values and culture, language, purpose, good practice.
• Factors that impact on organisations and their vision: PESTLE (political, economic, social, technological, legal and environmental), government policy, legal requirements, regulatory and accountability issues, best practice and industry trends, global factors, data gathering.
• Relationships between vision, strategic direction and strategic planning: strategic goals, evaluation of key factors, criteria for analysis, knowledge to set strategic direction, strategic planning techniques.

Understand how to communicate the vision and strategic direction to stakeholders

• Communication methods: understanding audiences; methods (presentations, formats, formal media, social media); attitudes (enthusiasm, stressing importance, gaining agreement and acceptance); corporate style; communication systems; external support and expertise; embedding vision.
• Stakeholders: identification of different organisations and their structure; identification of key stakeholders (employees, managers, service users, customers, funding bodies, community groups and charities, local and national government); stakeholder needs and wants, roles, mapping and methods of engagement.
• Communicating with external stakeholders: promoting the vision, benefits analysis and promotion, format and language, feedback mechanisms, cost/benefit analysis.
• Building support: communicating clearly and effectively, equality issues, challenging behaviours, language and attitudes that do not support the vision, negotiation skills, changing systems, procedures, models of change.

Understand how to implement organisational vision and strategic direction

• Leadership behaviour: leadership and management styles, managing the change, acting as a role model to promote and embed the vision, challenging behaviours and values that do not support the vision, importance of personal credibility and belief.
• Embedding the vision: models for approaching change (top down, bottom up, consultative styles); identification of procedures, activities, values and language not consistent with vision and replacing them; organisational culture.
• Setting strategic direction: links between vision and objectives; strategic objectives (format, content, writing objectives); role of stakeholders.
• Strategic planning process: format and contents of strategic plan; development of the plan; resource allocations; targets; criteria for success.

Unit Description: You will further develop your understanding and skills in the application of quantitative methods appropriate to support decision making in organisations.

Unit Content:

Understand the types of quantitative data which can be used by organisations to monitor and improve their performance

• The nature of data and types of data such as qualitative and quantitative, and of information; how data can be turned into information and information used to inform decision making.
• Interpreting data from a variety of sources using different methods of analysis, with the advantages, disadvantages and limitations of each.
• Use and comparison of sampling techniques including random sampling with and without replacement, stratified sampling, cluster sampling, systematic sampling and others (e.g. postcode analysis, demographic analysis).
• Scales of measurement: nominal, ordinal, interval and ratio.

Analyse and evaluate raw business data to inform decision-making

• Descriptive statistics: measures of central tendency (mean, median); measures of variability (range, standard deviation); application to business data (e.g. finding average earnings; variability in business processes such as queuing times and customer arrival rates).
• Inferential statistics: the difference between sample and population and reliability of estimates from samples.
• Measuring association: scatter plots, correlation and regression analysis (linear), simple forecasting; business applications such as the association between output and cost, advertising and sales. Evaluating use of software such as Excel and SPSS to perform raw data analysis.

Apply a range of quantitative methods to support effective business decision-making

• Probability distributions and application to business decisions: normal distribution (e.g. weights and measures regulations and statistical process control), Poisson distribution (e.g. customer arrival rates) and binomial distribution (e.g. inspection sampling); inference (e.g. margins of error and confidence limits).
• Inventory management including optimum inventory and economic order quantities; capacity management and factors affecting capacity and maximum output rates; forecast capacity and the use of decision trees.
• The issue of variability in business processes (e.g. arrival rates of customers and time taken to deal with customers) and how this leads to a trade-off between waiting time and process utilisation.
• Quantitative methods used to analyse trends over time such as time series analysis and index numbers, and how they support planning and decision making.

Report on data and communicate findings to inform decision-making

• Identifying data: numerical (discrete and continuous); categorical (nominal or ordinal); levels of measurement (nominal, ordinal, interval, ratio); centre and spread of data, ordering, frequency and scatter plots, ranking.
• Time series analysis, indices, histograms, charts, tables, bar and line graphs and their use in representing and interpreting data.
• Choosing the most effective ways of analysing data and communicating the results for decision taking using tables and charts, with appropriate limitations, conclusions and recommendations; utilising software for producing charts/tables.